Replies

1. 
   NormInFujino | Sep 04, 2003 05:51am | #1

   I would not use mitered corners, even with biscuits, unless you provide some kind of interior support at each corner, which in turn will hurt the nice clean interior lines of the box. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the most common method of joining the sides in this case would be dovetails or box joints, like in this one:

   View Image

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

1. 
   patternmaker | Sep 04, 2003 07:07am | #2

   Norm: I build my blanket chests as you have described in your photo.

   However,since the query is about stile and rail construction,with panels,either raised or otherwise

   I doubt that the dovetail construction would be suitable.

   A suitable mitered corner can be made with one of the router cutters designed for that purpose.

   I am assuming that the ends of the panel assemblies will be vertical stiles and the horizontal rails will be mortised into them.FWIW ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ PAT ¬¬¬¬¬¬

1. 
   NormInFujino | Sep 04, 2003 07:38am | #3

   You're right, Pat, I saw "blanket chest" and overlooked the "frame and panel" part.

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

2. 
   jagwah | Sep 04, 2003 08:27pm | #4

   Here's one I recently posted.The finished photo shows using a post but the post is one side of the style and rail construction.

   View Image    View Image You'll find this in an old issue of FWW. I liked so much I built one for my daughter.

   
   

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   Edited 9/4/2003 1:28:45 PM ET by JAGWAH

3. 
   ChasStanford | Sep 05, 2003 01:00am | #5

   Right the first time, cut tenons on the rails and mortises on the corner posts.  Consider pegging the joint, too.

4. 
   IW | Sep 05, 2003 01:04am | #6

   Mike,

            Mitred corner stiles would be a strong joint - all that long-grain to glue up, but might look a bit clumsy from the 3/4 view.  The standard approach seems to be to use a single stile and M&T front and side rails into it.  Depending on the size of the chest and the relative proportions you want, the tenons may be a bit short, unless you kep them towards the outside.  It is also usual to let the mortises meet, and mitre the ends of the tenons (leaving a small gap for glue).

   I'll attach a picture of a Camphorwood chest built using this method - the tops of the stiles/legs are about 1 1/2" square, the tenons are 3/8" thick and placed about 5/16" in from the outer edge. (They are also haunched at the top so they don't show, and to leave some wood holding the top of the stile together). This one is only about 4 or 5 years old, but a plainer chest using the same basic joinery (made from Western Red Cedar about 20 years ago) is still going strong after being hauled around the world in several moves...

   Cheers,

   IW

   
1. 
   Midnight | Sep 05, 2003 03:50am | #8

   Guys....

   thanks for taking the time to answer... your pics have me in awe....

   Norm.... nice job with the dovetails.... I aim to try them.... one day... but not with this project..... pitiful excuse i know but right now I don't have the right tools to contemplate them...

   Jag... awsome piece of workmanship.... one question though... I donno if it's my eyes or what..... but does the underside of the bottom rail have a slight arch cut into it....??

   IW...... I made the mistake of showing SWMBO your pic.... she said the next one I make has to look like yours.... you're gonna get me hung.....

   I hadn't thought of using the posts as the outer styles... I'll have to revisit the sawmill to get some thicker stock to make them...

   you ummmmmmm..... think that a project like this would justify a new mortising jig...???? Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   NormInFujino | Sep 05, 2003 06:48am | #9

   >>Norm.... nice job with the dovetails

   Just so that no one misunderstands; the photo I uploaded was linked from another site; not my work, I was just posting it as an example.

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

2. 
   jagwah | Sep 05, 2003 07:17am | #10

   Yes it does, good catch. As far as the mortiser I couldn't have made this without it or my tenoning jig. ~Good Luck

3. 
   Danford_C_ | Sep 05, 2003 03:51pm | #11

   Mike,

   Corner posts aren't always necessary.....Below is a pic of a hope chest I was commissioned to design and build a few years back....I used splined mitres....FWIW.

   Dano"Form and Function are One" - Frank L. Wright

   
1. 
   nohrn | Sep 06, 2003 01:52am | #12

   I don't see that much of a problem with mitereed joints.. I built  a 2 ft. by 6 6ft. blanket chect out of 3/4 " oak ply wood with raiased pannels on sides and ends. I used the triangular pieces cut from the miteres on the inside corners for extra strength. We us it daily and I've no problems at all.

5. 
   art | Sep 05, 2003 03:25am | #7

   Quite some time ago I built a toy chest for my granddaughter using frame and panel construction. I joined the assemblies using plywood splines (loose tenons). It has held up well to date.  Art

   
6. 
   jtandrews | Sep 06, 2003 04:37am | #13

   I realize I am chiming in about two days late in the inquiry.  But I thought I would attach two photos of a chest I built a few years ago.  Other than the obvious problems from not cleaning it regularly, it has held up well.

   The second photo shows the detail on the miter joint,  These were actually quite easy (although not traditional) to make.  After cutting at the pieces, I biscuited them together, glued them with epoxy.  To clamp them together I used masking tape wrapped around them.

   Jeff                                     

   Upon review, I realized the photos wouldn't open.  Since I can't get them into this edited message, I'll send them  in an additional post.  I'm still trying to figure out this digi-photo stuff!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

   
   

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   Edited 9/6/2003 5:34:46 PM ET by jtandrews

   
   

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   Edited 9/6/2003 5:38:13 PM ET by jtandrews

1. 
   jtandrews | Sep 07, 2003 12:40am | #14

   Here are the photos mentioned in the previous post.  Sorry about the foul-up.

   Jeff

   
7. 
   robkelly1 | Sep 07, 2003 03:10am | #15

   I've built a number of chests that look a lot like Dano's post. I build the corners first, using a lock miter bit on the RT or a LM cutter on the shaper, depending on thickness of wood. Then I mortise the rails and stiles, and glue up with loose tenons. I make the complete front and the complete back, first. Then I assemble and glue the sides to the front and the back. I use Titebond II.

   I make corners abt 1/2" too long, and final trim to exact length before mortising.