Tony Sade
03-29-2005, 10:45 AM
I’m in the process of making a rather large hanging shop cabinet to store small power tools, sanding supplies, adhesives, etc. Nothing fancy-3/4 plywood with face frames. It’s about 50 x 36 x 12 deep and has three shelves, a top and a bottom, and a bunch of dividers/cubbies for sandpaper, sanding disks and the like. Each of the main shelves is divided in half to prevent sag. All pieces-shelves, dividers, etc. will rest in dados. There’s a rabbet around the back for a piece of ¼ ply. I’m having trouble coming up with the best glue-up strategy and could use some suggestions.
I could assemble the carcass and shelves on cauls, use clamps front and back at each of the shelves, but would have to place cauls or blocks under about 12-15 intersections of the various dividers to make sure all the pieces stay flush.. If I do it this way, I’d probably assemble and clamp the main pieces, then slip all the dividers into their dados after brushing on a little glue. I’m not opposed to using some brads to “hold things in place until the glue dries”.
The other option would be to do it Norm’s way, in which he lays down one of the sides, puts glue in the dados, stand each shelf on end and shoots a couple of brads at an angle into the bottom of each squared up shelf at the dado. Once he’s got all the shelves in, he puts the other side on, aligns the shelves and shoots brads into the sides at each shelf.. IIRC, he then lays the carcass down, squares things up then puts on the back. I can’t remember if he does it, but I could always throw on a bunch of clamps at this point to make sure everything stays tight and square.
Quite frankly, the Norm approach seems to make the most sense, but I remain a bit dubious, and I’m not sure why. (Maybe its all the squeeze out he gets? ;) )
Any thoughts? (Any idea what length brad he shoots into the shelf/dado?) Thanks, Tony
I could assemble the carcass and shelves on cauls, use clamps front and back at each of the shelves, but would have to place cauls or blocks under about 12-15 intersections of the various dividers to make sure all the pieces stay flush.. If I do it this way, I’d probably assemble and clamp the main pieces, then slip all the dividers into their dados after brushing on a little glue. I’m not opposed to using some brads to “hold things in place until the glue dries”.
The other option would be to do it Norm’s way, in which he lays down one of the sides, puts glue in the dados, stand each shelf on end and shoots a couple of brads at an angle into the bottom of each squared up shelf at the dado. Once he’s got all the shelves in, he puts the other side on, aligns the shelves and shoots brads into the sides at each shelf.. IIRC, he then lays the carcass down, squares things up then puts on the back. I can’t remember if he does it, but I could always throw on a bunch of clamps at this point to make sure everything stays tight and square.
Quite frankly, the Norm approach seems to make the most sense, but I remain a bit dubious, and I’m not sure why. (Maybe its all the squeeze out he gets? ;) )
Any thoughts? (Any idea what length brad he shoots into the shelf/dado?) Thanks, Tony