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I have just completed a 6 drawer solid cherry carcase in what one might call a contemporary shaker design. The drawers are 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 5 inches respectively.
My question is as follows: are there any aesthetic conventions that one would consider before detailing the dovetail design for the drawers? I would like to use the same router bit in a leigh jig for the half blind dovetails. Are there any conventions such as use the same number of dovetails in each drawer just diminish the spacing as each drawer gets smaller? Or, is there a convention that says three dovetails for the smaller drawers and four for the larger? If the answer is use your own judgement and aesthetic sense, can you recommend articles and/or books that discuss these concerns?
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Albert, as far as I know, there are no aesthetic conventions regarding dovetails and Shakers. As you probably well know, they had no set plans or patterns from one community to another. Generally, they used whatever was pleasing as long as it was plain - remember, "form follows function." Therefore, use whatever dovetail pattern fits the particular drawer you are making.
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