Need Cabinet Assembly Advice

[Carl Garner]

I did a search and read a bunch of posts on cabinets; however, I did not see much in the way of how to do the final assembly.

I made face frames and carcases for some cabinets for our den. They are simple in nature. I will have, in addition to some wall cabinets, four base cabinets with carcases, including bottoms, made of 3/4 birch ply, with 1/4" backs, prolly stapled to the sides. I made the face frames from 3/4" poplar.

I plan to use my Kreg pocket hole jig as much as I can. I also have a biscuit joiner that I may use to line up the top of the bottom of the face frame with the bottom (floor).

The cabinets will sit on already installed and leveled 3/4" ply bases.

Since I've never built cabinets before, I really would like advice on the specific steps involved for assembly of the carcasses and face frames in (where to begin), especially from you who have used pocket hole joinery for cabinets?

I appreciate this forum.

Carl

[Dave Falkenstein]

I build the carcasses first. I like to use dado joints to add strength to the carcasses, but frankly those cabinets I have made with butt joints seem just fine. If you want to use pocket hole and screws for the carcass assembly, I think you can use butt joints successfully, especially since you are using 3/4" plywood for the carcasses. Adding a back and face frame will help add stability to the cabinets. Be sure to include a "nailer" strip across the top of the base cabinets, and across the top and bottom of the wall cabinets. This nailer strip must be well secured to the carcass, and will be used to secure the cabinets to the wall, using 3" screws (not nails, as the name implies).

After the cabinets are built, make the face frames to fit the actual carcass dimensions. Leave a small amount of reveal on the outside edges of the face frames, making it much easier to butt the face frames together, rather than butting the carcasses together all along the carcass sides. I usually just glue the face frames to the carcasses, but you can use pocket hole joinery also, as long as the pocket holes are hidden after the cabinets are installed. Use screws through the face frames to secure the cabinets to each other.

There is not much of a trick to making the face frames. Make certain all the cuts are square, and the matching pieces are the same dimension. Clamp the face frame pieces so they are perfectly flush before you install the screws. I use an assembly table, and clamp the face frame pieces down onto the table and then insert the screws. Some folks use glue in addition to pocket screws, but I don't see that as a necessity.

If you have other questions, please post specifics.

[Brian Dormer]

I've built a number of cabinets exclusivly with pocket screws. No need for glue, dados, rabbets, or any other fancy joinery (unless you really want to). There is a book by Danny Prolux (sp?) that is all about Pocket Screw Joinery - at least one chapter is all about cabinets.

Typically, I decide how big I want the cabinet - then draw it out (sometimes on a computer, sometimes on the back of a napkin - the process is the same). Then I work out all the measurements and make up my cut list. I cut the panels and parts, trying to do all the cuts of one size without moving any TS adjustments (gar-un-tees that the parts are all the same size - even if I'm off a 1/64'th). I dry fit everything (use lots of clamps) and mark where I want screws (only as a rough guide - but I make sure I don't put a screw in an inconvient location). I drill all the pocket screw holes in one session. Then it's just a matter of assemby.

You do need to be fussy when you cut the pieces (so the joints are straight and square to begin with) - and clamp everything nice and solid before you drive the pocket screws in (you don't want things moving around on you).

[Joe Chritz]

There are as many different methods as there are makers and all are right.

FWIW, I use a dado for a 1/4 back, 1/4 in from the back of the cab. The sides are dadoed for the bottom. I usually use 1/2 material so I leave 1/4" to make figuring the bottom size easier.

All sides are pocket screwed if they are hidden and the face frame is attached with glue and pocket screws. I have used biscuits for alignment but on cabs I just made a spacer to sit on the bench and give me the correct height for the face frame. Once the sides are attached just drop it on the front or back and attach the screws for the bottom.

Some use pin nails, dadoes, biscuits, dowels or nothing except glue and clamps. As long as the frames are attached it was done right.

I also do all my machining for screws, shelf pins and the like after the parts are finished and before assembly.

Joe