Dowel or brace - opinions? plus what glue for laminated surfaces

[Blakey]

My panels are cut, I've routed for t-molding, I'm just about to start assembly.

I'd originally planned to use a piece of timber running ~90% of the length of each joint, with screws going through it and into the panels (18mm MDF with laminex both sides), plus glue on all mating surfaces.

Then I got to thinking, and I'm not sure if it wouldn't be stronger to scrap the brace and drill the face/end of the mating panels for dowels and use them plus glue.

Diagram below to explain what my words can't.

What say you, experienced cabinet builders?

Also, what sort of glue should I use to glue mdf->laminate, pine->laminate? PVA/MDF glue? Something else?

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would do BOTH.
But, then again, I framed my cab base entirely with 2x4's and then screwed the 3/4" ply to that.
I've never heard anyone complain about building a cabinet that was too strong, or didn't wobble enough.

Seriously though, doweling is a good idea, but reinforcing that with ledger blocks of whatever shape/size you choose will only make it sturdier.
My only hesitation about doweling MDF is that the dowels will weaken the MDF for front-to-back torque, while strengthening it for side-to-side torque.

As far as glue goes, I'd use wood glue for the wood joints, and countertop (contact) adhesive for the laminate to wood joints.
If you've never done laminate, you might want to read up on the dowel application method.
In a nutshell, you put spaced out dowels between the laminate and cabinet wood after applying the adhesive, so that it doesn't stick to itself.
Once the adhesive touches another layer of itself you aren't moving it anywhere.
As you go to apply the laminate, you remove one dowel, and apply that section, and then move on to the remaining dowels.

[Apollo]

Yeah I did something similar although 2X4's are probably overkill a little bit, I used 2X2's and screwed the plywood to the frame. It's solid as a rock.

[Blakey]

Thanks guys, I definitely don't want a wobbly cab, so I'm chasing the neatest and strongest solution.

The MDF is already laminated on both sides, it's a panel direct from Laminex, so I don't have to worry about that.

I might use a few dowels and then bung on some ledger blocks. 2"x4" seems a little big for my cab, it's only a cocktail (mockup below). I think some dowels plus 1x1" ledger will hold it very tight.

As far as the glue goes, there are no mdf-mdf joints, only ledger-laminate or mdf-laminate. So contact adhesive for both?