What kind of joinery to use?

**Condoman44** · 06-19-2015, 09:05 AM

I use glued pocket holes and fill them. Made a medicine cabinet with mirror door and it work fine so far for us.

**cwsmith** · 06-19-2015, 10:05 AM

For butt-joints, I use small dowels, probably two at each joint. If it were natural/stained wood, I'd probably even have them exposed on the outer surface; but since you're painting the cabinet, it makes no difference.

You could also use a spline or small 'biscuit' across the joint, but I think the doweled joint is the easiest... much depends on you equipment/capabilities.

I hope this helps,

CWS

**dwitzke** · 06-19-2015, 10:13 AM

I would use mortise and tenon joinery for the door frame.

**atgcpaul** · 06-19-2015, 11:59 AM

Originally posted by David D

Right now, my plan is to use Shaker style butt joints for the face frame, so the door frame will be the same.

Do you mean stub tenon and groove, or are you really looking for a way to butt join the rails and stiles--the two pieces don't intersect at all?

If there's no intersection, then I'd go with dowels.

If they do intersect, then I think a bridle joint could be easily achieved with just your table saw--assuming you have one.

**trungdok** · 06-19-2015, 12:15 PM

Since you will rabbet the back, half lap joint might be the easiest and strongest (not that you would need it to be) joint to use.

**BadeMillsap** · 06-19-2015, 12:58 PM

If I understand what you are doing a half lap would be my first choice

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**Eric** · 06-19-2015, 04:05 PM

Or a bridle joint.

**capncarl** · 06-19-2015, 09:23 PM

I like a half lap joint for this application. I've used it many times for small table tops with glass tops inserts, much like a cabinet door with a mirror would be made.
capncarl

**David D** · 06-19-2015, 09:47 PM

Thank you for all the replies! I do have a table saw, a BT3000 as a matter of fact. I've also got a Bosch 1617 router mounted to it. I do not have a dado stack (yet).

Sounds like a half lap joint is the most popular suggestion, but how best to accomplish this with what I've got? Multiple passes on the table saw?

**BadeMillsap** · 06-19-2015, 10:26 PM

Without a dado set I'd do it with the table mounted router and as large a dado (flat top) bit as I could manage to minimize passes... Might be time to invest in a dado set

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**David D** · 06-20-2015, 09:25 AM

A router bit like this?

**BadeMillsap** · 06-20-2015, 10:21 AM

Yes... A good source is http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...highlight=Dado

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**David D** · 06-20-2015, 11:44 AM

Thank you!

**trungdok** · 06-20-2015, 01:21 PM

You could also just use the table saw to cut the half lap. Lay the piece down, do a cross cut, then stand it up and do a rip cut. Getting the exact fit will probably requires you to do some sanding or hand planing though.

What kind of joinery to use?

What kind of joinery to use?

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