dowels strong enough?

[jp]

I want to build a mobile base/cabinet for my BT3. I don't have the extended rails so it'll just be a box under the saw.

Question: i plan on building it out of glued up panels of 3/4 inch plywood. Will dowels for the butt joints be strong enough to support the saw?

thanks

[LCHIEN]

Glue should provide the bulk of the strength in such a joint, if the glue is properly applied.
Dowels help in initial alignment.

If you need a stronger joint then a joint that increases the glue area and directions will be stronger joint, for example, a rabetted joint.

[RainShadow]

Plywood is tricky when using butt joints -- even Baltic Birch.
Do you have a router ??? Dado/Groove/Rabbet the top/bottom of the carcass for a nice clean joint and then put it together with the help of finish nails.

Good luck, Randy from Oceanside, CA

[Rob R]

i would second the rabbet joint. it's easy to do-- even with the cheapest of routers and a straight bit from MLCS (very inexpensive if you need one). that will give you a bunch of glue space and help keep the panels in place while you "tack it with a few brads" a la nahm abram...

[Hoover]

Agree with the above posts. A butt joint is the weakest joint, especially for a mobile base/cabinet. There is not enough strength to resist racking when the base is being moved. A rabbeted joint is much stronger. Good luck with your project.

[wassaw998]

jp -

I found on my BT31 that as I moved the saw around my basement floor (which is rather unlevel) on the supplied stand, the saw would rack, and come in and out of alignment. To prevent that, I also built a very simple mobile base like you describe out of 3/4" ply + MDF. I rabbeted the joints, and included a center divider (dadoed) of mdf for more stabilty, and back out of mdf (rabbeted). I then mounted the 'box' on a platform, which was again a sheet of mdf and a 2x4 torsion frame. The idea was to have a very solid box that would not rack on me. I added a face frame to the front. You can find a picture of what I did over on the BT3 related discussion section, plus, a search would reveal a lot nicer looking ones with more ideas. Good luck !