cabinets and chest of drawers

[masonsailor2]

I think the answer is that cabinet making and furniture making is a mixture of cost and practicality. You can do both either way. If you are building with exotic woods sometimes the factor is cost and don't forget weight. Furniture will eventually have to be moved. Veneers are much lighter and infinitely more stable. Also with exotics the ply may not be available. When you design the piece all these factors come into play. Another part of the practicality factor is time. A solid wood frame type chest of drawers takes many times longer than building it with ply panels and biscuits.
Paul