I have a couple of tutorials on blind dovetails - here and here.
Mike
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Thanks for sharing Jim. Interesting all the different ways of going about things. I usually do my miters after the dovetails and pare on a horizontal block. I like box and the decorative pieces for the handles are attractive.
Michael
Nice write-ups and a clear tutorial. Thanks for sharing that Mike
You said the tails are on the sides, which like Mike said, is reversed from normal drawer construction.
That said, I don't see the point in what you're doing.
If you don't like the look of DT's why not do it another way?
If you are suppose to cut tails on the front and back boards and not on the side boards of a drawer than I've been misinformed for 60 years. I like the strength of the joint just not the look. I also like mitered doors instead of butt joints. That doesn't mean I don't tenon them. :)
Get it right, and lighten up....then go look up the Underhill episode called "Dovetail Variations" on youtube....
Pins ARE in the drawer fronts, always have been. Tails are named that because they spread out like a Dove's tail...sheesh.
Tails..
Attachment 411474
need the botom tail to cover the groove for a drawer bottom, anyway...
Attachment 411475
And the infamous "Pin Board" with rebates and the groove..
Attachment 411476
Pins....keeps you from pulling the drawer front off of the drawer....in the humid August days, when drawers like to swell a bit...
Attachment 411477
With a small box...which ever way looks best...
Attachment 411478
But drawers?
If everyone everywhere did everything the same way, we would likely all die young from boredom or at least the lack of ability to do something different when needed.
Personally, my fondness for the look of dovetails has me on occasion making drawers with through dovetails. Though knowing other do not like the look as much as me, some of my pieces are made with blind dovetails.
Attachment 411503
The tails were purposely made to stand proud. This drawer was assembled 5-1/2 years ago without glue and is still holding strong. Try that with pins on the sideboards. To me, the tails are the 'money shot'. If the drawer wouldn't be weak from such a construction, my drawers would have the tails on the front to proudly show off.
jtk
I'm not suggesting that anyone do tails this way. It's like chocolate or vanilla to me. I like cars with hub caps too. Nothing appealing to me about lug nuts showing. Makes a car look like a 2 and a 1/2 to me when the lug nuts are exposed. I've built plenty with dovetails showing because people want them showing. Some like them proud some like to cover them with cock beading. It's what you like when building for yourself.
Jim