Glue up ??? Corner cupboard

[Hal Flynt]

Hi Guys,
I'm stumped. I am building a corner cupboard that has a lower part and an upper part. Total 89" Tall (Shop is taller that my shop ceiling and I really can't stack them there.)

For the lower case 33" tall I glued up on my table saw and used squares to align the parts as the glue set up. It looks right but I won't be sure till I slide it in place at one of our elders’ homes.

The top part is going to be 55-57" when trimmed out. I have it dry fitted together with screws. ¾” Birch ply for sides and dadoed shelves, Lyptus for the face frames, doors, etc.

There is about an 8” open section in the back (chopped off point of the triangle) and I can measure it to square it, but the front isn’t straight across. In your mind picture the ply sides flush with the wall on each side then a 7” section coming out 90 degrees to them then turning 45 degrees to form the front. I suppose I could leave the face frames off during the glue up, (but think they will help with the final alignment.) and square from the corners of the top shelf to the bottom shelves.


Any suggestions welcome.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Hal, is it square now? I usually glue things like that up in sections so I can make sure everything's square and straight as I go. That, and since I really hate polyester glue, you have to be pretty quick with yellow glue and sometimes things are just to big to do in one assembly. Can you disasemble part of it, glue, disassemble another part and glue until the whole thing is finished?

[Hal Flynt]

Dennis,

It "looks square". I used 90 bracket as I drilled and screwed it together, first one side then the other. I just don't know how to make sure that it is square now and after I glue it.

My plan was to disassemble one side, add glue, reassemble, use the face frame to hold it as it dries, and repeat the other side, then the face frames.

If it was a square case, it woule be easy enough.

[Doug Shepard]

I'm not too sure I understand the geometry, but can you use the screws from your dry fit as "clamps" then remove the screws after the glue up?

[Dave Falkenstein]

I would leave the face frames off until you install the two pieces. Then you can make any minor adjustments needed in the face frames, and the cabinets will look perfect even if they are not.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Dennis,

... I just don't know how to make sure that it is square now and after I glue it....

I don't either Hal. You need the parts that aren't there to check for square by measuring the diagonals or using the 543 method. Can you simulate it by extending the line to where the apex would be?

Dave has a good idea just in case it doesn't end up perfectly square.

[Hal Flynt]

You guys are giving me some good ideas.

Doug, Yes the screws will act as clamps.

Dave, The face frame part that comes out 90 from the wall is square. There is a grove that runs the length and captures the upright section, then the dados are a true 90 to it, so the frame holds the shelves correctly. I do plan to tweak them after its dry. (That's what I did on the bottom case).

Dennis, You have a great idea. I can use a framing square to "fill in what's missing."

The case is sitting on a piece of ply that is flat. I took a framing square that has been corrected to 90 degrees, and it looks like it racks to the left about 1/4 inch over the 5 plus feet. I also measered the diagonals to the face frame and it is fairly equal. (Maybe 1/32 so it should be easy to tweak.)

If I could, I would like to take the case to the house where it will reside and do the glue up there, forcing into position as it dries. Next idea is to get it out of the shop and into our unused den and shim it into a corner there to dry. Maybe my wife won't notice :D .