# Display cabinet making



## Sporky McGuffin (31 Dec 2021)

Hallo all. In my never-ending quest to make a different thing every time I make a thing, I am now embarking on my first ever bit of faux-taxidermy. It will require a display case; I have pre-cut 5mm acrylic panels to form the sides and some ply for a base (along with a soft toy owl, soft toy pine marten, and some sticks and rocks and so on from the common). I also have a nice bit of sapele which I thought would work nicely for the frame to take the acrylic. The end result will be about 600mm wide, 300mm deep, and 400mm tall, and will be super-classy.

Is there a "right" way to construct such a frame/cabinet? I had considered having a go at the two-cut joint (see here - assembly at about 5:30):



...but my brain kicked in just long enough to realise that there must be an accepted/well proven set of joints to use for such things. Ideally something relatively simple and Sporky-proof. I have a tablesaw, bandsaw, mitre saw, router table, CNC machine, and assorted hand tools that I can use a bit (but hand tools aren't my forte).

Any pointers gratefully received.


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## Droogs (31 Dec 2021)

Have a look at the Chinese 3 way "Zongzi Angle Joint" found about halfway down the right hand column here (you can zoom in) or you can get a better look on your phone by DL the "Wood Joints" app on android (tap on the imzge and the diagram gives an exploded view and if you pull up from the bottom a bit of a write up about it.


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## Sporky McGuffin (31 Dec 2021)

That looks hilariously impossible!


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## Droogs (31 Dec 2021)

There is another that gives the same effect but has the 2 horizontal parts with a haunched tenon that mate together inside the upright part which has 2 mortices at 90 deg to each other, much easier to do








The Zongzi is actually a standard joint in Chinese furniture making 9having been around for 2000 years) and not regarded as anything particularly special or difficult, believe it or not. But then they did have to wait for the Portuguese to arrive and to show them the idea of the cut metal nail



hth


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## Ozi (31 Dec 2021)

Sporky McGuffin said:


> Hallo all. In my never-ending quest to make a different thing every time I make a thing, I am now embarking on my first ever bit of faux-taxidermy. It will require a display case; I have pre-cut 5mm acrylic panels to form the sides and some ply for a base (along with a soft toy owl, soft toy pine marten, and some sticks and rocks and so on from the common). I also have a nice bit of sapele which I thought would work nicely for the frame to take the acrylic. The end result will be about 600mm wide, 300mm deep, and 400mm tall, and will be super-classy.
> 
> Is there a "right" way to construct such a frame/cabinet? I had considered having a go at the two-cut joint (see here - assembly at about 5:30):
> 
> ...



That's a really beautiful joint, but I could see me wasting a lot of timber trying to get a good one at each end of the same piece, must try it on some scrap just for the challenge


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## Sporky McGuffin (31 Dec 2021)

The appeal for me is that it looks pretty simple to make.


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## Sporky McGuffin (1 Jan 2022)

And indeed it is - did a quick test with poplar. Not quite precise enough, but not far off.


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