Dowel Joints

dowel joint, wood

Woodworking can be a very rewarding hobby. One can make nearly anything that they can imagine as long as they have the skills to get the job done. For example, instead of purchasing a new bookshelf or bedside table you can build your own using plywood. This may sound easy to many people. I, for … Read more

Cutting Notches in Plywood

wood, notch

Plywood makes the construction of larger items much easier due to the sheer size of plywood sheets (8’ x 4’; or 125 x 250 cm in Europe). Sheets may be cut to appropriate size readily on a table saw or with a skil saw using a straightedge guide clamped to the wood. However, there are … Read more

Protect Plywood Corners

rabbit joint, glue, drawing

Forming corners in plywood when building cabinets or casework is not always as easy as it might seem. Plywood has many advantages and strengths but also some important weaknesses and forming corners and edges in any kind of cabinet or casework is where these strengths and weaknesses surface. There will be occasions when edges and … Read more

Clamping Box Joints

box joints, glue

When clamping box joints, or any complex gluing setup, there are only a few simple rules to follow. First, verify that all the parts fit correctly before gluing. Second, check that you have sufficient clamps available. Third, be sure to use a suitable glue for your circumstances. For large jobs with multiple pieces to be … Read more

Using Rabbet Joints for Plywood

Rabbet joints

Rabbeting is a great way of adding strength to many projects, especially projects where there are shelves which need to be supported. Rather than using hardware to hold the weight of the shelf and whatever is on it, rabbet joints allow the wood itself to carry the weight. At the same time, the rabbet joint … Read more