Replies

1. 
   pzgren | Mar 29, 2006 06:05am | #1

   Interesting design and a rather tough joinery problem.

   JM,

   Three possible solutions comes to mind:

   (1) very wide (in proportion to the width of the vertical supports) and "thick" sliding dovetails;

   (2) loose-tenon M&T, with several proportionally thick mortises in each vertical support and the mortises also being proportionally very deep (perhaps 4 to 6 inches) in each vertical support piece. I suspect -- but don't KNOW -- that the long tenon length will give you some significant leverage against racking; or

   (3) a double dovetailed half-lap type of joint (see Sam Allen's "Wood Joiner's Handbook", p 145, in my copy)

   Worth trying a prototype, perhaps, to see if it will meet your requirements.

   Hope this is of some help, and good luck!

   James

1. 
   murphreejz | Mar 29, 2006 04:26pm | #2

   Great start...Thanks!!

   It does pose an interesting joinery problem; glad I'm not the only one that thinks so...

2. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Mar 29, 2006 06:00pm | #3

   For the lower joints, I'd run a loose tenon completely through the shelf.  That is, it glues into the vertical pieces, and captures the shelf between the verticals.   For the upper shelf, I'd consider screws and plugs, or Miller dowels; that's quick and secure.   If you don't want any visible joinery in the top, I'd use a row of dowels in the top of each vertical.   I make the holes for the row of dowels with a shelf-pin jig and a plunge router.   The jig provides perfect spacing in the holes on both sides of the joint, and the plunge router ensures they're all at the same angle.   One dowel would seem like not much holding power, but one dowel every inch across the whole depth of the shelf provides a lot of holding power.

1. 
   murphreejz | Mar 30, 2006 05:11pm | #6

   Thanks everyone; I'm getting some really great ideas. Keep 'em coming!!!

3. 
   jackplane | Mar 29, 2006 06:30pm | #4

   I'd half-lap join the bottom shelf; the top shelf can be dadoed. I don't think you'll have an y problem with racking if you keep roughly the same proportions as the drawing.

    

4. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 30, 2006 07:12am | #5

   Racking shouldn't be a problem since there appears to be a back.  Even a back on only the lower section would pretty much eliminate racking, but it likely covers the entire back, though if there are any electronics in the lower sections there would need to be substantial ventilation. 

   Loose tenons would likely be easiest to make, and amply strong.  If you customarily make tenons with a router, then they need not be loose, just stopped before coming through the front. 

   Though the esthetics call for the top to be the thinnest board, the span can be handled by making the cross piece that is hidden behind the doors and shelve a pretty beefy member that supports the top with a vertical divider between shelves and door unit.