WEDGED DOVETAIL OAK MEDICINE CABINET

This simple medicine cabinet is made from reclaimed red and white oak taken from a house built around WWI. The carcase is joined using an old German favorite, the wedged dovetail. This is our favorite form of dovetailing for cabinet type work, no glue or clamps are needed as the wedged dovetails hold in both directions. The trick is to cut the pins first, use them to layout the tails then cut the tails slightly off square, leaving the outside edge open but the inside edges very tight.

Cabinet doors are given both breadboard ends as well as sliding dovetail battens as a double measure against seasonal movement, this was often seen in ancient Chinese joinery.

Finished with our favorite, raw linseed oil/citrus solvent 50/50 mixed.