Please tell me your best method for joining and edging plywood cabinets.
I’d rather not have the edge of the plywood exposed, so edging is nice, but requires a lot more work.
I’ve attached four different options, please give me your opinion. What’s been the strongest and easiest for you?
Thanks, Gary
Replies
I use a Lock-Miter router bit on a Router Table.. Whiteside bit..
Expensive but Perfect Mitered Corners without anything but the panels..
Takes a bit to set the bit depth correct BUT works well!
Folks here get ALL upset in here when I post this..
Take some skill to make it right....
Thanks Will,Why do people get upset, because it's a shortcut?
If it works and it's effective, why not?Does it protect the corner edge OK?Thanks again, Gary
I use the Lock-Miter router bit as well, for my drawers. Yea, it ain't dovetails, but good lord, with 49 drawers to build ...
My cabintes are euro style. I'm assuming you are doing the same. I agree completely about hardwood edging (vs. banding) as the way to go
I used the Burgess Edge (http://www.burgessedge.com/) at first. I find it great in theory but impractical due to the tollerances required to get a good fit. You need to have very consistent pressure against the router fence as well as downward or it won't glue up tight. Also, the variability in plywood these days - don't get me started! I've had sheets of the "good stuff" ($60-$80/sheet) that varied .030" along a single sheet! Makes it really hard to get a good clean tight edging! Oh, and too many passes with the router if you're doing a big job!
I now just glue on the strips and get much better results. I use a Forrect Duraline for the plywood and a WW II for the hardwood and get good-enough edges for glue-up (need to rebuild the arbor on my 50's era Unisaw to deal with a small wobble...). I make the edging oversize in all directions (remember that plywood thickness issue!) and then use a laminate trimmer to clean up the edges and then a final rip to total panel width. A lot of work, but once you get into the rhythm it goes pretty fast and the results are great.
Edging Ply: Make cauls from strips of 1/4" oak lammed over a form to give you a (depending on length of work) deflection of 2" per 24". Should be 1" thick, rounded on one end and faced with weather stripping.
Use a good ply blade for the work. Rip 4/4 stock (15/16-7/8") into 5/16" strips. As you rip, joint one edge. Place the ply flat in two clamps near the end, with the caul apex facing the work. Apply glue (sparingly) to the jointed face of the edging, and the ply. Tighten the clamps until the deflection of the caul is removed. Let dry for 2 hours, and trim. I can make 20 doors in eight hours with this method.
Joining ply: Exposed mid joint-biscuits or dado. Exposed end joint-rabbet. Painted or covered joint-screws and plugs.
And the voting number on Maui is...........
#4 looks like the easiest if thats what works for you. aloha, mike
Thanks Mike,I was in Kona, Hilo and Kauai about a month ago, I'm already missing the islands.
You have limited resources there as far as woodworking supplies, but it's so beautiful and the people are the nicest.So you think number four, what have you been using for plywood joinery?
Number four has the least protection though, and it will get banged around in my garage.Thanks again, ALOHA!!! Gary
Gary, Maui on the other hand is pretty evolved in woodworking supplies and work- the two go hand in hand I reckon. I picked number 4 because it involves less work for an acceptable look. Any of the ones you showed would work although the dado was a little chancy for the amount of machining after glue up. I am a cabinet maker and always use 6mm or 3mm edging. I apply all my edges after first cuts and then refine my pieces with the edges on. 2nd cuts finish exact widths and lengths of all my pieces and give me the cleanest edge for assembly. Banging around is always a problem and I swear that finished goods always attract every errant flying object in the shop. Good luck and try a few of those , you may end up with a hybrid. aloha, mike
Mike,So you're gluing the 6mm edging right on the finished edges?
Flat, no tongue & groove? And with biscuits or all dado/rabbits?Since you're a cabinet expert, do you think a 32" high x 27" wide cabinet will be able to balance a 100 lb sanding station and 100 lb planer on top? Of course, I'll have plenty of things inside the cabinet to weigh it down.Gary
Gary, 6mm (1/4 inch) does not allow for much except glue which happens to work quite well. I like wood edges on my plywood rather than tape. I also use mostly prefinished case material (maple, cherry, Khaya, teak) so I spray the edges after applying and routing them flush, I sand the stock through the widebelt before application to the plywood.
I do believe you should consider making the feet with the casters wider than the cabinet to lesson the chance of tipover. I have a number of rolling tool tables made that way and my planer has a real wide one so long boards wont topple it. I'll snap a pic for you tommorrow. aloha, mike
Mike,Can't really visualize what you're describing.
A photo would be worth a thousand words, thanks!
My cabinet will be about 27" wide which is pretty wide, and about 32" high.Thanks again, Gary
Gary, heres a pic of what I have. Note the extended legs with casters make it harder to tip over. This is a planer that I use for small stuff and there are 2 drawers on the infeed side with small tools stored in them. aloha, mike
A man of his word, I like that.
Thanks so much for sending me the photo.
Forgot you're 3 hours earlier than us in California.
Nice job, walnut trim? Aloha,
Gary
I think its prefinished maple ply with Eucalyptus Robusta edging. The locking ball bearing casters are cool although pricey compared to the cheap fixed pin and highly recommended. Thanks for the compliment-not bad for a phone pic eh? aloha, mike
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