For those who have repaired water damage at bottom of cabs

[harveybirdman]

Did you butt joint the new side piece to the existing structure?  I mean that seems easy, but it's sort of ugly....



What are other options?  I was thing up slot cutting both pieces and then gluing a wood strip in sort of a tongue and groove fashion.

In the interest of full disclosure it will be two separate materials.  I'm going back with plywood instead of particle board, to resist damage from any future liquid spills.  Thoughts?

[yotsuya]

Did you butt joint the new side piece to the existing structure?  I mean that seems easy, but it's sort of ugly....



What are other options?  I was thing up slot cutting both pieces and then gluing a wood strip in sort of a tongue and groove fashion.

In the interest of full disclosure it will be two separate materials.  I'm going back with plywood instead of particle board, to resist damage from any future liquid spills.  Thoughts?

On the cab I resurrected for my sister, I used dowels and wood glue, and then used wood filler to hide the seam. I then used a strip on the inside part to reinforce it. Now, I think I'd use my Kreg jig and do pocket holes and wood glue, then wood filler and a reinforcing strip.

[jennifer]

     I suppose one could go that route, I have resessed a 1/8 band of steel on a joint like that once (with awesome results) but even so since the inside of the cab is unfinished the "patch" still had a tell by the primer ring.... I would be of the opinion if you have the patience, skills, space, and equipment to just replace the whole panel.

[taylormadelv]

Pics here would help a lot. This is a specialty of mine. I have fixed many water damaged cabs.

[harveybirdman]

So it doesn't look so bad on camera, but the particle board is quite brittle and disintegrates with minimal handling and, I am interested in long term durability and being able to rock the cab back on it's edges without worrying about damage, which is why I don't want to just fill the corner on the opposite panel with bondo.

Another factor, I will be laminating over this, so I'm not to concerned with seams, as long as it's level.

[taylormadelv]

I would take a circular saw (if you have one) and make a super straight and parallel cut that removes the bad part in one piece. Then measure the gap and cut your replacement out of the same thickness of plywood. I would even cut and sand that round corner before installing back on cabinet.
The real "woodworker" here would cut slots and do biscuit joinery but I know I wouldn't do that. I would edge glue along the contacting edge and reinforce with mending strips or reinforcing plywood strips on the inside. If you can somehow clamp this, Gorilla glue is always great but it's gotta be clamped real good and have space for the glue to expand on the inside.

[Louis Tully]

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[knave]

That looks good Louis

[harveybirdman]

Thanks for everyone's input, I tried really hard to do the dowel thing Louis I even bought a doweling set from Harbor Freight but in the end I got a better fit without the dowels and just butt jointed the ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of it.

I cheaped out on buying 3/4 plywood since I was just replacing 3 or 4 inches of damage, and settled for a couple 1 x 6's.  I'll update my project thread after I finish laminating but here's how it turned out.

[Louis Tully]

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