Large storage cabinet

[Mark W Pugh]

OK, this is going to sound amateur-ish, which I am. I'm building a large storage cabinet and was wondering how you all would tackle the carcass. It will be a FF cabinet.

The bottom of the cabinet will be 7' X 69" and has multiple storage areas/drawers. My first thought is to cut all interior horizontal pieces first in order to keep things square. Then cut the vertical pieces to the correct lengths for each compartment area. I would use pocket screws to mount the vertical pieces.

Any thoughts, or am I over thinking this?

Hopefully this makes sense.

[William C Rogers]

Mark, I built a 6' X 8' pantry cabinet. I used somerfields tongue and groove method. FF was pocket screws. I did need to buy several new 8' pieces of black pipe for my pipe clamps. There may be other ways, but this worked.
image.jpgimage.jpg

[Robert Engel]

Need more info or maybe a drawing.
You say the bottom is 7' X 69". I assume 7' tall and 69" wide? If this is the bottom, what is going on top? Not sure what do you mean here.

Sounds like a large cabinet which is often better made up in units, but without knowing more can't say too much.
Have you considered frameless construction?

[Jim Dwight]

7 feet tall and 69 wide will be very heavy, especially if 2 feet deep and especially if built of 3/4. I would make it in at least two pieces unless it will be put together in place (or very close to in place). I've found butt joints with glue and screws to be plenty strong in both cabinets and furniture. Shallow dados (1/16 to 1/8) are useful to help locating pieces. I use a jig with my router. I use both through screws (with heads plugged if they show) and pocket screws depending on appearance.

[Mark W Pugh]

The entire cabinet will be 10' tall and 69" wide. I was planning on bldg the bottom piece to the 7' mark, and a separate carcass for the last 3'. I have it drawn, i will try to post a pix when I get a chance.

[Jim Dwight]

If you make a 7 foot tall cabinet 69 inches wide you need to plan your help and your route to get it into the final location. Each sheet of 3/4 plywood is around 75 lbs. Since it's wider than a sheet of plywood you also need a seam in the back. Something to incorporate in the design.

[William C Rogers]

The cabinet I built is 72" wide and 96" tall. It is one cabinet. I put a center divide in it. Using the Somerfields tongue and groove it was really easy to make the parts. In addition to the tongue and groove I did add pocket screws to the nail boards. I was originally going to build it in the workshop and then install it. I had 9' ceilings and remember doing the calculations to be sure I could stand it up. However since the house being built was at a stage I assembled it in the room intended. To build a large cabinet you need lots of clamps. The sides, bottom, and center panel all are glued into grooves of the FF. you do need lots of clamps! I had three +6' pipe clamps and would liked a couple more. I don't think I could have built this as a single cabinet any other way.
image.jpg

[Mark W Pugh]

I forgo to mention, it needs 29" of useable depth. I'm not concerned with grain direction, nor r they.

[Dan Rude]

Just a thought, I have several times had a large cabinet that I needed to move for some reason. Many times I have ended up using it for salvaged material. So if not a built in, I would try and design it to take apart or install easily. If a built-in disregard. Just remember the large entertainment wall to hide that big TV box that was as deep as it was wide. Dan

[Mark W Pugh]

This is a screen shot from Sketchup of the FF. Disregard all the dimensions. Some are a little off for some reason.

http://i852.photobucket.com/albums/a...psw2sf1ult.png

I figured I would build the bottom carcass to include the two sets of 3 doors and the drawers. The build the top carcass just to incude the top two openings.

I couldn't figure out how to add a photo directly to this page. Hope the above link works for ya.