scratch build screws and bondo. your thoughts.

p1899m

New member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
9,119
Reaction score
72
Location
Rocklin, California
Scratch building a cab and to rough it together I sank some wood screws here and there. I eventually also used the standard wood glue and inner cab supports using wood screws rather than nails or staples but I figure the wood screws should hold better.

While I imagine the internal screws and wood glue should be enough I was considering still utilizing the external screws. Of course I don't want them seen so the thought is to drill down where the screws sit maybe a quarter inch with a slightly bigger drill bit than the head of the screws. Add some glue to the hole and screw and sink the screw in. When the glue dries I would bondo over the screws and so on. My concern is the possibility of the screws shifting over time when the cab is occasionally moved. I really don't want the bondo in those screw holes cracking or falling out due to the screws possible slight movements.

So what do you think? would these screws be a likely potential issue down the road? Or does it sound like a good idea that will add some addition strength to the cab.
 
Another option is pocket joinery. You can get the basic Kreg pocket hole jig for around $40, but I thought I got mine cheaper at Lowes.

http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-R3-Pocke...3A7W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1309405094&sr=8-3

51QUgGePeML._SL500_AA300_.jpg


However, if you want to do it like the original cabinets (Atari at least) were built, 3/4" blocking, glue, and 1/4" narrow crown staples will do fine. It's not fine woodworking.
 
With good glue I don't see the cabinet shifting enough to pop out out the bondo.
I have used Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue and the wood breaks before the joint does..
 
I play Bass Guitar and my old Fender Cabinet was falling apart so i rebuilt it. I used Biscuits during that project and it turned out very nice. I have had it built now for 13 years moved to and from many gigs and it's still nice a solid.
 
However, if you want to do it like the original cabinets (Atari at least) were built, 3/4" blocking, glue, and 1/4" narrow crown staples will do fine. It's not fine woodworking.

I've basically already done this and built the cab as the original was made. Although I used wood screws instead of staples. I was just considering using the others screws too for added strength which it probably doesn't need but I figured it can't hurt.
 
I used to build video game and poker machine cabinets for a company in the early 90s. We'd sell them to distributors and mom and pop guys in IL.

We just used wood glue and a Senco stapler and those things were solid. We did use screws for some interior work, but the basic structure was just glue and staples.
 
I just did something similar to what you're describing to shore up a cabinet that was slightly coming apart:

Drilled small holes for the screws, with much larger, very shallow holes on top of them so that the long wood screws were counter sunk.
DSC05137.JPG


DSC05143.JPG


Then filled in the holes with bondo before refinishing. I probably did this with 30 screws around the cabinet. It's now rock solid:
2011-06-04%25252018.52.42.jpg
 
I just did something similar to what you're describing to shore up a cabinet that was slightly coming apart:

Drilled small holes for the screws, with much larger, very shallow holes on top of them so that the long wood screws were counter sunk.
DSC05137.JPG


DSC05143.JPG


Then filled in the holes with bondo before refinishing. I probably did this with 30 screws around the cabinet. It's now rock solid:
2011-06-04%25252018.52.42.jpg

I did this same method for rebuilding the bottom of my tron
 
Back
Top Bottom