Melamine cabinet with vertical joints.

[chris schnepf]

I am building a computer cabinet out of 3/4" melamine.  I would like to add pocket screws to the vertical glued joints. I have rabbited the edges 3/8" deep and 3/8" wide. How can I add strength with the screws on the inside corners.

[John Schaben]

If this is what you have, I don't think there is a way to "reinforce" from the inside. You're just pointing the screw toward the thinnest part of the joint. I'd just glue and maybe a brad or two till the glue drys. By melamine, I think you are talking about the melamine faced particle board which is none to friendly with screws anyway. You could eliminate the rabbet but that would leave you a weaker glue joint with half of it being melamine.

 

[Jay Boutwell]

Hi Chris, John is correct about using screws from the inside. Being a cabinet maker for a living melamine is not my favorite material for building cabinets. However due to customer demand I often have to resort to their wishes and use melamine.

I have had great results making butt joints in cabinet boxes and using kreg screws in pocket holes. However I never depend on a dry joint but always use glue. There is a glue that is made for melamine products. It is called "Roo Glue". There is two types made one is made more for wood. The one I use on melamine is called "Roo Clear". It is a glue that dries clear and made for bonding melamine and vinyl. It makes joints strong enough to actually pull the melamine apart breaking the plastic coating and pulling the core with it. The Kreg pocket screws will add strength and also clamping pressure to the joints until the glue is fully cured.

The glue is a non toxic water based product that is white in color and dries clear when cured. The setting time is 4 hours at 70 degrees and normal humidity with a work setting time of about 20 minutes.

It is made in the United States in a town about 18 miles north of here and is the favorite glue for cabinet makers and trim carpenters for doing melamine and other trim work.

Here is he web site: http://www.rooglue.com/

[chris schnepf]

Thanks to both John and Jay for your tips.  The Tite Bond for Melamine does a good job but I wll have to try Roo Clear.

Jay Boutwell said:

Hi Chris, John is correct about using screws from the inside. Being a cabinet maker for a living melamine is not my favorite material for building cabinets. However due to customer demand I often have to resort to their wishes and use melamine.

I have had great results making butt joints in cabinet boxes and using kreg screws in pocket holes. However I never depend on a dry joint but always use glue. There is a glue that is made for melamine products. It is called "Roo Glue". There is two types made one is made more for wood. The one I use on melamine is called "Roo Clear". It is a glue that dries clear and made for bonding melamine and vinyl. It makes joints strong enough to actually pull the melamine apart breaking the plastic coating and pulling the core with it. The Kreg pocket screws will add strength and also clamping pressure to the joints until the glue is fully cured.

The glue is a non toxic water based product that is white in color and dries clear when cured. The setting time is 4 hours at 70 degrees and normal humidity with a work setting time of about 20 minutes.

It is made in the United States in a town about 18 miles north of here and is the favorite glue for cabinet makers and trim carpenters for doing melamine and other trim work.

Here is he web site: http://www.rooglue.com/