dear all i have nearly completed my workshop and am looking for advice on butt joint fixing for kitchen cabinets i have raised this question before and am leaning towards biscuit joinery but this adds the clamping issues and also the amount of clamps and storage of said items. I know a lot of you use pocket joinery for holding it all together but can you use chipboard screws for this or does it pull through. i realise that someone will mention a domino soon enough but i would like the benefits explained to me so as i could warrant the cost it would end up working for a living as do all of my tools.
Butt joints for carcasses and dominoes
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BradNaylor
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I've coveted a Domino for a long time but never actually used one.
For kitchen cabinets though, I can't see any advantage over biscuits. You'll still need just as many clamps. There again, you can't have too many clamps!
Personally, I just glue and screw my kitchen cabinets together; after all, you never get to see the sides once the kitchen is fitted.
Very strong, very quick, and no waiting around while the glue sets with clamps on.
If an end panel is going to be seen I biscuit it instead.
Cheers
Dan
For kitchen cabinets though, I can't see any advantage over biscuits. You'll still need just as many clamps. There again, you can't have too many clamps!
Personally, I just glue and screw my kitchen cabinets together; after all, you never get to see the sides once the kitchen is fitted.
Very strong, very quick, and no waiting around while the glue sets with clamps on.
If an end panel is going to be seen I biscuit it instead.
Cheers
Dan
Like Dan says, i'd use carcass screws. I actually use bisuits and screws, but that's just my preference.
If using screws with the biscuits, there is no need for a plethora of clamps - the screws pull everything tight and allow the glue to go off. It also makes for much quicker assembly time.
And the end panel on a run of cabinets will hide any carcass fixings.
Cheers
Karl
If using screws with the biscuits, there is no need for a plethora of clamps - the screws pull everything tight and allow the glue to go off. It also makes for much quicker assembly time.
And the end panel on a run of cabinets will hide any carcass fixings.
Cheers
Karl
Oryxdesign
Established Member
I put my kitchens together with dominos, they hang together even before you have screwed them together which makes manoevering them easier. I prefer pocket hole screws I find them stronger, more stable and more convenient.
Simon
Simon
p111dom
Established Member
Must admit I thought the Domino was a bit of a gimick untill I had a go of Corset's. Superb tool and on my to get eventually list. You're right about the cost though. It would be the most expensive tool in the workshop. More than even my table saw.
Steve Maskery
Established Member
The Domino is a luxury for most people and certainly not essential for making kitchen cabinets. There are occasions, however, when it really comes into its own. This week I've been making a cheval mirror. The legs are curved, there is not a straight line anywhere. In order to put a mortice in the leg it would have meant some complex jigging up in the mortiser or making a template for the router, which in turn would have been tricky to clamp.
Instead I just had to draw my centre layout line and use my perspex setting jig and I made the joint in seconds just with the leg held in the vice. I can't think of an easier way to do a perfect job.
As always, it depends on what type of work you do. It's not a tool that is indispensable, but it does make life easier sometimes.
Cheers
Steve
Instead I just had to draw my centre layout line and use my perspex setting jig and I made the joint in seconds just with the leg held in the vice. I can't think of an easier way to do a perfect job.
As always, it depends on what type of work you do. It's not a tool that is indispensable, but it does make life easier sometimes.
Cheers
Steve
I've used biscuits and carcass screws, which works very well. I don't know if dominos would be any stronger...biscuits and screws are plenty strong. On most kitchen units the screw heads won't show, except at the end of a run, where a decorative end panel can be fitted. My worry about pocket screws for kitchen carcasses, especially in chipboard, is that the screw has less than 18 mm of the side panel to grip into.
JonnyD
Established Member
I use a domino for kitchen carcases and one of the best features is the automatic alignment of the panels using the reteactable alignment pins on the tool. It saves a lot of time on assembly and speeds up production. If your kitchens are to have face frames you will find the domino invaluable.
jon
jon
Grinding One
Established Member
Dan Tovey":2drxmvxe said:
But the Domino goes deeper then the biscuit....and mine are tighter in the holes too..
