Guitar Pedal Board

[mlynch]

Hello,

I'm a woodworking novice, and I'd like some help thinking through a design I've got going for a guitar pedal board project. For anyone that doesn't know, a pedal board provides a guitarist with a way to organize effects pedals that modify the sound of an electric guitar. They are typically used on stage to minimize setup/tear down time and ensure a consistent layout of pedals. Numerous examples can be seen here.

I've attached a picture of a rough sketch I made in SketchUp for the sake of measurements. In my plan, you can see my pedal board will consist of a frame with a panel affixed in the middle. So here's where I'm asking for help. What are some options for joining the top panel to the frame? I'm interested in, perhaps, a decorative choice. I intend to join the back and front of the frame to the sides using a sliding dovetail joint. I intend to place a dovetail slot on both sides of the back and front frame boards, and then I plan to cut a dovetail into the ends of the side boards. I understand this is a common way to build drawers, and I think this frame is a fairly similar concept.

One idea I have is to hand cut (Lord help me) a single wide tail into the each of the side boards of the frame (see "Top idea.png" attachment). Then I could cut a wide pin into each side of the panel and simply lay it into the side boards. The sides are 3/4", and I'm doing all of this in oak. Does this make any sense? Is there any chance of this thing holding together? Should I reinforce the top panel from underneath?

I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. Please help! Any and all ideas are welcome!! Thank you!!

[mlynch]

I learned that the name of the joint I'm considering for the pedal board top panel is a dovetailed lap joint. Doing some reading now on the strength of such a joint, but I'm still interested in this group's opinion. Any ideas?

[mlynch]

I suppose I could also do through mortises into each side and tenons into the top panel. That might be the best structural choice, but perhaps a bit less decorative.

Thoughts?

[loyd]

I'm not sure of the value of the single dovetail in the ends of the top board. My concern would be that the top board, being held in the center, would bow up at the corners. Three dovetails -- one small one at each extreme and a larger one in the middle -- would be a better choice in my thinking. But that would be a more work. The beauty of course is in the eye of the beholder but as a woodworker I'd like it better.

Someone with experience in the music end of this might be a better source of information.

[loyd]

Thought it may be helpful to show a through dovetail joint -- albeit with more dovetails than you need -- so you'd get the idea of what I was describing.

Neglect the wear and tear. This is a tool box.