Squaring Cabinets and Panels

Wayne, a method that worked for me when I was making a bookcase and gluing up the panels with biscuits was a reference mark. I bought those Bessey clamps that sit on those little blocks for when you are gluing and I dry fit everything and when I got my diagonals matching I just used my square and drew a pencil mark at the joints. Then when I assembled with glue and had to move quickly all I had to do was tweak the clamp handles slightly until the reference marks lined up and I was square. This worked on the panels as well as the doors for the lower cabinets. The panels were butt joints and the cab doors were mitered joints, and it worked for both. I drew the reference line in the center of each joint.

Not sure if that is a fine woodworking method, but it saved me from stressing while I was in the glue up stage.

All was square when the glue dried, so I was happy.

Wayne, your post makes a lot of sense. When I had my Craftsman saw I had to fight every cut and was surprised when the cabinet did come out close to square. One thing that I do is to measure the diagonals right after I finish clamping up the carcass. If it is not square then I put a clamp across the longer side and tighten it until the diagonals are equal. Once glue cures it should be fine and attaching the face frame will keep it square.

Another thing that I have thought about doing is using a clamping square to hold the sides at 90 degrees but have not gotten around to making a set of these yet.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I use the Bessey Angle clamp on the carcass works until the glue dries. Then the back panel and a little persuasion gets it square. The front side of the cabinet gets persuaded with the face frame that I made square with the help of the Angle clamps. I also leave a 1/4 reveal on the face frame to mask any thing that may be a little off. Of course things are easier when the pieces being glued are cut true and squared first.

-- Thuan

I used to have a similar problem getting everything square on glue up. Often the reason for that was that matching parts (eg. 2 sides, top and bottom) were different sizes-ie. slightly off in width or length.
Try this next time you cut your cabinet carcase parts-lay matching parts on top of each other and see if the corners and sides square up.
You’d be amazed at how a 1/16” inch difference will be magnified when the parts get glued up.
Hope this helps.

-- Gerry

Hey Snowy, your question makes lots of sense, so does scotts reply, my old table saw just wasn’t accurate enough. Also llegnths need to be exact. I use stops so they are all the same. I bought the cheap miter clamps at menards, these give me a good start when glueing up but the corners will still put apart. When I clamp parralell sides. Then I check diagonals and clamp the long until both diags are even. The mitre clamps are really just to make the glue up a little more 1 person with 2 hands freindly.

-- As the Saw Turns

i use corner blocks held in place by strong spring clamps. to make the corner blocks- cut several peices of hard wood scrap into perfect squares. like 3×3 or 4×4. then cut them diagnally to make 2 triangles. one corner will be square. cut steps on the 45 degree corners so you can clamp them in place.
you can buy clamp blocks but i aways seem to have small scrap peices to make more. i probally have 50 or 60 that i use allthe time. one more thing slightly camfer the 90 degree corner so it don’t get glued fast to your project.

-- jerryw-wva.

Woodcraft sells 3D clamps to square up face frames or carcases. Clamping pressure or clamps that are not square to the work could warp the work piece out of square. When I build a panel I make it a bit larger than my opening maybe 1/16” all around then plane it down to fit my opening just in case it’s not quite square.
-Rabbet

Good question Wayne. I have just learned several new methods, for acheiving square, a basic requirement for woodworking, but not always easily achieved!!

check out LJ parkerdude’s clamping jig

-- Ron, Missouri

A great question Wayne and am glad you posted it. I have scatched my head on this problem also. As with Cato, I have learned some great methods.

-- Jim, SE Tennessee

I do the same thing Jerryw does

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Thanks for all the suggestions gang. I will certainly give them a try. I always use stop blocks when cutting the pieces so they are the same lenght etc. But sometimes its just hard to hold the piece square until the glue sets.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

A great question , Snowy ….. I never thought of asking it yet but when I get around to rebuilding my kitchen cabinets , I’ve already got the answer thanks to you and the commenters : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

Jerryw and A1Jim use what I use.
The only thing is some of my triangles and squares are 18’’ or so.
I even have a few rectangle pieces 3’ long.x 1’. I have stepps cut, and 3’’ holes here and there through them to clamp akward angles/sets, etc.
Works for me.
The clamp like parkerdude has I have had for years… (an old 1940’s+ Deltagram project.) and they work well on small jobs..ie picture frames and door fronts. They do work for bigger jobs but must be made bigger, and of a strong hard wood.
The only way it works on a box frame is if you get the corners in and screw or clamp the clamp to the frame. Both front and back. otherwise you will bend your job. I have 2×6’ extention reach clamps for big jobs. but MUST be secured.

-- "Even small steps makes a distance." (Shawn Phillips, musician)

IM going to try catos method cause i have the same problem from time to time and i also have used corner blocks it helps but no always right on the money …

-- christoper Blanchard, Michigan