Help fixing my cabinet door

[Scott Davis]

This is a cedar door I made a few years ago for an outside grill cabinet for an Big Green Egg.

The first winter, the rail and style split just like like this.  It was built in the summer.  I trimmed the panel a little and remade the style with leftover cedar.   This weekend in the cold it did it again.  It was joined initially with biscuits. 

 

I have the Kreg jig now wondered if fixing it with that would work. I do not have any more cedar and don't want to drive 40 miles to buy another board just for this.  You can see in the pics that the biscuit came out of the joint and pulled a little "V" shaped piece of cedar out with it.  My thought was to trim the rail flush again with the table saw, and fill the defect in the biscuit hole on the style with bondo, sand smooth, and then join with 2 pocket screws.   This would repair the style (I hope) and I won't have to go get another board.  Would also only take a few minutes.  I can trim the panel a little more too.  Maybe it is still to snug.

 

Thougts?

 

Will a pocket screw go into Bondo?

Should I use glue?

Is this doomed to failure without a new board?

First post here.  Glad to see this forum, like the little jig!

Scott

[Jerrod McCrary]

I dont think the bondo will work.  I would shave the biscuit off the "male" piece of cedar and leave the V groove on it for more stability.  Then,  I would just drill straight through the top of the "female" piece of wood with some long wood screws and attach it to the "male" piece of cedar.  I think using the kreg jig wouldnt work because the v groove cut into the female piece.  You could move the kreg jig up and figure out the correct placement so the screws would not come out and still hold, but you dont have any scrap pieces to practice on.  Hope this makes since.

 

[David Dean]

Im not the smartest one in here but wouldnt it be easyer to make a new frame.

[Jens Jensen]

If you cut the it back 1/2 inch so you still see the v grove from end and the put a couple dowels in It  should hold for you

[justin waldron]

Hey Scott,

Have you thought about the expansion of your panel that may be the cause for this?   Lumber moves across the grain up to 1/4 of an inch for every foot.  Being that it's outside and humidity plays a roll, just a thought.  You should also allow the panel to move inside your frame and not glue it.  Another thing, being outside, did you use a waterproof glue? 

[Scott Davis]

Thanks all,

Yes I thought I had allowed for expansion, the panel measures about 1/4" shy which I thought was sufficient but it clearly is not.  It is about 18" wide so maybe I am shy a little using your rule of thumb.

 

I will build a new frame.  The reason I was trying to repair this one is that I have to drive so far to get 4 side finished cedar here, and they are only open till 5 on weekdays, which I basically can't make it there.  The local places are only selling 3S boards.  Saturday before any replies I decided to go ahead with trying the Jig.  was distracted by the 2 and 4 year olds in the garage with me and didn't realize these are 5/8" boards not 3/4" and the tip of screws came out front slightly.  I may just use it like that for a while until I am headed in the direction of the cedar place.

 

Thanks again for the replies

[Jerrod McCrary]

You could just turn that piece around and where the screws came out  would be on the back side, but you would have to cut that bottom joint and attach it with the kreg jig also.

[Alan Shotts]

Since it is splitting in the cold and is outside, don't rule out freezing water as a cause.

[Scott Davis]

Yes I thought about that.  Do you think a frame and panel door can't be used outside?  I am not sure how to waterproof the joinery.  I stuck it out there again after regluing it and fixing with some pocket screws which hit the face like I said above (material only 5/8 not 3/4, oops).  Will see what happens.  I am pretty sure the frame is small enough for the slots now, good point on the freezing, happened twice.  wonder if a little water is getting in the joints.