Through dowels vs blind dowels in plywood

[Cooler]

I'm talking about a finished panel that sits in the open, not against a wall. There is no need or reason to leave a 1/4 overhang there.

The reasons are particular to the way I construct the boxes.  I use pocket holes screws to hold the face frame in place.  It is fast and efficient and allows me to remove it later if required.  

I use confirmats to hold the tops and bottoms in place while I dowel.  They replace clamps.  

So I need to cover the pocket holes, the confirmats and the dowels.  Thus the end panel.

I could use blind dowels.  It is more work, but in situations where I don't want the end panel it is an option.  If I were making Euro-cabinets with no face frame, that is how I would do it.

[Phil Thien]

Well one thing is for sure, lots of ways to skin this cat, all valid.

[Stwood_]

The reasons are particular to the way I construct the boxes.  I use pocket holes screws to hold the face frame in place.  It is fast and efficient and allows me to remove it later if required.  

I use confirmats to hold the tops and bottoms in place while I dowel.  They replace clamps.  

So I need to cover the pocket holes, the confirmats and the dowels.  Thus the end panel.

I could use blind dowels.  It is more work, but in situations where I don't want the end panel it is an option.  If I were making Euro-cabinets with no face frame, that is how I would do it.

Do your attaching from the inside of the box. You won't have the time and money spent on putting your outer panel on then.

I do like the concept of using hidden dowels though. Shouldn't be too hard to set up for that.

Well one thing is for sure, lots of ways to skin this cat, all valid.

 

[Cooler]

Do your attaching from the inside of the box. You won't have the time and money spent on putting your outer panel on then.

I do like the concept of using hidden dowels though. Shouldn't be too hard to set up for that.



 

I can easily do the dowels from inside the box (but it is slower an more difficult).  I would never use pocket screws on the inside of the cabinet--I would not want the fasteners to show.

If you add a lot of dowels to the cabinet and then assemble it, it can take a great deal of pressure to clamp it closed.  If you through dowel you are inserting one dowel at a time and it is a simple tap to insert.  

Also a lot of people put just a drop of glue on the dowels.  That will work as the glue behaves as glue.  However if you paint the entire dowel with glue the dowel will  absorb the glue and expand into the hole.  Thus making both a mechanical bond as well as a glue bond.  The ridges on a dowel are pressed in and much like a biscuit the dowels should be stored in a sealed plastic bag or a sealed jar so that they will not expand prematurely.  

The grooves in this type of dowel allows the glue to flow out of the hole otherwise hydraulic pressure will cause the dowel to push back.  Those grooves are not cut; they are rolled and compressed in.  The dowel expands when in contact with the  water in the glue.



In any case, I like to put my dowels every 2 to 3 inches on center.  If you have 6 dowels with glue that can require a lot of pressure to clamp tight.  Using through dowels is easier.  And alignment is guaranteed as I am drilling both holes at the same time.

[AgGEM]

Miller dowels have not been mentioned. I love the little critters.

[Stwood_]

Well.....I'm gonna stick with my method probably......forever? Lol
But the dowels do interest me. I'd want to do a production type setup with them though. I'm not in business anymore, so it'll probably never get done.


I never used pocket screws in a scenario that showed either. I thnk they are ugly if exposed.
Hiding on the bottom of a cabinet? Sure, it's ok.

My face frames I glued, clamped up as necessary, then brad nailed them on from the inside. None are visible unless one doesn't set, which a nail set will take care of it.
As soon as it's nailed, I remove the clamps. Put that box aside, then assemble the next box.