This is a repost paraphrase.

In a recent thread concerning dumpster diving, somebody had photos of
some drawers that they had picked up. These drawers in the photo had
dovetails at the rear of the drawer, and they were cut such that the
sides of the drawer wouldn't bow out and fall away from the back (I
guess that means the tails were on the back of the drawer), rather than
holding the back from falling, um, backwards. Why is this?

Funny this thread came up, because a friend of mine called me and asked
me how to repair a drawer with a similar detail. Dovetails at the rear
of the drawer, and a stapled rabbet joint at the front. WTFO? Why use
an inferior joint at the point with the most stress? Keep in mind,
this wasn't an expensive dresser, but if you're going to spend the
money on dovetails, it would seem to me that you would want the "good"
joint at the front of the drawer. What gives?

Thanks,
-Phil Crow

wrote:
This is a repost paraphrase.

In a recent thread concerning dumpster diving, somebody had photos of
some drawers that they had picked up. These drawers in the photo had
dovetails at the rear of the drawer, and they were cut such that the
sides of the drawer wouldn't bow out and fall away from the back (I
guess that means the tails were on the back of the drawer), rather
than holding the back from falling, um, backwards. Why is this?

Funny this thread came up, because a friend of mine called me and
asked me how to repair a drawer with a similar detail. Dovetails at
the rear of the drawer, and a stapled rabbet joint at the front.
WTFO? Why use an inferior joint at the point with the most stress?
Keep in mind, this wasn't an expensive dresser, but if you're going
to spend the money on dovetails, it would seem to me that you would
want the "good" joint at the front of the drawer. What gives?

Thanks,
-Phil Crow

LOL Could it be new Chinese construction and they didn't know the dove
tail ends were the ones that were supposed to show?

Josie