Need Cubby Construction Help!

[Derek Arita]

I've built a few of these, all using different methods of construction. I've used Dominos on the sides and bottom and dados for the horizontals and verticals and variations of that. I'm always looking for an easier, quicker way, without losing strength, cuz it is heavy.
I'm wondering what methods others would use? Please be specific...sides, bottom and top shelves and vertical separators. Thanks for the help!
I'll try to post a pic. Doesn't work from my laptop for some reason.

[Derek Arita]

I've built a few of these, all using different methods of construction. I've used Dominos on the sides and bottom and dados for the horizontals and verticals and variations of that. I'm always looking for an easier, quicker way, without losing strength, cuz it is heavy.
I'm wondering what methods others would use? Please be specific...sides, bottom and top shelves and vertical separators. Thanks for the help!
I'll try to post a pic. Doesn't work from my laptop for some reason.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h151/derekarita1/P1010343_zpsf484mgck.jpg (http://s63.photobucket.com/user/derekarita1/media/P1010343_zpsf484mgck.jpg.html)

[Bill McNiel]

I would do all the interior intersections with half-lap joints. Set up a jig similar to a finger joint and all you spacing and joint will be dead on.

The edges with Dominos or dadoes.

[Derek Arita]

I would do all the interior intersections with half-lap joints. Set up a jig similar to a finger joint and all you spacing and joint will be dead on.

The edges with Dominos or dadoes.
Thanks Bill. Kinda was thinking about that, if I understand the half lap right. Another thing I have to consider here is that I'm using pallet wood for all of this. Before you tell me to use "real" wood, let me tell you that I'm using pallet wood because its free and it gives me the look I want. Since I'm machining the wood as little as possible, to retain all of the "patina" as possible, you can imagine how flat and straight this stuff is. Its not. Because of that, I need joints that give me some forgiveness, but still look clean.
All that said, tell me what you mean by half lap here.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I build cubby's for local "Y's." Been doing it for almost 20 years. For horizontals and end caps, I use router jig to cut 1/8" dados. From bottom, shoot couple nails into verticals, and from top, thru next horizontal shoot a couple nail within dado. I do glue the pieces in addition to to nails.

[Derek Arita]

Bruce, exactly what I've been doing, but I'm always looking for a better way and I know there are more experienced folks then I here, so I thought I'd ask. Thought about using dominos for the verticals, but the shelves are 1/2" at best and there aren't any dominos short enough to use I'm either side of a shelf, with verticals one on top of the other.

[Kevin Jenness]

You can use Dominos in this situation by plunging all the way through the shelf and engaging two verticals with one Domino.

[Derek Arita]

Kevin, good one. I'll have to give that some consideration. I'll have to check my dominos and see if one will do the trick.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

346314346315346316

These are the 3 of 12 cubbies I built for my wife's closet. I only show these 3 because they most relate to what you're looking for. The entire thing is built and held together by domino and glue. All the cubbies are the same size so I had a spacer block to help layout where the domino's go and it went really quick.

[mark mcfarlane]

346314346315346316

These are the 3 of 12 cubbies I built for my wife's closet. I only show these 3 because they most relate to what you're looking for. The entire thing is built and held together by domino and glue. All the cubbies are the same size so I had a spacer block to help layout where the domino's go and it went really quick.


These look great Hoang.

What did you use for edge banding, and how are they holding up?
What kind of glue did you use to glue the PB edges to the laminate?

[Hoang N Nguyen]

These look great Hoang.

What did you use for edge banding, and how are they holding up?
What kind of glue did you use to glue the PB edges to the laminate?

Thanks Mark. I used Melamine edge banding, picked up 250' of it from HD for pretty cheap and had a bit extra left over. They are holding up very well with no sign of sagging. I only used 2 domino at joint plus the glue. https://smile.amazon.com/Roo-Products-Inc-Melamine-Adhesive/dp/B0006LA184/ref=pd_nav_hcs_bia_t_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9RRTMHG1MVJ6D6B9QXCA
That's the glue I used and I find it holds very well once cured. I barely even used 1/10th of the bottle for this whole project (24 sheets of melamine in all), a little goes a very long way.

I've climbed on the cubbies while attaching them to the stud wall and managed not to kill myself and nothing broke so I think they will do just fine holding up shoes.

[mark mcfarlane]

Thanks Mark. I used Melamine edge banding, picked up 250' of it from HD for pretty cheap and had a bit extra left over. They are holding up very well with no sign of sagging. I only used 2 domino at joint plus the glue. https://smile.amazon.com/Roo-Products-Inc-Melamine-Adhesive/dp/B0006LA184/ref=pd_nav_hcs_bia_t_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9RRTMHG1MVJ6D6B9QXCA
That's the glue I used and I find it holds very well once cured. I barely even used 1/10th of the bottle for this whole project (24 sheets of melamine in all), a little goes a very long way.

I've climbed on the cubbies while attaching them to the stud wall and managed not to kill myself and nothing broke so I think they will do just fine holding up shoes.

Thanks for the link. I have a similar project in my future and melamine and no dados seems like a reasonable choice.

I don't think I'll share the shoe collection pictures with my wife, she might feel the urge to acquire more shoes. I'm not exactly certain what causes that urge in women, but there's no sense in taking any chances.

[Derek Arita]

Did some practice joints with the Dominos and just couldn't find the proper depths, to work with the slightly less than 1/2" stock. Since the stock thickness does vary depending on the pallet, it's not like working with dimensioned stock. I'll keep working on it though.

[Prashun Patel]

If your shelves are that thin, then dados or even battens (if you are adding face frames) would be my choice.

[Kevin Jenness]

6x40's right through the shelves should work.

[Derek Arita]

K Kevin, I'll give that a shot as well. Gues. I'll have to shorten the plunge into the verticals. Thanks.