Best way to join three pieces of wood?

[PHSUK]

I've got a small cupboard to build in a recess. The first thing I have in mind is to build the basic frame carcass. If my attachment makes it through, take a look at an example of three pieces of wood representing any corner of the carcass.

What's the best way to join these together? I could join any two using nothing more complex than a lapped joint for example? But what's best way to join the other piece? I could screw it on from below or beat the cr*p out of it and smack nails into it from all directions! I'd like though to take the best approach based on the collective wisdom and experience available.

[thumbsucker]

The strongest joint I have seen for this type of joint is a Japanese/Chinese style mitered mortise joint. I will be the first to admit that the traditional way of doing this is beyond me. However you can do a three way miter with false tenon. I think taunton press did an article on this subject and you can search the web on the basic concept.

However if you pull it off you will be a legend.

Best luck.

[mic-d]

If you are using ply or particle board sheeting, you can do without the frame, just screw the sheet together as butt joints, or you can use the frame as extra rienforcement for the corners, but they do not need to be joined at the corner. If you are using fibre cement sheet or plasterboard you could connect them with some metal angle brackets.

Cheers
Michael

[ozwinner]

A half lap joint would do it, so would a nail gun.

Al :U

[Lignum]

The strongest joint I have seen for this type of joint is a Japanese/Chinese style mitered mortise joint. .

Like this :)

[BrettC]

That would be using a Kanigiri-Shoko-San joint......just kidding made that name up :p . Someone will know the correct name.

Try here (http://www.idealtools.com.au/webcontent68.htm#THREE_WAY_MITRE) - uses dominos but can't see why biscuits wouldn't work

[Wood Borer]

You could mortise and tenon it for a simple joint just as you would attach rails to the legs of table.

You can become more and more complex if you wish and after considering the forces on the joint.

Some people would use dowels ensuring the dowels do not interfere with each other.

[Dean]

Glue & Pocket Holes might work ok

[rtfarty]

In the May issue of Practical Woodworking there is a 2 page article, with photos, of a joint called a showcase joint.
This could be what you are looking for.
The magazine is available in W H Smiths.

[MurrayD99]

Depending on the stock, load etc, I'd dowel the base components and simply screw the vertical to them. Or, all dowels as suggested above. If it really is small (Sssshh, don't listen...) I'd maybe just do a glued halving joint and hit it with some man-sized staples. Who will ever know?:wink:

[silentC]

Hard to say without seeing exactly what you are trying to build, but the traditional way would be to make up the end frames (mortice and tenon, or groove and stub tenon) and join them with rails dovetailed into the stiles of the end frames.

What are you planning to make the sides from and how will they attach to the frame?

[Hickory]

The three way Miter joint, in itself is not too strong but if you were to ad splines or dowels or fasteners it would hold quite well. There is a good article in modern Woodworking (can't remember which one... will hunt it out.

[silentC]

Seriously I think a triple mitre is going to be way over the top for this application. It's called the showcase joint because it is designed for situations where you can see all surfaces of all three members and it was used traditionally for making glass display cases. I don't believe it is the right joint for this application.

[NewLou]

For once I agree with silent C :rolleyes:

[Timbre Surfer]

what kind of recess is it in? does it have to be removable or is it there for good becoming part of the main cupboard? If so, could you not simply attach the horizontal to the existing studs of the recess? then using that as your horizontal base, build and attach cross members to it?

[PHSUK]

Guys, many thanks for the ideas and RTFarty, I'll look at the magazine you suggested. The cupboard I'm building is nothing substantial being at most 60cm wide and about 25cm deep. I'm not long into WW after a long winter here in the UK and though I've invested in what I think are good portable power tools, I have to do all my work in the garden. That means I have to opt for effective but simple joinery, hence I needed to explore the best ideas.

True, I could achieve what I want by rabetting the side and back of the carcass and then stiffening it with an MDF panel but I want to do more and learn as I go along.

[zenwood]

The question is ill-posed: you want 'the best way' to join three pieces of wood in a three-dimensional corner, but you don't say how you want to evaluate 'best'.

Your diagram implies the pieces are roughly square in cross-section. Here are two possibilities built on the idea of a half-lap. Haven't tried either of them, but they should work.

On the other hand, if you have a dowelling jig, the other kind of joint should be fairly easy.

[Ramps]

I'm with Dean on this one
Best ... maybe not ... but most appropriate and easy would be pocket hole and screw

[PHSUK]

Zenwood, "ill-posed" is not a fair critique!:C

Anyway, I like your images of different joints. The one with dowels is, for me, perhaps the "best" solution in your images. All of them have merit and the dovetail joint is particularly elegant in design. I wrote in my original post about tapping into the collective skill and wisdom of you all and I've come through having learned much.

[zenwood]

Perhaps a better variation on the half-lap-and-tenon joint is this one, which better locks the blue upright into the now fully enclosed mortise.

[silentC]

I suspect we would need to see the shape of the finished cabinet to really offer appropriate joint options. I still think we are getting too carried away with what is an every day problem.