"Alan Smithee" wrote in message
news:iKAIe.119460$s54.20459@pd7tw2no...
I'm building a narrow-tall shelf for a friend. Using three-quarter inch
ply.
It's over 8' tall and about 21" wide. About 7or 8 shelves which I'm
dadoing
into the sides. The friend doesn't want a back on it though and I'm afraid
the whole thing may lack stability. What should I do? Tell 'em it needs a
back or it might fall apart? Reinforce with gussets? Or just glue the
dados
and hit it with some brads and clamp the be-jesus out of it? Thx.


Perhaps he'd go for a back on the top and bottom 8" or so. Even that would
give a huge support to keep it from racking. Otherwise, I'd not build it
because I don't want to hear complaints later when it shifts to one side and
the joints start to break.