Shop cabinets?

[Greg Urwiller]

Getting ready to build 2 shop cabinets which will be incorporated into a corner work bench. As of yet, I can't decide whether to go with face frame or Euro(?) style. Anyone think that one's significantly better than the other? I've got Tom Clark's "Practical Shop Cabinets", and he uses face frame's on his. He also uses plywood for the drawer fronts. I've got some of the Menard's "Classic Oak" ply that I got on sale fairly cheap. This isn't a real "high grade" oak ply, but figured this would be good for the cabinets. Think the oak ply would work alright on the drawers too? Now, if I go with face frames, I hate to buy oak boards just for this. Can I use the oak ply for the face frames too? I really don't like glue on edging, but should only have to use it on the 2 end face frames that will show, everything else should be covered with the drawer fronts. Thanks. Greg

[Jim Becker]

While I have a definite preference for face frames when it comes to most cabinetry, in the shop, I would most likely go with frameless just for simpler, faster construction...UNLESS I was accommodating both a storage need and a prototype/display need. And I might choose frameless for general purpose storage, yet go with face frames and nice panels for "nice" hand-tool storage. You can certainly mix and match.

[Greg Urwiller]

This will be pretty much all storage. Tool storage that is. Right or wrong, I'd really like to have all drawers, with heavy duty full extension drawer glides. Thin drawers on top, progressively deeper going down the cabinet. Maybe I can keep the tops of the machines, and the table saw top clean for a change. Yea, right!! Anyway, this will probably have to handle a fair amount of weight. So, I didn't know if one method would be preferable over the other. Greg

[Bud Millis]

I'm in the process of building a 10' set of base cabinets. I went with face frames due to the fact that a workbench top is going on it. It needs to be rock solid. Using a bowling alley for the top and the width is 24". The bench top will be used for working on additionally as well as using the occ bench top tools - mortisor, mini lathe, 12" disc sander, or grinder.

[Alan Schaffter]

I like faceframes:

[johnny means]

Frameless allows for slightly larger drawers and/or slightly more open cabinets. Of course, they are also easier and cheaper to build. Face frames make slightly sturdier cabinets. Of course, they do take more work and cost more.

Really, in actual use neither is better than the other.

IMO, it just comes down to what you want for your shop. If you want pretty traditional looking cabinets, and consider this a real project go with the framed look. If you want to hold stuff and don't consider this a real project, go frameless.

If your like me and feel tortured by shop improvements, there's Ikea.

[Greg Urwiller]

Mine will have a workbench top also. I was considering the bowling alley wood, but I've always wanted to try laminating my own. But instead of hardwood I went with 2x construction lumber. So, I've got about $60 in it compared to the $360 it was going to cost for the alley wood. And of course "a whole lot of time"!! Obviously I've learned a few things to do differently next time laminating.

Now, I got the ply on sale, so I went with the oak. This will be in an "L" configuration and only the 2 ends will show. These won't be "show" cabinets. Should I bite the bullet and buy oak 1x material for the face frames? And how about the drawer fronts? Would it look shoddy using the oak ply? I'm sure there will be voids in the ply, this isn't the highest grade of oak ply from Menard's. Greg

[Don Jarvie]

Greg, go buy some of the iron on veneer used for covering the edges of plywood and use that. Rockler sells it. I used some of the birch for a cabinet I made and it works very well. All you need is an iron. Once the glue has dried I use a utlity knife to clean the excess and the use a sanding block and sand to smooth the edges. It looks great and stains well.

Don

[Randy Dutkiewicz]

I like faceframes:

Wow Alan, those are some the prettiest workshop cabinets I've seen in a while! Great job!!!

[Brad Gobble]

I did euro cabs for clean simplicity - here's are two pics.
Notes:
Used pre-finished maple ply (shop grade) and atttached 1/4" solid maple to edges for durability
North wall work bench is 2 1/4" bowling alley maple
Drawers below bench have dado's simple maple T shaped supports - amazing how smooth and strong they are (used the scrap from trimming down the bowling alley)











for the clamp rack I didn't use the good wood, just some A/C ply I had around.

[Greg Urwiller]

Now that's what I'm talking about! My two work tops will be a corner setup just like yours, with the 8' inset so the 10' butts up against, giving me a 6'x10' benchtop.I thought about buying the bowling alley wood, but it was going to be $20/ft for the pine (the only wood I could find close!). I really wanted to build my own, so I laminated 2x construction lumber together for a cost of about $60 for 18' of benchtop. I would have liked to use hardwood, but I figured this would be a learning experience and why learn on hardwood. I've got the 8' top glued together and will finish the 10' tomorrow. I'm building cabinets (lower) for the tops, using Tom Clark's book for reference. Hopefully have something accomplished this weekend. Going to have to drive all over to find the full ext drawer glides to do the 2 cabinet setups. Menard's here, was out of stock on their heavy duty 22" glides, so I tried HD. They were $4+ more per set. So, I have to drive 25 miles one way to Menard's and 45 miles the other way to get enough set's for both cabinets. Gotta check online, might be cheaper and easier. Greg

[Greg Urwiller]

Brad: By the way, did you tie the corner together? I figured I'd use a pc of 4" flat steel on the underside of the tops, drill maybe 8 holes (4 on ea side of the flat), and overlap the butt joint of the two tops with the flat, and use some lag screws to match the two tops together. This should tie everything in together tight. Greg

[Mark Engel]

Greg, there is a seller on Amazon that sells full extension drawer glides in 10 packs for a decent price. No screws or instructions included, just the glides. I got a 10 pack of 24" for $99(?) (or thereabouts)

Sellers name is Integrity Worldwide.

[Larry Frank]

I am currently using full extension slides that I bought from Woodworkers Hardware and when I bought 10 they were $6.15 a set. I have been real pleased with them and will be buying some more of them. You should take a look at their website for prices and other cabinet parts.

[Art Mulder]

I like Tom Clarks' approach to shop cabinets. (He wrote a tutorial over on familywoodworking.org forum, if you go digging through the old posts)

And yes, Alan's are sure purty... but I strongly disagree with those open shelves he has. I have come to loathe open shelves in the shop.
I want everything in drawers or behind doors. Anything else just gathers dust.