I have taken on a project that has taken on a life of its own and I need to throw a question out there.  Bear with me as I explain what I have.  I'm adding three roll out shelves to a custom made mahogany credenza.  There is currently one lower roll out shelf so I'm adding three more.  The door is on the far left side of the unit and the door attaches to the far left side of the credenza.  The credenza is made from a wood core with South American Mahogany Veneer.  Because the shelf needs pass by the open door there needs to be (3) 1 x 3 x 19" spacer boards attached to the wall of the credenza to screw the shelf slides to.  Herein lies the problem. Aattaching the spacer boards.The side wall of the credenza is 3/4" thick so I have to be very careful not to drill the pilot holes through the side wall or dimple the veneer so the deepest I can screw into the side wall is 1/2".  I would like to apply adhesive to help bond the spacer boards to the wall.  What kind of strong adhesive should I use?  Help!!

 

Here are 2 photos.  The one with the door shows the door, the current shelf and the spacer board.  The other picture shows the current shelf.

 

Hmmm, good one Ron, are you planning on exposing bare wood so the adhesive can adhere properly? Or are you hoping there may be an adhesive that will bond nicely to finished wood?

It is messy but construction adhesive might work. Other than that, removing the finish, under the spacers might be the way to go.

Removing the finish isn't an option so construction adhesive may be the answer.  I have stop collar drills to prevent drilling through the panel but I just need some extra grip.

Would epoxy work?

Epoxy would have been my answer too. When I put the brass tubes into wood for a pen they just will not hold if I use anything less than Gorilla glue. the unfortunate part is that it can EASILY get messy

Ron, I gotta say that for the purpose you are using those spacers for, IMHO screws would be suffecient, 1/2" I feel is plenty of holding power, but I understand wanting that extra insurance. What you may do, is instead of screws, dowel the spacer on. Three dowles should do it, you'll have bare wood to bare wood with the dowels, whaddya think? Or two screws and one dowel on each end of the spacer.

3/16" dowels should do the job. You'll have real wood joinery securing those spacers, better then screws. Use a 3/16" mini forstner style bit. Clamp the spacers to the cabinet, drill through the spacer into the cabinet, you won't have to worry about dimples either since the forstner bit is flat bottom. While the spacers are clamped in place, apply glue to your dowels and drive them home, tap tap. Let dry, trim the dowles flush, sand them then stain and finish the spacers in place. Not before you drive a couple screws in though, counter sink the screws and plug them, trim the plugs flush as well and sand smooth.

Backing up a tad in my suggestion, drive the screws in first, then dowel the spacers, that way the spacers will be sucked in nice and tight, then insert the dowels.

What about instead of having cleats put in one piece in that cover the whole side. It would sit on the floor of the opening, and you could put a couple of stretchers across the topp to hold it side to side (or screw it to the sides instead, or both). I would be nervous about gluing anything to a finished surface that will be carrying weight. You could probably glue this since the weight would be on the floor of the opening instead of the glue, but screws might be just as easy. The piece could be finished to match the rest of the cabinet as close as possible.

Great thoughts guys.  I'm in agreement with you Fred about gluing to a finished surface and I reall like John's idea about the dowels.  Since the spacer boards will already be finished I'd have to use blind dowels.  These piece will be dyed so about three 1/4" dowels and a few screws might just work. Clamping is an issue tjough.  I'll remove the door for installation so I can only clamp one end unless I make a few stretchers.

Great thoughts guys.  I'm in agreement with you Fred about gluing to a finished surface and I reall like John's idea about the dowels.  Since the spacer boards will already be finished I'd have to use blind dowels.  These piece will be dyed so about three 1/4" dowels and a few screws might just work. Clamping is an issue tjough.  I'll remove the door for installation so I can only clamp one end unless I make a few stretchers.

Really Ron all you would need is to clamp the one side for an extra hand only, the screws will suck that spacer in, I am imagining three dowels, one at both ends, one in the middle, and two screws, one between each dowel, the screws go in first to suck the spacer in to the mating surface.

I like your philosophy, John. Very similar to mine. "If it's warped, screw it!"

To attach the spacer boards:

I'd abandon all hope of using a glue unless you can get below the finishes and stains. for glue to adhere.

I'd just screw  the spacer boards in place using a few screws.

 

To prevent the pilot holes for the  screws from  going through and to allow the use of a hand drill I'd make a fixed drill stop:

Drill a length of some slender hunk of wood (a little thicker than the pilot drill bit) with the pilot drill - drill it form end to end  - then trim that length of wood so that when: The drill bit is in the chuck, the drill bit only sticks out of the drilled length of wood by the amount of the desired pilot hole.  The result is: no matter what, you can only drill so deep.

 

Then drill as many screw pilot holes as you please.

 

 

For precision:

You could  pre-mount these  spacer boards with Double Sticky Tape and  then drill the pilot holes in place to ensure that your spacer boards will always locate perfectly. 

I'd experiment with Goop. I've had it hold in similar situations. Some I've applied 6 years ago are still holding like I just applied it. When I experimented with the glued pieces and tried to rip them apart, I was amazed at the holding power and that the wood that ripped when I pulled it apart. I only use it when I have doubts about regular wood glue. I also use epoxy, but it does not adhere well to finished surfaces

I don't know if anyone considered this but there's a big biscuit joiner and a small biscuit joiner that would solve the depth/strength problem at the same time.

 

The smaller biscuits would solve the depth problem and strength problem.

 

Also, second idea, use the biscuit cutter and a ledger to cut a blind dado in the side of the cabinet and put in a blind spline joint between the side and the spacer.

I don't know if anyone considered this but there's a big biscuit joiner and a small biscuit joiner that would solve the depth/strength problem at the same time.

 

The smaller biscuits would solve the depth problem and strength problem.

 

Also, second idea, use the biscuit cutter and a ledger to cut a blind dado in the side of the cabinet and put in a blind spline joint between the side and the spacer.

Nice one Mike, great idea!

For things like this I use threaded blind hole brass tubes that expand in the hole with a special tool.