# Joint Question



## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm making a simple red oak shelving/cabinet.My question is about putting the face frame on the unit.The first one I made I put some wood glue on the edge then shot some finish nails thru the face frame and into the edge of the 3/4" veneer plywood.Then filled the recessed nailheads with wood putty.Is this the right way to do it??I'm new at this stuff so I hope its not too pitifull of a question LOL! Itchy/Gary


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## mlightfoot (May 13, 2008)

That is the exac way started out doing it but realized I don't like nail holes. I use a bisquit joiner, glue and clamps and have no holes to fill when done. You coud just use the glue and clamps but getting it not to slide is difficult. Good luck.


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

I dont have a biscuit joiner yet so maybe I'll dado the face frame then glue and clamp.I bought a couple of pipe type clamps,actually ya buy the ends to the clamps then go to Lowe's and buy 3/4" pipe,put it together and make the clamp assy.I'm sure ya all know what it is.Dang 3/4" pipe is expensive.5' is a little over $12.00 ea,so 2 clamps and yur out almost $50.00.I guess ya cant have too many clamps tho.Itchy.P.S. Thanks for replying.You guys give me good idea's.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I cringed when I read nails. Yes, dado's will work fine. Even just glue is normally sufficient without the dado.

You can save money on your clamps by only using 1/2" pipe. I have never found the need for 3/4". Guess my clamping chores are just not that demanding.

George


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Just glue and clamps. You only need a very thin coating of glue on both parts. It's easy to apply too much glue. If you make your face frame complete, glue and clamp, with TBI or TBII, less than an hour the clamps can come off.


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## red (Sep 30, 2008)

As stated already, glue and clamps only. Nail holes will come back to haunt you every time you look at the piece. Red


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

10-4 good buddies!


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## bradnailer (Nov 11, 2008)

If you wanted more glue surface, you could cut a thin dado in the face frame and the cabinet edge and put a wooden spline in the dados.


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## doesgo (Dec 12, 2008)

I've also found 1/2" pipe clamps are quite adequate. I've got one 3/4" set and never use them because they're just not necessary, but are quite heavy! I sure wish I had bought a bunch more black pipe several years ago when it was still cheap, though. I could use more lengths for swapping around on my clamps.

And no, you can never have too many.

A less expensive, but still effective, way to go is bar clamps. You can get a 24" for under $13 at HD. Still adds up when you buy a bunch, but if you only buy one or two each time you go in it doesn't seem so bad.


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## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

Be VERY CAREFUL with black pipe!!!!!!!!! Black pipe will react with the tannic acid in red oak and leave black stains where it contacts! Galv pipe is a bit more but does not have this issue. If u use black pipe then put something between it and the oak. I use formica sample chips, but waxpaper, anything the glue will not stick to.


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## doesgo (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks for the info, skymaster! :thumbsup:


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## Ed'sGarage (Aug 16, 2007)

*glue only*

I saw an intersting concept in preventing the face frame from sliding in a video recently. The guy drove some brads in the vertical where the face frame was being mounted and then cut them fairly close with a wire cutting pliers, leaving just a nub exposed. After applying glue to both surfaces and lining up the face frame, he gave the face frame a few non marring taps so that it sat in the brad nubs sufficiently so it wouldn't move an then clamped it. I haven't tried it yet, but it sure looks like it would cure the slippery movement possibility from the glue of a face frame. Sounds worth a try.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Ed'sGarage said:


> I saw an intersting concept in preventing the face frame from sliding in a video recently. The guy drove some brads in the vertical where the face frame was being mounted and then cut them fairly close with a wire cutting pliers, leaving just a nub exposed. After applying glue to both surfaces and lining up the face frame, he gave the face frame a few non marring taps so that it sat in the brad nubs sufficiently so it wouldn't move an then clamped it. I haven't tried it yet, but it sure looks like it would cure the slippery movement possibility from the glue of a face frame. Sounds worth a try.



That little trick has been around a while. That same technique is sometimes used to mount laminated back splashes to laminated countertops. Very helpful when the backsplash is curved one way or another prior to installing.


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