Case construction before pocket holes... what were the options?

[dwhitener]

I've only been woodworking for a little over a year, and in that time I've only done solid wood projects. So far most of that work has been focused on "traditional" joinery like mortise and tenon, dovetails, etc.. But now I'm looking at making a hall tree / mudroom bench for the house. It looks like a plywood type project since I'm planning on painting most of it anyway. Or at least all the project plans I have seen, plywood is the main component of the cases.

Everywhere I go on youtube watching people build any kind of casework like this, pretty much everybody is using pocket hole jigs to assemble these things. I don't have one and I just can't seem to get excited about buying that kind of thing yet. Here's the question: how did people build cases years ago before the pocket hole jigs? Can I do this kind of project without pocket hole jigs or pneumatic nail guns? Am I crazy to consider doing the cases out of solid wood using the techniques I already know?

I need some direction or maybe a little history lesson!

thanks guys
daniel

 

[David Justice]

I've always used dado construction for cabinets. I'm not crazy about pocket screws either. Lots and lots of videos on YouTube on how to make them with either the table saw or router. A dado blade set and table saw is definitely the quickest way if you're doing a lot of them.

 

[HMH]

Hey Daniel - in my opinion, pocket holes are really just used for speed/ convenience - initially in a "production" setting, but that trickled down into the hobby sector as well, given the affordability of the setup, etc. That said, I myself use them for "non-structural" parts of cabinets, (they work great for the inside of face frames, etc for example), but re: "traditional" joinery - just like everything else, dados, rabbets, and half-lap joints, (w/ plywood) will get you there. Example, stretchers are rabbeted into the cases, bottoms can be set in a shallow dado, etc.

Re: YouTube, Check out the Wood Whisperer's videos - the few I've seen where he builds cabinets, I believe he dado's and/or rabbets everything in. It definitely makes for a stronger, and longer lasting connections for something that may be moved around like a hall-table vs. stationary, like built-in cabinets, etc. That said, for something that will NEVER be moved, (again, permanent/ built-in cabinet carcases, etc), or is somewhat light-duty, pocket holes are perfectly fine - but for something more sturdy, or will likely be moved from time to time - I personally take the time to rabbet my joints.

Enjoy!

 

[Gofor]

I usually cut dados in the uprights (i.e sides) for most of the cross members like shelves, (in this case) a seat, cabinet tops and bottoms. The back can be moved in at least a full sheets thickness if needed for strength, but if I have at least three cross members in dadoes, I usually go with a rabbet for flush tops and back.

If there is going to be a face frame, I set the top and bottom of the opening flush with the face frame opening, allowing them to go into dados, instead of rabbets.

I have several shelf units I have made over the years that are simply the shelves tite-bond glued into dados on the sides. No front or back, and they have stood up to a lot of abuse, both in the loading and moving then around, and all are still holding tight and are rigid.

You will need a lot of clamps. If painting, you can use screws to pull everything together during glue up, and then remove them and fill the holes before painting.

If using plywood, go with 3/4" (now 11/16 or less, LOL) instead of 1/2". for the main load bearing/structural members.

I have never used pocket holes, and for the most part, did not have pneumatic nailer.

 

[mdbuntyn]

To add to what Heath said: The Wood Whisperer built a hall tree a year or so ago. I don't think he used pocket screws, but I haven't watched it since it debuted

 

[Roy G]

Plate jointers were big about 20 or 25 years ago. They had the advantage of being hidden so they could be used to attach sides to backs and not be seen. I don't think they are much used nowadays except for those of us who have several thousand biscuits to use up. Lamello came out with the first one and it cost a fortune. Norm used one on his show.

Roy G

 

[Rwe2156]

Case construction was frequently solid wood dovetailed.

Frame and panel construction was also often used with the panels between legs such as a dresser or armoire.

Yes, you can certainly do it w/o pocket holes. Either the dovetailed carcase or frame and panel will work, I'd probably to with f&p since its a utility item. Which may be exactly what they did in the photo above.

 

[zdorsch]

I have a pocket hole jig and found that I use it less than anticipated with cabinets. I end up using screws through the side of the carcass because they’re hidden by another cabinet, appliance, end panel or wall.

 

[mkepke]

If you want to learn traditional joinery, go find yourself a copy of Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking, Volume 1: Joinery.

Short version for casework:

 

[tvrgeek]

Pocket screws are not new. They go back at least a century. Nifty new blue plastic to make it easier is new.

I have a biscuit jointer. Not really that impressed now I have gotten better at more "proper" joinery. Actually, maybe I should sell it.
Modern glues are stronger than the wood, so a lot of work to get a larger glue surface is not as important as it was, but a joint that self-aligns sure helps. I also very much love my pneumatic nailers. Screws hidden by location or pluged and blocking behind joints was popular. I have a Kreg jig too. For natural wood, one can do all sorts of diagonal splines and dowels. Chinese furniture used more V grooves than dados.

Tage Frid. I have not heard that name in years. Pre Y-tube. Used to be everyone's starting point if I remember. I still have a couple Krenov books, Seike on Japanese joinery, and I had one on boat building. Interesting to see how different traditions approach the same problem with different solutions. And of course a couple from Roy Underhill.

 

[red]

Good old dado's are strong and easy to do. These would work fine for the projects you're looking to make. Also use either 3/4" MDF or birch plywood for larger painted projects. I would purchase a quality birch plywood, not the big box stuff... that's not very good quality.

Red

 

[junquecol]

Case work (that's what cabinets are) has been done with nails for hundreds of years. The hall cabinet that Matt shows is actually two units (upper and lower) fastened together. Because of this construction,the fasteners aren't seen. Over the years, I built thousands of liner feet of 16"" X 16" cubbies for local "Y's". They were 3/4" plywood, with a SHALLOW (less than 1/8") dado, into which the vertical dividers rested, glued and nailed using a Senco finish nailer. Because the verticals had to line up on each other, I would build a router based dado jig eight feet long, allowing me to to both sides on the horizontal members in one setting. Because you aren't building many, you could hand nail them together with finish nails. Be sure and buy a nail set for setting nails.

 

[McRabbet]

I have used good quality plywood for cabinet carcasses and solid wood for face frames for all of the cabinets I have made. I use dados and rabbets to create accurate, strong and square joinery and French cleats for wall-hung cabinets. I do use pocket screws for joining the face frame rails and stiles, but they end up being hidden when the face frames are applied. I have attached a walk-through of how I make wall and base cabinets, using a typical 18" wall cabinet and 48" base cabinet as examples. I think the OP and others will find this approach useful.

 

[Rwe2156]

Good old dado's are strong and easy to do. These would work fine for the projects you're looking to make. Also use either 3/4" MDF or birch plywood for larger painted projects. I would purchase a quality birch plywood, not the big box stuff... that's not very good quality.

Red

Dados are ok for shelves, dividers, etc. but won't hold casework together without fixation. Its a 100% endgrain glue up.

 

[JimD]

I have a pocket hole jig but I do not use them in cabinets unless they will be hidden and seldom then. I most recently purchased a domino XL and I use it more and more. But for a simple wooden box, a cabinet, I have always like a shallow dado to locate the pieces during assembly and usually a through screw, plugged if it will show, to clamp the joint while the glue sets. This form of construction is fast and sturdy. You can use bondo instead of plugs if the piece will be painted. I have used multiple methods to make the dados but these days I like to use a router riding one of my track saw tracks. A dado blade on the table saw also works and there are other jigs for hand held routers.

If you happen to have access to a domino, I also built a dresser last year out of solid wood and used domino tenons to locate the pieces and I still used through screws with the heads plugged to hold things together while the glue dried. It worked but the piece was nearly two feet wide and I don't think the dominos worked as well as my normal shallow dado. But I also used them on the inside to hold pieces in place and I liked those results better.

 

[Joe Scharle]

I don't use dados for strength, but I do use them for alignment. Gluing dados most often has end grain as one of the surfaces. Not strong in solid stock, but really weak when you consider that with plywood, end grain is being glued to a very thin piece of ply. Maybe 1/16th! If you're looking for strength, then sliding dovetail joints come to mind like these.

However, after finding pocket screws in so many 100+ y/o furniture, I thought maybe there was something to the idea. Among the many things I've built with plywood using pocket screws are these.

Paulk Portable Workbench

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Consist of a pair of 2' X 8' sections that can support a full sheet for cutting with a tracksaw...

Kids_Boot_Bench_001_1_

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