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Cabinetmaking
Techniques
YOUR FIRST
I
ve built hundreds of single-door cabinets
like this one. Some people use them as
spice cabinets. Others use them in the
bathroom as a medicine cabinet.
As I was building this particular cabinet, it
occurred to me that it would be an excellent
project for beginners. It has all the traditional
components of larger-scale cabinetry, yet it
doesnt need a lot of material or tooling. Once
youve built this cabinet, you can build some-
thing bigger using the same principles.
Intermediate woodworkers might also pick up a
trick or two because I build my cabinets just a bit differently.
by Troy Sexton
Photo by Al Parrish
Troy Sexton designs and builds custom furniture and is a private woodworking instructor
in Sunbury, Ohio, for his company, Sexton Classic American Furniture.
Troy is a contributing editor for Popular Woodworking.
Start with
2" stock
1/4"
19" 27 1/2" 30" 27 1/2" 30" 3/4"
1 3/8"
1 1/8"
1/4" 1 1/8"
1 3/8"
3 1/2"
5/16" 3/4" 3/4" The tenons should be 3 8" thick (one-
1 1/2" 1" 1" half as thick as your stock), centered on
the rail and 1" long. I cut 1 2" shoulders
3/4" 16 1/2" 3/4" 1/2" 5 1/2" 3/4" on the tenons. If theyre any smaller, the
Case mortise might blow out. Now use your
18" dimensions 6 3/4"
tenons to lay out your mortises on the stiles.
Elevation Profile Hold the tenon flat against the edge where
the mortise will go and use the tenon like
a ruler to mark your mortise.
Adding this beaded moulding to the inside of the face Now cut your mortises. Make them all
frame creates a nice shadow line around the door.
Miter, glue and nail it in place. Dont forget to putty
11 16" deep, which will prevent your 1"-
your nail holes. long tenons from bottoming out. You dont
want your tenons to wobble in your mor-
Fit your door in the face frame before you attach the
face frame to the case. Everything lays flat on your
tises, yet you dont want to have to beat
bench as you work.Youll find this procedure is a the tenon in place.
faster and easier way to get perfect results. Dry-fit your face frame, then put glue
on the mortise walls and clamp it up. While
youre waiting for it to dry, turn your at-
tention to the bead moulding that goes on
the inside edge of the face frames.
Years ago, I used to cut the beading into
the rails and stiles. Then I would have to
miter the bead and cut away the beading
where the rails and stiles were joined. It
sounds like a pain, and it was. Now I sim-
ply make my bead moulding separate from
my face frame and miter, nail and glue it
in place. It looks just as good.
To make the bead moulding, put a 1 4"
beading bit in your router and mount it in
a router table. Then take a 3 4"-thick board
thats about 4" wide and cut the bead on
one edge. Take that board to your table
saw, set your rip fence to make a 3 8"-wide
cut and rip the bead from the wide board.
Repeat this process three more times.
The Door
Why make the door next? Well, for one
thing, it is easier to hang your door in your
face frame before you nail the face frame
to your case.
I build my doors so they are the same
size as my opening, then I shave off a little
so theres a 1 16" gap all around. This way if
the door or face frame is out of square, I can
taper the door edges to fit, hiding my error.
The door is built much like the face
frame, using the same size mortises and
tenons. The biggest difference is that you
will need to cut a groove in your rails Fit the face frame on the case.The stiles should hang 1 16" over the edge of the case so you can rout
(or plane) them flush later.
and stiles for the door panel, so your tenons
1
must be haunched. A haunch is a little your joints on the sides. You want the bot- 8"
between each board should be fine.
extra width in the tenons shoulder that tom piece to end up 3 16" higher than the Cut the moulding for the top so it re-
fills in the groove on the end of the stile. top edge of the bottom rail on your face sembles the drawing detail at left. Finish
Begin by cutting a 3 8"-deep x 3 8"-wide frame. This allows your bottom to act as a sand everything, then nail the moulding
groove down the center of one long edge stop for the door. Mark the location of that to the top.
1
of your rails and stiles. Cut your tenons on 4"-deep dado and cut. The top piece rests I like to peg the tenons in my doors
your rails. Then cut your mortises on your in a 14"-deep x 34"-wide rabbet on the sides. to add a little strength. Drill a 1 4" diame-
stiles. Dry fit the pieces together and mea- Cut that using your table saw. Then cut ter hole most of the way through the stile
sure how big the center panel should be. the 12"-deep x 14"-wide rabbet on the back and tenon. Then whittle a square piece of
You want the panel to float to allow edge of the sides. stock so its round on one end, put glue in
seasonal expansion and contraction, so Drill holes for shelf pins and space them the hole and pound it in place. Cut the
cut the panel to allow 1 8" expansion on 1" apart on the sides. Sand the inside of peg nearly flush. You want it to be a little
either side. Now raise the door panel using the case. Youll notice that the top and proud of the stile its a traditional touch.
your table saw or a cutter in your router bottom are 1 2" narrower than the sides. Break all the edges of the case with 120-
table. Practice on scrap pieces of 5 8" stock This is to give you a good place to nail the grit sandpaper, and putty all your nail holes.
so you achieve the right lip, angle and fit. back pieces to the case. Assemble the case Paint, dye or stain the all the components
When the panel is complete, sand the using glue and nails, making sure the top, (I used a water-based aniline dye). Then
raised section, then glue up the door. Be bottom and sides are all flush at the front. add two coats of clear finish and nail the
careful not to get any glue in the groove Attach the face frame to the case using back pieces in place. Hang the cabinet by
that holds the panel. When the glue is dry, glue and nails. Trim the face frame flush screwing through the back boards into a
hang the door in your face frame. to the case using a bearing-guided flush- stud in your wall. PW
cutting bit in your router. Finish sand the
Finally, the Case cabinet to 180 grit.
The case is simple. The top and bottom Take your scrap pieces and use them to
Supplies
Rockler 800-279-4441
pieces fit into 1 4"-deep dadoes and rabbets make a shiplapped back. Cut a 1 4" x 1 2" #31495 hinges for door, $5.79/pair
on the sides. The back rests in a rabbet on rabbet on the edges and then cut a bead
Horton Brasses Inc. 800-754-9127
the sides and is nailed to the back edge on one edge using a 1 4" beading bit in your #K-12 w/MSF (machine screw fit-
of the top and bottom pieces. router table. You want to give the back ting), call for pricing
Youll use your face frame to lay out pieces room to expand and contract, about
www.popwood.com
Photos by Al Parrish
A P R AC T I C A L
Shop Cabinet
O
Easily organize, store and transport all ne of my favorite things to do when I have free time
is to tinker around my shop, organizing my small
your small woodworking accessories with stuff. I actually enjoy sorting through nails, bits and
staples; and a pile of differently sized screws all thrown together
this clever cabinet and inexpensive plastic drives me crazy. For this reason, I have become fond of Planos
plastic utility boxes. I have about 100 of them.
tackle boxes instead of drawers. This might seem excessive, but I also use the boxes to
organize and store shing lures. In fact, these boxes often are
advertised as miniature tackle boxes.
by Troy Sexton Any woodworker or angler knows that the amount of
Troy designs and builds custom furniture in Sunbury, Ohio, for his company, Sexton screws, nails, bits and lures one owns tends to grow exponen-
Classic American Furniture. He is a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking. tially, resulting in a lot of little stuff. (After sorting through
popwood.com
Notch
Cutting the dados is simple work with a dado set Some heavy-duty screws will ensure this cabinet Two screw strips, one on the top and one on the
installed in your table saw. Cut four dados (one on will stay put, even when fully stocked. bottom, allow you to screw your cabinet to your
each side piece and two on the divider), move the shop wall. Notice the notch cut into the divider to
fence, then cut four more and so on. allow the screw strip to t.
my shing lures recently I realized Planos 3700-series utility boxes. at right. Use these layout lines to cutting bit), cut the tenon on the
I own almost 1,000.) Planos boxes For more information, see About drill your clearance holes, then four rails. Then cut the beaded
have dividers to keep everything Plano Utility Boxes below. screw the sides, top and bottom moulding prole and groove on
organized and theyre easy to carry (but not the divider) together with your four stiles with the stile bit
around the shop, to a job site or on Rows of Dados #8 x 2" screws. from your stile-and-rail bit set.
a boat. However, 100 loose boxes is Cut the poplar top, bottom, You need two screw strips to Its always a good idea to do test
a bit like a pile of differently sized sides, divider, plywood back and hang the cabinet on the wall one cuts when using stile-and-rail bits.
screws. I needed a box to orga- Masonite shelves to size, as stated on the top and one on the bottom, If you want additional instruction
nize my boxes. The cabinet you in the cutting list. Now its time as shown in the drawing. While on using stile-and-rail bits, check
see here is the result. to cut the dados. Install your the screw strips t between each out my Frame & Panel Dresser
This project is simple and quick dado stack in your table saw. The side piece, you must rst notch the story in the February 2005 issue.
to build as a shop project should dados are 1 4" wide by 1 4" deep center divider to make it work. To raise the panel, head to your
be. The plastic boxes merely slide so you need only the outside cut- Using your band saw, cut a 3 4" - table saw and bevel the blade to
in and out on pieces of Masonite ters. Theres no need to mess with wide by 11 2"-long notch at the top 7. Adjust the rip fence to leave a
that are slipped into dados cut on chippers or shims. and bottom of the back side of the shoulder on the panel at the top
the inside of each side piece and I spaced my dados 21 4" apart. divider. Screw the divider in place of the blade and a thin-enough
both sides of the cabinets center You need to cut each dado on the and then nail the screw strips in edge to t into the grooves you just
divider. The cope-and-stick doors inside of each side piece and on place as well, as shown above. cut in your stiles and rails. Again,
are entirely optional. both sides of the center divider. If you did everything correctly, cutting a test piece rst is a good
While any miniature tackle Cut the first dado in the four the 1 4"-thick plywood back should idea to ensure a snug t.
box will work, this cabinet fits places required, adjust your fence fit snugly between each side piece
and then cut the next one. Youre and flat against each screw strip.
cutting 11 dados on each piece, Basically, it fits into a 1 4"-deep
ABOUT PLANO which amounts to 44 dados. This rabbet you created when assem- SUPPLIES
method ensures you move your bling the cabinet. Cut your back
UTILITY BOXES fence as little as possible. to size, sand it smooth and, using
Plano
800-226-9868 or
I built this cabinet to hold any of With the dados complete, cut your brad nailer, nail it in place. planomolding.com
the plastic utility boxes in Pla- a 1 4" x 1 4" rabbet on the rear edge
plastic utility boxes
nos 3700 series. Ive been using of the side pieces that will hold the Cope-and-stick Doors 3700 series, price varies
Plano utility boxes for years and 1 4"-thick plywood back. The doors are optional. In a shop,
they work great. The 3750 has theyll keep the boxes from get- Rockler
a good, solid latch and the 3770 Assembling the Cabinet ting dusty. Plus, they show off 800-279-4441 or
is perfect for storing a combina- rockler.com
Once the dados are cut, round your craftsmanship. If and how
tion of woodworking and shing 4 partial wrap-around hinges
over the edges of the top and bot- you make them is up to you.
accessories. Most cost less than #31495, $6.39/pair
tom pieces using your router and a I made my two doors using
$5 each and can be found at 1 2"-radius roundover bit. Sand all stile-and-rail cutters on my router 2 narrow magnetic catches
any large sporting-goods store.
the case pieces to #180 grit. table. I used my table saw to raise #26559, $1.49/each
For more information about the
boxes, call 800-226-9868 or Lay out where the sides and the panel. First, cut all your door 2 classic wooden knobs
visit planomolding.com. TS divider will go on the top and bot- parts to size. Then, using your rail #15257, $3.39/pair
tom, as shown in the illustration bit (sometimes called the cope- Prices correct at time of publication.
Elevation - doors removed Section Door elevation
popwood.com
Under-
the-
Saw
Table
By Nick Engler
Nick is a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking, the author of 52 books on woodworking, and an inven-
tor of woodworking tools, jigs and fixtures. His most recent project, a flying full-size replica of the Wright
Brothers 1902 glider, is making its rounds to schools and museums across the country.
www.popwood.com
The saw
cabinet offers
plenty of
storage, even
a place to
keep the
fence when
its not in use.
made from medium density fiberboard you may prefer it a little higher or lower. with a few dadoes and rabbets, as shown
(MDF) and covered with plastic laminate Also decide whether or not you need your in the Box Joinery Detail (right). This
to make them more durable. The right top saw to be mobile. I need the mobility, so I makes a strong, solid construction.
is a shade over 4-feet long to accommo- mounted the cabinet on 3" swivel casters. The doors are mounted with overlay
date my saws Unifence and to increase my Without the casters, I would have made cabinet hinges, covering the front edges
ripping capacity. Theres also a cut-out in the cabinet a little taller. of the boxes. I made frame-and-panel doors
this top that holds a router, making the The joinery is simple and straightfor- because I like their looks, but you dont
saw stand double as the mother of all router ward. The plywood box parts interlock have to get that fancy. Simple slabs of ply-
tables.
For all the capability and convenience
that a homemade tool stand like this of-
fers, its not a difficult project to build. The
first step is to adjust the size of the cabinet
to your table saw. The dimensions shown
here are just suggestions. Start with the
most important dimension: the height of
the saw table above the floor. I made this
cabinet to hold the saw table at 34", but
Back Side
Bottom
The bolts that hold the cabinet tops to the
cabinet pass through slotted holes.This lets
3/4"
wd x you adjust the tops dead even with
3/8"dp rabbets the saw table (right).
and dadoes
Box Joinery Detail
wood make fine doors. the tops, I enlarged the holes in the boxes
The drawers slide on fixed plywood to make vertical slots. The slots let me ad-
shelves or wood strips mounted to the sides just the tops a fraction of an inch so I
of the boxes no hardware required. Each can get them perfectly level with the work
drawer is a small box, assembled with rab- surface of the table saw. The 3" diameter
bets, dadoes and grooves. The drawer faces access holes in the top of the right box let cleat
are made to cover the front edges of the me reach the bolts when I perform this ad-
boxes, just like the doors. justment. PW
The only joinery in this project that
requires any real finesse is where the cab-
inet tops join the saw and the cabinet. I
recycled the hardware that secured the
saws extension wings to attach the cabi-
net tops to the table saw. Where the tops
joined the boxes, I attached cleats to the
undersides, positioned the tops over the
boxes, and drilled bolt holes through the
box parts and the cleats. After removing
Right
side box
Left side box
Base box
Illustration by Mary Jane Favorite
www.popwood.com
P R O J E C T 11
American Cabinet
BY TROY SEXTON
Besides a table and chairs, no piece being narrow, I like to use the entire Next, create the matching tenons on
fits the dining room better than this width of the rails as a tenon, which adds the ends of the rails. I set up a dado stack
quintessentially American country-style strength. The mortises are 38" wide and and hog away the waste material, leaving
cabinet with storage behind doors and a 1116" deep. a snug-fitting tenon. With these tenons,
flat surface for serving food. This project Cut the mortises into both stiles of because they are the width of the rails,
fills both needs perfectly and is a study the face frame. I use a dedicated mor- cut only the face cheeks of each end.
in simple construction. Build a face tise machine for this task, but you can Set the dado stack for a 316" deep cut.
frame, attach that frame to a four-panel also chop them by hand or use the drill Set the fence to create a 1"-long tenon,
carcase, then add a top and a few simple press to start the mortises then square then make passes for each face to form
details and youre set to store and serve. and clean out the slots with a chisel. The the tenon. The last pass is with the end
mortise for the top rail is open on the of the rail tight against the fence. This
Start the Cabinet Face First top edge of the stiles. These are the only ensures that all tenons are the same
Prepare the face-frame pieces according mortises for the project. length. And that extra 116" of depth in
to the cut sheet, but add 116" to the width the mortise is just a glue reservoir.
of the stiles so they can be trimmed Check the fit of the first tenon and
flush to the frame later. This ensures the make any necessary small adjustments.
assembled face frame overhangs the case Finish the tenons and assemble the face
when following the cut sheet. Locate and frame. Apply glue in the mortises and on
lay out the mortise-and-tenon locations the tenons then add clamps and allow
on the rails and stiles. the glue to dry.
Because a bead wraps around the
inside edges of the face frame (its not Wrapping Up the Frame
an integral part of the frame) there is no The added beading gives the face frame
need to leave shoulders on the tenons. a pop and is so simple to make. Start
In fact, with the center and upper rails with a piece of stock surfaced on four
sides and milled to 34" thick. Next, chuck
a 14" corner-beading bit into the router
table. My setup looks different because
I position my router horizontally. With
the setup in a standard router table
youll run the stock vertically to form
the bead.
Run the profile on both edges of one
face of the stock and rip those pieces off
A SMOOTH FACE. Flatten the edge of the ADDING A POP. The bead is installed into EASY ON THE EYE AND SIMPLE TO BUILD.
stock with a handplane or jointer before the openings in the face frame. Careful mea- Combine a face frame with a bead detail
milling the bead. This guarantees a show surements are key to a proper t while glue and simple case construction to build a cab-
face on the bead. Make certain to install the and brads hold the bead in place. inet that affords copious amounts of storage
smooth face outward. and easily ts into many places in the home.
PROJEC T 11
36" 19"
2838"
114"
638"
5" 558"
1"
3"
3514"
36" 21 38"
2034"
4"
214"
614"
334"
214" 29"
1714"
3312"
ELEVATION PROFILE
PROJEC T 11
American Cabinet
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) DIMENSIONS (MILLIMETERS) MATERIAL COMMENTS
T W L T W L
A M E R I CA N CA B I N E T
PROJEC T 11
MAKE COVE MOULDING SAFELY. The small cove moulding is made using a wide board at a
router table. Next, rip the moulding to its nal width at the table saw. Fit the cove to the case
then attach with brads.
profile of each foot, then remove that stile of the left door. That stile is the 312"-
waste with a jigsaw. Dont worry about wide stock.
the look; just get the waste out of the With the door frames dry fit, mea-
way. All the edges are covered with the sure the raised-panel openings then
feet and the cove moulding that wraps make two raised panels using either a
the case. table saw or router bit. Check the fit
Nail from the back of the case to of the panels then assemble the doors
attach the feet. Add glue to the miters using glue in the rail-and-stile joint
to help hold them tight. Next, install only. No glue is used in the raised-panel
the remaining cove moulding at the top area. Install pegs to give the cabinet an
edge of the feet. The cove is attached to antique look.
the case with brads. These miters should Once dry, carefully hang the doors to
be reinforced with glue as well. the opening with simple butt hinges. The
left door is held to the case with a wood-
Drawer, Doors and Back en thumb-turn located behind the right-
The drawer for this cabinet is made in hand stile. It catches the middle rail.
a traditional method. The sides join the The backboards continue the bead
back with through dovetails and the front detail from the case front. Create the
is attached to the sides with half-blind shiplap joint then add the bead detail to
dovetails. The drawer bottom is slid into the individual pieces. As always, I spaced
grooves in the sides and in the drawer the boards using Popsicle sticks and
front. It is secured in the drawer with nailed them to the case all after finish-
nails that extend through the bottom into ing the cabinet. The finish is a mixture
the drawer back. The drawer rides on the of aniline dye with three coats of spray
fixed upper shelf. Drawer guides, butted lacquer.
to the face frame and held with brads, While this piece usually sits mainly
keep the drawer running straight. in dining rooms, it is a great project for
The door joints are cut with a cope- anywhere you need storage. If you build
and-stick set at my router table. The right- it, Im certain youll find a place to show
hand door in the photo has a rabbet cut it off and use it.
into the rear of the left stile. That rabbet
fits over a matching rabbet cut in the right
A M E R I CA N CA B I N E T