base cabinet squareness

[HowardH]

I started a new project this morning making a "base" cabinet on casters with 4 drawers for my shop.  All the parts were cut square and I assembled the sides and top/bottom using dominos/connectors.  The back was fit to be inside exactly so the back of the cabinet is perfectly square.  however, the open front is slightly out of square which would make my original plan to make a frameless cabinet more problematic.  I'm thinking about removing the undermount slides an building a face frame to square up the front.  It's setting on a Dash-board so I know it's sitting perfectly flat.  Why would the front be slightly out of square if everything else is square? it's not a lot but over 700mm top to bottom it's going to show up. 

[attachimg=1]

 

[tjbnwi]

My guess is just how the connectors drew up. Try loosening the connectors a little, bump it square, tighten connectors.

Measure diagonals to check square, do not rely on a square.

Tom

 

[Packard]

If this were not already glued and dried, I would put a clamp across the longer diagonal to bring it into square.

Even if it has glued joints, you are going to have to square it up now anyway.  I would use a clamp and coax it into square and leave it overnight and see if it is improved.  If it has, you can coax it some more and let it stand longer.  It may not work, but it is worth trying.

It is not really extra work.  You will have to square it up before you attach the face frame.

How are you planning on attaching the face frame?  Nails will probably not work. I would use biscuits and glue.  I only use pocket holes to assemble face frames and to add some interior bracing, so I don’t know how well that would work.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The problem you are always going to have is that it's going to be on wheels, so the front will rack to some degree, each time you push on it.....either way.
I wouldn't necessarily give up on frameless though, just not in-set. If you have an overlay to the drawer fronts, adjust them to be as close as possible to looking even, and let it be.
The only way to get them perfect and stay that way, is to have it "installed" (attached to something solid)

 

[HowardH]

The problem you are always going to have is that it's going to be on wheels, so the front will rack to some degree, each time you push on it.....either way.
I wouldn't necessarily give up on frameless though, just not in-set. If you have an overlay to the drawer fronts, adjust them to be as close as possible to looking even, and let it be.
The only way to get them perfect and stay that way, is to have it "installed" (attached to something solid)

I think you are right.  I may be overthinking it a bit.  I was planning on doing overlay fronts.  I have wheels but once I have it place, I don't plan on ever moving it so I might just build a base for it to rest on.  I can shim the base level and that should square it up. 

 

[Packard]

You do have room at the top interior to add triangular gussets.  I would rip 1-1/2” stock at a 45 degree angle to get the triangles. 

Use your diagonal clamp to square the cabinet, and glue and brad nail the long pieces into the upper corners.  That might be sufficient to hold the squareness.

They probably will not interfere with your topmost drawer. 

If you move the bottom slide up about 2” you can do the same at the bottom.  It is likely you will be able to move the slide on the bottom drawer to clear that obstacle. 

Big corner braces would work but would interfere with the drawers.  I think the glued triangular strips will add substantially to the structure because they are going to run the full depth of the cabinet.  You could always add the face frame after, if it does not work. 

Adding the face frame will necessitate remounting the drawer glides. 

If you are planning on the face frame for structure, I would not use pocket screws to assemble the frame.  I would use two 3/8” dowels per corner or a domino.  As mentioned earlier, it has to be securely mounted to the carcase.  Pocket screws would work, but I don’t like the look of exposed pockets.  If it were me, I would definitely use biscuits.  If it is a painted cabinet, you can use confirmats and through screw.  Wood filler or wood plugs would make the installation invisible. 

 

[Oldwood]

We have built a few cabinets on casters in the shop and although they go in and out of square on the face as you roll them around they still open without binding.

On the wider cabinets we strapped the bottom with 1" x 5" hardwood and mounted the casters no that.

 

[bobtskutter]

This has happened to me when I've made cabinet boxes out of cheap builders merchant 18mm plywood.  The back has been square but the front is not.  I tracked it down to the plywood being bowed very slightly and deforming the box.

Regards
Bob

 

[Packard]

The back is square almost certainly because the back panel is square.  Minus that, it probably would doing the leaning tower of Pizza bit.

 

[HowardH]

The back is square almost certainly because the back panel is square.  Minus that, it probably would doing the leaning tower of Pizza bit.

Ha Ha...probably right. It actually self corrected a bit yesterday. The amount it is out of square is pretty negligible at this point. 

 

[Packard]

Throw a bar clamp on a diagonal on it to draw it to square on the front.  Leave the clamp on overnight and check your diagonal measurements after removing the clamp.

If it is then square, you’re done.  If it is improved, but not yet square, diagonal clamp again under slightly more pressure.  Leave it over again. I would not try that any more times as you risk damaging the joints.

Gentle does it.  You do not want to over stress the joints.

 

[HowardH]

It ended up squaring up pretty good...  Just have to put a couple of coats of Target on it. 

[attachimg=1]