Construction inquiry

[DaveO]

Here's a drawing of something that I will be building in the near future.

I have some ideas in my head for the joinery on the bottom cabinet. But I thought that I would throw it to the collective wisdom of NCWw'er to mull around. I plan it to be constructed of Oak ply with a single fixed shelf in the middle. Mitered joints with pocket screws, biscuits :icon_scra :icon_scra Toe kick or not :dontknow: BTW, the angles are all 45° and 90°, the perspective skews that a bit. I am looking for fast, cheap and easy with nice finished results.
TIA for any guidance :icon_thum


Dave

 

[nelsone]

Re: Constuction inquiry

What's the upper portion for? Is it supporting any weight?

 

[DaveO]

Re: Constuction inquiry

The upper portion is a cage for lizards. It will be constructed of Oak solids with glass panels, plywood top, bottom and back. I don't suspect the weight to be much more than the weight of the wood and glass.
Dave

 

[nelsone]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Biscuits would probably be the easiest with some bracing just like a kitchen cabinet. I would forgo the toe kick and put a baseboard around it. It looks like the doors are full inset. Considering some of the issues I just worked through with full inset doors, I'd consider half or full overlay doors instead (allows some fudge factor!). Keep us posted! By the way, what kind of lizards?

 

[DaveO]

Re: Constuction inquiry

I think that I would do overlay doors also. They're much easier, and I don't have a lot of time figured into this project. They will be cages for Bearded Dragons. It's a comissioned work (2 cages) that came from our "Requests for Custom Projects" forum.
I would really like to utilize pocket screws to save on the clamping time, but I am unsure about using pocket screws on the mitered angles and with ply :dontknow:
Dave

 

[nelsone]

Re: Constuction inquiry

The mitered corners was why i suggested biscuits. I don't think pocket screws would work.

 

[jeff...]

Re: Constuction inquiry

The upper portion is a cage for lizards.
Dave

??? don't they need a hot moist area to be happy in ???

 

[taandctran]

Re: Constuction inquiry

I have a fish tank that is in that exact shape.... It has a base just like the one you showed... just the top part is a seperate glass tank and not a "cage" I bought it at a local pet store but I think the base was made locally. If you want I can "inspect" it and tell you how they put this one together.... just let me know.... I can send you pics if you want.

 

[sawman]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Dave,
I have built a cabinet with angles similar to the lizard hotel you are building.
The pocket screws do not work well on miterd/angled joints. What I eneded up doing was using a spline jount. The long joints on the ply are hard to get perferct using biscuits and there is no room for error with plywood, it shows. The splines took longer to do but the end result made it worth while.
As to the kick, get rid of it. Overlay doors are easier.

My dollars worth (inflation)

Albert :saw:

 

[ToeNailer]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Dave.......will a locked miter work on an angled piece? This could call for a new router bit!!!!!
Over lay doors.....no toe kick (though I use them on most cabinets).....
I agree that the weight is not a great factor, but moisture is! Water is going to be spilled all over that cage.......Have the owners talked to you about that? Keep us posted.

Jim

 

[DaveO]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Most of the interior of the cage, where practical, will be covered in a laminate, the rest well sealed with poly, and the seams all sealed with silicon caulk. The moisture of cleaning the cage shouldn't be an issue. I am no lizard expert, but I think they like a hot dry environment.
It seemed to easy to use my new Kreg jig for the jointery. I might have to try a practice joint just to be sure, because that would greatly speed up construction. I have also considered banding each section of ply with some solid Oak to give me a little room to tweak the fit of the miters :eusa_thin

Dave

 

[Dutchman]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Dave,
One quick and easy method is to machine some cleats to fit in the inside behind the plywood miters. If you sand and round the edges nicely, they should be fine behind the doors. Machining long splines in the edges is sometimes tough to keep everything in the right place so the miter lines up. If you use cleats you can pin nail the carcass together and then add the cleat for strength. My 2 cents.

 

[DaveO]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Buddy, I like that idea. That would help avoid the akward clamping angles and speed things up. Would you pin from the inside?? Thanks!

Dave

 

[Dutchman]

Re: Constuction inquiry

I would glue the miter good and add maybe 3 or 4 small brad pins down each miter from the front and putty the holes later. Then bore & countersink the cleat and screw into each side of the miter. Here is a quick pic.

 

[McRabbet]

Re: Constuction inquiry

Buddy beat me to the cleat suggestion. Out of sight, strong, easy to do. Notch your shelf if they are to be adjustable; else, notch the cleats for added shelf support. Half-overlay doors with 125º Euro hinges.

MTC -- Rob

 

[DavidF]

Re: Constuction inquiry

I like the cleat idea, but if the angle is not right then it may pull the mitre open. Maybe if you can cut the cleat piece using the exact same setup and at the same time as you cut the mitres on the panels. Also the screw holes will have to be perfect to avoid the possibility of pulling the joint apart unless you glue it first (rub joined first then brad nail while the glue sets and then drill pilot and thread hole in one go through both pieces.

 

[junquecol]

I would make the lower as a frame and panel assembly. At the forty five angles, assemble with one cut at 45 and the other at 90. Pocket screw together. Plane/ sand off excess material. We use this tech. on corner cabinets. The joint line isn't exactly on the corner, thus it is well hidden. You aren't trying to make two things happen at the same point. Maybe I can bring a sample to TWA tommorow nite. If not ask me to show you a sketch.

 

[DaveO]

Thanks Bruce. I just recently saw that technique in one of the ww'ing mags (may have been one of your many tips :eusa_thin ) That does make things easier. I have been considering going frame and panel. I have a right tilt saw and wide panel bevels are tough.
Do you have to allow extra length for the sanding down of the point on the 45° piece?
Would a frame and panel assembly using 1/4" ply be strong enough in this application??
Thanks for everyone's advice, I now have ideas that I never did before :-D :icon_thum
Dave