Building my own Kitchen Cabinets: Questions

[rdesigns]

Hey Guys, just wanted to give you all a quick update:  I have started on this project and am well underway now.  I have been constructing the cabinet boxes and face frames to start with, doors and drawers come later.  I started a blog about my kitchen remodel that you can visit by clicking on my name then clicking "My Kitchen Remodel Blog" which will take you to the site.  Or just click the little earth under my name to get there!  Thanks for looking and leave me some comments! 

You're started, so you're half done!

One of your other responders suggested doing the kitchen in sections, and I agree--I did our kitchen about 10 years ago, and the sequence I used was to do one upper cabinet at a time, then the lower sections, leaving the cabinet with the kitchen sink till last, which I completed over a long weekend.

I worked out of a double garage with fewer machines than you have--no jointer, no planer, no biscuit joiner, no Festools--basically just a table saw, router, circular saw and drill, along with a good workbench and a selection of fine hand tools.

I have no doubt your project will be a great success.

 

[Jeff Scott]

@ Peter:  Thanks for the kind words.  I'm used to the heat but it doesn't get any easier, thank God for fans!

@ Tim:  I've got some very rough sketches of the elevation of each wall, I'll try to post those on the blog.  I'm going to take some pictures of the kitchen so you all can see how outdated and in need of help our kitchen is!  I'm duplicating about 50% of what's already there.  I am taking down one wall and extending cabinets along another wall so we should in the end wind up with more cabinet space and a little more countertop space.

I've thought about installing them as I go along, but with taking down a wall and raising the current ceiling height, I'm going to try to save all the demo for one phase that will hopefully take just a couple weeks to demo and redo.

 

[Swingman]

I do this a fair bit. If it's not something you do often, it sometimes helps to actually see/visualize a similar project with regard to the various phases.

While the cabinets in this particular project were done offsite, and first for obvious reasons (client remaining onsite), the photos of the two phases, including a wall removal and offsite storage, are presented in reverse order below:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopKitchenDemolitionWallRemoval2011
https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopEuropeanStyleKitchen201102

I'll be glad to answer any questions.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Karl,

This is my first kitchen and it does indeed help to see other people's work.  I checked out your google plus and like the work you do, very nice!  I'm getting ready to build the uppers and I thought of one question.  I was thinking about building the face frames with a 2 1/4" lower rail to be a built in light rail.  Would you do this, or build it with say a 1 1/2" lower face frame rail and then add a light rail molding later?  Thanks for posting!

 

[Swingman]

Jeff, it is, of course, mainly a matter of taste, and a certainty that the agreed upon/desired design will end up with what you/the client was expecting. Personally, I much prefer to use a wider bottom rail when designing a custom cabinet for under cabinet lighting, and I routinely build it accordingly.

Not only is it much more efficient to cut that bottom rail to the design parameters, and incorporate it into the box from the get go, the necessity of adding anything to the bottom of an installed cabinet run to contain lighting both increases cost, and does not necessarily bespeak a well thought out, "custom" job.

YMMV ... that's just my personal feelings.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Good point Karl.  My client is my wife in this case, so I better get it right!  I think I'll use the wider bottom rail on the cabinets and that way I'll be covered for lighting.  I'm using LED lights and they have a pretty low profile so I won't need that deep a recess for them.  Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Swingman]

I'm sure you already have, but worth a mention in any event ... pays to take into consideration your door hinges/overlay when you dimension your rail (and stile) widths. I like to order door hinges and drawer slides, or make absolutely sure I can get them without delay, before I cut a stick of wood for a cabinet.

And good luck with the project, sounds like you have a handle on it.

 

[Steve R]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are embarking on a kitchen remodel. We have priced kitchen cabinets and the quotes came in much higher than budget allows for the quality we want. I had toyed with the idea of building them myself but decided I couldn't because all I have is a two car garage shop and no place to store the cabinets during construction. Then I hit upon an idea that I wanted to ask all of you your opinions on. I am thinking of renting a POD or other mobile container and parking it in my driveway during construction. This could store the cabinets during the various phases of construction and also store materials in it as needed. It gets pretty hot in the summer here and I'm wondering whether you think that the heat or humidity would affect the wood to any degree? I'm not sure it would be much worse than if they were stored in my garage during construction. Can you see any pros or cons to my plan? The bottom line is I can build the kitchen we want within budget and not sacrifice quality.

Thanks!

Jeff

Jeff,

I just read the whole thread. Big thumbs up on building them yourself. Seems you have worked through the need for storage. If you use the Domino and 32mm system you can dry fit them, know they work and then break them down till you need to assemble them.

Keep up the good work. 

I too will do the same as you, as I know I can build them cheaper then buying them as the Kitchen has some odd sized things to deal with..

Keep us informed and post images when you can.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Jeff Scott]

Thanks for the good word Steve. I posted a few new pics on my website/blog so check them out when you get a chance. This is a challenging project but so far so good. 

 

[Steve R]

Thanks for the good word Steve. I posted a few new pics on my website/blog so check them out when you get a chance. This is a challenging project but so far so good. 

Can you send a link to your website Blog.... or did I miss that... just looked twice but the phone is ringing..

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks for the good word Steve. I posted a few new pics on my website/blog so check them out when you get a chance. This is a challenging project but so far so good. 

Can you send a link to your website Blog.... or did I miss that... just looked twice but the phone is ringing..

Cheers,
Steve

Steve, check out this quote from Jeff.

Hey Guys, just wanted to give you all a quick update:  I have started on this project and am well underway now.  I have been constructing the cabinet boxes and face frames to start with, doors and drawers come later.  I started a blog about my kitchen remodel that you can visit by clicking on my name then clicking "My Kitchen Remodel Blog" which will take you to the site.  Or just click the little earth under my name to get there!  Thanks for looking and leave me some comments! 

 

[sancho57]

nice work jeff

 

[Jeff Scott]

nice work jeff

Thank you Sir!

 

[CarolinaNomad]

I'm debating on building the carcass by either butt joints or rabbeting the panels as you've illustrated on your blog.  What are your reasons for rabbeting the panels?  Does it help with assembly?  Does it reduce glue squeezing out the sides?

 

[otis04]

First things first, I am a hobbiest and not a professional but I have built lots of cabinets.  I used to use rabbets for the tops and bottoms of the carcass and make the mechanical part of the connection using pocket screws.
The latest cabinets I used the Domino to align the parts and pocket hole between biscuits for the mechanical connection.  I think it saved time and is every bit as strong since any additional glue area with the rabbet is all end grain.

 

[tiralie]

Jeff:
I just visited your site for an update.
Your cabinet parts look great.
I love that dry stand. Nice solution. That's quite the cloud of shellac you created spraying the amber shellac.
Tim

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'm debating on building the carcass by either butt joints or rabbeting the panels as you've illustrated on your blog.  What are your reasons for rabbeting the panels?  Does it help with assembly?  Does it reduce glue squeezing out the sides?

I'm all for screws and butt joints.  Also, no glue, you don't need it.

BTW, take a look at the dates on Jeff's blog.  You'll see he's been at it since June.  Building your own kitchen is no small task.....

 

[Brice Burrell]

Jeff:
I just visited your site for an update.
Your cabinet parts look great.
I love that dry stand. Nice solution. That's quite the cloud of shellac you created spraying the amber shellac.
Tim

I forgot about this project.  I'm glad to see things are working out so well.  [thumbs up]

 

[nclemmons]

Wow - I missed this thread in the summer.  That is a LOT of cabinets and really well done.

I did our kitchen from scratch about 30 years ago in our first home.  Used Rockwell router and a Craftsman table saw.  Total investment in tools was about $350.00 as I recall.  it was 91 days from buying wood to the last of the wall painting.  And about 91 six packs of beer and LONG nights and weekends.

Really nice work, Jeff - I'm sure the journey will be well worth it.

Neil

 

[Jeff Scott]

Sorry I haven't checked this thread in a while guys.  To update everyone, the cabinets are all completed now and have their finish applied.  We are waiting now for demo day which is tentatively scheduled for February 17th.  In between now and then I will be getting quotes for drywall work and electrical.  We are taking out the 7 ft. drop ceiling in the kitchen and I'm not sure I'm up to doing the drywall myself  because I'm a newbie at it and I've got a bad back.  As far as the electrical goes, we have a 60amp main service panel and I'm going to look at upgrading that because I have two new circuits to run for lighting.

All in all it's been worth it so far building my own cabs, I'm just ready to get things moving along now and get them installed and finish this project.

Thanks for the comments and keeping up with the project!

Jeff