# Sliding dovetails



## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Anyone have thoughts to offer on using sliding dovetails to join rails to stiles in a cab faceframe? 
It'll be a first attempt for me, want something that will look a little more unique than the average plain ol' stile & rail faceframe joint. 
Here's a rough sketch of the cab front: 










They would also be used to join the center stile into the top and bottom rails.
Any thoughts/criticisms/advice will be gladly accepted!


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Did some sketches for a sliding dovetail on a thread a few months back, someone wanted to build a table with removable legs etc.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Yep, all of my furniture face frames are DT'd. But they are not sliding, there are half blind. The tenon is cut as a dovetail and is placed in to a matching mortice with an open side on the back. The result is very strong.

I usually do them 'sprung' where if there are any across the middle they are ever so slightly shorter than they should be to draw the frame in tight.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Look up transforming table

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

firemedic said:


> Yep, all of my furniture face frames are DT'd. But they are not sliding, there are half blind. The tenon is cut as a dovetail and is placed in to a matching mortice with an open side on the back. The result is very strong.
> 
> I usually do them 'sprung' where if there are any across the middle they are ever so slightly shorter than they should be to draw the frame in tight.


So would that be a "housed" half blind? 
Thanks for the suggestion!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think you would be just as well off with a half lap joint and would be less of headache to assembly.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Real furniture doesn't use faceframes, that's for kitchen cabinets. The mark of high quality work is joinery that will lock together and stay that way even when the piece is relegated to the barn for 50 yrs. metal rusts away, glue joints break. Sliding or French dovetails are one of those joints but they don't make sense in a faceframe. Drawers, framing, partitions, yes but use pinned M&T for faceframe type construction.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

If you've built a dresser, you more than likely built a piece of furniture with a face frame.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Bzawat, it looks like this:


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

That was on this dresser...


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## jodasm (Oct 25, 2012)

In my opinion as a cabinet maker it is just to much to put into a cabinet. Save the dovetails for finer projects where you could use the added strength. Spend more time with your doors drawers finishes if u want to beautify your cabinets


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

jodasm1977 said:


> In my opinion as a cabinet maker it is just to much to put into a cabinet. Save the dovetails for finer projects where you could use the added strength. Spend more time with your doors drawers finishes if u want to beautify your cabinets


I understand what you're saying. Perhaps I should have prefaced my OP by saying that the buffet cab is to be a Christmas gift for my better half - she has wanted one for a couple years now haha - so therefore it's not just any cabinet. 

Otherwise I'd say yeah, it's too much to put into a cabinet.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

firemedic said:


> That was on this dresser...


Great job on the dresser! Awesome design.


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## jodasm (Oct 25, 2012)

And something she will enjoy for years


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