Making sideboard

[k.halai]

As you'll be putting shoes away, does this mean a seat for when the shoes are put on? If so, it changes all of
the above and you will HAVE TO use wood. The seat will want to rack, so the mrmdf will fall to pieces!

No seat for this one and don't expect any other heavy loads so mrmdf should be fine for this piece

 

[Spectric]

Those Confirmat drills are not cheap,

 

[Chubber]

Coat rack below in 3/4" MDF, edge screwed through dowels as above, painted to match kitchen units after filling and two coats Rustins MDF primer with Dulux scrubbable white emulsion coloured with yellow enamel oil paint (yes, they do mix).
Original skirting recycled with scribed wall joint as unusual profile. The seat size governed by size of two plastic gravel trays one of which is lowered to act as a drip tray for wet coats when needed (we live next to Dartmoor), the lower for the inevitable muddy boots.
Two large back panels resist racking.

I hope this is of interest, though it might be a bit like showing your holiday snaps...

 

[sammy.se]

Those Confirmat drills are not cheap,

View attachment 181743

wow that price is just ridiculous.
You can get cheapy unbranded ones off eBay, but Trend (a good brand) also do one for £20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-SNAP-Snappy-Stepped-Drill-Silver/dp/B004MNPE0C/

(remember there are 7mm and 4mm variants)

 

[johnnyb]

I've got a lovely way that can be a feature I use 20mm beech dowels put into the side almost like a bed bolt but using decent quality screws. I then screw through the top into the sides and cross grain through the dowel. It's really strong with those 3.5mm screws with large heads. These can then be plugged or filled or a feature made. Ditto the 20mm dowels. Most diyers just screw and fill. Splits even on expensive mdf. Of course the holes for the dowels could be blind thus not showing externally. These joints can be immensely strong with bigger screws and I would recomend this over dominoes dowels biscuits etc even 2 oer side is strong. I use 20mm dowels because it makes it a less precise operation(and I have shed loads) let me know if you'd like some 4 inch offcuts.just post cost.

 

[stefan szoka]

Sideboards /cabinets I have made in elm, ash etc. have always been dovetails, lap or through. However I did make a large box with MDF with through dovetails. I reckon easier than faffing around with dowel or biscuit joints.