What type of corner joints are folks using for the drawers and main carcass? I was going to use a sliding dovetail until I realized there isnt enough meat in 1/2" ply to do that. So right now I am planning on using rabbets and mortises. I also considered a box joint, but that seems time consuming.
Joinery question on storage/drawers
- Thread starter opie
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fasteddy47
Adventurer
I just used all Dado's with glue and finishing nails through the gun. I was going to biscuit joint it all untill my BIL showed me how strong a dado is .....
Woodsman
Adventurer
No need to get complicated on those corner joints. I've done sliding dovetails but they require a certain amount of slop to get them to slide together with adhesive. Real dovetails are great but are overrated and frankly unnecessary unless dealing with old cabinets that would swell each summer and require tremendous pulling force to open.
I recommend a shallow rabbet (1/16 to 1/8" deep) in the drawer sides and the drawer front and back fit into this rabbet and are fastened with adhesive and woods screws which are predrilled to prevent splitting. You can also reinforce/add strength to this joint, especially at the front of the drawer, by adding a couple of angle brackets in each corner.
I recommend a shallow rabbet (1/16 to 1/8" deep) in the drawer sides and the drawer front and back fit into this rabbet and are fastened with adhesive and woods screws which are predrilled to prevent splitting. You can also reinforce/add strength to this joint, especially at the front of the drawer, by adding a couple of angle brackets in each corner.
targa88
Explorer
Some pix would be nice.....
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
I'm sad to say that modern glues make artistic joinery nothing more than art.
Butt joints with a good glue are as strong as dovetail with less effective glue. The reason behind all these joints was to create more surface area so that older less effective glues could work.
Don't get me wrong I love dovetail joints front and back on cabinets and drawers, but it's for the beauty and skill not the strength.
Butt joints with a good glue are as strong as dovetail with less effective glue. The reason behind all these joints was to create more surface area so that older less effective glues could work.
Don't get me wrong I love dovetail joints front and back on cabinets and drawers, but it's for the beauty and skill not the strength.
I've gotten all my pieces cut out. For joining I am going to cut 1/8 dadoes and use gorilla wood glue. I have never been much for woodwork, I always seem to build out of metal. As such I am not tooled up for various woodworking tasks. That's why I asked about joinery. I am planning on heading to a friends house next weekend to use his router table to cut the dadoes in. Unless my impatience takes over and I buy a router with an edge fence.
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fasteddy47
Adventurer
Buy the router
You need more tools.... Tell your wife it's for building a new china cabinet.... but you need to practice on your truck stuff first....
Buy the router
need to practice on your truck stuff first....
I did!
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AFSOC
Explorer
C'mon Martyn, this statement is unfounded. Prescott continues to be on Chicago's heels for the title of "Windy City".
You're correct, modern glues are stellar performers and limit the requirement for complex joinery for high strength applications. Limit, not eliminate. Dovetails have an advantage of single direction lock with or without glue. Apply glue (with any reasonable level of effectivness) to the added surface area advantage dovetails have over butt joints and your results are a joint of superior strength.
I am not being critical of the joinery used in AT Overland composite drawers. I believe the glues used and joinery chosen are the right combination for this product. I am not questioning your companies processes, just the quoted statement.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Purely personal comments I made about glues. As I said I have nothing against joinery, and agree that modern glue and dovetails work well together. My comparison is more historical and applicable to this situation.
The strength of a dado or dovetail glued with fish paste vs. a butt joint with Gorilla Glue, the Gorilla glue would win hands down.
Joinery is well suited for a chair where stresses are applied when the chair is sat on or rocked back and forth, in this case yes a mortise and tenon would provide the extra stability. But in this case we are looking at a drawer inside a case. Butt joints and synthetic glue are ample, durable, and they work. Complex joinery is not required. I think it would be more esthetically pleasing, but unnecessary.
LandCruiserPhil
Expedition Leader
Had our shop build a set of truck drawers about 15 years ago, they used tongue and groove joints. It was explained to me at the time you get 3 types of holding strengths with fasteners, material, and glue. Drawers are installed in a construction utility bed and are still in use today.
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slomatt
Adventurer
I built my drawer out of 1/2" cabinet grade plywood and used 1/8" rabbit joints with yellow wood glue and nails. The nails are not structural, they just held things in place while the glue dried. These joints have held up great even when "abused" over long stretches of washboard road.
http://www.blankwhitepage.com/gallery/t4r_drawer
- Matt
http://www.blankwhitepage.com/gallery/t4r_drawer
- Matt