Replies

1. 
   jeff100 | Mar 07, 2007 09:15am | #1

   Biscuits may...I repeat 'may' give you trouble with swelling. You don't say how thick of Melamine, the thicker it is, the less likely biscuits would be to give you trouble with swelling. But I'm guessing 1/2" or less thick is probably what you're planning, so I'd probably not go with biscuits. Dowel's would be a better option or a loose tenon/spline IMHO.

   Jeff

1. 
   wouldguy | Mar 07, 2007 06:31pm | #2

   Thanks Jeff, I hadn't even thought of swelling, yikes that could have been quite a mess.  Could you clarify for me what a loose tenon/spline IMHO is?

   Thanks,

   Shaun

   Edited 3/7/2007 10:32 am ET by wouldguy

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 07, 2007 09:06pm | #3

   IMHO = "In my humble opinion"   A comma would have helped.  Here is a link to a commercial loose tenon joinery system, but most people make their own.  Here is an article by Tom Hintz about making splines.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   wouldguy | Mar 07, 2007 09:55pm | #5

   Thank you all for your help.  This gives me some good direction.

   Shaun

2. 
   jeff100 | Mar 07, 2007 11:47pm | #6

   Sorry, I was short of comma's, when I wrote that, I have more, now...;->)Jeff

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 08, 2007 12:08am | #7

   "I have more, now...;->)"  At that rate, not for long.  ROFL!!!!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   jeanlou | Mar 07, 2007 09:18pm | #4

   Shaun

   Use fresh biscuits and do not slobber on the glue. They will work just fine for you, but do not glue up a bunch and then leave them as you assembly one element at a time. Glue and insert the biscuit as you go.

   There are different size biscuits, so make sure that you use the smaller ones for the smaller work. You should have no problems. 

   Look into the alternate method suggested to you. Sounds interesting.   JL

3. 
   observer | Mar 08, 2007 02:17am | #8

   I'd use shallow dadoes cut with a negative rake dado blade on the TS and apply a solid wood edging once assembled. Much faster and easier repetitive joinery, lots of glue surface, self-aligning on assembly and chipping on the melamine will mostly be concealed in the dado.

4. 
   geilerzimmermann | Mar 08, 2007 03:23am | #9

   Roo Glue