Adam says -

> What's the best way to affix a crown moulding to a carcase? Nail the
front and sides? Nail the sides only? Nail the front only? Glue seems like
a bad idea, regardless, but I'd rather not see a big ol' seasonal gap on my
mitered corners.

> On a related note, should I nail the miters together, or use glue and a
spline? I'd like to know what is best practice, but also what is
historically correct. My inclination is hide glue and a spline (maybe
floating tenon is more correct).

I too do what John says - "tackle this issue by gluing the front strip to
the carcass (long grain to long grain so movement in its length is not an
issue)" but where he then glues the front 3-4 inches, letting the back
float, I sometimes do that or I nail with brads, or in the case of a
blanket box, I made a sliding dovetail. Unless using the sliding dovetail
at the back, definitely add the necessary number of brads to hold it tight.
For brads, I use Tremont nails, don't have the size in my noggin at the
moment but could go look. For "traditional-type" furniture as opposed to
outdoors or shop thingamajigs I always use hide glue, either make my own
from the can or Old Brown Glue.  Here is the handplaned moulding for the
cherry bookcase that I built for my daughter a few years ago.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOqcpYASgr9lsDjccn3jeWUo2Wt30qot5i
K0EWTM_dgEvMICOlsvICptOASu2lXDw/photo/AF1QipN90r2ZCqJJ5Ut4_9nFKbJXc9h_7PXpnv6Zzl
3D?key=UklNRTdqb2p4Z2l3cFctN05ZQTNxaTdoZEVScEx3">https://photos.google.com/share
/AF1QipOqcpYASgr9lsDjccn3jeWUo2Wt30qot5iK0EWTM_dgEvMICOlsvICptOASu2lXDw/photo/AF
1QipN90r2ZCqJJ5Ut4_9nFKbJXc9h_7PXpnv6Zzl3D?key=UklNRTdqb2p4Z2l3cFctN05ZQTNxaTdoZ
EVScEx3

I did hide glue the miters themselves, more so as a caulking that when I
sand I get any minor discrepancies to fill in. I built up a structure above
the carcass to which I glued long grain to long grain and nailed with brads
otherwise. You can see that in this pic. Sorry I was unable to pull the
case from the wall for a clearer shot.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOqcpYASgr9lsDjccn3jeWUo2Wt30qot5i
K0EWTM_dgEvMICOlsvICptOASu2lXDw/photo/AF1QipO07d4cS6brWSekHvrm6IVYfz9uNWRldlWLvi
By?key=UklNRTdqb2p4Z2l3cFctN05ZQTNxaTdoZEVScEx3">https://photos.google.com/share
/AF1QipOqcpYASgr9lsDjccn3jeWUo2Wt30qot5iK0EWTM_dgEvMICOlsvICptOASu2lXDw/photo/AF
1QipO07d4cS6brWSekHvrm6IVYfz9uNWRldlWLviBy?key=UklNRTdqb2p4Z2l3cFctN05ZQTNxaTdoZ
EVScEx3

But this is 3? years old now and I have had no issue with movement that
wasn't expected and compensated for. One thing I did learn, is that hide
glue is not completely invisible to finishes as you can see some blemishes.

PS - As I was writing this Frank also addressed the sliding dovetail,
here's a random pic from the internet
http://www.steveweb.net/breadboard_preassembly.jpg


Scott Garrison
Duluth GA

On Tue, Oct 13, 2020 at 2:41 PM Frank Filippone 
wrote: