Cabinet Joinery

[Bob Johnson2]

I've been doing quite a bit of research on building kitchen cabinets and have found that every source I read uses a different type of joinery. I've found carcases being held together by, biscuits, full dadoes, and tongue and groove,, most of these reinforced with screws, also just pocket screws. Then for the face frames, biscuits, pocket screws, and various flavors of mortises. Drawer construction seems to be more based on how well built you want to make the units look.
It's starting to look like buying a saw, there's really no wrong way to do it, just amounts to which you like and how much you want to spend on tools. I can see a need for good interlocking joints on drawers and door frames as they get beat on pretty bad but is the rest of it really just personal preference or are some of these joints just plain flimsy? Fast with acceptable strength seems to be what it boils down to, of course these folks probably do this professionally.
What do you other hobbiests out there do?

[Mark Singer]

Bob,

I usually make a European style framless cabinet. For many years I used bisquets, I have switched to using the Kreg Jig. I even use it for drawers. My recent and ongoing post on Office WorkStations, is a good resource for the techniques I currently use. It is fast, strong, accurate and every part of the system is essential and is doing something imprortant. A lot of strength comes from the Glued and Gun nailed back that fits in a rabbet. If You are using Granite or tile countertops , just add a solid "rough top". The drawer system is hard to beat using prefinished 9 ply appleply, with melamine bottoms. The upgrade would be the new Blum retracring slides, or a metal drawer side with integral slide.
Here is the link
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=15940&page=1&pp=15&highlight=workstations

[Jim Becker]

While all of the cabinetry I've built to-date has been traditional dado construction for the carcass and face frames with inset doors on the front, I would likely try the method that Mark has been using with pocket screws and glue for his office workstation project when I do some cabinetry for my shop sometime this year.

But there really isn't a "wrong" way to make cabinets as long as it's strong and the joinery doesn't take away from the style/look of the piece. Whichever way works best for you is what you should do!

[Jerry Olexa]

I always feel more comfortable, regardless of joint used or glue with additional "hidden" screws to insure strength esp during glueup..:)

[Jamie Buxton]

And just to complicate your decision matrix, there are companies which will cut your carcass parts and ship them to you (knocked down). The last time I looked at places like http://www.cabparts.com/main.html, they could put the parts in my shop for less money than it would cost me to buy the materials to make my own.

[Bob Johnson2]

Thanks guys, I'll experiment with the pocket screws on a couple vanities and see how it goes.