Before I get on my soapbox and start ranting, let me tell you a little bit about the drawers I will be using for my new workbench. I plan to have two stacks, each with five drawers. Sizes range from a small 2-3/41 cm-deep drawer to the deepest, bottom drawer at 3-3/20 cm deep. My SketchUp drawing shows an exploded drawer, including how the parts assemble I have dovetails drawn, but I can just about guarantee that I will not dovetail these drawers.
Narayan, in the comments to my last post suggested that my drawers be accessible from both sides. This is a wonderful idea. And due to the fact that my bench may sit away from any walls, this idea moved to the front of my plans. (This is why you are asked for your suggestions.
OK. Now I’m ready to go on the soapbox and preach. I was wrong to talk about sliding dovetails when I searched for information about sliding dovetails for drawer fronts. This joint seems to now be known as French dovetails.
Ive been building furniture for more than 30 years and I just discovered the term French dovetails. This joint was renamed by who? It could not have been the woodworking community, the people who build furniture and use proper terminology. I would have heard it.
No, I discovered that this was a term adopted by furniture stores to differentiate between a true dovetail (what these stores call English dovetails), and a less-impressive sliding dovetail. Furniture stores used this term because customers learned that drawers with dovetails are better quality. And its easy to say English or French dovetails without really knowing the difference.
If I was French, I would be brutally hacked. Please let me know if you have any other terms related to woodworking that have been altered and twisted by retail marketing.
Build Something Great!– Glen D. Huey
Are you looking for more information about dovetails and dovetails in general? Pick-up a copy of Chuck Benders DVD, Dovetailing Apprenticeship or learn my router setup and process for easy sliding dovetails in this download-ready article, click here.
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