Biscuits to attach top on small printer stand....

[Michael Donahue]

Hey folks. I'm looking to make a printer stand and you can see the rough idea in the pic. It'll be made of oak plywood, and measure about 30" tall, 24" wide and 16" deep. I want an invisible method to attach the top because the upper shelf area will be open. I was thinking that I could use some biscuits along the top edge of the sides and into the top itself. It shouldn't take too much abuse, but I bet that when this piece gets moved down the road people will lift it from the edges around the top.

Any suggestions are welcome!

[Sonny Edmonds]

I've done that before, much to the cajoling of a number of individuals.
It hasn't failed yet.
I only put glue at the biscuits, so the top could move as needed.
Since you are using ply, movement should be a non-issue.

[Bill Huber]

What Sonny said.....

With the plywood things are not going to move like they would with solid wood.

[Jamie Buxton]

Yup, biscuits will be good.

How are you going to attach the back? If you can tie it well to the top, that will help with the cabinet strength. I'd likely make the back from 1/4" ply, and rout a dado for it into the underside of the top. If you do this, you have to remember that 1/4" ply isn't 1/4". I rout the groove with two passes of a 3/16" router bit. If you prefer to make the back with thicker material, you could use the same biscuits at the top as you've used on the sides.

[Chip Lindley]

Good Advise here! With banded plywood, biscuits will work fine.

Never try this with a solid wood top! Wood movement will leave you very disappointed Later!

[Joe Chritz]

Biscuits will work but I think a top dust frame under the top with screws from underneath is a better design element. Someone will eventually pick it up by the top and bang it around.

If I get a chance when I get home I will post pics of a TV stand with nearly the same design as your mock up. Two inset drawers with an opening above and a top. Mine is solid wood so I used slotted holes in the top dust frame. It adds a "lip" to match the dust frames the drawers ride on and looks good.

Since your top is plywood you could counter sink the holes and the only way to ever see them is if you had your head inside the shelf.

Joe

[Paul Demetropoulos]

My first thought was along the same lines as Joe's, having a sub top screwed to the sides, and countersunk screws from below into the top; his idea of the frame basically the same thing.

But if you're using ply then I'm sure biscuits would be strong enough, remember that even if the cabinet is lifted by the top the joint is in tension, the biscuits aren't going to pull out. It's not like a chair's joint that's subject to multiple forces.

If you were intent on reinforcing the joint you could add pocket screws in combination with the biscuits, this is often done. A plugged pocket hole at the inside top of the shelf is not likely to be seen. And using plywood, the top should be glued to the sides all around.