Shop Cabinets - Assembly Time Issue with Domino's

[Jiggy Joiner]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] Bingo! You know what Cheese, I think they had cross grain joinery in mind when they built in the width of cut option. It’s one of the few situations where I could see a use for it.

Going back to pocket holes, like many joinery methods we’ll see good and bad, and out of alignment PH seem very common. I know some good joiners and woodworkers use them, I’ve never taken to them though, I’d rather spend the time doing something more pleasing on the eye.

 

[butzla]

I don't use glue on cabinets at all.  Too messy and unnecessary.  I use pocket hole screws and just a few dominos dry for alignment.  Very easy.  My wife and daughter even like to screw them together they think it's like putting together a puzzle.  No clamps either.
There are some who don't even use pocket screws, they use dominos and confirmat screws

 

[mrFinpgh]

I don't use glue on cabinets at all.  Too messy and unnecessary.  I use pocket hole screws and just a few dominos dry for alignment.  Very easy.  My wife and daughter even like to screw them together they think it's like putting together a puzzle.  No clamps either.
There are some who don't even use pocket screws, they use dominos and confirmat screws

For built-in cabinets, I am on the same page.  Glue isn't really needed.  A couple dominos can help get the ends lined up, but generally screws are more than sufficient. 

Greg Paolini uses a stapler in his video.  Danny Proux uses screws. 

I have had similar experiences with pocket screws - they tend to pull joint slightly out of alignment, if only where the screw itself is located. 

With butt joints and holes coming through the sides into the bottom/top, I find that a good type 17 screw with a square head is more than sufficient.

I've used coarse drywall screws in a pinch, and they actually are holding up fine.

 

[sancho57]

I use dominos for alignment and added strength. then I run 3 screws #8 x 2 1/2 long through the sides.

Since these are shop cabinets if ya dont want to see the screw head then use some wood bondo fill the holes sand smooth, leave it or paint.

Dont need glue screws w dominos will hold it together

 

[sandy]

I have now made several cabinets, and I have experimented with numerous techniques... Dominos, pocket screws, with and without dados, with and without glue (when using picket holes), etc.  I have found pocket hole joinery to be fast and efficient so long as there is no movement when the pocket screws are screwed in.  While I have used dados with pocket hole joinery, doing so is not generally ideal as the proper length pocket screws do not exist.  I have found it helpful to use my 23 gauge pin nailer to hold pieces in position while gluing and/or pocket holing.  While I am extremely experienced and proficient in using my DF500, you need to be careful to always dry fit before adding glue, and too many dominoes can easily make the assembly difficult.  A good tip is to use only the narrow setting along one piece, and the medium or wide setting on the piece that will be joined to it, except that the end one may be made narrow for edge alignment purposes.  The reason for this approach is that when you go to do the assembly you can tap the dominoes into the piece with the narrow slots, and they will stick up straight, making it far easier to slide the piece being joined onto them.  If you do not use the narrow setting on the first piece you will find that some dominos will be tilted, making it very difficult to get the two pieces to join.

 

[ChuckM]

While I am extremely experienced and proficient in using my DF500, you need to be careful to always dry fit before adding glue, and too many dominoes can easily make the assembly difficult.  A good tip is to use only the narrow setting along one piece, and the medium or wide setting on the piece that will be joined to it, except that the end one may be made narrow for edge alignment purposes.  The reason for this approach is that when you go to do the assembly you can tap the dominoes into the piece with the narrow slots, and they will stick up straight, making it far easier to slide the piece being joined onto them.  If you do not use the narrow setting on the first piece you will find that some dominos will be tilted, making it very difficult to get the two pieces to join.

In addition to the benefits you describe above, one practical advantage not mentioned anywhere else is that you need not be dead accurate in mortising any of the mortises on the mating boards, except the first pair for alignment purposes.

If you were off by 1/64" on the narrow mortise as well as 1/64" off on the wide mortise, no disaster would strike during assembly. In other words, your mortising process will take less time to complete, without any adverse effects.

Some joinery tasks, as I have pointed out, do need all mating mortises to be cut in the narrow setting; for such tasks it is worth spending the time needed to get them dead-on.