# Drawer fronts.



## Roxie (21 Aug 2019)

I am making a multi drawer jewellery cabinet and stuck as to how to join the drawer fronts to the sides. The largest drawer is 2 1/2 deep by 7 ins. and 1/2 thick the sides will be about 3/8., and they are inset. The obvious joint is the stopped dovetail (I think that's the right phrase) but they would be rather small and I am not sure I have the skill!
Could someone suggest another joint. I have looked in Joyce's book and he shows a joint that could be done using a router, a sort of groove and tongue, discuss!!

Any help would be most welcome

John


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## marcros (21 Aug 2019)

What about a dowelled version of the domidrawer?

Sorry on phone so can't link easily, but it is a pinned rebate joint. Plenty strong enough for a jewellery box.


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## thetyreman (21 Aug 2019)

there's no better way to joint them than half blind dovetails, they aren't as hard as you might think, why not try a practise joint first and see how it goes, I'd recommend this as a guide: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADyJ8AMLcOI


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## Roxie (23 Aug 2019)

Thank you tyreman I gave it a try and as you say not too difficult.

I looked at Paul Sellars and followed his tutorial with a couple of refinements. I used "blue" tape on the drawer front as it made it easier to see the lines on dark wood. I removed the portion of tape in the section of wood that needed to be removed. I did see another YouTube where the presenter used an old cabinet scraper to "cut" down the saw kerf at the back of the dovetail. It made it easier to clean out the back corners. Done two sides, so far so good.


Thanks again

John


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## katellwood (23 Aug 2019)

why not cut a through dovetail then glue a piece on the face to form what would appear at a glance to be a lap dovetail.


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## woodbloke66 (24 Aug 2019)

Roxie":2b7wjlu1 said:


> The largest drawer is 2 1/2 deep by 7 ins. and 1/2 thick the sides will be about 3/8., and they are inset. The obvious joint is the stopped dovetail (I think that's the right phrase) but they would be rather small and I am not sure I have the skill!
> Any help would be most welcome
> 
> John



2.5" or about 63mm in 'new money' isn't too bad for a set of two dovetails. My suggestion would be to find some decent softwood (look for pine with tightly spaced annual rings..it's out there, but you'll need to look for it) and make a few practice joints. They're not too difficult and the the 'blue tape' tip is a good one - Rob


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## topchippytom (24 Aug 2019)

Dovetail joints are used a lot for draws and a nice feature


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## Benchwayze (2 Sep 2019)

katellwood":1gosjnj7 said:


> why not cut a through dovetail then glue a piece on the face to form what would appear at a glance to be a lap dovetail.



I have tried that myself just for the heck of it on a box for the shop. It was OK, but flattening the two mating faces took a little time. 

John (hammer)


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