How to make a set of cupboards

[justCNCit]

Without having to put in 10 years wood working apprenticeship first?

The last few years I spent making a large CNC wood router and have gotten quite proficient (if I can say so myself) on it. Here's an example of about 1 day of work:



which is cut right out of a 1 by 12.

ended up being a nice birthday present. Now my mom needs a new set of cupboards, which at first seemed pretty basic, then I realized I know nothing about cabinet making. I don't want screws or nails showing up on finished surfaces. With a machine like this I thought, it should be pretty easy to make some damn nice looking panels.

I looked over a few cupboard books... they go over dovetailing and slotting, which makes sense for assembly, but is all this really required? I mean this is just box making, can I get some suggestions on how to start out here, first with making a single bathroom cupboard out of pine and plywood (as box material) probably. Thanks and please don't consider me arrogant towards craftsmen that do this for a living.

[ger21]

Are you looking for a wall cabinet, or a base for a sink? Will it be painted, or finished wood?

[justCNCit]

I don't want to paint it, I like the look of cut pine, the first test will be a wall cabinet for the bathroom, of average size, like maybe 1.5 by 2 feet or something. If that works out then i will attempt a cabinet set.

[ger21]

Depending on the materials used, and the design, different methods may need to be used. If using solid wood, then you'd want to use dovetails or dados. You could always screw it together and plug the screw holes. That's the easiest way. You can also just screw the box together, and add end panels, screwed on from the inside, so you don't see the screws.

I do do this for a living, and construction methods will vary depending on the design.

[justCNCit]

ok good to hear you do this for a living. Advise from the right guy.

I was thinking of making the actual structure (sides, bottom & top) of the cupboard from plywood, since its pretty strong and the finish on it is decent. Normally, do they apply some finish piece of wood that is very thin to the outside? I'm not sure what you would plug screw holes with, that sounds like it wouldn't look very good either.

[justCNCit]

so what you are telling me is just to use screws. how do you do that from the inside, from an angle? isn't that a bit rough?

[CarveOne]

I think Gerry is talking about using pocket screws and the wood plugs that are made for them. The pockets are drilled before assembly. The screws are installed during assembly. The plugs, optional, are glued in place after the screws are installed. You don't see the screws from outside the cabinet. Kreg makes drill fixture kits for this technique.

Another popular method is biscuit joinery.

CarveOne

[dlwoodworks]

justCNCit,

Since you have a large CNC machine you might want to put it to use making your cabinet. I use my CNC to make cabinetry for a living. I use mortise and tenon joinery (great CNC project) for all joinery on my cabinets. I can turn a sheet of plywood into ready to assemble cabinets parts in about 8 to 10 minutes. All the joinery and adjustable shelf pin holes are done. I use .375" deep mortises and then tenons are 60% of the thickness of the material. I've attached some pictures of what an upper cabinet looks like in a few stages. These were done using software called eCabinets but the mortise and tenon joinery could be laid out using any CAM software that works with your CNC. Its just a matter of cutting pockets.

When assembled some good woodworkers glue, these cabinets are very strong. No screws or nails are needed once the glue sets up. This joinery can be done in plywood as well as solid wood.

[justCNCit]

thanks for the advise. It does seem easy to just cut joints up like that and glue them. what kind of fixturing did you use to cut it? (ps. actually never mind I can see all your cuts are done on one side of the wood.)

[dlwoodworks]

I have a vacuum hold down system for cutting and milling parts. The important thing is that the cabinet material lays flat on the table so your joinery is milled accurately and the parts fit snugly together. I use 2P-10 adhesive for joinery. It has a 4000 lbs. breaking strength so it is strong and bonds in about 10 seconds. Works great for cabinet assembly.

[ger21]

I think Gerry is talking about using pocket screws and the wood plugs that are made for them.

Actually, no. Counterbore and screw through the sides, and plug the holes. Get a tapered plug cutter, and you can hardly see them.

Another option is to rabbitt the sides, and screw the top and bottom into the rabbitt. You won't see the screws on the top and bottom.

I like Don's method, but you better be precise, or it won't go together well.

If you have a biscuit jointer, you can use glue and biscuits. Fast and easy.

There are lots of options.

Also, what I meant about the panels. Build a box, and then attach 3/4" end panels by just using screws from inside the cabinet. The sides will end up being 1-1/2" thick, but the inner sides are covered bu the door, so you only see a 3/4" 'side" with the door closed.

I do a lot of commercial work, where cabinet boxes are stapled and screwed together. Adding an end panel like that is a quick and easy way to add a finished end, and is much easier than trying to build a cabinet with a pre finished end.

[justCNCit]

i can definitely do an accurate job of putting those slots together (just a matter of patience usually) however they won't be the cleanest cuts as my cutters are ball mills /end mills therefore inside corners will have to be rounded

at least a little bit which will negate some of the tight fit.

and Ger you seem to have given some good advise on how to do finishing panels. but the panels you mentioned are quite thick.