Top back dovetail joint
Oftentimes when building a piece of furniture there are more hidden joints than visible ones. This is the case for the network of joints that comprise the top frame of this 7 drawer dresser I have been building. There are several dovetail joints that strengthen the upper frame of the dresser and allowing me to be able to attach the top later.
I have two long pieces that tie the whole frame together, one of which makes up the front frame. The back one is in the secondary wood of maple. These pieces will also allow me to attach the top.
The front frame dovetail that will never be seen!
I have also included another piece that ties these two together. There is no reason structurally why I added this piece in place. I simply added this piece so that the top drawer would have a support to keep it from dropping down when the drawer was opened.
Dovetail stretcher to support the drawer when its opened
Here is the whole plethora of joinery in the clamps!
Top frame in clamps
Frank Strazza
Read all about Frank’s dresser project progress.
To see Frank’s dovetail making in action, sign up for our online Basics of Joinery Course to watch our online video, Cutting the Dovetail Joint, and get other in-depth classes on dovetails and other joints. To preview the Joinery course, see our free video, A Dovetail Demonstration. For a full-blown dresser project, sign up for our on campus Four Drawer Dresser course.
As always, beautiful work! I have a question about your ‘stretcher’; I thought that piece is called a ‘kicker’ ?
Thanks Mike, I am sure that the terminology may be kicked around and sometimes stretched! 🙂 However, I think a kicker is the piece that is lowest to the floor where your foot would most likely kick against, thus the term ‘kicker’!
Hope this helps, someone correct me if I am wrong.