Hello to the ng,
I am building a cradle for my first child who is expected in February. It will be constructed of 3/4 cherry and approximately 18 inches wide, 36 inches long, and 20 inches high. My hand cutting of pine and poplar dovetail drawers has progressed to the point that I think I'm capable of testing my skills on this heirloom project. Thus, the sides and ends of the cradle will be joined with hand cut through dovetails.
My question concerns the sizing of the dovetails. Given the size of the cradle, my first thought was that 4 or 5 large dovetails (pins approximately 1 1/2 inches wide on the outside) would match the overall scale of the piece. After viewing the layout however, I thought 8 or 10 smaller dovetails (pins approximately 3/4 inches wide on the outside) would be structurally sounder.
Is this correct or is the sizing of a dovetail more of an aesthetic or design issue?
Thanks Dave