Long to Short Grain Joint Design

[ImNo]

Ive been studying Gerstner chests for a while now and still dont seem to understand these joints:

http://kgpetesgarage.com/images/front.jpg

http://kgpetesgarage.com/images/side.jpg

My first thoughts are sliding DTs, but a close look at the near end in the top pic appears to show a T&G joint. They just breadboard ends? The top is prolly ply, but would an exposed dynamic joint like a breadboard end accept a furniture quality finish without eventually breaking the film? What am I not understanding bout how Gerstner builds these carcasses and panels?

http://kgpetesgarage.com/images/sig.jpg

[TDHofstetter]

How sure are we that these chests aren't nothin' but plywood, fully veneered (including all the edges)?

-- Tim --

Call me
Kaw-liga
:)

[mstens]

The front panel is very likely stub tenons if solid wood stock IMO.

http://www.woodsmith.com/issues/146/...roove-joinery/

The side panels could also be, although I'm unsure how he'd deal with wood movement in that case.

Personally I'd find it easier to veneer it

[Sawduster]

Don't know that any sort of tenon, etc, would be the answer to the question about why the end to long grain joints would not break the film finish at the joints. Even the frame peices on the front frame and panel are quite wide, surely wide enough the movement of the upright pieces would be an issue.

It is an interesting question. Probably a trade secret.

[rhull]

>Probably a trade secret.

I suppose one could buy a piece and tear it apart to find out how they did it. :)

[dcarter636]

Yeah, but tearing someone's Gerstner tool box apart would be a career altering move, and if word got out that you had vandalized your own you'd never hear the end of it.
In most machine shops or tool shops that is the status symbol equivalent of Lie Nielson planes. When going into a new shop I always looked for the cluster of Gerstner tool boxes which marked the territory of the crusty old farts who really did know every thing worth knowing. Woe betide the feller who touched one of those boxes uninvited.

[ecklesweb]

That'd be a DMCA violation.

(line up to have your geek card punched if you get that joke).

[ImNo]

Thanks for the pic David. That really highlights the joint.

I guess when you need the strength of solid sides, some surface imperfections are small potatos. They look so nice new, I bet its a let down when the finish finally cracks.

http://kgpetesgarage.com/images/sig.jpg

[DCarr10760]

In it's defence, I bought it when I worked in a climate-controlled machine shop, when I moved up to the front office I brought it home to my shop that isn't climate controlled.

I didn't notice the wood swelling and the finish breaking until it got here and went through the seasons one or two times.

All in all it is a beautiful box, expensive, but well made. I got it through a special offer directly through Gerstner's website. It was a production overrun and was significantly discounted. Still it was a lot of bucks.

David C.

[JCCLARK]

It's amazing how much wood moves, isn't it!
When you start looking really close to some solid wood furniture
you'll be surprised at how often the finish does break at the joints.
Only us woodworkers would notice.

Jim C.