Joinery for Veneered Plywood Display Case

[Jan Bianchi]

My question is what method of joinery should I use for a veneered plywood display case. I recently cut some beautiful Bubinga I have had for years into sheets of veneer and veneered the sides, top and bottom panels for the case, because I didn't have enough Bubinga for the full display case. (Thanks to those of you who helped me with that.) I had originally planned to join the case with half-blind dovetails. Now that the panels are veneered, cabinet-grade plywood instead of solid wood, I am wondering whether this joint is overkill. There will be a face frame, glued and dominoed around the case, an overhanging top and three shelves of solid wood, and an inset glass door.

I have already veneered the side panels so I can't screw them to the top and bottom panels from the side. Given the face frame, would a mere rabbet joint on the side panels glued and screwed from the top and bottom panels into the side panels be strong enough? If not, is there some other method you might recommend or should I proceed as I originally planned?

Also, I had originally planned to dado the shelves into the side panels. Now that the shelves are solid wood and sides are plywood, if I leave a space for the shelves to move, there will be an unsightly gap. I could just use battens under the shelves but that seems a little flimsy since they will have to glued and screwed into plywood. On the other hand, this bookcase is more a case to display the wood and its live edge, than a bookcase. 5' tall and 36" wide, one glass door. It will not likely be used for heavy books. Any suggestions?

[Chris Padilla]

Any pictures of what you have right now? That always makes things easier to picture in one's head. It is easy to get lost in what is solid and what isn't and how it'll all go together. :)

[John TenEyck]

Your plan to set the top and bottom in rabbets in the sides and screw them will work fine. I normally use biscuit joints which many argue aren't as strong as your proposed method and have never had a problem. You also could use a lock rabbet joint and eliminate using any screws. The face frame and back will keep the sides from wanting to move outwards.

For the solid wood shelves I would set the back of the shelf into a rabbeted piece. Glue the face frame to the front of the shelf but let the back float in that rabbet. You can either make the back out of 3/4" plywood so there's enough depth for the rabbet to work, or you can use a narrower piece of stock for each shelf and screw and/or glue it to a 1/4" back panel.

John

[Jan Bianchi]

I have a drawing, though it is a little hard to see. In any case the face frame is covering the side, top and bottom panels so you don't really see them.

334854

[John TenEyck]

A little hard to see, indeed.

John

[Chris Fournier]

I'd use biscuits because they are so quick and plenty strong in this application but your rabbets would be plenty fine as well.