If ya had to have exposed bolts on side of oak cab what would you use?

[rackoon]

I am building a cocktail cab and have all the parts cut and laying on the floor and I'm ready to glue it all together. I was going to use dowels and even bought them and a doweling jig but now I'm having second thoughts because my cab isn't square (its on purpose, trust me).

Long story short- using dowels would be really tricky due to the shape so I thought that I could screw it all together, make sure it all lines up, then take it apart, add glue, then screw it all back. "Piece of cake!"

Problems:

It is all oak plywood and need to look good (its not like I can paint it)

Screws and those little oak plugs stick out but might look OK.

Lag bolts and washers might look good if I could find antique brass or black(maybe crome, but my web searches have turned up nothing. Its would be hard to stain cab with these in. I suppose I could stain first.

I saw some awsome crome caps for bolt covers but they are heck of spendy.

Anybody got some Ideas or just want to add your two cents?

[Jeff AMN]

How dark is your stain? Are you going natural, or a deep tint? Brass would look pretty nice on natural, but if you're going to stain it something darker I'd see if you could get a pewter looking bolt from the Home Depot.

[SavannahLion]

Yonkers ago, I remember seeing this product that you could cap over bolts. Kind of like those ---smurfy--- plugs you're describing, but they weren't meant to blend in. I think they were intended to refinish things without actually replacing the bolts. They also came in funky "fun" colors like red, blue, whatever.

I tried to Google for them under "Bolt Caps" with various materials, such as pewter, but all I got were automotive related stuff. Then I tried "Bolt Covers"  with the same and I found stuff that were just plate covers and others that are closer to what I remember but not quite and something similar but for an insane price. But nothing so far in Brass or Black

Oh well, I tried. Maybe those will direct you in the right direction. Or maybe someone remembers the product I'm talking about and give us a link.

[rackoon]

Im going with a dark walnut.

[rackoon]

I have a chrome colored diamond plate kick plate going three inches high around bottom of cab. Chrome bolt covers might look cool. soooooo spendy though.

[DrewKaree]

Get an oak board and some plug cutters.  Cut plugs from the board, glue and tap them in, then saw them flush and sand 'em smooth.  Same look, same wood, and it'll hide the screws.

If you're not comfortable using the plug cutters, they also make oak plugs.  Not the "buttons" you're talking about - they'll be slightly tapered little half-inch plugs. 

That's the route I'd go.  I see no way to make lag bolts blend in or at least look like they go with the overall design.

[flashdog]

Carriage bolts work nicely and you can paint & countersink them easily.

[Extreme8]

Get an oak board and some plug cutters.  Cut plugs from the board, glue and tap them in, then saw them flush and sand 'em smooth.  Same look, same wood, and it'll hide the screws.

If you're not comfortable using the plug cutters, they also make oak plugs.  Not the "buttons" you're talking about - they'll be slightly tapered little half-inch plugs. 

That's the route I'd go.  I see no way to make lag bolts blend in or at least look like they go with the overall design.

Yep. There's your answer.

If you don't want to go that route, how about gluing up the corners then gluing and screwing corner blocks from the inside?
Glue will be plenty strong and the block will hold it while it sets.

[javeryh]

Get an oak board and some plug cutters.  Cut plugs from the board, glue and tap them in, then saw them flush and sand 'em smooth.  Same look, same wood, and it'll hide the screws.

If you're not comfortable using the plug cutters, they also make oak plugs.  Not the "buttons" you're talking about - they'll be slightly tapered little half-inch plugs. 

That's the route I'd go.  I see no way to make lag bolts blend in or at least look like they go with the overall design.

This is exactly the right answer, IMO, if you HAVE to use bolts.  Otherwise I'd suggest just some wood glue and clamps on the inside - it will be plenty strong to hold everything together...