Cabinets, and lots of them...

[mreza Salav]

As some of you now it's over a year and a half that I'm busy with building several things for a house we are building for ourselves.
The main thread of that has moved here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?220868-Building-a-new-house-from-foundation-to-finishing-and-all-the-woodworking&highlight=

My last major project is the cabinets (1 kitchen, 6 bathrooms, 1 laundry). I started cutting the parts for the boxes back in the summer.
First was a trip to a local supplier and I came home with about 55 sheets of ply (mostly prefinished birch and some walnut), plus some walnut lumber. The doors are raised panel mitered out of walnut. I had initially planned to make the doors (got the shaper cutters for them) but realized I have way too many things going and making 130+ doors (mitered with profile on the rails/stiles) wasn't going to fit in my schedule. So decided to buy the doors and I am SUPER GLAD I made that decision. The doors came on a pallet back in the summer. Unfortunately I have lost many pictures I took due to the memory card in my cell going bad.

First, I made a simple jig using Incra T-tracks to make parallel cuts using track saw.

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Here are a lot of parts prepared.

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Edge banding is real wood (walnut). And here is my setup to trim the edges using a very small round over bit (1/16). Yes, all the parts that were small enough went to basement (shop) to get this done.

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The boxes are done using domino and screws:

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[mreza Salav]

I also started making some posts for the island and the sides of the range:

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All the parts were moved to the house back in summer and remained in one room until now.
Fast forward 7 months I have started moving the box parts out to sort them out and started making the boxes:

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But in the mean time have started spraying the doors and all the other parts that need finishing. This end is where the kitchen will be.

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[mreza Salav]

I have put all the boxes together except for the island (as I don't have room to store them), then went through the painful process of staining the wood edge banding and then putting top coat on them (I should have had used PVC edge banding but now that's done).
Started installing the boxes on Friday. Managed to put all the bathroom boxes and some for the kitchen over the weekend.

Putting a corner cabinet box together with the hardware:

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Here are some of the bathroom boxes:

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and the kitchen:

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[Gene Takae]

My hats off to you-that's a lot of cabinets!!! I have only made cabinets for a small townhouse kitchen and that was a headache.

[David Nelson1]

As usual Mreza what a chunk of work. Hats off to you. I like your posts and was thinking of doing something similar for my island. Are your post lamanated or is that one honking hunk of walnut?

[William C Rogers]

Mesa, I did my kitchen cabinets, but pale in the work you have done. I admire you, but I am thinking you have 7 or 8 twin brothers helping you. Not only the amount of wor, but the detail and design you have done.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Nice job! I find when I stretch that big of project out over a long period of time, I loose part/forget where everything goes but apparently you got it down. Those post look awesome!!!!! It's a shame walnut doesn't get used that much.... at least in my region.

[mreza Salav]

Thank you all.



As usual Mreza what a chunk of work. Hats off to you. I like your posts and was thinking of doing something similar for my island. Are your post lamanated or is that one honking hunk of walnut?

Posts are laminated from 8/4. Final size is about 4 3/4".


Mesa, I did my kitchen cabinets, but pale in the work you have done. I admire you, but I am thinking you have 7 or 8 twin brothers helping you. Not only the amount of wor, but the detail and design you have done.

I'm working alone and have a day time job which I have been busier at since Jan. So I get only the evenings (after work) and the weekends to spend on these but I have pretty much cut everything else in my life. Long days of work, 7 days a week....I need a break after this house is done, a LONG break.

[Matt Day]

Did you say 6 bathrooms?

Excellent work by the way. I really like your router jig for the lathe.

[Andrew Joiner]

I'm working alone and have a day time job which I have been busier at since Jan. So I get only the evenings (after work) and the weekends to spend on these but I have pretty much cut everything else in my life. Long days of work, 7 days a week....I need a break after this house is done, a LONG break.

You have a day job? Your real name must be Clark Kent because from the work you get done mreza Salav looks like a superhero!

[Pat Barry]

This is freakin amazing. The amount of work you are accomplishing here and the quality of the end results are mind boggling to me. Simply fantastic and thanks for posting these photos.

[mreza Salav]

Matt, it is a 5-bedroom house each with its own bathroom (plus a half bath).
Thanks again for the encouraging words. I am still behind where I wanted to be but I guess I should be glad with my achievements so far.

[Bruce Page]

Mreza, you are one hard working dude!

[Jim Dwight]

The cabinets look great! I'm hoping my wife lets me make ours. You may know this but walnut fades in color with sunlight (the opposite of cherry which gets darker). Using an outdoor finish with UV blockage will slow this. I like my walnut furniture but I've been a bit disappointed in it fading. I put caps on the newel posts in the old house and I had to replace those. They got real light - the staircase got a lot of sunlight. The replacements were cherry. (right now we are liking Hickory. I haven't made furniture out of it yet but I've put down about 800 square feet of prefinished flooring that we like).

[Peter Quinn]

Looking good, nice work, impressive columns! Love your pictorials.

[Dave Zellers]

I am still behind where I wanted to be but I guess I should be glad with my achievements so far.

I don't know... Any regular Super Hero would have had that done by now.

Me, I'd still be standing frozen in front of that stack of plywood and thinking "Oh crap".

Awesome job.

You do understand however, since you bought the doors, you won't be able to say, "I built this". :cool:

[Paul Cahill]

Lovely job!

[mreza Salav]

Thanks folks.


I don't know... Any regular Super Hero would have had that done by now.

Me, I'd still be standing frozen in front of that stack of plywood and thinking "Oh crap".

Awesome job.

You do understand however, since you bought the doors, you won't be able to say, "I built this". :cool:

I know, I guess I can only claim "I built this" for a few other things in the house :)

[julian abram]

Amazing project undertaking. Your work is A-1!

[Jerry Olexa]

Very nice results on a BIG project!! Well done.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Nice work, very inspiring. (And tiring, just thinking about it!)

[mreza Salav]

Thanks again, I appreciate the comments.

[Mike Berrevoets]

Mreza - First, that is a bunch of nice looking cabinets! You must not sleep very much. :) I'm cringing at the amount of time it will take me for the next kitchen project coming up in our house and I probably don't have half the cabinets you have.

Which leads me to my question(s)..... (If this is a hi-jack someone say so and I'll start a new thread.)

Did you choose the Domino and screw method to save time or is it based on what tools you have available or it's a better, more durable method? (Or all of the above?) The last set of kitchen cabinets in our old house I used dados, glue, clamps and some 18-guage nails but I'm looking at alternative methods for this next set. And if a Domino is faster/better then I can justify the expense of a new tool to the boss (wife).

I thought I noticed in one picture that the cabinets were screwed through the face of the ply into the edge. if that's true did you have any splitting of the ply? We will have all applied end panels so screws through the face are fine aesthetically. I've kicked around Kreg jigging the cabinets but if the edge of the ply doesn't split then I could save some time not drilling with the Kreg jig.

Thanks - Mike
(PS - If you are too busy to answer I understand. :))

[mreza Salav]

Mike,

I like to do the best possible job (it's for myself); having said that I have lots of things to do (or I should say had lots of things to do). So time was an important factor as well.
Given that my sheets are pre-finished ply using glue on the edges would have required a bit more work.
I found a combination of domino and screw both fast and very strong. My initial thinking was to use dominos mostly for helping alignment when I put the boxes together (alone), althought hey add strength as well. For each lower cabinet, on each edge at the bottom (deck) I use 4 dominos and five 2" screws; there are 4 dominos and 6 screws on each left/right side of the back as well (so in total I think I use like 20 dominos and 36 screws in that one box). It is probably way over-kill (as most my other things) but so be it. For uppers I use 3 domoninos on each edge of top/deck (plus 4 screws) and 4 dominos on each edge of back plus plenty of screws. I think the boxes are very sturdy and I have managed to put them together fairly quickly.

As for screws: they are R4 #8x2" GRK screws that are self drilling. They work fine in plywood without pre-drilling, except I noticed that if you drill into the edge that is close to a corner (say 1.5" away) then they may split. For those locations I pre-drill.

[rudy de haas]

Everybody:

Back about Dec 30th I happened to be in Edmonton and Mr. Salav gave me a quick tour of his house. At the time the cabinet pieces were in boxes - but the house itself is huge and solidly built. Of course, I got somewhat lost getting there, didn't have enough time, etc etc, but all of the work -and, in particular the front door and the curved stairway railings - is as impressive as these pictures suggest.

So thanks for the tour - and, by the way, why aren't the two curves continuous? (I thought they were when I was there, but they aren't - that landing offset is just too big- right?)

[Chris Padilla]

God? Is that you? Seriously, Dude, I need a nap between READING your posts of all the work you are doing. I'm still dancing around getting the cabinet doors done for my master bathroom! Maybe I should stop dancing, eh? Incredible work as always, Mreza. :)

[mreza Salav]

I had a laugh, thanks Chris. Honestly the cabinets are going much faster compared to the rest. Although I had done a lot of the work earlier it is still less time than I anticipated. I hope to put all the boxes including island in the next few days. Then it will be trim work, bulk-head, a curved range hood (which seems complex) and a whole bunch of drawer boxes...

[eugene thomas]

I hope ya plan to make video of the whole project when done....

[mreza Salav]

Thanks Rudy. I suppose you mean the top of the railing where it becomes horizontal, right? if I was to continue all the way to the post it was too high or I had to set the railing over the stringer too low (like around 31" high).

Eugene, I'm not sure about a video but I'll definitely take some good photos of the whole thing when done.

[Mike Berrevoets]

Mreza - Thanks for the domino/screw build details. We won't have prefinished ply since almost all the lowers will be drawer units but I think I could used the dominos and run a bead of glue on the edge and use the screws. My wife likes the frameless cabinets too which makes things a little quicker for me to build.

[Peter Stahl]

mreza, Amazing amount of work you've done. Wish I was half as motivated. Can you tell what you bought to make the parallel jig for your Festool tracksaw.

[mreza Salav]

Peter, they are Incra T-tracks, some 1/4-20 knob and T-slot nuts:

E from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?cat=1,43455&p=66239

D from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=61652&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

and C from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=65638&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

The rest are wood parts that I made.

[Peter Stahl]

Peter, they are Incra T-tracks, some 1/4-20 knob and T-slot nuts:

E from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?cat=1,43455&p=66239

D from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=61652&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

and C from this:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=65638&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

The rest are wood parts that I made.

Thanks for the quick reply, really appreciate it. Didn't realize the blocks were wood, thought they were stops. Lee Valley is a great store, had the please to visit on when I was in Canada years ago.

[James Zhu]

Thanks for the quick reply, really appreciate it. Didn't realize the blocks were wood, thought they were stops. Lee Valley is a great store, had the please to visit on when I was in Canada years ago.

You can order online from Lee Valley US website, http://www.leevalley.com/us/?c=2.

BTW, if you do not want to build the parallel jig, Precision Parallel Guide is nice, http://precisiondogs.us/products/precision-parallel-guides-v11

[mreza Salav]

yes, there are many places you can buy the jig from. For me it was under an hour to make the jig having the parts.

[Peter Stahl]

Thanks again. I've ordered from Lee Valley via their website.

[mreza Salav]

All the wall cabinets are now installed, only the island is left. You can see two of the posts around the where the range/stove will be. The spacing between the cabinets and the range I think came pretty good (with no filler added in between), although the drywall work wasn't perfect.

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Here is the master bath:

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And a couple of other baths (the rest are pretty similar):

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And the laundry:

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All the false fronts are to be added to the boxes later (every visible piece should be in walnut).
Building the base for the island:

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Taking advantage of the long weekend here, I can install the island boxes tomorrow, and perhaps another day to install the corner posts. I hope I can call the granite guy to come to do the templates later this week while I work on the details of the cabinets. Have to make lots of trims/mouldings, install the bulk-head, and build a curved range hood (which seems complex).

[mreza Salav]

Cabinets are a lot faster and easier than railing or architectural work for sure.
Put the island in place as well and the granite guy is coming this Thursday to do the templates. Will start building the mouldings and work on the upper sections of upper cabinets next.

Base secured in place with the holes for water/drain lines then boxes placed:

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Making the corner post structures, with a filler added underneath to slide the hardwood under the posts later:

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[Kent A Bathurst]

OK - so I am clear -

The "L-corners" [for lack of a more intelligent term] that frame in the posts - those are attached to the posts with....ummm... screws through the L into the beveled corners of the posts?

But then - how are the "L-corners" attached to the carcass?

:confused:

[mreza Salav]

I guess it's not clear from the photos, the L-shaped corner has a 45 degree side as well (from the top it forms a triangle). The two pieces are on the table in photo cab32.jpg.
The post is screwed from behind to that piece first, then that piece is screwed (at 45 degree as it has two beveled edges) from behind to the L shaped. Then the L-shaped gets attached to that corner using dominos (one side) and screws from the other side (from inside the cabinet).

[Kent A Bathurst]

Now I got it - thanks - the "with dominos" clicked on the light. I had not noticed the slots in the side ply edge in cab34.

I could easily picture the screws coming in from the other side @ 90*, and I figgered out the post-to-L assembly.

Really appreciate the as-built show. Keep it up - realize it takes a lot of your time.

Kent

[Jim Dwight]

You can order online from Lee Valley US website, http://www.leevalley.com/us/?c=2.

BTW, if you do not want to build the parallel jig, Precision Parallel Guide is nice, http://precisiondogs.us/products/precision-parallel-guides-v11

Those precision dogs parts look like a good way to get the price down from what Festool wants and also to give you a longer parallel guide than theirs. Has anybody ever seen parts for a parallel guide for a DeWalt? I have pictures from someone else's and have ordered pieces to make my own but if I could buy parts I might. I like making stuff too, it just takes time.

Another question relative to parallel guides for a track saw. The illustration posted does not show clamps with the parallel guides. I like to use them and I have had the rail slip when I was cutting sheet goods without them. But the clamps seem somewhat impractical to use with the parallel guide.

So my question is if people use clamps with a parallel guide. If not, have you had the rail slip in position?. If yes, does it make it hard to get everything in position?

[mreza Salav]

I usually don't use the clamps, especially if used with parallel guides. Use downward pressure and I usually have the other hand push on the rail in the middle of the two guides to keep the guides tight against the edge.

[mreza Salav]

This Saturday I started building a range hood. I estimated it takes about a week for me to build it (curved) but it went much faster in the first two days.
First I made a template an then started builing a internal frame:

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Then the bottom frame:

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Here I'm applying bending ply to form the curved sides. Here is how to trace a line to cut the excess ply and then to sand it after rough cutting:

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[mreza Salav]

Here I am gluing some backing pieces for the other section to be glued to:
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Then I started applying 1/8" thick maple ply and here is how it looks:

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Wait a second, I need it in walnut, not maple!!! Oh shoot, now I have to veneer Walnut over it:

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I am quite happy with how the edges of veneer turned out, perfect.
Kidding aside, based on my experience, bending ply doesn't give a smooth/flat enough surface to apply paper back veneer, so I decided to apply a 1/8" ply that is easy to bend over the bending ply, that gives me a 3/8" thick base that is plenty strong too (doesn't bend with the push of a finger) and then veneer over it.
Here is how it looked after 1.5 days of work on it on Sunday. I have to trim the bottom and put it back in the bottom frame, apply some trims around it and finish it before installing in place.

[Peter Stahl]

Looks great so far. Is this getting stained like the cabinets?

[mreza Salav]

Yes, the same finish.

[mreza Salav]

With painters almost finished with painting the house I have moved my spraying to garage:

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Started installation. Believe it or not, installing it took as much time as building it! It was a bear to install it tight in between the cabinets, plus
connecting the ducts at the top and to the hood liner....

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And here are the final pics:

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[mreza Salav]

I made some molding to go on the uppers:

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Then we had the counter-tops installed. We were lucky we could find these 5 slabs as both my wife and myself loved the color and the slabs were big enough to get the island one piece: 112" x 72" and it weighs roughly 1100-1200lb. It took 5 guys to carry/install it:

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Then started working on the frieze and the crown:

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My target is to finish the house in less than a month. Have been busy staining baseboards as well as doing the cabinets.
The back splash went on this week, all marble. The darker accent was 12x12 that I got it cut by CNC waterjet at a shop and then
took home to my shop to sand the edges to give micro bevel. Crowns were done a while ago.
Today I started putting up the doors and have started putting the light valance. The lower doors won't go on until after the hardwood is installed (don't want any damage on them!):

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[mreza Salav]

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And here are two (of 4) piles of hardwood. They will start on it from Monday.

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[Phil Thien]

Did I miss the post indicating what method you were using to drill shelf-pin and hinge holes?

Gorgeous work. I love all the cabinet work you've done but I really like that very last shot in post #50. The layout (arched entryway vs. windows and island vs. fireplace) and scale of that space is very well done. It is very pleasing to the eye. It is a comforting space.

[William C Rogers]

Beautiful. That is as professional as it gets. I still think you have 7 brothers helping you.

[mreza Salav]

Thanks.

Phil, I made a template from 3/8" mdf and made the holes 3/8". Then used one of these 5mm bits in my router (with an adaptor) plus a bushing guide
http://www.richelieu.com/ca/en/category/tools-safety-and-workshop-accessories/tools/tool-accessories/drill-accessories/wood-drill-bits/brad-point-boring-bits/1010814/sku-AT204005?fr=fav
to drill the holes (shelves and hing plates).

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful! (I'm running out of expletives.)
So when is the Open House?

[mreza Salav]

Thanks.
I expect it to be finished in a month or so but won't be moving until after I take a long much needed vacation. It's almost two years of non-stop work.

[Ole Anderson]

My, my, that is a boatload of mighty fine work.

[Kent A Bathurst]

So when is the SMC Members & Contributors​ Open House?

Bruce - corrected your post for you.

[Peter Quinn]

Excellent work, wonderful to see your progress, you have definitely earned a vacation!

[Ole Anderson]

Could you go over your finishes please? I think I read the whole thread but don't see much on that. I see you have prefinished ply (Maple or walnut?), purchased doors and raw ply (or veneer) and solid wood. Were the purchased doors finished or unfinished? How did you finish the raw wood, and did you veneer the case ends if they were prefinished something-other-than-walnut?

[mreza Salav]

Thank you all.

Ole, in post #2 you can see I'm finishing the doors. Everything except the birch ply (which was pre-finished) was unfinished. The boxes are pre-finished birch but for some of the gables I used walnut ply that I sprayed/finished before assembly (those two boxes next to the range hood). For some others I added a false gable from walnut ply (like the two boxes to the sides of the kitchen sink). The edge-banding is real wood (walnut) that was finished after assembly, that was a painful thing to do. The whole kitchen is a mix of plywood (birch and Walnut), solid wood, and some veneer (like the range hood).
The finish is a very very light mist of #89 RTM stain from General Finish (just to take away the yellow tone of walnut and make it closer to the Santos Mahogany flooring). Then followed by 4 coats of pre-cat urethane by GF.

[Peter Quinn]

Thanks.

Phil, I made a template from 3/8" mdf and made the holes 3/8". Then used one of these 5mm bits in my router (with an adaptor) plus a bushing guide
http://www.richelieu.com/ca/en/category/tools-safety-and-workshop-accessories/tools/tool-accessories/drill-accessories/wood-drill-bits/brad-point-boring-bits/1010814/sku-AT204005?fr=fav
to drill the holes (shelves and hing plates).

I'm looking for an adaptor to run one of those 10MM shanks in my router, coming up blank. Any suggestions? I don't see any 5mm euro brad points with other than a 10MM shank. Is a 3/8" collet close enough to make it work?

[mreza Salav]

Peter, Amana has those adaptors (1/2" to 10mm and a few other different sizes). I bought mine from routerbitworld.com for a few dollars or so I think.

Edit: here it is: https://www.routerbitworld.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMANA%20RB-120

[Peter Quinn]

Thanks for that link Mreza, don't know why I didn't think of Amana, I'm looking to start doing shelf pin holes in the home shop with a router, this looks like great set up, just ordered it!

[mreza Salav]

While I was busy staining the baseboards the guys were busy installing hardwoods a few weeks ago. This photo was taken when they were doing the last row.

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Then the baseboards went on and I installed a little bit more of cabinet parts (false fronts, baseboards for cabinets, etc).

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Next I started builing drawer boxes:

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I did a screw up and cut a bunch of drawer sides too short.
Now I'm mostly done with building boxes (kitchen is done minus one, baths are all done, and there are only 4 left in the laundry).
It was my first time using/installing tandem and I was pleasantly surprised that all the boxes went in and slide smoothly given the very small tolerances that are to the sides. Have to attach the drawer fronts and those slide-out doors.

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[Mike Berrevoets]

Nice! I've been waiting for this chapter so I can ask questions about the drawers. :)

I'm assuming you bought the drawer stock material pre-grooved and cut to width since it looks like a stack is shrink wrapped. Can you share the source? My wife also wants all drawer bottoms so I have quite a few drawers to make.

what are the heights of the drawer boxes?

im also going to use the Tandem slides for the first time so it is comforting to hear they went better then you expected.

everything looks very nice!

ps. Looks like the hose hooked up to you DT jig could use a shave. :)

[mreza Salav]

Thanks Mike.
Yes, the drawer sides are pre-finished birch that I buy from this supplier (here in Canada): http://www.richelieu.com/ca/en/category/doors-drawers-wood-components/corbels-mouldings-and-wood-components/drawer-sides/drawer-side/1030545
For the bottoms I found 1/4 prefinished birch ply but the quality wasn't that good. I use them only for bathroom drawers but for kitchen I am using BB ply and I finish myself.

The shallow drawers are 4 1/8" and the deep ones 10 1/4".

[Bruce Page]

I hope you survive this build, I would have gone belly up long ago!
Beautiful work as always!

[mreza Salav]

Thanks Bruce, I so badly want this to be finished sooner...

[Mike Berrevoets]

Thanks Mike.
Yes, the drawer sides are pre-finished birch that I buy from this supplier (here in Canada): http://www.richelieu.com/ca/en/category/doors-drawers-wood-components/corbels-mouldings-and-wood-components/drawer-sides/drawer-side/1030545
.

hmm... They have a distribution center in Michigan. But it says I need to have a business. :(

i hope you have a vacation planned for when your project is done. I nice long relaxing vacation.

[mreza Salav]

Mike, they used to say that but you can open a cash account with them and pay for your orders right away (no need to be a business).
As for vacation, you bet, we are taking off in two weeks for 3 weeks before we move.

[mreza Salav]

Finally, the cabinets are all done, kitchen, 6 bathrooms, and the laundry, all are done, including trims, toe kicks, shelves,...DONE!!
Here are some cell phone pics:

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[mreza Salav]

one more pic:

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The house is also almost complete, only a few minor things are left (like putting the towel bars and toilet paper holders),
but the most important thing is a major cleaning. The painters are also coming to do some touch up work.
We are going to take a vacation from this weekend for a few weeks, it's a much needed vacation. After we come back we move (hopefully).
I will post final pics of the house with a real camera (all these pics are cell phone pics). My finisher also has asked me to send him the photos. The guys who brought the stairs wanted to come and take photos of the railing for their website!!

[Mike Berrevoets]

The finished kitchen looks awesome!

Hopefully you can relax and enjoy your much deserved vacation.

[mreza Salav]

Thanks Mike.

[Frank Pratt]

You're probably tired of hearing this, but they look fantastic! Beautiful wood, great grain selection, fine craftsmanship. Your going to want to put a sofa in the kitchen just so you can sit & watch the cabinets. I'm serious about that.

[mreza Salav]

Thanks Frank.