# Making Sawdust



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Some cabinets I am making for a house remodel here. The sink base cabinet is a ten footer and would have been a lot easier if I had gotten some 1x6's for the base frame but I screwed up and got 1x4's. I ended up adding blocks to get the bottom and toe kick in where it belongs. I didn't dado the bottom in either but all the others have the bottoms, shelves and tops dado'd in as well as the cabinet backs. I use routers to dado and rabbet shown in the pictures. I used 5mm Red Oak panels for the top cabinets backs and Luan for the bottoms, you can't really see them when the doors are open. The tall cabinet got away from me when I tried to flip it on my table and self destructed when a temporary brace came loose. I got lucky and it didn't split any of the face frame but had to start over and re-nail it. Sometimes you need a helper to flip big ones over. The easy part is over now for the fun part, doors and drawers.


----------



## duc996 (Aug 14, 2007)

Nice work, seems like you have a great big shop to work in too. Hope to see the finished project and thanks for sharing.


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 16, 2010)

Looks good to me. Nice job. Wish I had work area that size.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Shop*

The shop is a 30x40 Impact metal building with a 12x14 office in one corner. Being this big it still fills up and I have dolly's to move my big power tools around. I used to work out of my garage, talk about cramped. I had to do work in stages and also had a tiny table saw and mitre saw. My sister gave me a Festool track saw and that was the best gift I could have ever gotten for cutting cabinets out. I had a home made rig before I got it and boy it helps a lot. I still like my little Delta mitre saw for trim work and the little table saw is set up with a dado blade for drawer bottoms. If you are going to have big tools better have a big shop.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Shaker Drawer Fronts*

What fun this is. To radius the inside of the styles and rails you have to dry fit each one and run the router then take them apart and glue and assemble. Talk about a slow start but the more I did the faster it was going until I put one of the panels in backwards:hairout:
I thought I ruined the rails when I tore it apart but managed to salvage them and just had to make two styles and groove them. When you mill the pieces you always mark the downside of the stock so when you assemble chances are your tongues and grooves match or at least they should. Well, I found out my router isn't running perfectly perpendicular to the table so my fits were better on the backside where you can't see them. Just a teeney weeney angle opens it up. When I do the doors I will run the marked sides up and that should fix it. I am using a Freud router table that is made out of all things, MDF. No bueno in this swamp where I live and I guess it is warped. I have checked the plate with a straightedge ten times so I have to live with it until I get a better one. If somebody knows how to correct this please chime in. I have nineteen doors to build I hope they turn out better than these did.


----------



## Its Catchy (Apr 10, 2014)

Wado,

You have skills! It looks good


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Tight Fits*

I used to help build wooden boats in the winter time years ago. Most were around 38' to 40' and we did a few skiffs. I sure wish I had built more of the 20' skiffs and learned how to make sunken deck models. I would really like to build one or at least see if I can build one without my old master guiding me. His favorite saying was " If a 16 will reach it, nail it!" He also liked two inch putty for bad fits. Never had to break that stuff out, he was one heck of a boat builder. He said he got the idea of building plywood boats from when he was in the Navy and messed around on PT Boats. One of these days I will convert my boat building albums to digital and throw them on here. I hope the silverfish haven't eaten the pictures. This was my last boat I built in 1986 with the help of Melvin, he died a few years later. I did all the work with the help of my Dad, Melvin Sexton and my wife. I laid the keel and did all the mechanical and even fabricated the rigging and did the welding. I hired a Vietnamese fellow to paint the name, he needed the money and I am terrible at name painting. To be young again.


----------



## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

You sir, have some serious talent! I'm jealous!


----------



## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

That looks like some really high quality oak. Where do you get it? I once looked for wood like that but never found it in Houston.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Red Oak*



fishingcacher said:


> That looks like some really high quality oak. Where do you get it? I once looked for wood like that but never found it in Houston.


One of the bundles of 1x2's had the mills invoice stapled to it and I guess I threw it away. I thought about buying direct but I doubt if they would give me an account. I don't buy on a regular basis. I buy it in Victoria from Marr's lumber and my plywood also. The 3/4 and 1/4 is American made and the 3/4 is solid one side and pieced on the back side but you have heck telling the difference. The 1/4 is luan on the back side and kind of ugly and it is not solid on the front. I don't know the correct term for that and it's pieced but doesn't look too bad. The price reflects the grade. The 1x2's measure 2" plus a little and are 1/16 over on thickness, that may be a 5/4 in these days. I plane them down to 3/4 anyway. I used to not even touch them to build face frames it's pretty good stuff, sure wants to warp if you keep it too long though. Any hardwood will do that subjected to the humidity here. I might have another kitchen to do that just needs new doors and drawers but I need to use 2 1/2 inch for styles and rails to make the pieces. I'm fixing to call them and see if I can get some milled or have to buy 1x6, that's going to be costly. I have had to buy oak from Home Depot and Lowes before and it looks totally different from this stuff and is way more expensive. Wado


----------



## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

*doors*

Wado ,

let me ask , why did you put the rails outside of the stiles ?

I was always taught , and even looked at things other places and pretty much always, I see the rails inside of the stiles .

Not picking , just curious of the reason .

Thank You , and doors do look good .


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

therealbigman said:


> Wado ,
> 
> let me ask , why did you put the rails outside of the stiles ?
> 
> ...


These are actually the drawer fronts so I hope I did them right. Your are right the rails run horizontal and stiles vertical so that would be right. Since these are drawers they are wider than taller and if you look at them that way the stiles are on the outside and rails inside. Sometimes I have a hard time getting things the way they should go especially making drawer boxes. Once they are glued it's hard to get them apart to try and save one if you mess up.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Doors*

I started doing the milling on the styles and rails Tuesday and sanded the last door this morning. I ran short on 1x2's and had to make a run Monday and picked up another 100 linear feet just to get 30 to finish. Wouldn't you know the new stuff was way lighter than what I had so I tried to salvage some of my crooked stuff, not a good idea but I'm through. Nineteen doors and eleven drawer fronts. I still have to fill a few nail holes and sand again. To say door making is labor intense is an understatement.


----------



## Bustin Chops (Feb 3, 2008)

looks good!


----------



## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

I agree , looks good . 

Also agree that doors are a pain in the azzzz to deal with . But flat panel are to me , the easiest to make , try ya some cathedral raised panels , that will break you in .

I'm gonna guess , but I've prolly built over a 1000 doors to my credit , with not 1 single machine dedicated for any 1 set-up .

I worked for a builder on the side while I worked a regular job for 10-12 yrs . 

He would have the cheap labor guys , you know who , build **** for cabinets , and had me do the doors , drawers and drawer fronts, then install everything . Looked like a million dollar kitchen after I got done . 

I hate building doors now .


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Tools$$$$$$$$*

This is about the limit of my tools and budget. I do have an ogee style and rail set I have never ran before that would make some nice flat panel doors. I looked at an indexable tongue and groove bit last week that would run around 500 smackers with a set of knives to do 5mm panels so I have to think about that for a while. I have also made some doors utilizing moldings but that's not a lot of fun either and misfits look like chit on a white chicken if you know what I mean. I am going to need a dry norther so I can put the finish on hopefully next week.


----------



## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

Wado 

PM me if you need some tools or tooling , and even other things ya might be short on or not want to buy new . 

Clamps , blades , bits which are some door sets and some profiles along alot of flush trim Router bits , etc etc .

Have a few or alot of stuff extra . Trim routers , drill sets , Euro Hinges 1/2' overlay , a dado set or 2 , etc etc etc .

Give me a pm and we can go from there .


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

therealbigman said:


> Wado
> 
> PM me if you need some tools or tooling , and even other things ya might be short on or not want to buy new .
> 
> ...


Thanks for the offer I will sure take you up on it if I run into a dead end. I looked at some Bessey Clamps last week but I would have to sell a kidney to afford those things. Maybe if I get another run on doors I will spring for a couple.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Spraying Time*

I just put the last coat (#4) of Minwax Polyurethane on the sink base cabinet I built for this rent house. We left the wood natural without staining after I did a sample. The owner liked it and I wasn't looking forward to staining all this stuff either. It turned a nice amber color and will get darker as time goes on. The doors and drawers are next in line. I've been waiting on the remodel guys to finish painting and doing the ceramic tile so I could set these in the house and make some room. I sure like my little HVLP gun.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Install Time*

We got the cabinets hung last Friday and I started putting the drawers in after the granite guys left Tuesday. I used MT's method for putting the fronts on and it sure took the stress out of it. I used to center by measuring and it's a real pain trust me on that. A sack of green goes out to MT














for the tip. I just shot the last coat on the backside of the doors so around Monday I should be done. I have a couple of little cabinets to make for the utility area and bedroom later. The owner has put a lot of money in this remodel so we shall see.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Complete*

They're done, time to move on.:dance:


----------

