How do you install molding on solid wood carcass?

[BillPappas]

I made some progress this weekend. I sanded the 2 night stands I have been working on, fitted the drawers and installed the molding. The molding is always a pain to install on the sides of the carcass the way I have been doing it...using sliding dovetail to allow for wood movement. You can see what I do in the attached picture. I was wondering if you guys have an easier method?

Progress as of today...next weekend I will add drawer pulls and start finishing:eusa_danc:eusa_danc:eusa_danc

Thanks,

Bill

 

[sapwood]

Bill, there may be an easier way. But it sure couldn't look any better :eusa_clap
That's a fine look piece of furniture.

Roger

 

[Gofor]

WOW. That is beautiful craftsmanship, and those side/top dovetails are exquisite!!:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
To answer the question, what little I have done like that (flush side wall) has been to install with screws from the inside, with the middle screw pilot hole exact and the others elongated. However, I like your idea .
Beings you are so good at the dovetails, could you use just a rabbet on the side with a spline, and use halfblind dovetails in the ends on the miters? It would enable you to glue the side molding in the middle, but it would have to go on first as the pin (or tail socket to be more exact) would have to be in the ends of the side molding I have seen mitered half-blinds but I admit I have yet to try one. Its definitely a hand cut process so I seriously doubt it would be easier than what you are doing. I don't think I have seen molding around a dovetailed assembly like that before.

What am I doing giving suggestions? I have yet to make anything that fine. Please take my musings as exactly that.

Go

 

[mshel]

Bill,

Very nice work. Although not necessarily an improvement, but yet another way would be to use a micro pinner to nail it to the carcass along with glue at the front and back of the molding thus allowing movement in the middle of the case. Easier, heck yes; better, he$$ no. Your way is much more refined. Hey when it's a hobby, time is of little consequence so take the time,do it right and enjoy it while making heirloom quality pieces.

Mike

 

[Nativespec]

I use the Domino and some glue. A pin nailer would be good as well.

If movement is a concern, I would cut a slot on the inside and mount screws.

I have never seen your method (it is well engineered but looks time consuming).


David

 

[skysharks]

Bill your piece looks really great.
I do pieces like yours too and use glue and brads/screw from the inside covered by plugs.
I havev't seen your techinue before. Kind of cool, but allot of work yeah?

That molding ain't going no where, that's for sure.

 

[Travis Porter]

I can't give any better advice/suggestions than you have already received.

It is a great looking piece!

 

[JimmyC]

How do I install molding on a solid wood carcass..... Not as well as you do. Your work is beautiful, I just wouldn't have the patience to dove tail the molding.

Jimmy

 

[DavidF]

That's a very fine looking piece of furniture there and the workmanship looks exquisite. There may be an easier way, but not sure at this point. I'll take a look in my Ernest Joyce book tonight and see what he recommends

 

[Gotcha6]

I'm assuming you only pin the moldings together in the miters and let 'em move at the back. Do you find a need to dovetail the front as well since it is not crossgrain?
Way to go, Bill. Keep the bar high.
:eusa_clap

 

[garymuto]

That's a beautiful piece of furniture.

 

[BillPappas]

Thanks for the kind words on the night stand.

Some of you suggested screws from the inside of the case to the molding..I guess I could put a screw toward the front where the miter is then use maybe 2 sliding dovetails (one in the middle and another at the back) which would allow for wood movement and keep the molding tight to the case. Or I could eliminate the screw with a domino glued in up near the miter and use the 2 sliding dovetails. I guess I could also cut a couple of slots on the inside of the chest that would allow screws to slide for wood movement in lieu of the dovetails.

I do use a pin nailer to set the molding up by the miter after it is in place. The molding on the front is glued on since it is all long grain....only the sides get the sliding dovetails.

By the way - I learned the technique from Bill Hyltons book of Chests. In the book is a 12 drawer chest that I built and the night stands are my attempt to match the chest. The wood worker (Michael Seward) that designed the chest used this technique on his version of the chest and presented it in the book. Building that chest and following the instructions in the book (along with some emails from Michael Seward) really taught me a lot about solid carcass construction techniques. The book and Michael are both great!

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Hi Bill,

Wow! I've never seen molding installed that way before!
It blows my mind how you can get a tightfitting sliding DT w/o crazy lil gaps, etc.

If you can, I'd sure like to know how you made those sliding DT's...

I agree, there's got to be an easier way to do it... BUT, will it be the best way compared to the way you're doing it?

Thank you... Great job!!

 

[BillPappas]

Joe,

I have not ben able to make it look like the side molding is glued/clamped like on the front using this technique but I think it gets it close enough. This picture shows what it looks like on the chest of drawers.

As you can see I got it down to a slight gap between the molding and the case. I used the router table to make the dovetail slot in the molding and the part that mounts to the case. To make the part that mounts on the case...hold the wood vertical and cut both sides on the router table with the dovetail bit at the same height used to cut the slot in the molding. Take small cuts until it slides into to the molding then slice it off on the table saw. Cut reliefs every 2 inches, screw to case, chop out reliefs with chisel...hope for the best and slide on the molding.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Joe,
... ... ...
I used the router table to make the dovetail slot in the molding and the part that mounts to the case. To make the part that mounts on the case...hold the wood vertical and cut both sides on the router table with the dovetail bit at the same height used to cut the slot in the molding. Take small cuts until it slides into to the molding then slice it off on the table saw. Cut reliefs every 2 inches, screw to case, chop out reliefs with chisel...hope for the best and slide on the molding.

Regards,

Bill

Well, Bill, I'd say you got a good small & uniform gap there... can barely SEE IT! :slap:

One more question... How deep do you cut the main slot?

Looks like you got your procedure down pretty good!

I will try it sometime, soon, I hope.

Thanks again...

 

[BillPappas]

Joe,

I eyeball each time but the slot ends up about 5/16 to 3/8 inch deep.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Travis Porter]

Just a thought but have you considered using a tapered sliding dovetail? Might make it easier to get the molding on.

For tops, I have always done solid glue ups for some reason. I like what you have done, just never have considered doing it myself (YET). I do remember seeing a similar design in a FWW issue where the art director Michael Peck o something did the same joinery as you for a dresser for his daughter.

 

[BillPappas]

Travis,

I had have not tried a tapered sliding dovetail on the molding. I would be concerned that it would not pull the molding up tight in the back.

Bill