Any carpenters here? Best way to join plywood? (like building a BIG display case)

[MichaelD]

First off, let me tell you what I want to build. I'm building a large cage for my biggest snake. No, not THAT snake my Columbian Redtail. All seven feet+ and 15 pounds of her.

Basically, I'm building a huge, wooden box, with sliding glass doors (like a display case) in the front.

I want to build the cage out of 3/4" plywood, so I can stain and polyeurehtane (sp?) it to be water-resistant. The problem is getting the long edges to stay together.

I have experience building big subwoofer boxes, but I use MDF for that...much different than plywood.

I have a compressor and a nail gun that will shoot up to 2" nails, which I have a box of 2,000. I have copious amounts of wood glue. Wood screws will split the plywood, and pre-drilling plywood doesn't work either. At least not in my experiences.

I'd like to build this without any L-brackets, if possible, but I don't see how that will work.

Oh, the cage will be 84"w x 32"d x 32"h. This is a big cage. Glass will be hella expensive Any help you can lend is greatly appreciated.

 

[Zorro]

Use a router and tongue and groove it.

 

[MichaelD]

OK, there's one I hadn't heard before. I know what tongue and groove is...and I know a guy that could help me out. Can you tongue and groove plywood, though? Won't that weaken the wood? So, tongue and groove with tons of wood glue, right? No nails?

 

[glen]

since metal is harder than wood, it makes for poor connections.
the metal will eventually wear away the wood
stick with wood connectors such as pegs or biscuits

 

[MichaelD]

Bump, please.

 

[Sepen]

Just make a rabbit cut.


Joints

 

[ShallowHal]

If you're connecting the plywood end to end, there is plywwod available that is already set up with tongue and groove. If you mean you want to conect them at a 90 degree angle, tongue and groove won't work. You're better off with L brackets. Or you can have a 4 x 4 cut into a triangle lengthwise. That will sit along the length of both pieces of plywood. You then connect both pieces to the 4 x 4. Tough to describe but you can PM me if you have questions. I used to build show boxes (for touring concerts) using the same method. They last forever.

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks for the link, Sepen. I appreciate the assistance very much.

ShallowHal, you've got PM coming!!!!

 

[ShallowHal]

MikeD I'm out the door now but I'll check back tonight.

 

[przero]

Let me see if I have this correct. You will need 5 peices of plywood? 3 - 84" x 32" and 2 - 32" x 32" ? Use 3/4 A/C Fir plywood and use screws (predrilled thru the 1st side only) and polyurethane glue. This will hold up O.K., but it would be more stable if you used a 2" x 4" band (whalers) around the case top and bottom.

 

[Electric Amish]

Joining plywood at right angles is kinda hard.

I don't know if a Rabbet will work with the layered nature of plywood.

You could always put in 1x1's in the corners to screw to.

amish

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks guys. I consulted a buddy of mine who has a fully-equipped woodshop (but is too busy to build this for me....he's letting me use the shop, though) and he suggested DADO-grooving the whole thing, using lots of woodglue, and shooting nails into it from the nailgun.

I was skeptical as to the strength of it.

He showed me a 5-drawer dresser he built using dadoing on plywood. He only used glue, no nails or screws. I sat on the thing. I am inclined to believe him now.

This "box" won't be load-bearing at all. It'll have 30-40 pounds, max, inside it. (snake/waterbowl/furnishings/etc) and will be sitting on a stand of 2 x 4's that I have built already.

I may use some 1 x 2's as corner bracing depending upon how "flexy" the box turns out to be. It's gonna be really cool! I can't wait. He even has one of those big planer/sander things that you feed an entire board into and it sands it for you. Should look GORGEOUS once it's all stained and uerethaned.

Thanks for the help.

EDIT
He's gonna help me with the dadoing, but the rest is all me.

 

[Mday]

i hope the glass sliding doors you use are of the safety type... glass can be very fragile. have you considered using fiberglass? dont forget vent holes ;-)

 

[MichaelD]

Hi MDay,

Fiberglass? You mean Plexiglass or Lexan, right? I plan on getting "safety glass" the tempered stuff. The snake that'll be living in this cage has been in progressively larger fish tanks for her entire life, so she's used to having a glass front. I.E. I highly doubt she'll try to crash thru it. I'm getting safetly glass JIC. Also b/c I'm a clumsy oaf.

For vent holes, I'll be using 4" diameter drain covers from home depot. Imagine a round, plastic plug, with "louvers" in it. It has a lip on it, so you insert it from the inside and it can't be pulled-out. Of course, I'll be siliconing it in there...Andy's pretty smart, it wouldn't take her long to figure how to nose it out of the hole.

Heating this thing is going to be the major PITA. I'm going to use a "pig blanket" controlled by a thermostat w/a probe. I'll have either an incandescent or a flourescent light for daytime lighting. Haven't decided which, yet. She''s used to incandescent...may stick w/that.

 

[glen]

Glued joints are typically stronger than the wood
metal weakens the joint
the nails are only acting as a clamp
if you can use dados and clamps it will be stronger than dados and nails or screws

 

[MichaelD]

<< Glued joints are typically stronger than the wood
metal weakens the joint
the nails are only acting as a clamp
if you can use dados and clamps it will be stronger than dados and nails or screws >>




Thanks Glen. He does have some long, pipe-type clamps...I don't know if they stretch seven feet, though. What I'm prolly going to do is use the dado/glue/nailgun thing. Let it dry for a few days before moving it and hope for the best (fingers, toes and eyes crossed! ) This is gonna be cool.

See, Andy (that's who will be living in this cage) has needed a new home for about a year now. I have another, smaller snake (no, not THAT one...) that will be moving from her present digs, into the cage that Andy is about to vacate. So, two of my little buddies will be getting a new home.


I believe in giving an animal plenty of room to move around and explore. It's healthier for them that way. Besides, you don't want an upset, grumpy, 7-foot constrictor "just waiting" for you to reach in the cage. :Q

 

[Thrillhou]

What about building a frame from 2X4's and putting plywood around the outside and on the inside? Then you could put some kind of insulation between the plywood and you may even be able to make it more modular.

 

[ericboo]

If your friend is that setup with woodworking tools and you want to go way overboard, you could use finger joints for more gluing surface or dovetails which are very strong. I agree with Glen that dados and glue are a good option and the nails, like biscuits, are more of an alignment tool. You want maximum gluing area. Get some furniture grade plywood.

I made a snake cage a long time ago out of plywood and plexiglass and had my tv on top. Worked great. Had to give up all my snakes cause they don't allow them when I lived in Miami Beach.

I have to go find info about building a home theatre subwoofer.

Good luck.

 

[MichaelD]

Hello gents,



<< What about building a frame from 2X4's and putting plywood around the outside and on the inside? Then you could put some kind of insulation between the plywood and you may even be able to make it more modular. >>



Good idea, but not really what I had in mind. This doesn't have to have load-bearing ability. The stand that this will sit on is way over built, and will support this tank and any midsize automobile. Not kidding.



<< If your friend is that setup with woodworking tools and you want to go way overboard, you could use finger joints for more gluing surface or dovetails which are very strong. I agree with Glen that dados and glue are a good option and the nails, like biscuits, are more of an alignment tool. You want maximum gluing area. Get some furniture grade plywood.

I made a snake cage a long time ago out of plywood and plexiglass and had my tv on top. Worked great. Had to give up all my snakes cause they don't allow them when I lived in Miami Beach.

I have to go find info about building a home theatre subwoofer.

Good luck. >>




Whoa. Finger-joints. I actually know what those are. That's A LOT of work. Way beyond my abilities. My buddy isn't actually going to build the thing, I am. He's just going to show me how to dado and I'm on my own.

But ERICBOO, I can help you with the subwoofer enclosure. Not being immodest, but as far as building a sub box goes, there's not much I don't know. I'm talking about the actual construction. I can help you with that. VIPERONI is also very knowledgeable on this subject. Monelfunkowitz too.

 

[MajesticMoose]

<< He does have some long, pipe-type clamps...I don't know if they stretch seven feet, though >>


If they won't stretch long enough for the box you're making then you can just go grab a piece of pipe from home depot or where ever and make a longer one. I know that's how my dad has done some that are too long for the clamp.

 

[Lvis]

If you're using oil based polyurathane, be sure to let it really dry before you put the snake in it. It will outgas paint fumes for quite a while. Just might kill your snake, or maybe just make him stupid..... It will take several weeks before it stops doing this, something to consider.

 

[MichaelD]

<< If they won't stretch long enough for the box you're making then you can just go grab a piece of pipe from home depot or where ever and make a longer one. I know that's how my dad has done some that are too long for the clamp. >>



Hey, great idea! I learned something. Can I use PVC? It's cheap......




<< If you're using oil based polyurathane, be sure to let it really dry before you put the snake in it. It will outgas paint fumes for quite a while. Just might kill your snake, or maybe just make him stupid..... It will take several weeks before it stops doing this, something to consider. >>



Really? That long? That_is_bad. I wasn't counting on it taking THAT long. I figured 48hours, tops. I sure don't want to harm Andy in any way. She's a top specimen, actually. Never sick, never had an eating disorder, never regurged, eats anything and everything all the time, no mites, no scale rot. Just a perfect, happy little snake.

I'll have to post over at Kingsnake.com and ask them to be sure. THANKS for the tip.

 

[MaxDepth]

Max "Snake Cage Answer-Man" Depth here!

Plywood being layered is hard to join at right angles because one end will always be split with a nail. Amish is right by using corner blocks to nail the plywood to. Mitre the joining edges with 45 degree cut. Pine is pretty cheap and I'm sure there is some construction going on in your neighboorhood where they'll let you have the scraps.

pine block (shape):
___
\.../
.\./

plywood (shape):
\\

corner looks like this:
\\__//
.\\...//
..\\.//
...\|/

Here are some snake cage links too:
linky with pic!

good info from Snake Talk!

Basic Cage Building 101

and finally (what I think you were really looking for -rabbet joints!),
Bob Villa's Do It Yourselfer (with pics!)

Hope this helps!
Max

 

[MichaelD]

MaxDepth, you are SO The Man. *bows in homage* Thanks much for the linkies.