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It is attached that way because historically that is the way it was done on Massachusetts block front pieces. Something else I have seen on most of the MA block front pieces is a double bead along the tops of the drawer sides. I think I have a photo of this detail on several of the pieces I have built. When you start building reproductions you will find a lot of little details that seem quirky that are unique to a region. My guess is this is just something that was passed from apprentice to journeyman and then onto master. It can also be a good method to figure out where a pieces was originally built or where the cabinet maker was trained. I have built a few pieces where I had to just stop and scratch my head and wonder why they did something that way. I would guess at the time their reasoning was sound to them but knowing what we know now and having the benefit of studying pieces from all regions we know a better way. If you are building a reproduction these little quirks are very important to include though and are something a knowledgeable customer will look for on a good reproduction piece.
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Thank you Dave pretty much what I thought. I'm not doing a reproduction by any means so I may attach it differently on this one.
Alaskan's for Global Warming
Eagle River AK
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Just keep in mind that easier doesn’t always mean better. There is also the challenge of creating some of the quirky details seen on these original pieces. I will admit that I learned a lot in the beginning copying these little nuances seen in many originals. I guess my point is there is a lot of experience to be gained by copying the masters of the 18th century. There is a reason that 275 year old piece is still around today to study and not in a landfill somewhere.
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I wonder if in the day, it was different craftsmen in the cabinet shop who made the mouldings that attach to the carcase vs. the guys who made the carcase. It would make sense that the carcase maker would then leave some method of attaching the mouldings. Perhaps the oversize dovetail was a way of avoiding clamping when glued to the carcase. Hard to say without any definitive documentation. As Dave points out, different shops made things different ways.
Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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Alan, the piece that is dovetailed is actually part of the carcass. It does work really well as an attachment method though. It doesn't require any clamping if cut properly. It is also easier to cut the miters on the ends before it is attached. My guess is the end miters are the reason they did it that way and the dovetail was to keep the piece from shifting right or left as it probably would have with a normal glue up. Of course they didn't have palm routers and templates to follow with a bearing. I'm sure someone has done in depth studies to determine who did what in each shop. In many cases veneer and carving work were farmed out. In bigger shops they would have someone in house that did these things. I don't think it is much of a stretch that they had people that specialized in moldings or surfacing and so on. One of these days I'm going to either have to get a book on the subject or have an in depth conversation who has made a study of the subject.
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It also looks like they hold the outside pieces together so they do not spread apart which makes sense to me also.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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OK You all convinced me.
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Alaskan's for Global Warming
Eagle River AK
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It looks like you are using cherry for your secondary wood. Say it isn't so!
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07-06-2017, 08:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-06-2017, 10:35 PM by ruffcutt.)
Didn't get much time is the shop today but I did finish cutting the front piece B into bottom piece A
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Alaskan's for Global Warming
Eagle River AK
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