Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood. I
would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then place
the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My bit
doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
Barry
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 01:57:39 GMT, "Lew Hodgett"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>2) Trying to cut a groove in a piece of 3/4" wide any thing is just plain
>dangerous.
Not with a slot cutter in a router table or with a good edge guide.
Do both sides of the joint with the slot cutter. Use a thin piece of
wood or hardboard as a "spline" to join them.
Before the slots are cut, the edge must be straight and 90 degrees to
the faces.
Barry
oops! never mind. for a cabinet you should be using dados; not
biscuits. shame on me for speed reading again.
dave
Bay Area Dave wrote:
> and if all the other tips don't help, perhaps you could use biscuits...
>
> dave
>
> Barry Keippel wrote:
>
>> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
>> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch
>> plywood. I
>> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the
>> tongue
>> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on
>> the
>> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
>> place
>> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side?
>> My bit
>> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the
>> bit to
>> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
>> Barry
>>
>>
>
You would be much better off using rabbets and dadoes for plywood joinery,
especially for cabinets.
Preston
"Barry Keippel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood.
I
> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
place
> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My
bit
> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
> Barry
>
>
"Kevin Johnson" wrote in message
> Dave,
>
> Educate me, new to woodworking. Why would I want to use dados over
> biscuits when making cabinets? I thought biscuits would be strong
> enough???
Not to say that biscuits won't work, however, rabbet/dado joinery for case
sides in plywood will give you a greater mechanical advantage, more glue
area, less or no clamping time and therefore quicker use of the the
component, and a carcase that is much easier to 'square up' than one joined
with biscuits and glue.
"Square" is the holy grail of cabinet making as all future operations depend
upon it, such as applying face frames, and fitting drawers and doors.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/23/04
I have been using splines for years they are so simple to use a 1/4" cutter
with a bearing and a router is all you need .set it up to cut in the center
of one sheet and all is done insert the sline and glue it up.........mjh
--
"BP01" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> > "Kevin Johnson" wrote in message
> > > Dave,
> > >
> > > Educate me, new to woodworking. Why would I want to use dados over
> > > biscuits when making cabinets? I thought biscuits would be strong
> > > enough???
> >
> > Not to say that biscuits won't work, however, rabbet/dado joinery for
case
> > sides in plywood will give you a greater mechanical advantage, more glue
> > area, less or no clamping time and therefore quicker use of the the
> > component, and a carcase that is much easier to 'square up' than one
joined
> > with biscuits and glue.
> >
> > "Square" is the holy grail of cabinet making as all future operations
depend
> > upon it, such as applying face frames, and fitting drawers and doors.
> >
> >
> Biscuits work just fine there is little advantage to rebating unless
> your using relatively thick material but for 18 - 22mm they`re more than
> sufficient
How about a slot cutter? I thought that's what slot cutters were for -
grooves for tongues.
Bob
"Barry Keippel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood.
I
> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
place
> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My
bit
> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
> Barry
>
>
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> "Kevin Johnson" wrote in message
> > Dave,
> >
> > Educate me, new to woodworking. Why would I want to use dados over
> > biscuits when making cabinets? I thought biscuits would be strong
> > enough???
>
> Not to say that biscuits won't work, however, rabbet/dado joinery for case
> sides in plywood will give you a greater mechanical advantage, more glue
> area, less or no clamping time and therefore quicker use of the the
> component, and a carcase that is much easier to 'square up' than one joined
> with biscuits and glue.
>
> "Square" is the holy grail of cabinet making as all future operations depend
> upon it, such as applying face frames, and fitting drawers and doors.
>
>
Biscuits work just fine there is little advantage to rebating unless
your using relatively thick material but for 18 - 22mm they`re more than
sufficient
Dave,
Educate me, new to woodworking. Why would I want to use dados over
biscuits when making cabinets? I thought biscuits would be strong
enough???
Kevin
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 17:33:54 GMT, Bay Area Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>oops! never mind. for a cabinet you should be using dados; not
>biscuits. shame on me for speed reading again.
>
>dave
>
>Bay Area Dave wrote:
>
>> and if all the other tips don't help, perhaps you could use biscuits...
>>
>> dave
>>
>> Barry Keippel wrote:
>>
>>> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
>>> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch
>>> plywood. I
>>> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the
>>> tongue
>>> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on
>>> the
>>> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
>>> place
>>> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side?
>>> My bit
>>> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the
>>> bit to
>>> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
>>> Barry
>>>
>>>
>>
Dare I be bold enough to suggest a pocket hole?
"Barry Keippel" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood. I
> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then place
> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My bit
> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
> Barry
"Barry Keippel" writes:
> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood.
I
> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
place
> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My
bit
> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
I wouldn't go there for several reasons.
1) Tough to get a decent T/G joint in plywood since voids appearing just
where you don't need them are inevitable.
2) Trying to cut a groove in a piece of 3/4" wide any thing is just plain
dangerous.
A table saw, a fence and some feather boards will allow you to do the job
more safely, but again, not plywood.
If you truly need to join plywood sheets, take a look at the "Scarfer"
available from the Gougeon Bros. Do a google for their web site.
HTH
--
Lew
S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures
HTH
and if all the other tips don't help, perhaps you could use biscuits...
dave
Barry Keippel wrote:
> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch plywood. I
> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the tongue
> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on the
> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then place
> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side? My bit
> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the bit to
> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
> Barry
>
>
Dave,
Educate me, new to woorworking. Why would I want to use dados over
biscuits when making cabinets?
Kevin
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 17:33:54 GMT, Bay Area Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>oops! never mind. for a cabinet you should be using dados; not
>biscuits. shame on me for speed reading again.
>
>dave
>
>Bay Area Dave wrote:
>
>> and if all the other tips don't help, perhaps you could use biscuits...
>>
>> dave
>>
>> Barry Keippel wrote:
>>
>>> Hello I'm a newbee at joining with a router.
>>> I want to build a cabinet (sides, bottom and top) out of 3/4 inch
>>> plywood. I
>>> would like to use my tongue and groove bits. No problem cutting the
>>> tongue
>>> on the edge of one sheet, but what's the best way to cut the groove on
>>> the
>>> flat side of the other board. Do you hold the router sideways and then
>>> place
>>> the plate against the edge and route the groove along the flat side?
>>> My bit
>>> doesn't fit into my router table, the hole isn't big enough for the
>>> bit to
>>> pass through. I have no rabbet bit that big.
>>> Barry
>>>
>>>
>>