# Dovetail joint



## rbremmer (Jan 13, 2009)

Is there a rule of thumb on how to orient a dovetail joint? In other words which side gets the tails and which gets the pins? I understand putting the tails on the sides of a drawer, this locks the joint against the major force applied to the drawer. But what about on storage cabinets that will sit underneath my workbench? Tails on the top/bottom or the sides? Personnaly I'm thinking the tails on the top/bottom but want to know if there is any guidline/reason why.

PS. These are solid wood pannels on all sides.

RB


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## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

rb,
our forefathers, when building a cabinet or any case piece, would put them top and bottom. I would guess that prevents the sides from pushing away.


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## rbremmer (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks! Makes sense now that I think about it and the forces applied to the cabinet. I found lots of information on how to make dovetail joints but no explanation on how to orient the joint. Just one of those things that everybody seems to "know" but doesn't pass on.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Interesting. That is probably a question that would never have occurred to me.

G


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