# Sliding dovetails with Plywood?



## 12strings (Nov 15, 2011)

Are there any foreseeable problems making a sliding dovetail in which the tail piece is oak plywood and the groove is routed in a piece of solid oak? I would like to make a medium sized table and use Oak plywood for the rails, connecting the plywood rails to solid oak legs using a sliding dovetail. Is this a bad idea?


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

with ply as the tail, i would imagine the plys would de-laminate on the weak wings of the dovetail. It would be better to get the tail into the solid stock, and the groove in the plywood.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Your question was already answered.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/34939


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## ELCfinefurniture (Jan 18, 2012)

I dont know if it an inherantly bad idea I am just not positive how well strong the joint would be. If it wasnt a drasticaly tapered dovetail, just enough to have the mechanics work correctly, then I would say it should hold reasonably well. Just make sure the thinnest point of the dovetail doesnt get to thin.


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## 12strings (Nov 15, 2011)

thanks, I think I have decided on pocket screws for this joint.


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