Re: Tool Organization
A this is for a request from about a year ago (memory doesn't serve, just a guess) to show how I make what i referred to as quick cabinet doors out if plywood. I have four doors left to make and I'm DONE. Instead of doing what I really want to do this weekend I've decided that being finished is much better. The next door I need to make is actually a facade (false front) for one of my slide out cabinets (the last one all the way at the end). The door is exactly like a door I'll make that opens but this one will mount to the slide out
A question that has been asked a few times is what kind of plywood. Here's a shot of the plys. High grade cabinet ply has many more layers and is much more consistent (thickness-wise) than the plywood called "cabinet grade" you'll find at big boxes like Lowes or Home Depot. I use 3/4-inch Baltic Birch for my doors.
I use a simple design which incorporates two vertical boards (called rails) and two spreaders (called styles). The rails are cut to the length of the door and the styles are cut 1-inch wider than how far apart I want the rails to be.
To make a door look better, try to get all of the components to have the grain going the same direction. On my doors and cabinets I've chosen to run the grain up and down though at times, what I was feeling cheap, I compromised and I'd do whatever worked out of the end of a sheet (so not all doors in the shop are perfect). Rip and cut to the calculated dimensions.
Then cut up the styles...
And I always cut a few extra styles and I'll show you why in a moment.
Here's a simple example of a door assembly and does a good job illustrating how I'm gonna do it.
The rail gets a groove and the styles get both a tongue and a groove.
Styles first. First step is to make 1/4-inch deep cuts 1/2-inch in on both ends of each Style. Should look like this.
Then set the fence on the table saw to 1/2-inch (if your fence is dialed in this is super easy) and the blade height 1/2-inch.
Run the styles on end along the fence on all four sides.
This will leave the styles with a finished tongue on either end.
Now measure. Your tongue needs to be slightly over 1/4-inch wide (the target width of the center panel). Pretty good for the first swipe.
Now all I we have left is the groove. Set the fence at 1/4-inch and run one side of each style along the fence.
Rotate and then the other face (same edge of the style). This will relieve the center of the wood.
Then run on side of each Rail. Once done, the machine work is nearly done. Almost always I'll need to move the fence out 1/8th more to nip the middle.
