Help With Joints

[jn229]

I have started a simple two way project. My cabinet joints will be a ‘butt’ joint. I have a biscuit cutter and I am wondering if the use of biscuits would strengthen the corners? The reason I am asking is that I have not seen a project with biscuits. Any comments will be appreciated.

[nigelwright7557]

I use 2 inch by 2 inch softwood bracing in my cabinets.
I screw them to the panels.
Some people like to glue them as well.

This would be stronger than using biscuits.

[revboden]

Biscuits are really only for alignment. The glue is where all the strength comes from. If you want really strong corners use a glue block along all the edges to increase the surface area that the glue bonds.

[jn229]

Originally Posted by nigelwright7557

I use 2 inch by 2 inch softwood bracing in my cabinets.
I screw them to the panels.
Some people like to glue them as well.

This would be stronger than using biscuits.

If by bracing you mean, glued to the inside seam of the joint, this may not work for me. My panels have been cut and 2 x 2 material would displace too much volume. I could caIculate the volume of smaller bracing maybe 3/4 x 3/4. I have allowed volume for a shelf style brace horizontally and vertically.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[jn229]

Originally Posted by revboden

Biscuits are really only for alignment. The glue is where all the strength comes from. If you want really strong corners use a glue block along all the edges to increase the surface area that the glue bonds.

That’s 2 replies for block bracing. The cabinet is 9.5” x 21.75” x 10” inside measurements for a volume of 1.196 cu. ft. Would block style bracing be more important then bracing with shelves front to back and top to bottom? I could eliminate one of the shelf braces giving me the needed volume for glue blocks.

[liamstrain]

you could use a couple of wood corner braces



Or a metal L corner brace (especially if you are going to be lining with heavy felt or something anyway.

[jn229]

Originally Posted by liamstrain

you could use a couple of wood corner braces



Or a metal L corner brace (especially if you are going to be lining with heavy felt or something anyway.

That’s an option that would work within my plans.

thanks

[cyclecamper]

If you don't want the cabinet's internal volume decreased, consider using triangular corner braces which displace only half as much air.

Sometimes using a dado blade in a table saw gives you a nice 'step' to position the wood for gluing a butt joint.

Now I often use an air brad-type finish nailer to hold things in position while the glue dries. I've used yellow carpenter's glue, epoxy, and lately PL2000 construction adhesive (which if very forgiving of woodworking errors and fills gaps nicely).

There have been commercial cabinets built entirely with hot-glue. Don't.

[jn229]

Liamstrain: That would work within my design

[jn229]

Originally Posted by cyclecamper

If you don't want the cabinet's internal volume decreased, consider using triangular corner braces which displace only half as much air.

Sometimes using a dado blade in a table saw gives you a nice 'step' to position the wood for gluing a butt joint.

Now I often use an air brad-type finish nailer to hold things in position while the glue dries. I've used yellow carpenter's glue, epoxy, and lately PL2000 construction adhesive (which if very forgiving of woodworking errors and fills gaps nicely).

There have been commercial cabinets built entirely with hot-glue. Don't.

Thanks, the dado is out, my saw is a 65 year old 8", and is not that accurate or powerful. I had a tour of 'Salk Loudspeakers' and they were using construction glue on some of their joints. I have been following instructions from a small guide from 'North Creek', they suggested carpenter's glue, which they called a hard glue. They did not suggest biscuits, that was my idea.