# mitred dovetail joinery question



## thetyreman (30 Oct 2019)

I am designing a new cabinet and wondered what are the advantages of A vs B? I did a rough sketch to show you

I was planning on using the B version, is it much more work to cut A?

the back will have a rebate so both front and back will be mitred, the front being mitred just to look good.

regards, 

BT.


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## MikeG. (30 Oct 2019)

Just one pin? Wow, I'm not sure that's a risk I'd take. What if the wood starts cupping?


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## AndyT (30 Oct 2019)

It has to be A - B just looks weird, unless it's really narrow pieces.

I've only done mitred dovetails once, but I did do quite a few in one batch when I made a set of boxes. ( dovetailed-pine-boxes-with-captive-bottoms-t108475.html ).

They needed more pins and tails than yours, but from what I can remember once I had got the shapes right in my head, so I didn't accidentally saw through in the wrong place, they didn't take much longer than ordinary dovetails.


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## thetyreman (31 Oct 2019)

agree, back to the drawing board it is then, I've come up with a new design with more pins, will upload when I have a bit more time.


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## thetyreman (3 Nov 2019)

here's the final prototype joint,

I even put a houndstooth dovetail in the centre, I think I will ommit this on the final version. 

the final version will be in american white oak not pine


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## AndyT (3 Nov 2019)

Very tidy! =D> =D>


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## sammy.se (3 Nov 2019)

Very nice prototype.
Is it intentionally asymmetrical?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk


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## thetyreman (3 Nov 2019)

sammy.se":2oiq10qq said:


> Very nice prototype.
> Is it intentionally asymmetrical?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk



thanks,

yes it is intentional, the tails are symmetrical though, but pins are not, the tails will be seen.


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## MikeG. (4 Nov 2019)

That looks great. My only query would be whether you have enough strength towards the outer edges to prevent cupping. Part of the point of dovetails is that they help resist movement in the boards, but with the tails and pins being concentrated in the middle, you could potentially have issues at the outer edges if one of the boards decides to start moving.


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## thetyreman (4 Nov 2019)

MikeG.":2rbunrcq said:


> That looks great. My only query would be whether you have enough strength towards the outer edges to prevent cupping. Part of the point of dovetails is that they help resist movement in the boards, but with the tails and pins being concentrated in the middle, you could potentially have issues at the outer edges if one of the boards decides to start moving.



I think there will be enough strength, especially on the final version which will be in oak, I think only time will tell, bear in mind as well that the back mitre is 1 inch but 3/4" of it is a rebate.


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## That would work (5 Nov 2019)

It will be OK in terms of cupping so long as you arrange the sides with the timbers heart on the outside, that way it would be the centre trying to lift which is unlikely to happen. Unless you are lucky enough to be using quarter sawn stuff!


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## thetyreman (5 Nov 2019)

That would work":1skkroeb said:


> It will be OK in terms of cupping so long as you arrange the sides with the timbers heart on the outside, that way it would be the centre trying to lift which is unlikely to happen. Unless you are lucky enough to be using quarter sawn stuff!



it's flatsawn stock, I will bear that in mind thanks, why is it that having the heart of the outside is less likely to cup?


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## That would work (5 Nov 2019)

Timber cups away from the heart. Therefore with the heart on the outside the edges will tend to push onto the ends instead of lifting away. The integrity of your joint is based in the centre which would prevent movement in the middle. Hope that makes sense.


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