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Author
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Topic: Woodworking Question
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TundraWookie
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1044
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posted January 07, 2014 11:59 AM
Do any of you guys build furniture? I'm interested to know what your favorite type of jointing method is (biscuits, dowels, domino tenons...etc). I've used biscuits before and they are handy for having, but require a bunch of clamps and time for glue to setup. I've used dowels a bit and they're strong and useful for being able to quickly fit up a bunch of pieces together before final gluing and clamping. Haven't used the domino tenons before, but they look stout. Dovetails are one of my favorite in terms of aesthetics, but definitely a bit more time consuming.
Posts: 857 | From: Alaska | Registered: Dec 2006
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted January 07, 2014 12:24 PM
Kreg jig works great for simple joining, but I have not used it extensivly. I watched a cabinet maker friend use one and was impressed. I built a couple of simple chairs and a wall shelf unit with it and liked it.
Mark
[ January 07, 2014, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: Lone Howl ]
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Duckdog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 3842
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posted January 07, 2014 01:31 PM
I've used the dominos that require the Festool domino cutter (if that's what you're referring to), and I really like that system.
Pricey...but it's a good system.
Posts: 205 | From: Ks | Registered: Jun 2011
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booger
TOO BIG TO FAIL
Member # 3602
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posted January 07, 2014 01:33 PM
TW,
What are you going to be building? I ask so I can give you a bit more of a definitive answer. My father in law retired in ’89, and spent the next 16 years building all sorts of furniture including roll top desks, grandfather clock cabinets, regular desks, raised panel doors, and all sorts of other woodworking projects.
He had a shop that would make most schools drool... we worked together a lot, so I am pretty well versed in most things wood. The last project he did was help me build all of the oak raised panel doors and oak drawer fronts on our master bath when we remodeled.
The Kreg jig looks intriguing, but it came out mostly after he quit in ’05 due to complications from COPD.
The biscuit joining method is really cool, and what I used to build an 11’ oak window seat in our living room under a large bay window. He had a Porter Cable biscuit joiner that I used extensively.
He used dowels early on, but never did again after he bought the biscuit joiner. As far as dove tailing, you can get a jig from WoodCraft that uses a router with a special bit and it works slick.
If your project is not too wide, you can simply run your edges through a jointer to true them up and simply butt join them with clamps and glue. I have a 12” planer, and then run the boards through to get them the same thickness.
I believe his COPD was caused by all of the oak and walnut dust he breathed before my wife and her brothers and families went together and got him a dust collector. He used the dust collector the last 3 years or so before he quit, but I believe the damage had already been done.
He is on oxygen 100% of the time now, and it is a constant reminder for me to use a dust collector and dust mask when I use my saws and power tools.
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If we ever forget we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under--Ronald Reagan
Posts: 911 | From: Bob Dole Country | Registered: Apr 2010
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TundraWookie
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1044
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posted January 07, 2014 02:19 PM
The first project is some custom built in cabinets in the master bedroom. It'll be down low with two drawers made into it. On top, it'll be a seat for reading or whatever. Around that, I'll put in a bunch of different shelves mitered around the three walls.
The next project is a 4 ft tall "shoe storage" cabinet. It will have a bunch of tilt out drawers for putting a bunch of shoes inside.
The final project on the short list is to make some 36" deep drawers for a hall closet as well as maybe some raised panel doors to hide it all.
I appreciate the information guys, I'm reading about the Kreg Jig and the Festool domino cutter a bit more. Chances are I'll probably end up using a combination of them for various strength and ease of installation. I do appreciate any input. I grew up helping my father build custom cabinetry and furniture, just haven't bought myself a bunch of tools to do it all yet.
Posts: 857 | From: Alaska | Registered: Dec 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted January 07, 2014 02:28 PM
One word: IKEA
Man, that's rude!
[ January 07, 2014, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31466 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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TundraWookie
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1044
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posted January 07, 2014 02:48 PM
IKEA??? None of those around my neck of the woods thankfully. Do they sell real wood there?
Posts: 857 | From: Alaska | Registered: Dec 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted January 07, 2014 05:17 PM
Yeah, all prefab with insane instructions.
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31466 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Duckdog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 3842
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posted January 07, 2014 05:23 PM
The dominos make for a very solid connection. I guess you could say, their biggest attribute is, (other than being way stronger than a normal biscuit), the way the cutter automatically lines up the two pieces.
I just finished the handrail on two stairwells, 4 stories apiece, and never used a single fastener.
Sometimes we'll run into a detail on a paneling job that requires us to mitre the panels on an outside corner. Usually these panels are 3/4" MDF with laminate or veneer. Once you figure out your domino spacing on each side, the corner will just fit right together as a perfect mitre. No real need to pin them together.
They fit tight, and they pretty much fit perfectly into the groove the cutter makes. Put a little bit of glue on both sides of the domino itself, then a little bead down the wood mitre, and you've got one strong joint.
I don't know anything about the kreg jig.
I do remember that little domino cutter being around $700 though!
Posts: 205 | From: Ks | Registered: Jun 2011
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booger
TOO BIG TO FAIL
Member # 3602
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posted January 07, 2014 06:16 PM
Good luck on your projects!
You can't go wrong with Festool...they are the Rolls Royce of tools.
My B-I-L has a Festool router, and I swear that damn thing has a silencer on it...you can barely hear it when it is running.
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If we ever forget we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under--Ronald Reagan
Posts: 911 | From: Bob Dole Country | Registered: Apr 2010
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TundraWookie
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1044
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posted January 09, 2014 07:16 AM
Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. Time to get the Festool it looks like, they get very high reviews about everywhere I've looked.
Posts: 857 | From: Alaska | Registered: Dec 2006
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