Thanks Alex and Jeff for your responses to the ‘wedge tenon’ thread.  I did find the wedge article in fww #163.  But I also found an article that shows exactly what I was thinking of. 

In fww #157 there’s a feature on ‘Safe & Simple Arts and Crafts Finish’ by Jeff Jewitt.  Though the focus is on the finish, the photo’s show a bookshelf, roughly 2′ wide x 3′ tall, being held together by 2 shelfs with loose tenons and 2 shelfs set in blind dado’s.  The finished piece has no back.

Any ideas if a bookshelf like this needs to be glued up?  the article shows pre-finishing the sides without taking care to keep finins out of the mortise or dado slots…

I’d like it if the shelfs would be stable without glue or back piece.  I suppose I could build it like that, then if it’s too wobbly, take it appart and rabbit the sides for a back?

Any thoughts?  Maybe just making all 4 shelves with loose tenons would provide enough anti-racking potential?  Though it seems like that would be too busy visually.

thanks,

mike in olympia.