After months of preparation including drywall, pumbling, electrical, study -
and living in mortal fear of this day, I am prepared to begin tackling my
first kitchen cabinet. My family has been quite patient enduring my terror,
my kitchen has been down to bare studs (now drywall) for about 2 months. I
can't put it off any longer...
I've got 2 Danny P. books, the John P. booklet, and the Tolpin cabinet book,
and yet - I still need the security blanket of you fellas. I think that I've
read too much and it's all rattling around... Prepare yourself for many
questions over the next... uh - few months. I generally understand case
construction, face frames, door and drawer making. However, the "Big
Picture" still hasn't come together yet.I request a bit of handholding for
my first attempt.
The first "attempt" is the beginning run of cabinets which only consists of
a 18" bank of drawers and a typical 24" base cabinet. One side of the drawer
bank is exposed and faces the dining room; it will be next to the 24"
cabinet. The range will slide in next to the 24" cabinet.
My first question is about (Alder?) plywood. (Yes, the decision about using
plywood has been made.) The face frames, doors, drawer fronts, and end
panels will be Alder. I've looked around for alder plywood - and given the
popularity of alder, alder plywood doesn't seem too common. After more
investigation here on the wreck, it seems that regardless of door \
faceframe hardwood type, people build the cases out of Birch or Maple
plywood. That is where I get a little lost.
If that is what I am supposed to use, I assume I turn the good face in and
use a stain to get an Alder color?
Some upper cabinets will have glass doors. Would I then look for alder
plywood that has 2 good sides? Does this exist?
For the drawer bank (and the island) that has an exposed end panel, do I
glue up a panel of 2/4 alder and attach this to the birch or maple plywood?
I guess I'm asking what type of plywood to buy, what faces show, and how you
match endpanels to the Alder faceframes.
Lastly (for now), with the 18" drawer bank, and the 24" cabinet that wholly
entails one "run". Should that be one face frame for both cabinets (guy at
work says) or make one face frame for each cabinet and join at installation.
Forgive my ignorance in advance...
- jbd
Broomfield, CO
John Dykes asks:
>
>My first question is about (Alder?) plywood. (Yes, the decision about using
>plywood has been made.) The face frames, doors, drawer fronts, and end
>panels will be Alder. I've looked around for alder plywood - and given the
>popularity of alder, alder plywood doesn't seem too common. After more
>investigation here on the wreck, it seems that regardless of door \
>faceframe hardwood type, people build the cases out of Birch or Maple
>plywood. That is where I get a little lost.
How bout try www.woodfinder.com. I ran a quickie test and got 74 responses when
I entered "alder" and then at the bottom, checked plywood. I quickly checked
one place in Baton Rouge and they carried alder plywood. If one of those
companies is within a reasonable distance of where you are, you simplify
matters considerably.
OK. I see now you're in Colorado. You may have more of a problem, but check
states close by. Paxton in Denver comes up in the woodfinder list, but does NOT
list alder on-line. May have it in the store.
Good luck.
Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
So for my single upper cabinets (one on either side of a sink), I make a
false door or endpanel and apply that to the maple plywood case?
Thanks -
jbd
"Unisaw A100" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Make the cases from available plywood and make
> alder doors and attach (attache Luigi onna 'count
> of David is AWOL) them to the ends of your cabinets.
>
> The face frame should be sized to cover the edge.
>
> UA100
John,
If you're in Broomfield, CO, you're my neighbor! I live near Federal and 112th
and found a great place for plywood, including some BEAUTIFUL alder material.
Consolidated Hardwoods, Inc. 303-466-1839, located at 11850 Vance St. Broomfield
I talked a couple of weeks ago with Ralph, the owner, who spent more than 30
minutes with me walking me around and showing me his products. He's clearly
proud of what he offers.
I'm in the same boat as you, though taking less time. My cabinets will be
European frameless, alder doors with birdseye maple panels. I just moved here
this past summer, and so am still getting my shop in order.
I'd love to chat with you and have you come visit -- I've never put a shop in a
basement before and am having some challenges -- and it never hurts to have a
woodworking friend just around the corner.
Reply to me at [email protected] and we can touch base sometime!
Joe
"John B. Dykes" <j> bellowed forth with this wisdom for all to hear:
> After months of preparation including drywall, pumbling, electrical, study -
> and living in mortal fear of this day, I am prepared to begin tackling my
> first kitchen cabinet. My family has been quite patient enduring my terror,
> my kitchen has been down to bare studs (now drywall) for about 2 months. I
> can't put it off any longer...
>
> I've got 2 Danny P. books, the John P. booklet, and the Tolpin cabinet book,
> and yet - I still need the security blanket of you fellas. I think that I've
> read too much and it's all rattling around... Prepare yourself for many
> questions over the next... uh - few months. I generally understand case
> construction, face frames, door and drawer making. However, the "Big
> Picture" still hasn't come together yet.I request a bit of handholding for
> my first attempt.
>
> The first "attempt" is the beginning run of cabinets which only consists of
> a 18" bank of drawers and a typical 24" base cabinet. One side of the drawer
> bank is exposed and faces the dining room; it will be next to the 24"
> cabinet. The range will slide in next to the 24" cabinet.
>
> My first question is about (Alder?) plywood. (Yes, the decision about using
> plywood has been made.) The face frames, doors, drawer fronts, and end
> panels will be Alder. I've looked around for alder plywood - and given the
> popularity of alder, alder plywood doesn't seem too common. After more
> investigation here on the wreck, it seems that regardless of door \
> faceframe hardwood type, people build the cases out of Birch or Maple
> plywood. That is where I get a little lost.
>
> If that is what I am supposed to use, I assume I turn the good face in and
> use a stain to get an Alder color?
>
> Some upper cabinets will have glass doors. Would I then look for alder
> plywood that has 2 good sides? Does this exist?
>
> For the drawer bank (and the island) that has an exposed end panel, do I
> glue up a panel of 2/4 alder and attach this to the birch or maple plywood?
>
> I guess I'm asking what type of plywood to buy, what faces show, and how you
> match endpanels to the Alder faceframes.
>
> Lastly (for now), with the 18" drawer bank, and the 24" cabinet that wholly
> entails one "run". Should that be one face frame for both cabinets (guy at
> work says) or make one face frame for each cabinet and join at installation.
>
> Forgive my ignorance in advance...
>
> - jbd
> Broomfield, CO
>
>
On 25 Feb 2004 10:00:00 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
wrote:
>John Dykes asks:
>
>>
>>My first question is about (Alder?) plywood. (Yes, the decision about using
>>plywood has been made.) The face frames, doors, drawer fronts, and end
>>panels will be Alder. I've looked around for alder plywood - and given the
>>popularity of alder, alder plywood doesn't seem too common. After more
>>investigation here on the wreck, it seems that regardless of door \
>>faceframe hardwood type, people build the cases out of Birch or Maple
>>plywood. That is where I get a little lost.
>
>How bout try www.woodfinder.com. I ran a quickie test and got 74 responses when
>I entered "alder" and then at the bottom, checked plywood. I quickly checked
>one place in Baton Rouge and they carried alder plywood. If one of those
>companies is within a reasonable distance of where you are, you simplify
>matters considerably.
>
>OK. I see now you're in Colorado. You may have more of a problem, but check
>states close by. Paxton in Denver comes up in the woodfinder list, but does NOT
>list alder on-line. May have it in the store.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Charlie Self
>"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
>
>http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
locally (tucson) I can get alder sheet goods, but the core is mdf, not
ply.