best way I have found to build square cases solo is with a domino - YMMV
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best way I have found to build square cases solo is with a domino - YMMV
Dado and rabbet joints are slower to make but exceptionally strong and accurate, use screws and glue where not visible or glue and clamps on the show side.
Pocket holes have their place but, at least for me, it is kind of hard to keep the parts from shifting when tightening the screws.
I own a biscuit joiner, you can have it. Dowels would be a better option if you have a good dowelling jig like the Jessem.
If you do want to spend the money get the Domino, but unless you run a production shop - I would say no.
Before you start your project make sure you have at least one square that is actually square - no joke.
Yeah, Domino is out for me. Have had the same issues with shifting with pocket holes. I have a biscuit joiner as well, but never have liked it.
Learn to use your biscuit joiner. It was designed for assembling plywood, etc. boxes. Lots of folks bad mouth them, but I've had one for over 25 years and it's my go to tool for building plywood boxes, including kitchen cabinet boxes. Biscuits, glue, and screws where they won't show works fine. Fast, accurate, and more than strong enough.
John
I made an entire kitchen a few houses back using 3/4 oak plywood and solid oak raised panel doors. The frames for the door were all cut with cope and stick bits on my router table. Panels were finished before glueup. The box was assembles with shallow dados to locate the pieces and had through screws and glue to hold them together. Screws were plugged with plugs I cut out of scrap. We liked them.
Pocket screws hold very well, especially in 3/4. I would only use them if you can hide the holes, however. A track saw is a great way to cut up the plywood.
If you want the doors to be white or black, you can use tinted Resisthane. It sprays easily, dries fast, and is hard enough for kitchen cabinets. There is also a piece on the Highland hardware website talking about mixing Resisthane with latex paint but I've never tried it.
Couldn't you use the biscuit jointer to keep the pieces from shifting while using pocket screws? Two biscuits per joint would keep it aligned. Then all you have to do is keep them from sliding lengthwise. No glue necessary for the biscuits, just use them for alignment and make sure they're not in the way of the pocket screws.
Ok guys, I have a question, and I apologize to Mike if this takes his thread off topic.
I bought my Freud biscuit joiner many years ago when everybody had to have one, but I never managed to get the biscuits to fit tightly without slop unless I soaked them in hot water for a minute to let them swell or when I used glue on the biscuits I would get oval shaped dimpels on the wood surface once the glue had dried. Did I do something wrong or what am I missing. I never have any issues with dowels and with my Jessem jig the alignment is just perfect, you can not even feel the joint.
Get better biscuits! I use PC biscuits and before I use them, I always sort for: too thin, too thick, goldilocks (jeeeeeest right). But I can always find plenty of goldilocks biscuits so it's never been an issue.
As to the dimples, that will happen if you sand too soon after the glue up. You need to wait for the added moisture from the glue to full dissipate so that the raised dimples don't get sanded down and then turn into depressions once the moisture content has returned back to normal.
It could be the biscuits or it could be the slot is too wide. If you know somebody with one, you might get them to cut a slot for you with theirs and compare it to yours. I don't remember any reviews of the Freud. I like their saw blades but I am not familiar with their biscuit joiner. I have an old Skil that I wouldn't recommend (the fence is bad) but it cuts tight slots. Another way to check slot size would be to get a router bit that cuts biscuit slots (MLCS and others sell them) and compare it's slots to the Freud.
For this style, a simple groove with a dado or flat top rip blade will work well. I'll have to see what a shaker bit is. Techniques for tenons include dado or tenon jig.
I would reconsider MDF. IMO plywood is a better choice to me because I want the texture of wood grain.
Gluing the panel, although not necessary, will eliminate any rattle that may occur if that's an issue.
Once the doors and frames are done, I suggest you use Seam Fill on every seam, unless you want to see the seams and every joint, dimple etc. in the paint. Using a tinted lacquer works great, but it shows every imperfection. Filling and sanding every joint, crack, dimple or imperfection will help you get a great finish.
I am building my full kitchen cabinets and for the boxes I bought Sommerfelds Cabinet Making kit, it works great and everything lines up nice and square. Then you won't have to worry about the pocket screws. I have the same problems with pocket screws.
I also am doing Shaker Style doors and I bought the Sommerfeld Shaker bits and I have no complaints on it at all. (I have no affiliation with Sommerfeld, I just like the bits)