"John T. Howard" wrote in message
...
I am about to build some cabinets for my shop and am leaning toward
using melamine or MDF. I have little experience with either of these
materials. They don't have to look like living room furniture, but I
would like for my shop to reflect my workmanship.

I am mostly wondering about joinery - screw AMD glue, right? Should
melamine be rabbited to provide for particle-to-particle glue joints?
Do I need to use special screws? Are these materials particularly
hard on saw blades and router bits? Do I need special blades and
bits?

What are your experiences with these materials? Are there any web
sites where I can learn more about joinery?

Any comments appreciated.

John

You might want to look at mine on the site below at the "New Shop" link. I
used Melamine for the carcasses, and MDF for the doors. I painted the doors
to match the melamine fairly close, not perfect. Carcasses are frameless,
with euro hinges. I dado'd/rabbeted the shelves, and used poly glue along
with pocket screws. I used nailing strips across inside top and bottom, but
no backs. The wall is the cabinet back.

Drawers are baltic birch with MDF fronts, also painted. Drawer slides are
full extension side mount.

Countertops are 3/4" plywood, then 3/4" MDF, then 1/4" tempered hardwood.

I cannot think of anything I would do differently after about 18 months.

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Bill Pounds
http://www.billpounds.com