Glue & clamps ONLY in cab assembly?

[steviedon]

I've searched around a bit and my question seems a bit more specific than my searching skills yield. Long story short I'm building a pair of fonken floorstander MKII's for a good friend. I'm wanting to streamline the build and make the finishing process much less time consuming, but not sacrifice long term durabilty.

Is it generally considered structurally acceptable to use just butt joints (no dado, dowels, biscuits, etc.), pva glue, and obviously sufficient clamping when assembling a speaker cabinet of suitable engineered materials (ply, mdf, etc.)? I'm really trying to avoid using screws, and adversely having to fill and sand holes to the tune of 50 per cab. Thoughts? Any advice/input appreciated.

[pinkmouse]

I've made many cabs like this, you just need to make sure you have enough clamps!

[richie00boy]

Apart from the first couple of boxes I built I've always just used butt joints and glue (first PVA now always Cascamite) and never had a problem. Adding a rebate makes it a lot easier to keep the panels aligned though.

[marce]

I like dowels, with the right jig it makes assembly a lot easier. I aso use polyurethene glue, it will fill any gaps, so guaranteeing a good air tight seal.
But using butt joints only can be done, I find it awkward if glueing large things, which is why I ended up bying a couple of doweling jigs. Tried biscuits, but found dowels more accurate.

[MMeche]

I like throwing a few biscuits in to help with alignment during glue up. I tend to use biscuits over dowels because it does have a little wiggle room and facillitates a last minute micro adjustement.

[wintermute]

Gluing the sides together is easy. Gluing the baffles on is another matter entirely!! you would be amazed at how much they slip around when you start to tighten the clamps!

Absolutely essential to have clamps holding them in place laterally as well as clamping them to the surface being glued...

and when Pinkmouse says "enough", double what you think is enough and you might be getting close Long time no see Al!!

Tony.

[kevinahcc20]

Strategically placed biscuits will add significant strength, help with alignment during assembly while allowing for some lateral adjsutment and are much easier and less fussy to cut than dowel holes.

[pinkmouse]

Hi Tony, yup, it's been a while.

To stop stuff sliding around on a film of glue whilst clamping, just sprinkle a tiny bit of sand on the joints, it'll cut through the glue, yet compress into the wood and not hold it apart. Oh and I'm not saying there aren't many ways of building cabs, I have dado blades for the tablesaw, biscuit and dowel cutters, as well as my favourite, the air nailer, but glue and clamps does work.

[richie00boy]

Originally Posted by wintermute

Gluing the sides together is easy. Gluing the baffles on is another matter entirely!! you would be amazed at how much they slip around when you start to tighten the clamps!

Absolutely essential to have clamps holding them in place laterally as well as clamping them to the surface being glued....

I've never had a massive problem with that. Also I recommend cutting the front and back oversize to allow for some movement and imprecise cutting/measurement then trim flush with a router.

[wintermute]

Originally Posted by pinkmouse

Hi Tony, yup, it's been a while.

To stop stuff sliding around on a film of glue whilst clamping, just sprinkle a tiny bit of sand on the joints, it'll cut through the glue, yet compress into the wood and not hold it apart

Never would have thought of that, I try for as tight a tolerance as possible so would have been horrified at something in between but makes sense that it will just compress into the wood/mdf.

richie the oversize and flush routing is also an approach I hadn't thought of

Tony.