I’m about to begin building an occasional table. It’s about 18x18x29. I am going to have three drawers in the front and this causes a problem. The skirt around the sides and the bcak needs to be about 10 inches wide(tall). How should I join the skirt to the legs. I was goint to M&T, but I figured a 9″ M&T would crack the legs with movement. Then I thought about a sliding dovetail only glued at the top with a bit of room at the bottom. What do you guys/gals think?????????????????
-Art K
Replies
Art,
Traditional joinery will be mortise and tenon. Divide the 10 inches into at least two or, better three mortises, with a web of about 1" between them. I'd recommend a haunch of around 3/4" -1" at the top of the leg. You can make allowance (about 1/8") for movement by cutting the tenons' width undersize. Glue the tenon nearest the top of the leg, spot glue the middle one, and let the bottom one float.
If you nail the drawer guides to the side aprons, when the aprons move, it will affect how the drawer bearers align with the drawer rails (divides) on the front of the table. Better to mortise or inlet narrow guides into the legs aligned with the rails so they will stay put as the aprons move.
Regards,
Ray
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