Dovetail Joints

[digger]

There's a difference???????

Sisters are inbreeding....
First cousins are kinda iffy....




Second cousins are fair game no matter what they look like.

In my high school chemistry class all those decades ago, we actually had an operating still. We used it to make methanol from grass clippings to run the school's lawn mowers.

I was wanting a recipe until I saw "methanol" and "grass clippings." Sounds cool though.
Using the grass that ya cut, to power the mower, that cut the grass.
Did that sound right? :kookoo:


Wolfgang, you have officially been derailed by the best.

Have ya started the tv stand yet?
Where are ya wanting to put a dovetail? Think ya really need it?
If it's just for the shelves, a dado joint works good. Simple to cut on a table saw.
The drawer fronts? Table saw is good for that too. http://www.kennedyhardware.com/images/hsr_figf.jpg Don't over think it.
Search for some plans. Don't have to use them, but ya can get some ideas.
Keep it simple and make the best of what tools ya have.

Good luck.

 

[Rolex]

Sisters are inbreeding....
First cousins are kinda iffy....




Second cousins are fair game no matter what they look like.

Thanks for the back up. I'm pretty sure she's just a second cousin...or my aunt.

 

[hamz9561]

Or your brother?

 

[Rolex]

Don't be ridiculous, THIS is my brother....or my uncle Clem.

 

[hamz9561]

I thought that was your son's prom picture, Rolex....

 

[Rolex]

no, not mine. When I applied for a marriage license they told me they would only issue it if I promised never to reproduce.

They thought I had a trace of West Virginian in me, and that's not allowed in New York.

 

[Wolfgang10]

View attachment 9514

View attachment 9515

View attachment 9516
Hopefully the pictures will show up.

Basically it will be two bookshelves on the ends of a tv stand. The drawings were made up in solidworks and I realize some pieces are missing, but you should be able to get the general idea. Also, a top (16"x42") is to be placed on top (was removed to see joints more clearly).
The dovetail joints will hold the shelves of the bookcases up, and also attach the two bookcases to the middle stand. I tried to alter the colors to give you an idea of a possible stain combination.

I have not began construction yet because I have been trying to find the wood cheap...and its not looking good. Found a guy willing to give me some free maple, and lots of it, but it is tongue and groove flooring pieces, and he lives 40 miles away.

 

[Rolex]

Hey, welcome back. I think we got a little derailed...ya think?

The flooring would be a nice touch. You'd only have to slice the tongue off the front piece and the back.
You'd also want to run a strip down each side to cover the end grain.
Have you thought about attaching it with dowels? excellent strength and a small fraction of the work.

 

[Wolfgang10]

lol just a little. but it kept the thread alive while I was away

 

[Rolex]

That was the plan from the beginning.

 

[Wolfgang10]

You mean a butt joint with the dowel half way in each piece? This might have to be a direction I consider if I stay with wood as the material choice. I could easily go with steel and weld this bad boy up in an afternoon. But, I was just really looking forward to those nice two toned dovetails. But maybe I can still have the two different stains without the complexity of dovetails.
The dowels are a great suggestion though, because I dont want and metal brackets sticking out like sore thumbs. Thanks!

 

[hamz9561]

Okay, can we continue the thread derailment?

 

[Rolex]

You mean a butt joint with the dowel half way in each piece?

Yup, that would be it. Dovetails are really not meant to be seen, that's why they are only used in drawers. Dowels are routinely used in furniture frames and kitchen cabinet fronts.

Okay, can we continue the thread derailment?

Yes we can.
Turns out that this is my Aunt Flossie, or Auntie Floozy as we all called her. I didn't recognize her since she died her hair, but then I noticed the cigar she always had in her mouth.

 

[digger]

Don't know how many different kinds there are, but the maple I have seen here is hard. Most people call it "rock maple."
Tools need to be really sharp.

Do ya have any sawmills around close? I've got one about an hour away that used to kiln dry their own wood and plane it. Got a hell of a deal on some red oak once.

Just my $0.02. Looks like the top shelf is going to be the same height all the way across?
Make it one solid shelf? Dado it out for your uprights. Just drill straight through for the dowels? I have seen some like that. Easy to do and if you space the dowels the same it doesn't look bad.
And do the bottom the same way. That should help the strength.

I didn't recognize her since she died her hair, but then I noticed the cigar she always had in her mouth.

I thought that was a cousin of mine, but she always had a big chew of tobacco in her mouth to go along with the cigar.




My bad...

 

[Rolex]

I thought that was a cousin of mine, but she always had a big chew of tobacco in her mouth to go along with the cigar.

Normally I would have thought we might be related to the same pretty lady, but in this case I'll let your family claim her. :

 

[hamz9561]

It kind of looks like my Aunt Betty, but she doesn't have enough chest or facial hair.

 

[Wolfgang10]

Lets get this project rolling! Stopped by my local hardware store and after about an hour or so trying to figure it out and calculating how much it would cost with various types of wood, and not buying anymore than I need, I walked out and only dropped $40.93. (Subtract the $15 gift card I found in my wallet, and I actually only spent $25.93 cash. )
The very top (not shown) will be a solid piece. And the first row of shelves will all be the same height, but after playing with some various color combos, I will leave them separate so I can stain the middle one a light color, and the shelves for the bookcases a darker/ more red color.

 

[digger]

Good luck with it.
What kid of wood did ya end up with?

 

[Wolfgang10]

I ended up just buying some yellow pine. I wanted to get whitewood, but the yellow pine had sharper corners and there were no 1"x2" pieces available for the whitewood. Feel like skipping class today to just play in the garage lol

 

[Rolex]

I absolutely LOVE hardware stores and lumber yards.
Every time I walk into one, I get wood. :whhooo: