# Best joint for hardwood carcass cabinet???



## New2hardwood (Apr 26, 2015)

Hi All,

This is my first post!!!! I am am pretty junior to furniture making but managed to finish a 3-in-1 crib for my son (which led to the purchase of a Sawstop table saw among other power tools!!!)

Now I am wanting to make an armoire 60"h x 45"w x 25"d and have this on a box stand (with drawers).

My plan is to edge glue 1×6 boards (flatsawn S4S hard maple) to make each of the 4 sides. I realize that I should align the grain properly for all 4 sides! But I wanted to know what type of joint I should use at the corners? I live in Canada so we have winters of -40 celsius and summers to +34 celsius so changing humidity is the norm.

Are biscuits acceptable for wood movement, or should I be looking at doing some other joint to accommodate for expansion? I looked at my Collins book and the Joint Book but neither gave any good advice….

thanks,

Jared


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

Have you looked into using a nice cabinet grade hardwood plywood?


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## Ghidrah (Jan 20, 2015)

I cut rabbits and dadoes for the carcass


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

If I get your concept right you aren't going to need to worry about wood movement if you align the sides and top and bottom with the same grain orientation as it will all move in unison. Any number of joints could be used, rabbets, dovetails, box joints, splined miters, the list goes on. Biscuits would not be my choice.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I like dados for the fixed horizontal shelves. Rabbets for back panels work really well.

Biscuits work well to attach face frames to a plywood carcass.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Biscuits will work just fine. Where you'll have to worry about wood movement is with the bottom and top.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I think you're right on track using solid as opposed to plywood for this project. Solid wood makes much nicer furniture than plywood.

That being said I'd make the box using dovetails or box joint if you have the ability. Wood movement won't be and issue because the grain will run the same direction around the box posing no cross grain situations even on the top and bottom. Take a look at this picture an note the dovetails and grain direction.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

If you're building similar to the pic above (from AlaskaGuy)-then you should NOT glue the back together as a solid panel or you WILL have issues with wood movement (back will expand/contract across the width, but top and bottom won't).

You can use T&G or shiplap or plywood, but not glued-up solid wood


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> If you re building similar to the pic above (from AlaskaGuy)-then you should NOT glue the back together as a solid panel or you WILL have issues with wood movement (back will expand/contract across the width, but top and bottom won t).
> 
> You can use T&G or shiplap or plywood, but not glued-up solid wood
> 
> - jerryminer


+1

I used a 1/4'' piece of Plywood for the back. It sits against the wall and is full of drawers, you never see the plywood.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Ok, I was thinking of two sides, a back and front and then a top and bottom with grain running a different direction. If it's like alaskaguy pictured then disregard my comment about bottom and top.


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## New2hardwood (Apr 26, 2015)

Thanks for all the quick replies!!!!

Looks like I will do dovetails for joinery and rabbet in a frame-and-panel back (I did some reading and apparently it helps prevent racking?!?).

Looks like its time to buy a Leigh dovetail jig!!!!

Jared


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

Or a dovetail saw and some chisels, always an option. Not saying the jig won't work as well, just a suggestion.


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