A couple of years ago I bought a HF service cart at an outdoor tent
sale for what I felt was a good price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/five-dr...art-95272.html

The only thing I don't like about it is it does not have nearly enough
drawer space for my needs. The thing is actually over built
structurally for the amount of 'stuff' it will hold.

I'm thinking of building at least 1 (maybe 2) of these end cabinets
out of 3/4" ply or maybe even OSB, and hanging them off the sides via
2 French cleats each:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-drawe...est-68785.html

This is a picture of it attached to the tool cabinet it was designed for.
http://tinyurl.com/799lhkn

I got a few questions concerning this endeavor.

What would be the best (strongest?) joint to use on the carcase?
Box joint? Splined miter joint?

Is this even feasible? I mean, I would imagine there would be a lot of
racking force with this thing hanging from its side loaded with tools.
All the wood cabinets I've ever seen hung with cleats are attached to the
back of the cabinet. Not the side. But I was thinking with strong
joints on the top bottom and sides, a good thick back - rabbeted, glued
and screwed, it just might work!

I've never fabricated a box joint jig but I've seen them constructed
and used on NYWS, numerous Youtubes and magazines ;-) One thing they
all have in common though, they're all small, and used to cut
relatively small stock (compared to what I want to do) like jewelry
boxes, small drawers and whatnot. Anyone here have experience cutting
box joints in 34" X 20" X 3/4" or larger ply using a home built jig
for table saw or maybe a router?

Thanks in advance for any help given to this rookie!

Box joint. Actually dovetail but you didn't offer that.

I don't think you need the heaviest backing.
A 1/2 backing would be more than enough.

Not sure I would french cleat it. I would just bolt it on.
Keep it light but strong. Mass is not your friend in this usage. Once
loaded it will have mass.

Use a face frame to enhance it's strength, but use either m&t or half
lap on the joints, not screws.



On 3/30/2012 9:25 PM, Spalted Walt wrote:
A couple of years ago I bought a HF service cart at an outdoor tent
sale for what I felt was a good price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/five-dr...art-95272.html

The only thing I don't like about it is it does not have nearly enough
drawer space for my needs. The thing is actually over built
structurally for the amount of 'stuff' it will hold.

I'm thinking of building at least 1 (maybe 2) of these end cabinets
out of 3/4" ply or maybe even OSB, and hanging them off the sides via
2 French cleats each:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-drawe...est-68785.html

This is a picture of it attached to the tool cabinet it was designed for.
http://tinyurl.com/799lhkn

I got a few questions concerning this endeavor.

What would be the best (strongest?) joint to use on the carcase?
Box joint? Splined miter joint?

Is this even feasible? I mean, I would imagine there would be a lot of
racking force with this thing hanging from its side loaded with tools.
All the wood cabinets I've ever seen hung with cleats are attached to the
back of the cabinet. Not the side. But I was thinking with strong
joints on the top bottom and sides, a good thick back - rabbeted, glued
and screwed, it just might work!

I've never fabricated a box joint jig but I've seen them constructed
and used on NYWS, numerous Youtubes and magazines ;-) One thing they
all have in common though, they're all small, and used to cut
relatively small stock (compared to what I want to do) like jewelry
boxes, small drawers and whatnot. Anyone here have experience cutting
box joints in 34" X 20" X 3/4" or larger ply using a home built jig
for table saw or maybe a router?

Thanks in advance for any help given to this rookie!

Spalted Walt wrote:
A couple of years ago I bought a HF service cart at an outdoor tent
sale for what I felt was a good price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/five-dr...art-95272.html

The only thing I don't like about it is it does not have nearly enough
drawer space for my needs. The thing is actually over built
structurally for the amount of 'stuff' it will hold.

I'm thinking of building at least 1 (maybe 2) of these end cabinets
out of 3/4" ply or maybe even OSB, and hanging them off the sides via
2 French cleats each:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-drawe...est-68785.html

This is a picture of it attached to the tool cabinet it was designed
for. http://tinyurl.com/799lhkn

I got a few questions concerning this endeavor.

What would be the best (strongest?) joint to use on the carcase?
Box joint? Splined miter joint?

Is this even feasible? I mean, I would imagine there would be a lot of
racking force with this thing hanging from its side loaded with tools.
All the wood cabinets I've ever seen hung with cleats are attached to
the back of the cabinet. Not the side. But I was thinking with strong
joints on the top bottom and sides, a good thick back - rabbeted,
glued and screwed, it just might work!

I've never fabricated a box joint jig but I've seen them constructed
and used on NYWS, numerous Youtubes and magazines ;-) One thing they
all have in common though, they're all small, and used to cut
relatively small stock (compared to what I want to do) like jewelry
boxes, small drawers and whatnot. Anyone here have experience cutting
box joints in 34" X 20" X 3/4" or larger ply using a home built jig
for table saw or maybe a router?

Thanks in advance for any help given to this rookie!

If it were me, I'd probably make it with 1/4" ply. Butt joints glued and
screwed to 1 x 2 wood strips along the joints. The one exception would be
the end where the French cleats go...I'd probably use 1/2" ply there for
rigidity and a wood strip backing the French cleat.

Basically, you make each side by making the 1x2 frame - I butt the pieces,
clamp them and then hold them together by drilling through the stiles into
the rails and gluing in dowels; that then gets a cover of ply glued all
around. Each of those then gets glued and screwed to its neighbors to make
the box. One needs numerous clamps when gluing the ply...I made a bunch
from 2" PVC pipe: cut into 1/2 - 3/4" rings, make a cut in each ring so it
can be spread apart.

The ply will keep the web frame from racking...think "hollow core doors".
In fact, I have a 72"x24"x36" cabinet on my screen porch built in that
manner. It has no back and is suspended from the wall with 1x3 nailing
strips across the back.

IMO, that would be a better way to build it - and worlds easier - than
messing with box joints.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:51:26 -0400, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:

Box joint. Actually dovetail but you didn't offer that.

Yep, according to this test by the woodgear guy the dovetail is indeed a little
stronger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRPgCMmbeyQ


I don't think you need the heaviest backing.
A 1/2 backing would be more than enough.

Not sure I would french cleat it. I would just bolt it on.
Keep it light but strong. Mass is not your friend in this usage. Once
loaded it will have mass.

Use a face frame to enhance it's strength, but use either m&t or half
lap on the joints, not screws.


Thanks for your help on this. I googled "large box joint" till my eyes bled and
finally stumbled on this nifty homemade jig that I might try.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHGuqXUI-eg

"Spalted Walt" wrote:

Thanks for your help on this. I googled "large box joint" till my
eyes bled and
finally stumbled on this nifty homemade jig that I might try.
--------------------------------
Go to your library and get a copy of Fred Bingham's book, Practical
Yacht Joinery.

Very simple box joint jig shown in book.

Lew