Posssible Dum Joinery Question

[James Mittlefehldt]

I have been pondering of late something for which the answer seems to escape me. It is probably a dum question and I will no doubt slap myself upside the head when the answer shows up, plus I am sure that somewhere in my own library the answer lies hidden.

The question oh yes sorry.

If you are constructing tallish casework, say eight foot or so, and you wanted to connect the top board to the sides with dovetail joinery how the heck would you lay it out and cut the tails and then lay out the pins, (assuming you normally cut tails first) as the thing is eight feet in tha air, or do you not use dovetails for that application at all for the reasons I have cited, and if not then what mortise and tenon?

Anxiously awaiting a reply.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi James,

I usually place the pins are on the cross-piece, the tails on the sides. So, in this instance, I layout the tails on the long board with it laying on saw horses. I cut them on the saw horses and move them for paring to the bench.

I have never had the horizontal piece longer than my bench is tall. The horizontal piece with the pins is then clamped hanging down towards the floor, pins marked, moved to the vice, cut etc.

If you reverse the above, you can simply reverse which is marked for tails and cut first.

Make sure to mark the show sides of all pieces carefully as it gets confusing especially when one is moving long pieces and transfering marks.

Take care, Mike

[James Mittlefehldt]

I guess I should clarify what I am thinking of. It is a bookcase with a stepped bottom that will cover a wall nine feet wide, and will be eight foot something tall, in actual fact the dovetails will never be seen once installed unless you climb a ladder and peek at the top which would be about eight inches below the ceiling.

Thanks Mike I will think on that for a bit.

[Mike Wenzloff]

No problem, James.

In your case, with both boards being long, I would simply make a template for the tails to use in transfering to the pin boards.

In my case, I would break up such a long run...but that's because I'm lazy and wouldn't want to lift and fit all that heavy wood <g>.

Take care, Mike

[Tim Leo]

I've done it before as well...

I stood the boards on edge as I lined them up to eachother to mark the tails.

It doesn't really matter the position of the boards, as long as they are lined up to eachother when you mark the tails.