I'm trying to decide between using rabbets or pocket holes for constructing cabinet drawers. I plan on using 3/4" plywood for the sides and a 1/2" bottom. My main goal is to minimize frustration and improve accuracy during the build. I've heard that rabbets are self-squaring, but I'm curious if pocket holes might save me time. What do you guys think?
1 Answer
I recommend going with rabbets for attaching the bottom to the sides of the drawer box. Pocket holes for the box itself are pretty straightforward, but the critical part is making sure everything stays square while you're clamping it and drilling. Just keep in mind that pocket holes can be hit or miss with plywood, at least from my experience. I find that drawing up a square is where it's at!
Totally agree! I've had great success with pocket holes in 3/4" plywood, but I might switch to rabbets just for the sake of variety next time.