Design dilemma, (pin & tails).

[garywayne]

Hello everyone.

I have a bit of a dilemma here. As I do very little woodwork, due to circumstances, I tend to forget most of what I learn.

I have some reddish timber, it used to be a book case but it was taken apart. My intention is to build a tool shelf/cabinet. The overall internal size is:- 822mm H; X 665mm W, with two shelves at 200mm, and 400mm from the bottom.

As far as construction goes, (using dove tails), if memory serves, the sides would normally be the pin boards, and the top and bottom would be the tail boards. Please enlighten me if I am wrong.

As this item will be hanging on the wall, my idea is to use tails on the bottom of the sides to hold the base on. To prevent bulging, I propose to put pins at the top of the side pieces, and use sliding dove tails on the ends of the shelves. Is this acceptable, or is mixing tails and pins on one board a no no?

All advice, or ideas will be noted.
Thanks for your time.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

From an aesthetics point of view, I think mixing pins and tails would be bad. From an assembly point of view, it might be difficult at best to assemble that way.

Normally the sides of the case get the tails although I have seen some tall case construction where the tails are on the top.

Keep in mind the pins slide in between the tails . Puttung the pins on the side pieces would mean weight on the bottom board could pull the bottom joints apart. If you hang the shelf from its top, weight in the cabinet could pull the cabinet away from the top.

As far as the joint coming apart due to bulging, I expect you'll find little problem with that. There is normally little force pushing the sides away from each other. Besides, with glue in the joint the joint will be stronger than the wood.

 

[garywayne]

Thanks for the reply Dave.

To be honest, I haven't thought about the aesthetics. I was thinking mainly of the practicality of things. IE; The bottom falling off, or the sides falling apart.

As far as assembly goes, slide the two sides onto the bottom, then put the top on the top, then slide the two shelves in from the back, then put the back on.

The idea of mixing the pins and tails is as stated above. You never know what will be hung on the outside of the sides in the future.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Still, if the joint is glued, you won't have any problems. if you're really concerned about the sides bowing out due to the weight of stuff hanging on the outside, use sliding dovetails on a shelf running across the case.

 

[garywayne]

Cheers Dave.

I shall start this afternoon.