Dowlled joints in ply cabinets

[JohnD]

I am making some kitchen cabinets. Last time I used laminated chipboard and a dowel jig, they were OK.

This time I think I will use 18mm ply as I think it will be stronger (I am making some L-shaped cracases for the corners), and I can stain and satin varnish the ply to tone with the wooden doors.

Is ply OK to use dowels in ply for kitchen cabs like this, and is it equally/less/more rigid than laminated chipboard? Is it any lighter?

I intend to use no-more-nails or similar in the joints as well, I presume it will seal the joints for neatness as well as making them stronger.

I am not much good at woodwork.

my previous attempt
View media item 4231 . View media item 4236

 

[xerxes]

I am not much good at woodwork.

You are being far too modest, by the look of it.

Dowelled joints in plywood will be stronger than in chipboard, and the whole construction, for given thickness of board, should be a bit lighter. However, different types of chipboard and plywood vary in their density, quite widely.

One day, you will come round to the benefits of using a biscuit jointer.

 

[big-all]

problem with ply is it has a grain it can also splinter even if it dosnt splinter you need to edge with wood to give you an acceptible finnish not only the edge exposed by the door but the edges underneath wall mounted units without a moulding attached

if your happy with having to edge and happy with the unatural looking grain [not nessiserily a problem ]and you are staining to match then the ply is good

 

[JohnD]

what would you put on the edges then? I thought I could just wipe them smooth with fine glasspaper.

btw I was in some kitchen showroom the other day, and they had edged their laminated chipboard carcases with imitation ply edging (you know, with five brown lines divided by thin black lines)

I was hoping I could get the shed to cut my boards to size with their big saw, it gives a better finish, a more accurate size, and a straighter cut than I can do myself.

 

[xerxes]

There are a number of ways to skin that cat (the edges).

You could sand them, as you say (and I would lightly chamfer the edges as well). You could use iron-on veneer. Or you could plant solid wood strips on by any one of a number of methods.

In the long term, the best way to avoid splintering of the edges is to lip in solid wood. The simplest way, I think, is to pin and glue hardwood strips onto the edges, and sand them flush. Otherwise, if you are using thicker timber, you can screw and glue that (with counterbored and plugged holes) or biscuit joint the lipping; then trim flush with a router. More sophisticated woodworkers would probably maintain that you should tongue and groove the lipping onto the plywood, but I can't be bothered with such elaborate methods.

 

[big-all]

assuming you are using 18mm ply
i would not normaly advocate getting your timber from the sheds but as there 2x1 or 3x1"plained comes out at 18-19mm all you need do is set your table saw to 6mm do a pass each side now with a normal blade in your table saw you will now have 2 complete lengths off edging with perfect edges
if you have a 60 tooth blade fitted you can carry on slicing untill you have around 20mm left at which point it becomes a lot more tricky because off the wood size any way the extra lengths will only need light sanding to give a perfect finnish

if you use a coarser blade you will require a great deal more sanding

 

[JohnD]

your table saw.....

nope.

i have a 7" circular saw, and a hand planer.

 

[seasickstevie]

John, I'm curious how you did such a neat job of the edges in the carcase in your picture.

Or am I reading your post wrongly - is it a mass produced unit?

(Please tell me I'm wrong)

 

[JohnD]

the old one is laminated chipboard (Conti or similar)

I chose boards of a suitable width, and got the Shed to cut them to length. Their big saw makes a very precise cut. The sides are 900 high, and the top, bottom, back stiffeners and intermediate shelves are all (600-15-15)=570 wide.

So the finished ext cab size is 900 x 600 to suit the doors I used.

There are cabinet hangers at the top of the sides. Next time I will notch the sides before assembly to give clearance for the hanging rail I intend to use. If I was better at woodwork I would have made a French Cleat along the entire width.

I intend to make the new ones in a very similar way. I will probably glue and pin Stripwood to the front edges and sand or plane it to line up with the ply thickness before assembly, as xerxes says.

A chum of mine rubs white silicone into the joints after assembly which hides any roughness (he uses white laminated board)