Large hanging shelving unit using Domino
- Thread starter oberkorn
- Start date
yes, like those. You can do a stopped dado type so they dont show on the face edge. you dont have to have a router table. it would make it easier but thats one of the good things about woodworking. theres always more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. you just need to make a jig to hold the vertical piece and provide support for the router when routing the end.
A simple jig like this will allow the sliding dovetail routing on the ends. Note: is designed to go over the corner of a bench so only one gusset can be put on either side depending on if you are right or left handed. You do need to make sure the top and bottom of the jig are square to one another and the fence for the stock is square to the top. You dont have to make the router fence adjustable if its just a one time use a few brad nails can hold it in place but I'm sure there will be a little trial and error to get the joint tight. I would probably do my figuring and then cut a "block" to set the fence. Then make a test cut on some scrap if its off use the "block" and paper shims to fine tune the router guide fence. NOTE: the "block" should be the length of the router fence and parallel other wise you will end up with tapered tails if the router fence isnt parallel to the parts edge. Good luck
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Fast, easy and very strong would be through dowels.
If you use 1/2" thick backer, then you can draw a center line for each shelf and drill through the backer into the uprights. Then glue and tap in dowels from behind. Use 1-1/2" dowels and you will have an inch into the verticals and a half inch through the back.
Nearly as strong and faster would be Confirmat screws into the uprights (or a combination of dowels and confirmats).
For the record, the 18mm boards will have 9mm end grain and 9mm face grain for any glue up. So it will have slightly more glue strength than a 9mm solid wood board glued to a face grain. Not bad, but not super strong.
If you use 1/2" thick backer, then you can draw a center line for each shelf and drill through the backer into the uprights. Then glue and tap in dowels from behind. Use 1-1/2" dowels and you will have an inch into the verticals and a half inch through the back.
Nearly as strong and faster would be Confirmat screws into the uprights (or a combination of dowels and confirmats).
For the record, the 18mm boards will have 9mm end grain and 9mm face grain for any glue up. So it will have slightly more glue strength than a 9mm solid wood board glued to a face grain. Not bad, but not super strong.
The uprights and top arnt the issue its the bottom piece. He doesnt want any exposed fasteners, as you will see them. I would say same for the festool KD fittings. If this was a closet or something then yea but I think its going to more exposed and having a 15mm hole with a plastic cover would be "unsightly" at least in my opinion. If it had doors then OK but not as an open display cabinet. Some may be fine with that, no judgement here. For the record I second the confirmat screws. I love those things and use them everywhere I can they work great in every substrate I have ever tried.
I'd either attack this project with dominoes -- dominoes alone -- (for speed, simplicity, and efficiency), or do it in the traditional way (rabbets and dados). There's little to gain from using the dominoes for the top/bottom and sides only, and then some other joinery for the verticals.
Info. on what is to be put in the unit is not known. For average objects, the dominoes reinforced with the verticals nailed or dominoed to the back should be good enough.
If the idea is to fill every shelf with LPs or heavy items, I may be worried about sacking whether you're using dominoes or not. I'd also not use just one single French cleat, but two, top and close to the bottom.
Info. on what is to be put in the unit is not known. For average objects, the dominoes reinforced with the verticals nailed or dominoed to the back should be good enough.
If the idea is to fill every shelf with LPs or heavy items, I may be worried about sacking whether you're using dominoes or not. I'd also not use just one single French cleat, but two, top and close to the bottom.
Confirmats offer the advantages of a screw with the advantages of a dowel. And they can be removed and replaced with no loss of holding power. I mix confirmats with through dowels. The dowels work very well and the confirmats obviate the requirement for clamping.
I think I would use blind dowels for the bottom shelf, with close spacing at the front edge where the backer board offers no structure.
I think I would use blind dowels for the bottom shelf, with close spacing at the front edge where the backer board offers no structure.
Packard said:
I was surprised to read the results of tests run by the RTA (ready to assemble) furniture trade association and another by the kitchen cabinet manufacturers' association that concluded that dados offer little to no structure in terms of racking (side to side movement). And it would offer little advantage in glue surface.
I think dominoes, dowels and even biscuits would perform better, as they would all offer substantially more glue area. I have a biscuit cutter, but my go to method is to use dowels. I'm comfortable with the process and I have several good dowel jigs.
