Plywood is not an issue here since I have had the same results with solid
wood, the ply makes a better sounding board then the solid wood, for less
cost. Wood in sides is solid 3/4 stock either poplar or oak with the grain
running horizintal. Don't know how to float the the the end panels and come
up with a solid box, that is one of the delimas I am having. Maybe making
the end boards of the box with a vertical grain would allow both to move in
much the same way and reduce stress?? any thoughts on this?..
"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
...
sweet sawdust wrote:

Need some advice on gluing up a box. This is a standard box about 6" x 11"
solid wood with rabbit joints on corners (for appearance). Bottom is 1/4"
ply glued to the box body, no problem yet. The top is 11/16" hard maple
with
tongues cut in it to make a drum head. I need to fasten the top to the
body
in such a way that there is no vibration in the top except in the tongues.
Gluing all four of the top to the box body works fine except that I get
wood movement that cracks the top and ruins the drum.

Seems to me the plywood is part of the problem, assuming the grain in the
sides is horizontal. Make the bottom of the same wood as the top and glue it
the same way. Finish with shellac inside and out to minimize moisture
changes.

The ultimate solution would be to make the ends floating panels. Think of
the
tongues as being on the side of a tall skinny box :-).

--
It's turtles, all the way down