# Is this construction possible with dovetails



## el_Pedr0 (13 Sep 2020)

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice as I design drawer units for a wardrobe.

I'm trying to create a draw like the one in the attached photo:






Draw sides: 15mm solid walnut
Draw front: 19mm solid walnut with toughened glass insert
Draw bottom: 6mm walnut veneered mdf

It will sit on blum movento rails, so I need to make the front of the draw continue below the sides of the draw (as shown) to hide the blum hardware. And that difference in height between the front and the sides of the draw leads me to my first question:

Is it possible to join the sides to the front with half blind dowetails? In dovetail drawers I've seen, the front is either the exact same height as the side, or is rabbetted an all four sides. Whereas, I guess I'm not looking to rabbet at all because I'm not suggesting planing away that bottom lip of the draw front.


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## spb (13 Sep 2020)

It's possible, but might not be worth it in that design.

In order to dovetail the sides in you'll need a piece of wood on the back of the drawer front to join them into. That could be achieved either by laminating a small piece to the back of the front on either side, or by starting from much thicker stock and shaping it down - effectively a double thickness drawer front with rebates on four sides as well as the cut out for the glass.

Of course, both of those approaches will end up with a strange thicker section of the drawer front that'll be (a) visible through the glass panel and (b) quite prominent when the drawer is open. If that's something you can live with aesthetically then go for it; if not then I'd be exploring other options.


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## Argus (13 Sep 2020)

Apart from the inherent elegance of the joint, the merit of dovetail construction in a drawer is the fact that the stress used to open and close the drawer throughout its useful life, (the push/pull action if you prefer), is at right angles to the direction of assembly with the tails on the sides. Done well with a good fit to the pins and tails, it has great inherent strength due to that.

You need to decide if the front assembly containing the glass coupled with half-blind dovetails into what is in effect a short piece of material has the sustained strength to withstand constant use.

Not something I would do, to be honest………. The glass, that is, I'm all for the dovetails.


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## TheTiddles (13 Sep 2020)

Sliding dovetail would be ideal if you had some overlap on the sides.

You could use a through or half-lap just as well, but then you’re mixing a modern and traditional look together. What’s the rest of the piece look like?

Aidan


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## el_Pedr0 (14 Sep 2020)

Thanks for the replies. Seems like I need to take a different direction. I'll sketch up the whole unit and post back here to pick your brains on possible options/improvements.


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## Droogs (14 Sep 2020)

Also if you a putting part names on your drawings then call them drawers as that is the proper term. draw is the action of opening and closing the drawer


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## el_Pedr0 (15 Sep 2020)

Here's the drawer unit that I was thinking about making. The first top drawer is like a pull out shelf for belts, ties and stuff. Then the next one down is the one with the glass and then the remaining four drawers are normal.









I've actually taken inspiration for the pull out shelf and glass drawer from an Ikea Pax wardrobe (please don't baulk - it looks better in real life than in the photo). I'm not planning to replicate the ikea unit - e.g. in my unit the rest of the drawers will be tight to the sides and each other and will have drawer pulls.






So I guess I've already got at least three options:
1) scrap the idea of the glass front (and possibly pull out shelf) and just go with dovetail drawers all the way down
2) stick to the original plan, but scrap the idea of dovetails altogether and just go with butt joint all the way down?
3) stick to the original plan, but have but butt joints on the glass fronted drawer, and dovetails on the lower drawers which will then also have a panel front (so the lower drawers will have thicker fronts than the glass-fronted drawer)

I'd welcome your thoughts. I do like the glass fronted drawer having lived with the Ikea one for the past 3 months, but I'm not wedded to anything yet.

@Droogs - spell checked


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## TheTiddles (15 Sep 2020)

I can’t see a reason not to dovetail it, there are other ways, but it’ll work ok. Just leave enough material to keep the strength 

Aidan


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## Myfordman (15 Sep 2020)

A lot of the stiffness and strength of a modern car comes from the bonded in windscreen and rear window so your glass fronted drawer can be made plenty strong enough.


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## Droogs (15 Sep 2020)

safety glass will take a lot of strain once in place (especially if bonded in). With regard to the drawer front, if either side of the glass are => 25mm then a sliding dovetail will be more than sufficient to withstand opening and closing. Orientate it so that the drawer front is fitted by sliding downwards and you will be fine. Drawer front would need to be and inch thick at least though

You could adapt this idea as well


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