Excellent! I like all your ideas; esp make the stiles the legs.
That'll work! For approximately 20" of length, how much of that should
be M & T? Two or three each 3" long tenons? Or could they be shorter?
Are tenons 1/2 or 1/3 the thickness of board?

Thank you, thank you...I am not worthy...(bowing down).

dave

Swingman wrote:

"Bay Area Dave" wrote in message


1) Best way to secure ply top (overhanging style) to side panels.


Cleats screwed and glued to the inside and flush with the top of the top
aprons. Predrill vertical holes to attach the top with wood screws through
the cleats. Advantage is simplicity and use of project scraps. Plywood top
is stable enough to not have to worry about movement and you can even use
glue if you feel it will be an advantage to do so.


2) Best joinery for side to back panel


Best and strongest is M & T


3) Should back panel's lower edge be at same height as bottom of drawer

box?

4) Should the back panel be joined to right panel, or left face of
drawer box.


Consider the concept of making the drawer box, in essence, a floor sitting
"cabinet", with the top attached to it and extending to appropriate back and
one side panel.

Joinery becomes less of an issue with this method, although I would still
use rail, stile and panel for the side, and the back of the desk (if it is
not going up against a wall).

For the side panel, and the one corner where the back and side panel join,
consider using the stiles as legs. This way you only need two legs to cut M
& T and the groove for side and back panels.

Take a look at a many roll top desk designs and you will see that they use a
similar structural approach (drawer cabinets, joined by top structure) ...
in your case you will only use one side "cabinet".

Just one of many approaches.