I built a 'test' kitchen base cabinet, 3 inset drawers on Blum slides. False fronts. Ther has *got* to be a better, more accurate way to put the false fronts on. How do you pros do it? Also, I made the normal 1/16" gap for the false front. It's winter. Should I make the gap smaller in the summer? (yeah, it'll take me over a year to make an entire kitchens worth of cabinets) The face frame, drawer fronts and doors will all be QSWO.
I usually cut the the front 1/16 to 3/32 undersize, then slip a piece of countertop laminate under it. Gives a nice even gap all the way around (assuming I haven't screwed it up left/right-wise). To hold it in place, I use a deep-throated clamp from above. To give a little wiggle room, the holes I drill through the drawer box front are slightly oversize. Don't use drywall screws to attach, the bell-shaped head negates the wiggle room from the previous step. Comes out perfect every time.
Joe C.
I posted some in ABPW
I forgot to mention the top on the cabinet.
That's a good idea, thanks
Please do!
I have to fume all the oak, It's easy and fun. Of course, I'll ruin it if I don't learn how to use this spray gun real fast :) That's funny, I thought pine doesn't darken when its fumed. Maybe cause its so old?
Slide your drawer box in place and use two, three or four small squares of double face tape to hold the false front on long enough to slide it back out and run some screws from behind.
Also, you can go to the McFeeley's link below.
Now, I know you didn't ask but you'll need to mount some knobs. Don't drill for knobs until you've aligned all the fronts. Then when you do drill for knobs drill the hole to the exact size (assuming you're using machine screws from the in side out) as the screw. This screw will help to hold the tolerances (gaps) you've established in the previous step.
Actually, I'd be looking at 1/8"(ish) each edge if the cabinets are made in the winter and 1/16"(ish) each edge if made in the summer. Remember, winter projects grow (blow up) in the summer. Also, if you are building from solid stock, a slight rounding over of edges tends to hide little things like non-aligned surfaces and gaps too wide but I wouldn't round over to the point of using a round over bit in the router. Delicate is always better than heavy handed.
Well then this will work out real good. Take all your parts and pieces and get them prep'd to a stage. All you fronts can be pre-cut to a wee bit over size and set aside. Take all of your cabinet parts and start putting together the boxes. By the time you get to the end of that it'll be summer and you can check your test cabinet for the clearances. Once you know that, you can cut those to a size that will work for summer (narrow gaps) and not look too awful for winter (wider gaps).
One last little tiplet, make your drawer boxes 1/16" narrower than what you think/what is recommended by the slide maker. When you go to fit them you can shim the slides (inside the cabinet) to where you get a perfect fit. Reason for this is there's always an accumulated error somewhere in cabinet building and it usually shows up with the drawers. Believe this, it's easier to shim out some drawers slides than it is to sand down the boxes to fit a "now too narrow" opening.
UA100
I learned that the hard way. I still have drawers in my tool room that I haven't opened in 2 years for that very reason. BTW, those drawers are labeled "important stuff you will probably never need". SH
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