New cabinet builder to the forum

[gts]

Hi all, New to the forum. I stumbled upon it while looking for alternate methods for gluing on tolex.

In any case I started making cabs for myself about a year an half back and have since done a dozen or so at the request of others.

Here's some pics of those I've made.

[Cephus]

Homemade Cabinets

Beautiful!

Could you please post some pics of your construction methods? I'd like to see the cabinet before the Tolex is applied. Do you use dovetails, butt joints, miter, etc.

I can handle most of the electronics, but I'd really like to learn some woodworking. I think I have most of the basic tools with exception of a router - I just need to learn to properly use them.

Thanks!

Cephus

[stingray_65]

Fine work indeed!

What sort of "alternate" glueing methods are you looking for?

I guess I mean to ask what hang ups are you having with your current method, it looks like you're having good results.

Ray

[gts]

Thanks for the compliments.


I'm not having any specific problems gluing on the tolex but it's always good to explore other possibiities.

I've been using regular contact cement. The new water based stuff strikes me as having too long a set up time so I haven't bothered.

I've heard of a neoprene based cement, supposedly sets and holds as well as regular contact cement but NO fumes!

Also considered hide glue but not sure how well it'd work. It needs to be heated to apply and the working time maybe limited.

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As far as joinery just rabbet joints (actually double rabbets on these) and dado's. Todays glues are quite strong, stronger than the wood. So there's no need for finger joints and certainly not dovetails. If the cab was hardwood and the joints exposed one of these two would be fine but on plywood it's overkill.

I'll put up some pics of the untolexed shells when I get a chance.

[spiffpeters]

Finger joint has one serious advantage over a rabbet joint. It's stronger.

Dovetails are pretty and work best in drawers. But in a amp cabinet, dovetails would be subjected to stresses they are not well suited to resist.

A finger joint has more surface area than a rabbet, and the interlocking nature of the joint adds strength.

Indeed many joints will fail before the glue. But finger joints resist the racking and twisting better than a rabbet.

The rabbet in these cabinets may very well be adequate. But a finger joint isn't really all that much more work than a rabbet.

Nice job on the cabinets.

[Casey4s]

Nice work!