# Dowel pins & Biscuit joints



## bigjoedo (Sep 26, 2007)

Hey Gang, :help:

I have been working on a oak nightstand for a Christmas present. So far, screwing up 6 legs and cutting & gluing 6 new ones. I am a newbie and just can't get the mortise and tenon joints right.
I had a few questions:

Can I use biscuit joints to fasten 3/4 inch oak veneer plywood to 1 1/2 inch solid oak stock ? (in place of the M&T joints?) These are the rear & side panels.

Can I use doweling to replace M&T joints to fasten 3/4 inch square stock to 1 1/2 inch oak stock? (These will be for the cross pieces that go under the drawer front) The Drawer slides will be screwed into place. One biscuits & dowels are glued in place, I will clamp the sections together until the carpenters glue dries. I jut purchased a Kreg Pocket hole jig. Would this be a better joint to use ?Thanks for the help.

Joe

PS. I have a doweling jig and a biscuit jointer.


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## Harddog Wood (Feb 9, 2007)

I love the biscuit joiner. I also love pocket jig. I prefer to use the biscuit if I need to hide the joint. You could use either one, of course the pocket holes will show underneath. Your choice. If you might have to take apart at a later date, the pocket holes would be my choice. harddog


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## PK. (Nov 12, 2007)

If I read you correctly you want to solidly mount your back and side panels of plywood to the legs which are solid wood.

If that's what you're doing, it's sort of a no-no, but people do it. Biscuits or pocket screws would be easiest. You might find that it's easier to make a plywood box and then overlay the corners with the oak wood. This takes all the headaches out of the equation but still looks good.

You can certainly dowel the stretchers for your drawer instead of m&t. Use a dowel of the same sort of wood. I do it all the time with a 1" stretcher on a 2" leg. For a 3/4" stretcher, a 3/8" dowel will work and is readily available.

I'm not entirely certain as to how you're making your panels. If you could describe them in detail I expect you'd get several ideas in response that might save you some frustration.


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## bigjoedo (Sep 26, 2007)

HOWDY,


The *side panels* are as follows:
Legs 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" Oak
Top Rail 2 1/2" X 16 1/4" Oak
Bottom rail 3 1/2" X 16 1/4" Oak
Side panel 19 1/2" X 13 3/4" Oak veneer Plywood 3/4"

*Rear Panel*:
Top rail 2 1/2" X 20" Oak
Bottom Rail 3 1/2" X 20" Oak
Panel 19 1/2" X 19 3/4" Oak plywood 3/4"

*Front Panel*:
4 rails all 1 3/8" square X 20" Oak
Bottom Rail 2 1/2" X 20" Oak


I could not cut and paste a picture. Sorry

Joe


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## JON BELL (Nov 2, 2007)

Practice makes perfect.


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## Corndog (Apr 26, 2007)

Loose tenons [relax...you can do it with a router you don't need to mortgage the farm for a Festfool Domino:shifty: ]

I 'spose biscuits would work too.

If it's a large panel I think a stub tenon would work. But what do I know from furniture!!!:laughing:


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## PK. (Nov 12, 2007)

I don't understand the reason for the 3/4" ply. If you're making a plywood box and then applying a frame, then you don't need m&t's. If you're making a frame, using the legs as stiles, then you don't need 3/4" ply for a panel.


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## bigjoedo (Sep 26, 2007)

PK. said:


> I don't understand the reason for the 3/4" ply. If you're making a plywood box and then applying a frame, then you don't need m&t's. If you're making a frame, using the legs as stiles, then you don't need 3/4" ply for a panel.


PK,

That is just what the plan calls for. The side panels are made of 3/4 inch veneer plywood. These panels are surrounded by solid oak frame.


Joe


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