dovetails philosphies

[Renata]

Simply put...

Any advantage to using dovetails on drawers made from birch ply? Is the extra strength worth the effort?

Renata

[Lowell Holmes]

I've done it using a Leigh jig. You have to back up the plywood with scrap to protect the veneer. The drawers were for a friend and it was worth it for the wow! value. I'm not sure it was worth it otherwise.

[alexy]

Advantage compared to what?

Dovetails versus brad-joined butt joint--yes, worth the effort.

Dovetails versus well-fit finger joints--not any better with modern glues, but is it any harder to cut?

[Swingman]

Mechanically, over other well founded joinery methods, no.

Aesthetically, perhaps ... even those who know _absolutely_ nothing about woodworking, immediately recognize dovetails and will remark upon them ... and those who remark, remember.

It's your decision.

[Andy Dingley]

Dovetails developed when furniture outlived the glue. A dovetail with a failed glueline will still hang together.

With modern glues (and modern furniture lifetimes) this isn't so relevant. A finger joint is just as strong, because the glue is doing more work than any wedging action. It's also easier to cut fingers, so that's what I'd do.

I only ever hand-cut dovetails. If I bother to use dovetails, then it's because I'm trying to do the best hand work I can (and usually dovetails thinner then routed ones). If I use the router jig or the table saw, it's for finger joints.