Birchwood

I need to build a little "cabinet" for the mudroom. I am thinking I can make it of 3/4"plywood. To fasten it I am thinking I can just cut slots, as you would with a biscuit cutter, by using a 1/4" straight bit and going in 1/4" on each piece. I then take a piece of 1/4" plywood and insert it with glue etc. and clamp it. I think I've seen this technique used someplace. There would be shelving inside the "cabinet" to add rigidity.
I am not a skilled woodworker, even though I have some nice tools. I once took an aptitude test and I scored in the 98's-99's for reading, writing,creativty etc. but in the 3's and 5's in manual dexterity. Took me two days to wire a drycell to a doorbell to make it ring. HA! See what I'm up against boys??

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Ken Massingale

It's called a spline. Works good in hardwood, I've never done it with ply tho.
ken

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Visteonguy

Good morning Birchwood,,,

I have used that method of joinery also,,, but also have not use it in a plywood joint,,,

Just a suggestion,,, you may take a look at one of those "45 Degree Lock Joint" bits,,, you end up with the same kind of joint, kind of, but eliminate a loose 3'rd piece of wood, ( the 1/4 inch spline ) I used that in making a good sized blanket chest and it worked quite well. One thing about this bit,,, it will hide the edge of your plywood from showing,, You may fool some one into thinking its real boards and not plywood,,,

But there is lots of ways to make that corner... The spline way should work fine also

But maybe you were thinking of cutting your slots on a 45 degree angle along with the ends of your plywood too,,, and that would hide your edges also ?

Like always,,,,several paths to get to your destination,, good luck and rout on,,,

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Terry

It seems like every where I go,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, there I am...

Birchwood

Jeeez! I did not know I could buy a bit that would let me make 45 degree cuts etc for a corner. That would be perfect. In fact I HAD thought about just running the pieces through the 45 bit I have and then reinforcing the corners on the inside of my "box". But if I can get a bit that will do that I would really be interested. I am going to make the top from an Ash plank I was given that is 16" wide by about 14' long. Gonna use two pieces for the top, which will be about 20"wide.
Thanks. Will start looking for the bit you suggest. Rockler is just down the road a hundred miles or so.

Visteonguy

Hi Burchwood,,,, take a look in the Rockler catalog online and you should see it,,, I just looked on ebay for the heck of it,,,,,, typed in 45 degree lock miter router bit and there was one showing,,,, it was a porter cable bit and they are asking ,, I think $62 + about $6 in shipping,,, nobody bid on it yet though,,,

I am sure you can beat that in the rockler catalog,, or other places,., I got mine in a 5 or 6 piece set... it did work nice though..

Good luck

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Terry

It seems like every where I go,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, there I am...

Visteonguy

I forgot this,,,, One of the wood magazines did an article a couple of months back about using splines on a 45 degree like what you need in your box,,, but you have to build a jig to hold the pannels at a 45 to run past your slot cuttin bit on your router table,,,, if the box is big and it sounds like it is,,, they could get a bit unwildely to handle with out some very big jig,,,

Also Bob and Rick did a show, a while back, I am thinking it was on making a hexigon stool that cut the slots in an angle,,, but I think a jig on the same idea was needed there also,,, and they were a lot smaller parts,,, The leg sets I think,,, so they would be easier to handle,,,

but with this miter lock bit,,, no jigs are nessessary,,, nice deal,,

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Terry

It seems like every where I go,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, there I am...

GoonMan

Hello Birch Wood,

I Purchased my 3 Piece Glue Joint Bit set from Holbrens
but I have also been looking at MLCS for the smaller 45 degree Lock Miter bits.

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Birchwood

Okay you guys. Thanks for the help. Yeah, the box (boxes) will be too large for some techniques. But I sure like the idea of those bits to make corners on plywood. I would think that using those on 3/4" ply would make a pretty strong corner and box.
I found one set of bits that was $130....too much for a sawdust maker like me.

GoonMan

Hello Birchwood,

Please check out the Holbren link above or Do a google search for Lock Miter bits, Several Web sites sell them alot cheaper than $130.00 but that is up to you.



Edit> I found this while doing a google search for Lock Miter bits here at WoodLine.

HTH

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Randy

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Pop_pop1

Hello Birchwood,
I've got another source for router bits and accessories for you to check out. I checked their website for the locked miter joint bit and they have it for around $75.00, and it is made in USA. I've bought a lot of stuff from them and you can't hardly beat their warranty or customer service. They are Eagle America. Check them out at http://eagleamerica.com/default.asp . Good Luck.......Chuck

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