shop cabinet construction...dado, pocket screw, or biscuits...whats best??

[George Farra]

Hi Everyone

My next project is all about my workshop. Much needed storage cabinets, mitersaw workstation, & router table. The MS and RT configurations will rely on cabinet style foundations to provide add'l storage in my little workshop.

In the past I've always used dado contruction, but I'm wondering if biscuits or pocket screws are just as durable to abuse and shop stress while being simpler to construct. Thoughts??

TIA

George

[Glen Blanchard]

I moved into my new shop 14 months ago and my first chore was to gain storage by building cabinets. I built 8 wall cabinet sections and and about 17 base cabinet sections. All built with glue and pocket screws.

[Jamie Buxton]

They all can be made to work, and it comes down to what you like. Me, my current box-building joinery is glue, with biscuits to position the panels during glue-up. That's about the fastest scheme for me. The back is stapled on after finish is applied.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'll be the 3rd man out....I use dados, glue and screws.

It really depends on what you want to do and how long you want to take to do it.

I have the other two but prefer this method.

[George Farra]

I guess my goal is ease & speed in constructing them, but i want them to last. The quicker I get things reorganized the faster I can get back to my project list

[Bruce Wrenn]

I'm from the Danny Proulx camp. Butt screw them through the sides. I use assembly screws that I buy from Wurth. If I were pocket screwing, I would add a couple biscutts (for alignment) to speed up things.

[Matt Winterowd]

I'm with Bruce (and Danny Proulx). Shop cabinets are are all 3/4 MDF with butt joints. I actually glue and screw with confirmat screws. They're rock solid, no concerns whatsoever about strength.

[Cary Falk]

I put my garage cabinets together with dados and a nail gun.

[paul cottingham]

Shop stuff is all glued and pocket screwed.

[Richard McComas]

Another + for butt joints and the appropriate screw for the material used. For MDF and melamine I use confirmat screws. For plywood I use assembly screws.

I tact the box together with a brad nailer and then install the screws. Any misalignment of the box parts can easily tapped into place just before installing the screws.

[Rick Potter]

Dado's and screws through the side, I just use the gold screws from HD, and have used particle board on some cabinets that are 20 years old, with no problem at all....full of drawers and tools. Later cabinets are plywood with gold screws, and dado's. 3 years old...no problems. On the plywood ones, I did use pocket screws to hold the face frame on.

I just paint 'em white. The look decent, but certainly not furniture quality. Of course I have been known to staple, drill or screw into them whenever needed.

Rick Potter

[Peter Quinn]

I have some of each somewhere in my shop and they are all up to the task. I have one hybrid almost kinda sort of roubo style bench cum out feed table with under bench storage that has all three methods in it plus M&T frames, ind it could stop a fork truck. I think which ever you choose is up to the task as long as it's done well, they all should last at least as long as we do.

[frank shic]

staple/pin nail and screw with either assembly screws or confirmats.

[Bill Trouard]

I used all three options you asked about on a 1 cabinet today. so I guess I look at it as what is the best option for what I'm trying to accomplish visually and strength wise

[Phil Thien]

They all can be made to work, and it comes down to what you like. Me, my current box-building joinery is glue, with biscuits to position the panels during glue-up. That's about the fastest scheme for me. The back is stapled on after finish is applied.

This is the same method I use, although I sometimes stable the back on before finishing. Depends on the finish I'm using.