Melamine cabinet construction questions

[ragswl4]

Jim and Mike,

Thanks for the replies. I've used dry wall screws on plywood and pine, and they've worked so far. But I think I'll get the McFeely's kit (it's not too expensive) and try that out, too. I'll be working on some closet stuff with melamine, so it might be more appropriate to use confirmat in that project anyway.

Thanks again,
Anna

Anna,

Let us know how the McFeely Confirmat screws work out and good luck on your project.

[Anna]

Does someone know which bit I need with the Confirmat screws? The McFeely's kit is back-ordered, so I'm trying to buy the parts and pieces instead.

Thanks.


Anna

[siliconbauhaus]

For 3/4 you want the 7mm bit and confirmat screws and a No2 pozi bit. I'd personally opt for the 2 piece drill just in case you break the one peice one.

I just looked and you can buy all the pieces seperately for about the same price as the starter kit and that includes the 2 piece drill.

[thrytis]

Does someone know which bit I need with the Confirmat screws? The McFeely's kit is back-ordered, so I'm trying to buy the parts and pieces instead.

I think the kit is only a few dollars savings over the separate pieces. I recently ordered the parts rather than the package because it was backordered. My order was:


MS-0750 7 x 50mm Two Piece Connecting Screw Step Drill $19.95
7051-CAP-C (100) 7mm White Screw Caps $3.39
7050-CSP-C (100) 7mm x 50mm Connecting Screws $7.53
HPD-0320 #3 x 2" PoziDrive Driver Bit Ball Detent $1.65

The MS-0750 drill bit looks better than the one in the kit since it has the replaceable bit, and doesn't carry the warning "One piece bits can be fragile. We recommend use of a corded drill 2500 rpm or higher. (Cordless tends to be too slow!) Clear chips frequently to prevent breakage."

[Anna]

Okay, that bit looks a lot like the Woodcraft one. I'll order the confirmat screws and drive bit from McFeely's, but I'll get the 2-step drill bit from Woodcraft since I'm getting a $25 WC gift certificate from ordering the Grex nailer this week.

You are both right that the individual pieces are only about $3 more expensive than the kit. I guess the caps come "free" with the kit, in a way.

Thanks again, guys. Will let you know how this cabinet project goes. I still have to clear out one side of the garage to put the cabinets up on. I'm pretty excited about getting our garage organized finally.

Anna

[cabinetman]

I'm not disputing Cabinetmans recommendation (he has way more experience than me), but I'm not a big fan of using drywall screws for woodworking...I've had too many of them break. If you ever want to disassemble the cabs for any reason, I've found that trying to remove drywall screws often results in the head popping off.

There's more to using screws than just driving them in and spinning them out. I always pilot and countersink screws (can do with one bit). It's imperative to know and use the proper size pilot hole bit. If no countersink is used, the head will receive pressure from just the hole size instead of the shape of the countersink which can break off heads. When removing screws, the immediate "twist" the screw head gets can break off heads, especially when seated in hardwood, or if long and deeply sunk. When inserting or removing screws, heat can be created in the screw body, by turning too fast. The best speed is a slow speed. This is when your driver has the most torque, and you'll be less likely to tear up heads. Heads can break off during installing or removal. The cheap drywall screws, and I am calling the coarse thread screws "drywall" are unpredictable.

So, I'll call them coarse thread screws, and the better ones have similar shapes to the thread, nice deep gullets, which help hold in composites due to the crumbling the threads create when cutting in. I use mostly Grabber screws. They cost more than the "drywall screws" at the big box, and work a whole lot better.

[mschrank]

There's more to using screws than just driving them in and spinning them out. I always pilot and countersink screws (can do with one bit). It's imperative to know and use the proper size pilot hole bit. If no countersink is used, the head will receive pressure from just the hole size instead of the shape of the countersink which can break off heads. When removing screws, the immediate "twist" the screw head gets can break off heads, especially when seated in hardwood, or if long and deeply sunk. When inserting or removing screws, heat can be created in the screw body, by turning too fast. The best speed is a slow speed. This is when your driver has the most torque, and you'll be less likely to tear up heads. Heads can break off during installing or removal. The cheap drywall screws, and I am calling the coarse thread screws "drywall" are unpredictable.

So, I'll call them coarse thread screws, and the better ones have similar shapes to the thread, nice deep gullets, which help hold in composites due to the crumbling the threads create when cutting in. I use mostly Grabber screws. They cost more than the "drywall screws" at the big box, and work a whole lot better.

I agree completely with you now...and I sort of assumed that you were likely referring to the coarse thread "drywall type" woodworking screws. I just wanted to note the inherent weakness of actual drywall screws when used for woodworking. Early into my woodworking, someone turned me onto drywall screws as being the cat's pajamas for ease of driving and no need for a pilot hole in softwoods. After breaking quite a few (even in fir), I looked and found the Grabber type of wood screw and have been using them ever since.

[JimD]

I've made a few cabinets of melamine particle board. Where I could, I dadoed the melamine about 1/8 deep to help with locating the mating piece and also let me use wood glue to join the pieces. Where the screws would not show, I also used screws. I may have used 1 5/8 but longer would be safer. With glue, however, the screws mainly clamp things together. Where screws would show, I just used clamps and glue alone.

I have also used a special glue made by Franklin for melamine. It sticks but is prone to failure if it gets a sharp knock. I have thus stopped using it. If you do not want to remove the melamine at the joint, I agree with Cabinetman, just use good sized screws.

I use coarse drywall screws. There may be better screws but I have not had a reason to switch.

I put iron on edging of melamine on the front edge and built full overlay raised panel doors. The doors are softwood with a whitewash or pickling stain then poly. LOML likes them better than the "professional" cabinets in the kitchen (the cabinets I made are in a kitchette in the basement and the bathroom in the basement).

Jim