Direction for Building my First Cabinet

[insurroundsound]

So, I'm planning out the build-out of my first cabinet [project for wifey and her new day spa].  I'm a hobbyist and tinkerer.  Just picked up a DF500 and LR32 kit that I need to break in on this project.  I wanna do frameless-style uppers and lowers.  For the lowers, I wanna do adjustable legs with a toe kick I'll snap on later.

I'm gonna do 32mm-based cabinets, all heights cut to some multiple of 32mm.  Because I never did this before, I have a few questions.

1. I watched erock's youtube videos on use of the LR32 system.  Took note of the 768mm tall base cabinet, 110mm toekick.  He mentioned in the video that his counter top was not standard.  What exactly is "standard"? I heard it was a 1-1/2" countertop.  But I took some pics of some cabinets at one of my client's home today and it seems to have a marble countertop + some extra thickness underneath.  Is it common to have a base cabinet taller than 36"? I've attached some pics of my client's cabinets.

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2.  Confusion about how to attach the lowers and uppers to the wall.  Plan on putting my cabinets together similar as to in erock's videos. [18mm ply walls; 6mm back wall centered 21mm from rear of cabinet; 18mm rear wall spanners at top and bottom of cabinet, installed flush to back of cabinet]  How do you guys hide the screws that are used to attach the cabinet to the wall?  I've heard about FastCap covers, but that seems like a lot of work and doubling of labor.  I hear d of some putting in an extra 6mm back wall but again, seems like to much effort to cover 4 screws.  I took some more pics at my client's house and I could find NO visible screws, but it looked like the spanner board was in the inside of the cabinet and not outside. 

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Did they install that extra spanner just to cover the mounting screws?  I've also heard mention of some sort of cleat system.  But how does it actually stay permanently fixed with a cleat system?  Wouldn't it be moveable up and down?

Can't wrap my head around these issues.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks!

 

[sancho57]

Have you checked out festool TV on utube?

Eric has a 7 pt series on building cabinets from womb to tomb using the festool system. There are a couple of other guys who mad pretty good videos to.

Joseph fusco1960 has a good video series on  u tube not as well organised as Eric's or others but his videos got me into festool. He also was a friend of mine.

Here is a link to a message board where a very good wood worker describes step by step in making paint grade kitchen cabs

Go to the woodworking thread and look for paint grade cabinets. This link I stead will just get you to the site. It is a general message board. Don't know what your going to first see.  It it's in the section for wood working and cabinets
http://forums.delphiforums.com/Breaktime_3/messages/?listMode=1

Pretty in debth long thread. Chuck is a nice guy who will answer your questions to. But between these 2 sources you should be set.

Good luck

 

[insurroundsound]

Eric has a 7 pt series on building cabinets from womb to tomb using the festool system.

I watched those earlier, but there was no mention that I could find about different styles of actual mounting of the cabinets.  Options, would be a better way of putting it. I understand I can just screw through the back support into a stud - high and low inside the cabinet.  But I'm not sure if this is standard or if there's a more elegant solution that you pros use in order to hide the screws. [or at least minimize the look].

Joseph fusco1960 has a good video series on  u tube not as well organised as Eric's or others but his videos got me into festool. He also was a friend of mine.

Tried looking those up and found them on youtube.  Unfortunately, all the video links are dead now.

Here is a link to a message board where a very good wood worker describes step by step in making paint grade kitchen cabs

Still peeking around this board for info.  Haven't found anything yet but still looking. 

Another question popped up into my head today regarding the fastening of frameless cabinets together.  Should I countersink the screws and cover with a wooden cap?  Should I just leave it visible? I haven't decided if I'm going paint-grade or stained, but leaning more in the direction of staining.

 

[sancho57]

IMO screws / domino / pocket hole them together. you won't be able to see them until the end panel on the cabinets.

If t was me, Id screw them all together.

For the end cabinets, Id either pocket hole the cabinet  together so the screws/ pocket holes won't be seen or add end panels attached them to the sides by screws counter sunk on the inside and caps to hide the screws. As pocket holes are visible on the top and bottom of the cab. They will be covered by the countertop and base

Only difference between what joe does and what I do now, is Ill use and couple of dominos on each joint to strengthen the joint