Wood Movement questions

[Craig D Peltier]

I'm wondering on casework i.e Dresser. If I were to build it out of solid wood sides an bottoms , top and dust shelves etc. Is there a place to learn online about what type of joinery system should be used. I have built many a table tops using the figure eight fasteners so the top can move.
I am aware that woods moves width wise and not length. Elongated holes I have seen mentioned here so the screw head can flex left or right.There must be other ways. I think I seen a a store like pottery barn cant think of chain name that makse most of there stuff out of hardwood and not veneers.I havent seen there sytem if thye even have one.

For example sides to bottom?

[Lee Schierer]

I just built this dresser.http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=138343&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1263474999. As you can see the sides and top are solid wood. The top is attached to an upper frame (dust partition) with wood screws up through the frame into the under side of the top. The holes along the front are just holes. The holes mid way back along the side are elongated about 1/8" and the holes at the back are elongated about 1/4" That's the easy part.

The frames are attached to the solid wood sides with pocket screws. I drill the pocket holes, install the frame with screws, then remove the frame and screws and elongate the middle and back screw holes 1/8" and 1/4" and reinstall the frames, making sure the screws go back into the original screw holes. Again not too hard to do.

As you can see the bottom skirt board has grain running perpendicular to the side grain. I discussed various design options in this post.Dresser side joint (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=125470) The design I came up with to attach the base is at the bottom of the replies. It consisted of a 1/4 x 1/4 dado on the bottom inside edge of the side panels. Then I attached a two piece clamping runner to the base piece that locked into the dado. This allowed the side pieces to move relative to the base while still fully supporting the weight of the dresser. At the front corner of the dresser, I glued and screwed in a glue block vertically in each corner to hold the mitered corners together tight. These screws and glue blocks are essentially the only thing holding the base in place as it can slide out the back in the dado slot if not for the screws and glue block.

[Craig D Peltier]

Thanks Lee, wow takes alot more effort and problem solving to do it that way. At least im informed.



I just built this dresser.http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=138343&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1263474999. As you can see the sides and top are solid wood. The top is attached to an upper frame (dust partition) with wood screws up through the frame into the under side of the top. The holes along the front are just holes. The holes mid way back along the side are elongated about 1/8" and the holes at the back are elongated about 1/4" That's the easy part.

The frames are attached to the solid wood sides with pocket screws. I drill the pocket holes, install the frame with screws, then remove the frame and screws and elongate the middle and back screw holes 1/8" and 1/4" and reinstall the frames, making sure the screws go back into the original screw holes. Again not too hard to do.

As you can see the bottom skirt board has grain running perpendicular to the side grain. I discussed various design options in this post.Dresser side joint (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=125470) The design I came up with to attach the base is at the bottom of the replies. It consisted of a 1/4 x 1/4 dado on the bottom inside edge of the side panels. Then I attached a two piece clamping runner to the base piece that locked into the dado. This allowed the side pieces to move relative to the base while still fully supporting the weight of the dresser. At the front corner of the dresser, I glued and screwed in a glue block vertically in each corner to hold the mitered corners together tight. These screws and glue blocks are essentially the only thing holding the base in place as it can slide out the back in the dado slot if not for the screws and glue block.

[Mike Henderson]

I had a cabinet with a similar base and I attached it with figure 8 fasteners.

Mike

[Neal Clayton]

hey mike where do you get those figure 8 fasteners?

they've been around for a long time, because i've seen them holding butted moldings together in old plantation homes, the old ones were sharpened on the edge like those corrugated fasteners they have at the BORGS, they just hammered them in place.

but i haven't seen a worthy imitation for sale anywhere.

[Craig D Peltier]

hey mike where do you get those figure 8 fasteners?

they've been around for a long time, because i've seen them holding butted moldings together in old plantation homes, the old ones were sharpened on the edge like those corrugated fasteners they have at the BORGS, they just hammered them in place.

but i haven't seen a worthy imitation for sale anywhere.

Im not mike but I have found them at rockler an woodcraft. Some are flat figure 8s and some are cupped. I think the cupped are slightly larger by very little.I dont think I can find them at WW Hardware.

[Julie Rose]

I get mine at Lee Valley. Go to Lee Valley dot com and search for "Figure Eight Connectors" or Item 13K01.50

~Julie~

[Frank Drew]

On most solid wood casework the top, sides and bottom all have grain running in the same direction, so wood movement concerns are minimal if they're attached to one another (screwing a top, say, into a frame member running in a different direction is different.)