Dominos or dado for dresser center support/divider

[rubber_ducky]

Hi all,

I’m planning a dresser build that, if/when complete, will be my first carcass with a center divider. It’ll be a six drawer dresser and the divider will be used for drawer slide hardware mounting.

I watched a dresser build YT video recently where the maker used dominos for the mitered corners of the carcass, but cut a dado for the center divider. This made me wonder why he didn’t use dominos for the divider as well, which is the genesis of this question...

Does a dado’d divider offer any benefit over a dominoed (and glued) one?

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[ChuckM]

Snip.
Does a dado’d divider offer any benefit over a dominoed (and glued) one?

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In the absence of a picture or screenshot of the YT project you referred to, my opinion is that a dadoed divider offers no advantage of whatsoever over a dominoed one. Everything being equal, I'd choose dominoes over dadoes for their simplicity (no need for test cuts or fine-tuning a dado stack, and no need to size boards based on the dado depth).

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yes, makes no difference. It is just a choice, you can go one way, you can go the other way.

 

[Svar]

For a loaded shelf dado is more durable. For a simple partition makes little difference.

 

[rubber_ducky]

Thanks for the replies all. These align with my intuition. For reference, this is the YT video that referred to:


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[Bob D.]

Mechanically the only difference I can think of is with a dado the divider is constrained from movement continuously for the length of the dado. With Dominos it is only constrained from movement at the Domino locations.

Depending on Domino spacing this might allow the piece to deflect or warp over time. Assuming there is also glue applied to this joint that seems unlikely.

Could that happen and could it lead to binding of drawer runners I don't know. I guess it is possible if the glue joint fails but how many decades would it take for that to happen.

 

[derekcohen]

Hi all,

I’m planning a dresser build that, if/when complete, will be my first carcass with a center divider. It’ll be a six drawer dresser and the divider will be used for drawer slide hardware mounting.

I watched a dresser build YT video recently where the maker used dominos for the mitered corners of the carcass, but cut a dado for the center divider. This made me wonder why he didn’t use dominos for the divider as well, which is the genesis of this question...

Does a dado’d divider offer any benefit over a dominoed (and glued) one?

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Dominos will secure MDF or Ply, which do not move/expand/contract. A dado is needed for solid wood (even web frames), where movement is anticipated.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[ChuckM]

In a solid-wood case construction, treat the center divider like its sides. The grain direction of the sides, divider(s), top and bottom must be parallel, with the parts joined end-to-end.

 

[rubber_ducky]

I hadn’t thought about the nuances between solid wood and sheet goods. These are valid points. I should’ve mentioned it in my OP that I intend to use BB ply. This is a dresser for a four year old boy after all

Seems that sheet goods don’t require the same amount planning/caution

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[ChuckM]

I hadn’t thought about the nuances between solid wood and sheet goods. These are valid points. I should’ve mentioned it in my OP that I intend to use BB ply. This is a dresser for a four year old boy after all

Seems that sheet goods don’t require the same amount planning/caution

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Just follow the butt joint procedures laid out in the manual (take the center divider as a shelf). Second image: The arrowed part being dry-fit is a divider. It was cut to the same length as the sides -- the beauty of not using dadoes in this case (no pun intended). No other joinery machines were used in this project which also included a rail & stile door, other than a DF500.

 

[bertv]

Working with ply using a dado simplifies construction, especially if you can use screws.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Working with ply using a dado simplifies construction, especially if you can use screws.

I'm not really seeing that? No matter how you do the dados, router or saw, I would already be well ahead of that with a Domino.

 

[Birdhunter]

Could there be an issue with assembly sequencing?

 

[Bob Wolfe]

I think bird hunter correct. My experience is assembling mitered domino corners a b*itch and then add more dominoes in dividers????

 

[ChuckM]

I don't see how miters pose a problem as long as the assembly sequence is sorted out beforehand. In the image shown here, the divider had dominoes on three sides (bottom and two sides), and it went in before the case sides were assembled.