Waxing a sliding dovetail??

[DaveO]

I am making a printer stand for my wife's newest printer. I could have made the project easy but I decided to challenge myself. The top is solid wood and I am attaching it to the upright supports with sliding dovetails, to allow for movement and keep the panel flat. I only plan to put a dab of glue at the end of the SDT (they're blind). Would it be a problem to wax the male DT, except for the last inch which will be glued, to help slide it in place??? I can get 2/3 of the way seated with just hand pressure, but I am worried about getting stuck before they seat fully.

Dave

 

[D L Ames]

Dave, I think as long as you are only going to be waxing the trailing end of male portion of the DT (and don't plan on pulling it back out after you wax it) I think your plan should work. As long as you don't pull it back out then the glue at the unwaxed end should hold just fine.

D L

 

[DaveO]

Actually, D L I was planning to wax all but the leading end of the male DT. It will be blind on the front of the piece, and that is where I would like thinks to stay put, and plan to use the dab of glue. If I get movement it will be seen on the back of the piece and that will be against the wall.
I am afraid that a hair more trimming will result in a too loose fit. I have tweaked the fit to where it is now with 120 grit sand paper.

Dave

 

[D L Ames]

Actually, D L I was planning to wax all but the leading end of the male DT. It will be blind on the front of the piece, and that is where I would like thinks to stay put, and plan to use the dab of glue. If I get movement it will be seen on the back of the piece and that will be against the wall.
I am afraid that a hair more trimming will result in a too loose fit. I have tweaked the fit to where it is now with 120 grit sand paper.

Dave

Hmmmm:eusa_thin ...........Isn't that what I said?:lol: I think we are talking about the same thing here Dave. I think your plan will work fine.

D L

 

[DaveO]

D L you are 100% correct. You said waxing the trailing end, and I said not waxing the leading end. 6 of one, a half dozen of the other. Great minds must think alike, but some of them just don't read very well :eusa_doh:

Dave

 

[jeff...]

waxing the trailing end

:slap:

 

[DaveO]

Thanks I deserve that :lol: :lol:

Dave

 

[PeteM]

. . . or you could really challenge yourself and make them TAPERED sliding dovetails. Then you wouldn't need wax at all :eusa_danc

pete

 

[Ozzie-x]

I think the wax will work fine, just have a big hammer and block of wood handy. Might want to consider some of the modern slow dry hide glue just in case. I've used hide glue on some of these nightmare dovetail and finger joint glue-ups before just because it dries slow, had good success. If you hadn't already cut the joints, Pete had a good point about the tapered dovetail too. By coincidence, a "Routing Tip" booklet from American Woodworker showed up here last week, and one of the tips is how to make tapered sliding dovetails.

 

[DaveO]

Well, the wax worked, or at least I believe it did nothing but help. I have no idea if it would have seated on it's own, because once there it isn't coming back out. It did take some minor persuasion from a block of wood and my dead-blow mallet, but I didn't have to beat the snot out of it.
I will now finish the sanding, and start the finish and hopefully have something to show off tonight.
Thanks to all for the advice or confirmation of suspicions :icon_thum

Dave