There are adherents to different methods, and lacking the testing required to assess the merits of different joinery, I'm going with what I know works best for me. The underlying question of the structural integrity of these two methods would be: Does using fasteners and not creating a 1/8" dado have more structural integrity than cutting the dado and insetting the brace into the panel? I'm thinking there isn't much difference.
Thanks for your reply about the bracing, GM. I believe we are on the same page as to the bracing and general construction techniques. Initially, I was going to build the bracing very close to the linked Pensil 12 cabinet. I changed my thoughts about that when considering the benefit and material use of the side to center brace window pane, combined with the obstruction they would cause to the pipe effect.
Instead, I am using two horizontal members joined to each side brace to tie to the center brace. It is, in some ways, more work, but I'm only doing this build once so I can rationalize the extra joinery required.
I'm fairly new to using a router but the ease of some operations make it a have-to-have tool for me now. It is like the advent of the battery powered screw guns, the epiphany being, "how did I get along without this sucker?"
I am just about done with the bracing, only needing to machine the center brace and ease some edges. Standby for pictures of a myriad of clamps.
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