# Custom Cabinet Construction



## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Basic Base*

Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.

Let me begin with a basic base cabinet constructed from 3/4" plywood for the case and 3/4" hardwood for the face frame. A four drawer stack. The faceframe (FF) will extend 1/2" past on both sides. This would be an example of a cabinet between say a fridge and stove.



My base wall side (BWS) will always be 34 1/2" tall and 23" deep. With the 1/4" back and 3/4" FF, your net depth is the standard 24". You will need two sides for each base cabinet. The bottom fixed shelf (FXS) will fit into dadoes milled into each of the sides. The width of this FXS will also be 23", but the length will vary depending on the size of your cabinet. It is best to rip your BWS and FXS at the same time

Here is an important note, the depth of your dadoe in the BWS is not what you need worry about. Sheet goods vary in thickness, even among all the ones sold as 3/4". The technique is to leave 3/8" of material and let the dadoe be whatever depth it ends up being.

Here is why, if you have a constant 1/2" overhang on your FF and a constant 3/8" of material on your BWS it makes figuring cut sizes a breeze. Every base FXS will be 1 3/4" less than the desired end width.

Now, where to cut your dadoe. Set your fence to 4 3/4". This will put the top of the dadoe approxomately 5 1/2" from the bottom.



I make all my bottom rails 1 1/2" wide. With the set-up shown, this gives you the standard 4" toekick height.

Now a word about FF's. I use 2" widths for rails and stiles on my base cabinets. I use 2 1/2" on any stile that will meet a wall. This gives me material to scribe off and avoids those unsightly filler strips. The distances between the top rail and bottom rail are up to you to determine. Drawer banks, doors or doors and drawers. This is where your "design" comes into play. Just be consistant throught the room. There will be natural breaks like dishwashers and ranges, this is where you want to keep your lines the same. A 6" drawer on the left of a stove and a 4" drawer on the right will cause a visual break in the line of cabinets.

On the back of the cabinet you will need a place to attach them to the wall. This is what a nailer is for. If you make all your rear nailers 6 1/2" wide, then the distance from the FXS to the nailer will be less than 24". This optimizes your cuts on your 1/4". Smaller 3 1/2" nailers running from the rear to the front will provide even more rigidity and will give you a place to attach your top. The small 45 degree offcuts you sometimes see on cabinets really do not provide much structural support.



I hope this has started to shed some light on the process and I hope I have made sence with my explanations. Please let me know if any parts are unclear. I will continue to explain different situations as long as people want the info and can understand my ramblings. I have a whole bag if tricks once we get past basics.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


made sense to me, although I build mine a tad different


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tutorial, Rhett. Your process makes sense to me as well and seems pretty easy to follow. I am looking forward to hearing more about your process.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Great tutorial Rhett but i got a bit confused on some of your wording IE: *nailers *are these baterns that you pre fix to the wall then fix cabinet to

Andy


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


I can't speak for him, but I believe the nailers are inside the cabinet, strengthening the back, and sides.

Please continue, Rhett, the process is very revealing to people like myself that have never built them in large numbers. I love how you explain your reasoning with every step.

One question: The back is not fit into a groove along the BWS? Don't know where I learned that (probably NYW).


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


The "nailer" as I call it is exactly what NB2 refered to. It is a 6 1/2" wide piece of plywood that is the width of one inside wall to another. Personally I screw them in from the side if it isn't a finished end and pocket hole them if it is.

I do not use a groove for the back. One reason is time, the other is that once the nailer is installed, I use the back piece of 1/4" to square up the case. Some rooglue and about 30 wide crown staples and that back isn't going anywhere.


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Moron, that is what I love about custom cabinetmakers. You go to five different shops and see five different ways to do the same end result.

You can start at the head, or you can start at the tail, but either way, the skins coming off that cat.


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


As usual, an answer begs a question: What is rooglue, Gorilla glue? I only have a finish stapler , should suffice, no?


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


I use prefinished plywood to avoid the chore of finishing the insides of cabinets. Rooglue is a brand of melamine glue. If you were using raw plywood, regular yellow glue will do. A finish stapler will suffice as long as you adjust the shot so it doesn't crush the ply. Just has to sit flush.


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Thanks for answering, Rhett.


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Two more newbie questions. For a cabinet with an exposed (finished) side do you run a piece of trim along the back edge of the side to cover the edge of the 1/4" back (which would be exposed if I understand correctly)? Also, what do you use to make the cut-out in the side for the toe kick?


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Greg, I am going to do a post on finished ends specifically since there are a few different options to chose from.

I do the toekick notch on my band saw. I use a stop block to control the depth of cuts. I do a cut 3" deep by 4 3/4" high. This keeps the standard 3" TK depth as long as the material you use for your TK is the same thickness as the FF.


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


Thanks. Looking forward to the next installments.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Basic Base*
> 
> Thought I might start a blog to give some insight into how to build a set of custom cabinets for your kitchen. This seems to be on every woodworkers list, and with all the books and instructions out there, it can get a bit confusing. I will focus my attention on a faceframe set of cabinets with 1/2" overlay doors and drawers. The kitchen you build can be as traditional or as funky as you want to get. There are though a few guidelines that need be followed for everything to work out. I will not get into design and layout, as this will be a nuts and bolts tutorial.
> 
> ...


thanks Rhett i get were you are coming from now


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Finishing the base ends*

I am going to assume you have read my previous entries for this series, this way I can just keep rambling without backtracking.

So, putting a finished end on that base cabinet. There are more than a few ways to do this and unless you are building a galley style, wall to wall kitchen, you will need to think of a way to address this issue. There are more than a few ways to reach your desired destination and each way will give your finished project a look all its own.

Let me begin by saying that a standard base finished end (BFE) will be 34 1/2" x 23 1/4". The addition of the 1/4" gives you material to rebate out to hide the end of the 1/4" back. No plywood sold is nominally 1/4" thick unless it is MDF. Therefore cutting your rebates a solid 1/4" will not leave material proud. I will ellaborate on this further into the tutorial.



Most factory or manufactured cabinets cut all their BWS's in large batches. This leaves only one option for finishing that end cabinet, staining the side and calling it done. Personally, I do not like this look and find myself seeing it in every kitchen I enter as this is a sure sign of "semi" custom cabinetry.

Should you find yourself fond of this look and with enough skill to make it look correct, this is the best way I have found to do so. It is labor intensive but avoids unsightly end grain on the toekick (TK). This would be a good spot to mention I only use solid 3/4" hardwood for my TK's.

With your BFE cut to size, you then cut your TK notch 3" in depth by 4" in height. The trick is cutting the height at a 45 degree angle. This gives you the opportunity to cut a matching 45 degree angle in your TK to hide the end grain. You must also notch the top of the 45 to fit under the material left on your BFE. Labor intensive and not a real good look if you ask me. This is the best solution I have found



I like to see the TK wrap around and under any finished end. To me it looks as if the design is more cohesive and doesn't just stop at the end. In order for this to take place a few change must be made to your BFE.

First, the height of your cut changes to 30 1/2". This takes the other 4" out for the toe kick. You now need to add an additional 1/4" of width to the rip to account for the rebate I mentioned earlier. The bottom dadoe is cut so the top of the dadoe is at 1 1/2", the height of your bottom rail, this keeps the bottom FXS on the same plane. Your TK is now a simple miter that is kept at a consistent 3" in from the side.



Be aware that if you add your TK prior to your back, you must add that extra 1/4" to the lenght of your TK. If not, you will have a gap between the wall and your TK

This is how I prefer to attach FF's to my cabinetry. On a standard base cabinet, as I spoke of in a previous blog, I cut a pocket hole, with a dedicated PH cutter, on the outsides where it cannot be seen from the interior of the cabinets. Glued and screwed, it isn't going anywhere. On a finished end, I cut my stile with an extra 1/32" of width, 2 1/32", and use a domino and clamps to attach it. A biscuit cutter was my previous tool. I leave the extra 1 /32" proud of the end and it is then flush trimmed off after the glue has dried to give a nice smooth finished end. Wipe off the glue shorty after squeeze out to save the bearing on your flush trim bit.

Now, let me tell you how I finish my cabinet ends to make the very best looking cabinetry. I have made it standard issue to put these finished panel ends on all my cabinets. Should you see a set of "semi" custom cabinetry, you will notice that the upgraded panel ends are little more than extra doors screwed to the side of the cabinets.



You start with the BFE, but instead of adding the extra 1/4", you rip it to 23" with the rest of your parts. The panel end makes your rebate once it is installed. Build the case as you would with the 30 1/2" high finished side. The style of door you have chosen for your kitchen will determine the style in which you make your panel end.

Start be making a large 24" x 30 1/2" door/panel. Use the rails and stile widths you have chosen for your doors for this panel as well. Rough sand and square it up. Now, go back to your tabel saw and rip the "door" down to 23 1/4" +. Once screwed to your BFE, the ripped off portion will match the thickness of your faceframe giving the illussion of a solid post corner as well as giving you a 1/4" rebate to cover the backing.



Take your previously built case and install the FF. The overhang should be the thickness of your panel + 1/32" This allows you to use pocket hole screws to attach your FF on the side, the panel end will cover them once installed. With the additional 1/32" added, you will have material to flush trim off.

This becomes an exercise in tightening screws and clamps at the same time. The objective is to have a seemless glue joint, so focus your attention the the clamps and less on the screws. Since this is a long grain to long grain glue up, I don't bother to fuss with biscuits or dominos.

This should be enough info to get your started or in trouble. Use whatever labels you like, the ones I have developed, like BWS or BFE, are to help me in my shop. Building a kitchen or large set of built in is more about staying organized in the shop than it is about being a master woodworker.

Please ask for clarification on any points that may seem foggy. This is how I build them and its not written in stone. Take what you like and leave what you don't.


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Finishing the base ends*
> 
> I am going to assume you have read my previous entries for this series, this way I can just keep rambling without backtracking.
> 
> ...


Thanks, any more in the series?


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Simply Turning a Corner*

Now that I have written about basic bases and finished ends, lets address corners. Insides corners to be exact. There are many options for what to do with this common situation, as well as many different ways to accomplish the task.

The basic three solutions include a blind corner, an open corner and a 45 degree corner. Each of these have an impact on how functional a kitchen will be. They also each have impacts on budget, or time spent on the shop. Since there are alot of different aspects to each of these designs, I have chosen to write up each one seperately.

This will be the simplest way to address a 90 degree corner in a kitchen. The blind corner, named so because the construction of this corner leaves a large blind void in the back of one of the base cabinets. There are however expensive and complicated pieces of hardware which make all of this space useable.

Whenever possible, I build my cabinets into as few sections as possible. This not only makes for nicer looking cabinets but it aids in installation and overall material costs. The downside is these can get heavy fast. This is a two part blind corner. I have colored in the FF's for clarity.



I am going to call the smaller cabinet on the left 1 and the larger cabinet on the right 2. If you notice on cabinet 1, the left scribe is the normal 1/2" overhang. The right stile of the face frame is 3/4 shy of reaching the FXS. This gives cabinet 2 a spot to slide into upon installation. The FF is attached to an additional strip of ply screwed to the inside of the righthand BWS.

Since there will likely be drawers and doors interacting with one another in the corner, I have added an additional 1" to the normal 2" stile. This will ensure a drawer on one side will open without hitting the side of a drawer on the other.



The stile on cabinet two has an additional 3/4" added to it. This will be covered by the FF of cabinet 1 and will give you material to screw through to make an absolutely airtight inside corner joint. This also makes both stiles of the inside corner the same finished width.



The righthand BWS of cabinet 1 makes the inside wall of the blind corner. Cabinet 2 is acutally completely open on the far left side. Just be sure to attach your face frame leaving a maximum of 23" from the end of your BWS to the beginning of your 3 3/4" stile. This leaves cabinet 2 short of meeting the wall should something be out of plumb, as well as ensuring that the joint will pull tight. A notched stretcher (as can be seen in above photo) should be added to keep the space rigid and consistent.



The only other item that needs to be addressed is the TK. In building the cabinets this was, what I do is extend the TK of cabinet 1, 3" past the FF. Keep in mind the FF is 3/4" shy of the case side. Upon installation should the two pieces not fit snuggly together, check this first. Even a 1/32" extra in the TK of cabinet 1 will keep the entire corner from coming together.



Please ask questions if you need any clarity on the descriptions. Building it and trying to explain it are two different things.

Feedback is welcomed. Drawing out and logging away this info takes a bit of effort, and I am just trying to share the information taught to me by a 50+ year cabinetmaker. While this is not the one and only way to build kitchen cabinets, these are methods to build rock solid cabinetry that will last the test of time. Custom cabinetmakers are on the endangered species list. If the knowledge isn't shared it is lost.


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Simply Turning a Corner*
> 
> Now that I have written about basic bases and finished ends, lets address corners. Insides corners to be exact. There are many options for what to do with this common situation, as well as many different ways to accomplish the task.
> 
> ...


You've done a good job with the text and the drawings. Even though its nearly impossible to make out the dimensions on the drawings its still pretty straight forward to figure it out. This system is pretty impressive - it breaks down the construction into very manageable steps, albeit a lot of them. Very cool.


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Where planes soar in a modern shop*

As of late, I have been helping a local cabinet maker get caught up on some work. Nothing fantastic, basic kitchen and bath cabinetry. Spending a few hours a week, building boxes in my shop while he works on the doors/drawers down the hill. Perfect opportunity for extra income to help get the planes flying. It's also an excellent opportunity to document where old technology still wins in some parts of the modern shop.

Let me show you two of the bigger steps in basic cabinetry and where "plane over power" produces a better end product, faster.

First place I choose to fly a plane, the faceframe. Pocket screwing wood together, even with the best technique, will at some point lead to an unflush joint. Large cabinet shops will build the faceframes and then send them through large, wide belt sanders, flattening both sides. Smaller shops rely on orbital sanding or belt sanding. Both stir up a bit of dust and when you factor in sanding out the scratches left from courser grits, it proves to be a time killer. Grab a block plane, I find them to be faster and more accurate at flattening than their tailed options. Also, the surface left needs little extra attention. Even if your just OK with a plane, final sanding will hide your practice. Do I even need to mention you aren't making dust or fighting a cord?










I will make the argument that a wooden soled plane is a better choice here, simply by the fact that when flushing up joints, the heal and toe of a wood plane is less likely to chip or mar the edges of surrounding openings. On drawer stacks and cabinets with lots going on, I find a plane long enough to span the smallest opening works best.










Next stop, flushing up the frame on a finished end.










Power tool option is a router with a flush trim bit. Works great and is a solid go to method. It is however loud, dusty and if you tip the router, well, don't tip the router. Once again, this is a spot to consider a plane. Almost as quick but with minimal chance for disaster and next to zero chance for finger amputation.










Those are the two steps anyone building basic cabinetry has done or will do, and proof that hand planes still have a spot in the modern woodworking shop. Hope you either learned something or are motivated to make shop time. Thanks for reading.

Be Good
Rhett


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

rhett said:


> *Where planes soar in a modern shop*
> 
> As of late, I have been helping a local cabinet maker get caught up on some work. Nothing fantastic, basic kitchen and bath cabinetry. Spending a few hours a week, building boxes in my shop while he works on the doors/drawers down the hill. Perfect opportunity for extra income to help get the planes flying. It's also an excellent opportunity to document where old technology still wins in some parts of the modern shop.
> 
> ...


Rhett, you are a natural salesman! Bravo! 
You say use one that spans the smallest opening, do you attack the uneven joint at a 45 angle?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

rhett said:


> *Where planes soar in a modern shop*
> 
> As of late, I have been helping a local cabinet maker get caught up on some work. Nothing fantastic, basic kitchen and bath cabinetry. Spending a few hours a week, building boxes in my shop while he works on the doors/drawers down the hill. Perfect opportunity for extra income to help get the planes flying. It's also an excellent opportunity to document where old technology still wins in some parts of the modern shop.
> 
> ...


I see you've put a cap screw in the wedge. I like it!


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Furniture Bath Vanity*

Doing a commission for a local architect with whom I've worked before. Furniture grade cabinetry or cabinet grade furniture, call it what you will, this is what I'm building.










Her borrowed design, tweeked by me. Thought I'ld try to keep track and post photos for other woodworkers. Should be an easy build. The bridle joint at the top of the legs should be fun. This cabinets could easily be adjusted to fit in any bath.

Fortunately she is wanting a light colored hardwood, so I was quick to suggest ash.










These sticks and sheets of veneer core, ash plywood will be the materials used.










Pocket holes (GASP) and dominoes (OHH) will be used in the construction as well. This is a bathroom cabinet after all.

I'm starting in with the side panels. All the wood is 8/4 and the center panel is a full 3/4" thick.










Be Good
Rhett


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

rhett said:


> *Furniture Bath Vanity*
> 
> Doing a commission for a local architect with whom I've worked before. Furniture grade cabinetry or cabinet grade furniture, call it what you will, this is what I'm building.
> 
> ...


That's a pretty beefy vanity. Looking forward to your process.


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## Tugboater78 (May 26, 2012)

rhett said:


> *Furniture Bath Vanity*
> 
> Doing a commission for a local architect with whom I've worked before. Furniture grade cabinetry or cabinet grade furniture, call it what you will, this is what I'm building.
> 
> ...


Yer ash pile shrunk!


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Woodworkery vanity sides*

Let me start by saying, much love to the guys and gals who work in the shop with the intention of keeping track for others. Working wood is one thing, documenting, organizing and editing is another.










Rough cutting a plank of 8/4 ash.










Ripped oversize on the TS then squared 2 sides on the jointer. Back to the TS to square 4 sides.










Drumsanded out the saw marks then cut to length.










I now have 4 pieces of ash 2" sq by 30.5" and 4 pieces 2" sq by 22". Time for some joinery. I cut all the joints on my TS with a tennoning jig and a flat top grind blade. The bridle joint is centered only on the tops. Centered joinery is by far the easiest to accomplish with powertools. Mainly due to the fact you can run your stock end for end and it automatically centers your cuts.










I use a piece of off-cut to sneak up on the tenon. Once set, its time to cut the rails.










I cut the cheeks, but am mindful to keep the scraps, these will be used later for cauls.










Since the saw was already set up for cutting the upper rails "cheeks off", I used the stop to cut the lower rails to length. Their length is the distance from cheek to cheek, on the upper rails. Loose tenons will be used later to join these rails to the leg bottoms.










A dadoe stack is used to cut the grooves for the panel. The top rail requires a stopped groove, since the ends will show.










The plywood is cut for panels. When laying out plywood, I like to take a moment and work off a center veneer seem. This wastes a bit more material but makes for nicer looking panels.

More to come!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

rhett said:


> *Woodworkery vanity sides*
> 
> Let me start by saying, much love to the guys and gals who work in the shop with the intention of keeping track for others. Working wood is one thing, documenting, organizing and editing is another.
> 
> ...


nicely done Rhett.


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

rhett said:


> *Woodworkery vanity sides*
> 
> Let me start by saying, much love to the guys and gals who work in the shop with the intention of keeping track for others. Working wood is one thing, documenting, organizing and editing is another.
> 
> ...


Good stuff man. I'm sure I wasn't the only one surprised to see the drum sander….from a guy who sells hand planes


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

rhett said:


> *Woodworkery vanity sides*
> 
> Let me start by saying, much love to the guys and gals who work in the shop with the intention of keeping track for others. Working wood is one thing, documenting, organizing and editing is another.
> 
> ...


If I had a handplane that could clean up 4 legs at a time, you better believe I would have been using it instead.

Hope you guys aren't waiting on progress pics. Didn't seem to be much interest in this blog, so I quit spending the extra time documenting and writing about the build. No need blogging to myself.

Starting to spray today, install on Friday.

Be Good
Rhett


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

*Woodworkery vanity sides p2*

Must be trying to put too many pics in these blog enteries.

So I set-up a sacraficial fence on the TS and wasted out the back edge of the plywood panels.


















Had to clean up the ends of the stopped grooves, so I used a drill press to remove most of the material then cleaned them up with a chisel.


















Here is a little cheat to make life easier. Not "fine" work by any means, but remember, this is going into the guest bath of a home, not the foyer of a mansion.


















Thought this looked neat during dry fit.


















Here are the two finished sides.










So far I have used 1/4 sheet of plywood, 12 bdf of 8/4 hardwood and 5 hours of shoptime. It's 6 hours if you count stopping for pics and writing about it.

Thanks for reading,
Rhett


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

rhett said:


> *Woodworkery vanity sides p2*
> 
> Must be trying to put too many pics in these blog enteries.
> 
> ...


Its hard sometimes to not forget to stop and take pictures. Nice job.


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