Marc Sommerfeld T&G cabinet set videos

[Rick Potter]

This is probably not news for a lot of owners of his T&G cabinetmaking set, but I thought I would mention that several changes exist between old videos and new ones.

Don't remember when I gought the T&G set, but the video that came with it is dated 2003. I just ordered the 10 video set from Sommerfeld Tools web site, and the T&G video is dated 2008.

Some changes old owners may not be aware of:

The old video used a lot of pocket screws in various places including cabinet ends.
The new video uses them only for face frames, and he clamps the cabinet ends while the glue sets.

The old video mentions just cutting grooves on two sides of the rails, for interchangeability.
The new one just uses one groove.

The old video had pocket holes co-habiting with grooves on the rails.
The new one does pocket holes first and then stops the grooves short on all the rails.

The worst part of the old system was changing the depth for pocket screws going through the cabinet sides into face frames. There were several ways to do this, depending on where the sides were placed, what offset you wanted, and trying to hide the screws. It was a real pain.

Anyway, the new system that most of you probably are familiar with is much streamlined, using a minimum of pocket screws. If anyone has the old video, I highly recommend the new one.

Anyway, these changes were new to me, and I hope this post is of value to owners of the older sets.

Rick Potter

[daniel lane]

Rick,

I don't have anything by Marc Sommerfeld - in fact, I only recently heard of him and looked up his videos (so your title piqued my interest). I wanted to say, however, thanks for this - this is why I love this community, this kind of sharing. So...thanks!


daniel

[William C Rogers]

Rick

I am building cabinets now using Marc's tongue and groove system. I am building for a new house laundry/pantry room and the kitchen. Starting with the laundry/pantry first. I have finished one so far and on my second one. It is definitely one strong cabinet. I had previously build a cabinet using the pocket screw system only and this is far easier and more accurate. The first cabinet I built just like the "new" video. This one was a base 5 foot in length. The second is a 6 X 8 foot pantry cabinet (one big cabinet). ( And yes, the new house will have 9 foot ceilings and have done the calculation to make sure I can stand it up.) On the second cabinet I am doing a few modifications. I will use pocket screws in the back nail rails, not for strength, bus so I can remove my clamps quicker. I will also add a few to the toe kick between the bottom. I did put a second groove in the face frame sides so I could use that for the build out for drawer slides where I am making the outside flush with the face frame. This system builds the floor flush with the face frame. Looking at cabinets in the big box stores almost all of them the floor is recessed. I think for the kitchen cabinets I will flip the floor which will create the recess. The reason for this is if the two joint materials are of slightly different thickness or slight variation in making the tongue and groove you will get a slight offset of a few thousands. Enough to feel, but easily sanded.

Bill