I’ve been asked to help a close friend with some garage cabinets. They will be large floor standing cabinets.
This is definitely non-fine woodworking. As we both want to get them done and out of my shop quickly. The key for us is speed, but at the same time neither of us want to be continually fixing them.
The cabinets will be a MDF box, with one fixed shelf in the middle and a few adjustable shelves, there will be no face frames. The cabinets will primarily be for light/medium weight items.
I am considering using biscuits and drywall screws to hold them all together. Am I just asking for trouble? If I go this route will MDF or a shop grade plywood work better?
Buster
Replies
Buster, as I plan my retirement shop I have a bag full of MDF boxes to built. I will use 3/4 MDF using a 45 degree lock miter bit, Tite Bond III glue, 1 1/2" narrow crown staples with a 1/2" MDF back rabbated 1/2" x 3/8" flush in the rear. Rabbet your shelves in 3/8" glue and staple or use 16ga to pin till the glue sets. EVERYTHING GETS PRIMED AND TWO COATS OF FLAT OR SEMI GLOSS ENAMEL EVERY WHERE EVEN THE BOTTOM EDGES. Once you do that you will never ever touch it again (unless your in New Orleans, God forbid and under water.)
One set will be installed on 3/4" exterior ply cribbing on edge (well sealed) for a very long fixed bench(shimed true and shot to the slab) with a 3/4" MDF and a 1" baltic ply top to mount a 10" ras and a 12" chop saw. The others will mostly be on a lap joint 2x4 frame with casters (LV has a nice set of two rollers and two swivel locks for @ $38) As you can see, I am a belt and suspenders guy, but I don't want to do this again . This is at least shop #4 7/8 considering work shops for friends and son in law.
If you can size, joint and rabbat all the MDF your friend should be able to get her done if you label the pieces like a kit. All the best Pat
My concern would be the span of the shelves, MDF sure likes to sag over time with even fairly minimal load. How wide and deep are the shelves ? If over two feet I would use 3/4 MDF, Rabit the back and sides and make dividers "pigon hole" compartments. But I tend to overbuild.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Thanks guys. I'm trying to avoid making too much MDF dust. It should have read biscuits (glue) and screws. Drywall screws was a slip. I was going to use them in the original plywood cases.
I did rebates and screws on my own cabinets... Very sturdy, and reasonably quick. However, lots of dust. I was hoping I could get them together quick, and move onto other things. It's already been drawn out far too long. But then again, we must do what we can...
As for the span of the shelves... We were always going to go with 3/4" for the shelves. I was also going to add back support to them, and if I think it needs it a center support. We still have some design issues to sort out, but I'm trying to get him to go to fixed shelves. He's not a customer, and I'm saving him a bundle over the home depot cabinets he was going to get, so I can do that.
Buster
If you are using biscuits and glue, you can skip the screws and use nails to hold them together until the glue dries.It would be a good idea to use a 1/4" back for rigidity -- which again, can be glued and nailed in place. A rabbet is necessary only if you don't want to see the back from the side of the cab. It would be faster to make all the shelves adjustable, if you are willing to use those metal standards which can either be dadoed or surface mounted. For that matter, you can use cleats screwed to the side of the cases to support your shelves.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Trade the drywall screws for screws or fasteners more suited for MDF. For examples see McFeely's selections at www.mcfeelys.com
Drywall screws are also hard, and consequently brittle. (Remember even though drywall is fairly heavy, each of the many screws isn't asked to do much.)
Instead of drywall screws try confirmat screws they are a stepped screw that is drilled with a special bit that should be available from your Major cabinet making suppliers.You will not have any callbacks
You can make it fool proof but not idiot proof
The easiest would be to used screws (the right kind of course) and a few biscuits for alignment, as the screws add enough strength. Or you could use many biscuits, and a few screws for clamping, but you will create more dust routing out the biscuits holes.
Todd
If these cabs are going to be "installed" that is, permanently fastened to the walls, then I would simply butt join the ends and shoot finish nails along with glue. This construction is fast, easy, and more than strong enough for the application.
For my own garage cabs, I used 3/4" melamine with confirmats. Also quick, easy, and strong.
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