diy cabinets?

Hi, would it be unrealistic for me to make my own kitchen cabinets if i have a basic knowledge of joints and finishes. I have a modest workshop with everything but a planer.

Thanks Dave

Reply to
Dave Dolbow
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The basic cabinet is simple. Just a carcas with a face frame. The tricky part are the doors. If you want raised panel doors, then you need a shaper and a set of panel, rail and stile bits. These can be pricy. You could look at a home improvement store, they may have doors available.

Reply to
Rob-J

No. But you need to know that it will take quite a while and investment on you part. If you are good at finishing a project and not becoming uninterested there should be no problems. I rebuilt my whole kitchen 14 years ago. I did it in 4 steps. I would build a whole section of cabinets and when they were finished I removed the old cabinets and replaced them with the old ones. The kitchen was only un usable for about 2 days total during the whole process.

All this said, because you will be buying a lot of lumber and probably not at the same time, you will save a lot of money if you buy s2s lumber. With s2s lumber you have a relative smooth front an back surface but the thickness will tend be inconsistent. You will need a planer to insure that your lumber is uniform thickness. The difference in price between s2s and "s4s, regular looking lumber" with smooth sides and relative straight edges", should more than buy you a new portable planer for a job of this size.

Reply to
Leon

it depends.

if you start with something basic, practise your jointery before you commit any expensive material and such you can probably save some money and have a good time doing it.

AND... we'll be glad to act as a knowledge resource ; ^ )

Reply to
Bridger

Not at all!

Check these out:

Try your library first, but I have all three books and find them very useful.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

Not at all unrealistic. Check out my website below, Page 1 of the projects section ... for pictures of the "proof is in the pudding" with regard to doing your own kitchen cabinets.

There are plenty here who will be glad to answer your questions.

Reply to
Swingman

No, it wouldn't be unreasonable, but, then again, if you have to ask, well........................

Reply to
Mike G

My dad has redone a couple of kitchens himself. The catch, no table saw or radial arm saw. Everything was done with hand tools. The only power tools he used were a skill saw and drill. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

Go for it. Don't let lack of experience stop you. Just expect it to take much more time then you think. I'm doing just that. haven't done any wood working in 40 yrs. My wife wanted a new kitchen. The works, floor, ceiling, appliances, the works. I'm a machinist, but not a woodworker. Had no shop, do now. coming out pretty good, just have to go back and fix things now & then. Spend way too much time figuring out how to do something. My wife sure is proud of them. And the real kicker is we will spend less money for everything then the cabinets we were looking at. 33 ft of base, 15 ft of uppers. Slides on everything in the bases. All appliances built in.

Arrogance and ignorance will carry you a long way.

ave Dolbow wrote:

Reply to
Rick Samuel

Not at all... I'm building my own kitchen... started it in about 1985 by making an island, and then replacing a built-in counter that was only 16" wide with one 24". The island is now a peninsula with the stove.

Then a few years later I really got moving when I replaced all the plumbing and the cast iron sink, and put built in cabinets. (That sink really held me up...) I never made doors for them because I wasn't sure if I would replace them with better or not. I'm making the doors at this very moment!! 10 years late...

The upper cabs I made years ago complete with the doors, I used a very simple design, not raised panels but flat tongue and groove in a frame. It's all pine... I'm now making new wall and floor cupboards around the fridge where I just had stuff piled up on a microwave cart, and on top of the fridge... I will have a place for garbage and re-cyclebull's...

I've changed my materials and technique a bit over the years... I now use solid pine instead of veneered press wood, and I have a biscuit joiner to do the basic carcass joints. And a router table for the edges... far superior to the pilot bit. I want to get a dovetail jig next...

But I'm still debating whether or not to replace the first cabinets I made... they aren't the best!! If I do, I'll make sure I can still use my newer doors and drawers.

I'll put a pic up at A.B.W

PS I don't have a planer either! Nor a table saw...

Reply to
Bob Flint

Go for it! But since this would be a first. I would build an upper and a base cabinet to get your feet wet. Then you will have a better understanding of what other tools would make the job easier. A planer is a big plus I found this out after working with stock lumber on my first set of cabinets. S2S is not all the same thickness. Oh, and do all this prior to dismantling the kitchen.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

A circular saw and a decent guide will get you most of the way there, especially if you buy the door fronts. Naturally a drill, tablesaw and miter saw will help tremendously. A router with a few basic bits and you've got flat doors and some with designs with no problem, a panelling set and you're pretty much done. A jointer and planer are nice, especially for face frames, door frames and thicknessing drawers.

FWIW, basic stock cabinets are less hassle, less expensive and faster... :)

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Cochran

Reply to
nospambob

thanks to all who responded. I just found this NG and I will keep comming back for this and many other projects. Also, I spent 5 minutes setting up the filter so the trolls won't be bothering me.

thanks dave

Reply to
Dave Dolbow

So this tread is a wealth of info. I too am contemplating - trying to get started with the same project. Going to practice in the utility room first with the same style techniques as the kitchen (face frames, raised panel doors lots of options). I also spent a day with Marc Adams at a recent wood show. well worth the $100, one of the best hints was trying to remember you are building cabinets, not furniture and they will probably be out of style in 15 years, which just happens to be twice the average length of stay for homeowners. Been slowly gathering - justifying the tools too :-) Planer, jointer and maybe a HVLP sprayer to go..... Duane

Reply to
Duane

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