An Old Man on Dovetails

​Do you have to use dovetails in drawer construction?  
I think it depends on a few things, one is who you ask and 
two is what are your expectations for whatever your building.  
If you ask someone concerned about their public views and 
subscribers, their answer will always be no. If you ask a fine 
furniture builder they will almost always tell you yes.
I really think it comes down to what are your expectations for the
piece your building. If I'm building set of cabinets with drawers
for my shop then chances are pretty good those drawers are not
going to have dovetails. But if I'm building a piece of furniture
for a client or my home that is a statement of my ability and 
craftsmanship then you bet it is going to have the fanciest looking
dovetailed drawers on the block. There is just no way I could ever
build what I deem to be a beautiful piece of furniture then screw
the drawers together, or any other way. It has nothing to due
with how strong it may or not be, but it does have everything
to do with the craftsmanship and pride that I put into each 
piece I build. But I'm just an old guy building things and 
everyone needs to do what they are comfortable doing.      

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