Dealing with Movement of Angled Chest Sides

[Dan Stuewe]

I'm making a blanket/hope chest for my daughter in which the sides are flared out 10deg from vertical. I want to include a divider but I'm uncertain on the best way to attach it due to the different directions of the wood movement (both the sides and divider are solid wood (Lauan, aka poor man's mahogany, to be more specific). My not to scale sketch shows what I am trying to explain.

Wood Movement.png

I guess I could just intentionally make it loose (knowing my skills the joint would be a perfect glue joint while all of the others a sloppy!). But that doesn't really appeal to me. I also thought about just gluing the top inch or so of the divider and letting the rest "float", but I'm not sure if as the sides expand and essentially pull further apart the glue would fail eventually anyway. Would a dovetail provide enough glue and mechanical strength to overcome the wood movement? Any other thoughts (I'll even accept "you're overthinking this")?

[Jamie Buxton]

Let me make sure I'm understanding correctly. The exterior of the chest has front, back, and two sides. Your sides lean out at 10 degrees. The divider runs from side to side. All correct so far?

I'm guessing that all five pieces are solid lumber, and that the grain direction in all five pieces of wood is horizontal, right? That is, hygroscopic expansion is going to be up/down in all five pieces. Right?

[Dan Stuewe]

Jamie, you pretty much have it. The front and back as well as the sides lean out and the divider runs from front to back.

[Jamie Buxton]

The short answer is "don't worry about it." The front, back, sides, and divider all get a skosh taller in humid season, and shorter in dry season. But they all go up and down in the same way, so tight joinery will not be stressed.

[Mike Nolan]

Which does the bottom go and how is it attached to the sides and/or the dividers.

[Dan Stuewe]

Mike,
The bottom is 1/2" plywood and will be glued in grooves.

(BTW, it is embarrassing to note that I'm still working on finishing the inside of the chest before I assemble it. I was supposed to get the finishing done this weekend and assemble it sometime after work this week, but I wasn't able to get to it. - check the date of the original post)

[David Hawxhurst]

nothing to be embarrassed about, i would probably opt to finish the inside before assembly as well.