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Building Cabinets- An Introduction
Safety Tips
1.
Safety glasses or goggles should be worn whenever power tools are in
use and when chiseling, sanding, scraping or hammering overhead. This
is very important if you wear contact lenses.
2. Wear ear protectors when using power tools. Some operate at noise
levels that damage hearing.
3. Be careful of loose hair and clothing so that it does not get
caught in tools.
4. The proper respirator or face mask should be worn when sanding or
sawing or using substances with toxic fumes.
5. Keep blades sharp. A dull blade requires excessive force and can
slip which causes accidents.
6. Always use the right tool for the job.
7. Repair or discard tools with cracks in the wooden handles or chips
in the metal parts.
8. Don't drill, shape or saw anything that isn't firmly secured.
9. Oily rags are spontaneously combustible. Take care when you store
and discard them.
10. Don't abuse your tools.
11. Keep a First Aid Kit on hand.
12. Do not work with tools when you are tired. That's when most
accidents occur.
13. Read the owner's manual for all tools and know the proper use of
each.
14. Keep tools out of reach of small children.
15. Unplug all power tools when changing settings or parts.
16. Be sure to review safety section at the end of the tape.
Take
special care in reviewing the tape regarding the use of the table saw
fence settings, and the suggestions on how to make cuts using safety
guards, push sticks, push blocks, fence straddlers, and feather
boards.
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KNOW
WHERE YOUR HANDS ARE AT ALL TIMES!
Most Common Mistakes
The single most common mistake in any do it yourself project is the
failure to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for any
tool or material being used. Other common mistakes include taking the
safety measures that are laid out for a project for granted and poor
project planning. Here is a list of hints to success- fully complete a
project and to do it safely.
1. Follow the "Golden Rule" of measuring: "Measure twice, cut once."
2. Provide yourself plenty of time for each step.
3. Understand your plan. (If you have questions, review that part of
the videotape).
4. When finishing the wood, keep dust and dirt away from the cabinet.
5. Follow the application instructions for your choice of finish.
6. Experiment with scrap wood before you work on the real piece.
7. Be sure to use a dowel jig, horizontal boring machine or dowel
centers to be sure that dowel holes are aligned.
8. Be sure face frame is flush with the plywood sides before nailing.
9. Assemble entire face frame before attaching to the carcass.
10. Do not fill countersunk nail holes until after the stain has been
applied. This assures a better color match.
11. Be sure the notches on the sides are cut to fit flush with the
bottom of the face frame, not the bottom of the bottom shelf.
12. Be sure the doors are hung straight and aligned.
Basic Cabinet Components
• Kick-plate
• Carcass
• Strong-back
• Face frame
• Doors
• Drawers (optional)
• False Front
Cutting and Assembly
Ripping and Crosscutting the Plywood
Rut the side’s long ways first than cut it to length. The cabinet will
be 19" deep, so when you cut the side the cut is made at 18 1/4"
because the face frame is 3/4". (18 1/4" + 3/4" = 19")
1.
Measure from the fence to the inside of the saw blade, cut along the
scrape side of the stock to make sure you have an 18 1/4" cut.
Note: If the cut is made to the good side of the blade, then
you will decrease the width of the piece 1/8 " or the width of the
blade known as a kerf.
2. Rip the plywood. **You will need an assistant to help with this
step.**
3. Cross cut the stock using a circular saw. (A table saw will also
work but can be difficult to use when cuffing long pieces of plywood)
Note: To make accurate cuts, clamp a straight edge across the board to
act as a guide. Also set the saw blade " deeper than the " plywood.
4. Cross cut the sides to 30 1/4". This along with the counter top
gives the total height of 31".
5. Making the base. The base is 3 1/4" high and cut out of the
plywood. Cut so that the width is the width of the cabinet, less the
two sides and the depth is the depth of the cabinet less the depth of
the notch for the kick, plus the thickness of the faceplate. Nail the
bottom onto the base using a little glue and a few 6d finishing nails.
Make sure to line it up perfectly as you nail it, then nail the bottom
shelf on to the base.
6. Notch the sides at the bottom to create the kick.
Note: Cut the notch on the side a little lower because the face
frame drops a 1/2" lower than the bottom of the shelf. This prevents a
1/2" gap when assembling the carcass. For the final cut measure 2 1/2"
deep and 2 3/4" high. The best tool for this is a jig saw. Draw the
notches onto the plywood using a small finishing square.
Assembling the Face frame
1. Rip the hardwood to the specified width. If there is a bow (curve)
in your stock, you will need to remove this before cutting to the
final width so that the final pieces will be straight. You can use a
jointer or attach a straight piece of plywood to the stock as a
straight edge and run it through a table saw.
2. Cross cut the stock to the specified length. Use a stop block and
the rip fence to cut several pieces to the correct length.
3. Determine the location of the dowel holes. Lay the face frame out
on a flat surface large enough to support all the pieces. Position the
pieces in their correct location to be sure everything was cut to the
proper length. Remove the rails (the horizontal pieces of the face
frame) and bring the stiles (the vertical pieces) together and mark
them both for the dowels. This process will assure that the rails run
level. Separate the stiles and place the rails in their proper
positions and extend their marks from the stiles to the rails, so that
the dowel holes in each will be aligned.
4. Use the doweling jig to drill the holes for the dowels. Line the
mark on your stock up with the doweling jig that corresponds to the
size of the dowel you are using.
Note: A piece of tape or a depth gauge wrapped around the drill
bit makes a good depth stop.
5. Put wood glue on the stiles, rails, dowels, and the dowel holes.
Insert the dowels, using a mallet to help seat each dowel.
Note: When gluing, apply the glue and let it cure for few
minutes. The glue will be absorbed into the grain of the wood,
particularly on the end grain. After a few minutes reapply glue and
join your pieces. Optional: A horizontal drilling unit works nicely
for drilling the dowel holes.
6. Clamp the assembly together, being careful to wipe up any excess
glue. Tighten the clamps alternately so the joints meet as evenly as
possible. Pieces of scrap wood, or clamp covers, between the jaws of
the clamp will protect the finish from being scarred. After the clamps
are set, check for square ness, make any adjustments before the glue
sets.
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