cabinet cutting?

[Midnite Mick]

I am currently attempting to build my first pair of speaker cabinets. My question is this. Is there any margin for error at all when cutting ie. what distance will glue still hold if slight veer when cutting a sheet. For example if one had a 1/32 or 1/16 of an inch gap in the middle of a panel would the glue still hold? If one has blade circles on the cut does it have to be sanded prior to glueing. etc. Thank you

Mike

[noodle_snacks]

i suggest you use a polyurethane based gap filling glue, then small gaps as you describe don't matter so much, you can sand the glue back later.

[Midnite Mick]

Thanks for the help. I just did a dry mock up and everything is turning out better than I thought. I will use a glue that you are suggesting just to be on the safe side. Thank you.

Do you recommend any brand?

Mike

[noodle_snacks]

I use a product called selleys aquadhere durabond:

http://www.selleys.com.au/itemDisplay.aspx?ItemID=41

however this is an australian brand and probably not avalible where you live. You don't have to use that much of the glue, and make sure you clamp fairly tightly, it expands somewhatupon drying.

[facundonu]

regular carpenter glue mixed with the sanddust you make.

[roger_lew]

Sanding a 1/16 off MDF goes pretty fast with 60 grit and a block. Sanding a 1/16 off baltic birch is a little more work. Either way, I think it actually saves time then trying to fix gaps later on. Just my opinion.

EDIT: Wouldn't worry too much about saw marks you can see, just ones you can feel.

[leonrocks]

Use a premium MDF Glue to glue the cabinet together. When it is dry, fill in the gaps with a good filler. Make sure to use plenty of clamps when gluing.

[noodle_snacks]

Originally posted by roger_lew
Sanding a 1/16 off MDF goes pretty fast with 60 grit and a block. Sanding a 1/16 off baltic birch is a little more work. Either way, I think it actually saves time then trying to fix gaps later on. Just my opinion.

EDIT: Wouldn't worry too much about saw marks you can see, just ones you can feel.

I wouldn't sand the edge off by hand, if you don't keep things square and even it is possible to create more problems than you solve imho, I'd either use a gap filling glue, or fill later.

[Geek]

My recipe

Gap filling "oops putty":

Can't cut straight and got gaps in the joint? No problem! Take some of the finest sawdust you have off the floor (MDF belt sander dust is ideal) and mix it with wood glue until you have the consistensy of cookie dough and work it into the gap with a spreader or your finger. Sands like a charm and doesn't shrink. DO NOT use this one if you're going to stain the wood. If your putty pulls away from the wood as it dries, you used too much sawdust in the mix.