Dovetail two different woods

willy | Posted in Joinery on February 14, 2005 02:25am

I’m building a chest of drawers – drawers 36″ wide – 20″ deep and heights from 8 to 10″- my plan is to cut (by hand) half blind dovetail joints for the drawer front joinery – – using white ash for the drawer sides and back – the rest of the chest will be red oak. Should I anticipate any problems joining these two different hardwoods???

Replies

Rich14 | Feb 14, 2005 03:27am | #1
Will,

There is no problem inherent in the use of different woods. Different woods are frequently used as a design element with contrasting colored wood for the drawer fronts and sides to emphasize the dovetail joinery (ex: walnut fronts and oak or maple sides). In your case, the contrast will be minimal.

Rich

Don't ever learn anything new. Rather than give you satisfaction that you know more than you did, it will only confirm you know less than you thought by opening horizons to things of which you had never dreamt and which you now must explore.
Bear | Feb 14, 2005 04:55am | #2
It's very common to use a secondary wood for the sides of drawers. Poplar or pine where used in traditional American furniture with dovetail joints all the time.
Peter36 | Feb 14, 2005 05:42am | #3
Hi Willy. If you have problems it will depend on if the wood is quarter sawn or flat sawn, if they are both of the same relative moisture contents and the seasonal moisture content fluctuations. If the oak is quarter sawn and the ash is flat sawn then the difference in movement over 10" will be about 3/32" for the oak and 11/64" for flatsawn ash. These measurements are based on a 6% swing in moisture content between winter and summer. Obviously using both pieces quarter sawn would minimize the difference as well as provide more stable wood in terms of warping. So if the wood is the same moisture content then I would say you probably won't have a problem but if it is different and you are using quartered and flat sawn woods then I would anticipate problems. Hope this helps you. Peter

Edited 2/14/2005 8:42 pm ET by Peter36
Johndeeretractors | Feb 26, 2005 01:20am | #4
I will admit I am a rookey when it comes to woodworking, But I love the challenge.

How many of you find doing Finger Joints a challenge ? Or will take the time to get set up to make the joints.? I have finally found an article that tells you to mark the first board ,on the left hand side of it, The "Bottom side", as you push it across the Router table. Now I am able to keep all of the pieces properly organized and they went together all right.

Do i just need to have more patience and practice more ??

Doug Buell