How would you join this?

[Michael Drew]

I'm building an open backed cabinet with shelves that will hang on a wall (spice rack). It's all hickory with the top, bottom, sides and middle verticals being 3/4". The shelves are all 1/2". The cabinet is 5 1/4" deep. To help visualize, this thing is going to be 39" high X 33" wide. It will have three bays with shelves. The middle bay shelves are about 6" center / center and the right and left are 9" center / center, about.

I wanted to use dovetails to give it a more 'handcrafted' look, but visions of me throwing broken boards across the shop has made me reconsider. Assembling this thing with all these components requiring different pull and squeeze points will inevitably mean that it will end up being a twisted mess before I get done.

So now I've gone to using a box tail joint for the top and bottom to the right and left sides. I'm thinking about using a tapered sliding dovetail for the joint where the middle two verticals join the top / bottom as I have a PC omni jig (first version) to cut those. But now I'm not sure what to do for all the shelves. I can't cut tapered sliding dovetails with the jig because it will only cut them in 3/4 stock and the shelves are 1/2". I don't dare try non-tapered dovetails as I'm sure I'll just screw up the assembly. I hate using biscuits for shelves as I always manage to mess up the face cuts. I suppose I could cut some dado's for the shelves, but they don't really look all that wonderful from a craftsmanship perspective.

I'd like to just use a sliding dovetail for the shelves but not sure how to do that without screwing them up during assembly if I can't taper them.

I'm not sure if I'm just venting or asking for help or moral support now that I've read what I wrote.....

What would you do?

[glenn bradley]

I found sliding dovetails a joy to use. They keep things square and cinch up tight. If you are not totally sold on DT or fingerjoints at the top and bottom for the "bling" factor, let your sides go proud and profile them (ignore the through tenons and think; sliding dovetails instead):

168095

That way you could sliding DT the whole thing. Here's a small wall cabinet build thread that may help: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=126124

[Michael Drew]

Nice looking cabinet there Glenn.

I probably should go with sliding DT's. I have used them before with mixed results durring glue up / assembly.

How much glue is enough anyway?

[glenn bradley]

How much glue is enough anyway?

On sliding joints, be they tenons or dovetails, I put a thin film of glue about 2/3 of the way along the opening starting at the end where the mating piece will be inserted. The inserted piece pushes the glue on down toward the end as it travels and minimizes squeeze-out. I always like to see a little glue show up. I will leave the joint for a half hour or so for the glue to get "leathery" and then pare the squeeze-out away with a sharp chisel.

[Dave Houseal]

I like Glenn's idea to use sliding dovetails throughout.

I don't know how I feel about having box joints on the corners, sliding dovetails for the middle dividers and then something else for the shelves. I think it will look better with a little more consistency.

Stopped dado's are another option. They are not "showy", but they are easy.

[Michael Drew]

Ya, I think you guys are right. I'm not getting along with my DT jig or Incra, so I tend to avoid DT's in general. I think I need to just bite the bullet and get a new jig. Time to start researching jigs....