Just like the title says, anybody have a special way to put a solid wood bottom/top panel into a box? On a smaller box, less that 6 inches wide, ive just glued a solid wood panel into a half-lap frame, and because the piece was so small i didnt have any issues with expansion popping a joint. Problem is, im guessing theres be a few issues on a slightly larger joint.

For the purposes of this exercise, lets assume a box 3 feet long, 1 foot wide, 2 inches tall, box jointed corners. How do you slip the top and bottom panels in in such a way that seasonal movement doesnt destroy it?

And before someone says it, no, plywoods not an option. Ive got plenty of walnut, but no walnut ply

Either dado, or half dado it in and let it float is the way I would do it.

Dado would cause the bottom to be inset as you would need material to support the bottom. With a half dado you could make the bottom, flush with the bottom.

I did think about doing a dado, but I was really wanting the top/bottom to be flush with the bottom. Tongue and dado may work though, but I'm worried about that leaving ugly gaps

How would you float a 1/2 dado?

George

[quote=shoot summ;1359209]Either dado, or half dado it in and let it float is the way I would do it.
/QUOTE]

Seems to me a "half dado" is a rabbett. There is no support underneath for the bottom... so what's the advantage? Regardless, the wood expands/moves across it's width, so the issue on a 12" wide box, how much? Assuming the wood grain on the bottom runs lengthwise, using a glued dado on the long sides and a dry/floated dado on the widths, you should be fine. You can rabbett the edges on all sides to reduce the size of the dado.....