"Toller" wrote in message
...
I picked up some 50" "shorts". After making the top and the shelf I will
have some really wide short scraps left over. I could use them to make
the side pieces, so that the grain direction will be the same as the top
and shelf. I realize that they will be much weaker than if the grain ran
the other way, but it would allow me to glue the top and shelf in since
movement would not be an issue. I "think" that would add more strength
than the sides would take away.

Nope, reason it's not done is that if you get the slightest racking stress,
you crack your short-grained "apron." Now if you had full-length aprons -
all the way to the floor, box or dovetail carcass joinery would be fine.


Take a 1 1/2 piece a foot long and smack it in the middle. Dollars to
dogturds it breaks.