Pachuco Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Hi Guys and Gals, So I'm making a serving tray for my wife and I've run into a design problem. My plan is to make a tray with sides that are angled (splayed). Based on another thread I opened on this forum I came to the conclusion that hand cut compound dovetails would be the joint of choice. Now I'm having a design problem with how I attach the base to the sides. To give you some critical information, I want to use MDF (or plywood) veneered on both sides for the base. There are a couple of reasons for this decision. 1. I have some really nice Walnut Burl veneer that goes perfect with the Walnut sides. 2. I want to try my hand at marquetry on this project as well. So, my problem is deciding how to attach the bottom to the sides. A lot of designs on the internet seem to just butt joint the bottom to the sides and they make the bottom slightly larger (this wouldn't work for me because the MDF would be exposed). Others rabbet the bottom into the sides which to me doesn't seem like the most secure joint, specially with the veneer thing, if the veneer peels there goes the breakfast plates . So I want to dado the sides and insert the bottom into the dados. I'm envisioning a lock-Rabbet Drawer joint. It's the thing that looks most secure to me and it would leave the base flush with the bottom of the sides. But now we are talking about doing this on an angle and it has my mind spinning in circles. Anyways, any ideas are welcome. I'm not dead set on any joint, would like to know if it's even a good idea to try this and whether there is something easier that would be secure enough in this scenario. Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch02 Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Cut a rabbet on all sides of the bottom. Plough a groove in all four sides of the tray that accepts the "tongue" of the rabbet and aligns the sides & bottom panel flush at the bottom. Something like this: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pachuco Posted December 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Interesting. I don't know why but I kept thinking I needed to cut everything at an angle for it to align properly. Based on that picture though looks pretty easy. I'll give it a shot. Thanks for your response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch02 Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 You're welcome. Post some pictures when you're finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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