Project Information
I built myself some new cabinets for the shop.
Rather than futz around with the traditional tenon in the frame and panel doors, I decided to try simple half laps. I also figured that would be stronger to hold all the tools on the doors. It doesn't look the best, as you can see in the last picture, but the edges are hidden when the doors are closed.
The carcasses were all made of 3/4" ply for the top, bottom and sides, and 1/2" for the back. I used pocket screws on all of it because I don't have enough clamps to clamp all of that up at the same time. For the cabinets, I used ACX ply that I bought new. The drawer carcass was made from some birch cabinet ply that I had leftover from some other cabinets I made for the house.
The cabinets are about 22" wide x 22" deep x 43" high. The drawers are pretty much the same except only about 10" wide.
I use peanut butter jars for my screws and nails. The small ones hold about a 1lb box and the big ones hold a 5 lb box. Then I just rip the label off and put it in the jar so I can see what is in that jar. The jars are plastic, but don't shatter even in the deep freeze of a Chicago winter. Then I can unscrew the lid and dump a small number of fasteners into it to grab easily. Kind of like a small bowl.
Keeping those plastic jars in the cabinets, it was impossible to see what I had at the back. Now I can pull the drawers out and see exactly what I have easily. Screws in the bottom drawer since I use them the most, and nails in the upper drawer.
The peg board you see on the wall in the 3rd pic will become a french cleat system. At that same time, I will add french cleats to the side of the drawer carcass. I figured that french cleats would be too heavy for the cabinet doors. In the spring, I will be re-doing my shed and I plan on using some house wrap on the back of the cabinet doors to keep dust out.
Rather than futz around with the traditional tenon in the frame and panel doors, I decided to try simple half laps. I also figured that would be stronger to hold all the tools on the doors. It doesn't look the best, as you can see in the last picture, but the edges are hidden when the doors are closed.
The carcasses were all made of 3/4" ply for the top, bottom and sides, and 1/2" for the back. I used pocket screws on all of it because I don't have enough clamps to clamp all of that up at the same time. For the cabinets, I used ACX ply that I bought new. The drawer carcass was made from some birch cabinet ply that I had leftover from some other cabinets I made for the house.
The cabinets are about 22" wide x 22" deep x 43" high. The drawers are pretty much the same except only about 10" wide.
I use peanut butter jars for my screws and nails. The small ones hold about a 1lb box and the big ones hold a 5 lb box. Then I just rip the label off and put it in the jar so I can see what is in that jar. The jars are plastic, but don't shatter even in the deep freeze of a Chicago winter. Then I can unscrew the lid and dump a small number of fasteners into it to grab easily. Kind of like a small bowl.
Keeping those plastic jars in the cabinets, it was impossible to see what I had at the back. Now I can pull the drawers out and see exactly what I have easily. Screws in the bottom drawer since I use them the most, and nails in the upper drawer.
The peg board you see on the wall in the 3rd pic will become a french cleat system. At that same time, I will add french cleats to the side of the drawer carcass. I figured that french cleats would be too heavy for the cabinet doors. In the spring, I will be re-doing my shed and I plan on using some house wrap on the back of the cabinet doors to keep dust out.