Best material to use for shop cabinet with drawers.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I'm going to build a mobile shop cabinet with drawers about 40"Hx30"W. Would you use all 3/4 ply for all or use poplar for the drawers? Would 1/2" ply be o.k. and how about 1/4" hard board for the drawer bottoms? Thanks Alan in Md.

[John Lucas]

Alan,
I have just almost completed two shop cabinets. Used 3/4" birch ply. Havent done drawers yet but will use same for them and will probably use 1/2 blind DTs fromt and back.
Here is a shot of Beth making:
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/shopc-26.jpg
and here is the story:
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/shopc-1.htm

[Mike Evertsen]

Originally posted by Alan Tolchinsky
I'm going to build a mobile shop cabinet with drawers about 40"Hx30"W. Would you use all 3/4 ply for all or use poplar for the drawers? Would 1/2" ply be o.k. and how about 1/4" hard board for the drawer bottoms? Thanks Alan in Md.

I have used plywood 1/2" with 1/2" bottoms and 3/4" fronts for my shop drawers

[Jim Becker]

I generally favor 3/4" birch ply for shop (and kitchen) cabinetry. While I use solid poplar for my drawers for "fine furniture" and home cabinetry, 1/2" ply is fine for shop drawers. I find it very touchy for tearout when dovetailing, but perfectly usable with care and the visible plys are fine for this purpose. A backer board is "not optional" when routing the dovetails (with a Leigh jig) and you absolutely cannot forget to do a slight climb-cut across the inside face before you cut the tails.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Alan
I am a fan of MDO plywood because I hate the way plywood looks after it is painted or stain or clear finished. But then again , you say - MDO is craft paper covered. And I say yes, it allows a beautiful paint job or you can stain it (non descript grain he-he!), or clear finish it (plain brown with gloss from the finish). Also it is really 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch thick not 23/32 thick.
So I vote for MDO (medium density overlay).

Concerning joints for the front to side pieces in the drawers, I use a routed locking joint due to the problems with dovetails in plywood.
:cool:

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Daniel Rabinovitz
So I vote for MDO (medium density overlay).

Yea, this is great stuff. I just haven't been able to stomach the cost for MDO which around here is about $60 a sheet for 3/4" and about $50 a sheet for 1/2". I'm normally not all that price sensitive, however. I guess I should really bite the bullet and try the MDO for the next shop project... ;)

[Alan Tolchinsky]

check on availability of MDO here in Md. Since it's hard for me to get 4x8 sheets of material home, I'm also thinking of using 1x pine. I always enjoy gluing up panels so I might just go this way if it's cost effective.. Do you see any disadvantages of this? Thanks Alan in Md.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Alan Tolchinsky
I'm also thinking of using 1x pine. I always enjoy gluing up panels so I might just go this way if it's cost effective.. Do you see any disadvantages of this?

There is no harm in using glued-up panels for any project like this other than they are obviously not as stable as plywood. That's not a problem, however, as long as you build with wood movement in mind...which is a good opportunity to practice these techniques for later incorporation into your fine furniture projects. Shop projects are absolutely the best test-bed for construction techiques and finishing you can find!

[Alan Tolchinsky]

df

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Alan Tolchinsky
BTW I'm originally from Pittsburgh. You close to Pgh?

Well...if you call 300 miles close...sure! :D I hit the PGH airport every once in awhile, usually late on a Friday night when I'm forced to take that late flight back into the Philadelphia area due to timing.

I actually used to spend a lot of time in Frederick Maryland a few years ago when I was working on a major communications system for the county/school district. Put 48,000 miles on my car in that 18 months!

[Alan Tolchinsky]

30 min. south of Frederick in Rockville Md. I've been to Philly once to pick up my MiniMax bandsaw. Boy that was a fun trip with that major highlight. :)

[Paul D. May]

Alan,

I try not to overthink things like this...I use 1/2" ply for shop drawer sides (3/4" fronts) and use half lap joints to assemble them. Basically make a box and install a false front. You can crank out a lot of sturdy drawers this way...

Paul

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Alan Tolchinsky
30 min. south of Frederick in Rockville Md. I've been to Philly once to pick up my MiniMax bandsaw. Boy that was a fun trip with that major highlight. :)

Well, we get down your way once in awhile as my wife's sister now lives in Chevy Chase (Kenwood), her two brothers live in the Falls Church area (where they all grew up), my wife has dealings with NIH in Bethesda (she does cancer research) and my work gets me to DC from time to time. Small world...

And I'm a little jealous of that bandsaw, although I have my eye on an FS-350 jointer/planer when the Prize Patrol finally shows up in my driveway.... :D

[Byron Trantham]

I guess I am the odd man out here. I have built several shop cabinets - all out of MDF. The stuff is cheap, strong and of course very heavy. I didn't care about the weight because they were either stationary or on rollers. You can see the latest cabinet I built for my drill press. The drawers are made from 1/2" plywood.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Byron Trantham
I guess I am the odd man out here. I have built several shop cabinets - all out of MDF. The stuff is cheap, strong and of course very heavy.

You are correct that this is a very versatile material and the price is often "right". My only real problem with MDF is that it's very difficult for me to handle a full sheet myself without damaging it or myself. Cutting it down with the circular saw to make it more manageable is generally necessary but I hate to do that in the shop...the biggest negative to MDF is the very fine dust produced when milling it and my circular saw acts like a fan when it hits this stuff! During nice weather, outside is definitely where I want to make those cuts!

If the first cuts are rips length-wise, it's no problem to use the table saw as I can use my workbench for infeed support. That means I can use the overarm guard to get practically all the fine dust at the source. But crosscuts first are somewhat impractical on the table saw due to space limitations compounded by the weight of the material.

So, I basically spend double for birch plywood that is easier for me to handle... :)

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Originally posted by Byron Trantham
I guess I am the odd man out here. I have built several shop cabinets - all out of MDF. The stuff is cheap, strong and of course very heavy. I didn't care about the weight because they were either stationary or on rollers. You can see the latest cabinet I built for my drill press. The drawers are made from 1/2" plywood.

Byron, this is just what I want to make. It looks very nice. How did you go about finishing it? Alan in Md.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Originally posted by Jim Becker
Well, we get down your way once in awhile as my wife's sister now lives in Chevy Chase (Kenwood), her two brothers live in the Falls Church area (where they all grew up), my wife has dealings with NIH in Bethesda (she does cancer research) and my work gets me to DC from time to time. Small world...

And I'm a little jealous of that bandsaw, although I have my eye on an FS-350 jointer/planer when the Prize Patrol finally shows up in my driveway.... :D


Well Jim, sometimes I think I overdid the bandsaw thing. But I do use it a lot and it has great power for cutting blanks. I just had a little guilt after buying it as it's the most expensive piece I've bought to date. But I love that beast. :)

[Byron Trantham]

Jim is soooo right. I hate it when I decide I need MDF. Generally, I try to have the sheet layout established so when I go to HD I can have them reduce it down to a more manageable size. As for the dust, I have an overhead JDS air cleaner and a DC. It's the best I can do. Todate I haven't had to use my circular saw (recently equiped with a Forrest blade).

[Byron Trantham]

Alan, I used gloss latex paint - two coats. I have used this method for all my cabinets in my shop. The shop is WHITE! Have you ever heard of a flipppie? Two tools in one cabinet. I attached a picture of one of two that I have. One has my sanding center and planer (shown) and the other is my hollow chisel mortiser and (yet to buy) Jet spindle sander.


To move from one tool to the other, you just remove two clevice pins and flip it over to bring the other tool into use. If you are interested I think I have a PDF of the plans. Send me an email and I will send it to you.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Originally posted by Byron Trantham
Alan, I used gloss latex paint - two coats. I have used this method for all my cabinets in my shop. The shop is WHITE! Have you ever heard of a flipppie? Two tools in one cabinet. I attached a picture of one of two that I have. One has my sanding center and planer (shown) and the other is my hollow chisel mortiser and (yet to buy) Jet spindle sander.


To move from one tool to the other, you just remove two clevice pins and flip it over to bring the other tool into use. If you are interested I think I have a PDF of the plans. Send me an email and I will send it to you.

Byron, That is a neat idea. Yes, I'd like the plans if you have the time. I'm at Atolch1@yahoo.com. Did you prime your work with anything before the two coats of white gloss? Mabe this would make my shop look cleaner or maybe I should just clean it up. :D

[Halsey MCCombs]

I have used the lite weight MDF and it is much easier to handle,although it costs a little more but well worth it if you work alone.Halsey

[Clint Chamberlain]

Jim

You put your finger on a problem all of us have - or will - encounter as the result of aging. I can no longer lift the weights that I usta, and a full sheet of 3/4 MDO is beyond me. Ergo - I stick to plywood. Although even that's geting to be pretty heavy stuff these days.<g>


Clint

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Originally posted by Clint Chamberlain
Jim

You put your finger on a problem all of us have - or will - encounter as the result of aging. I can no longer lift the weights that I usta, and a full sheet of 3/4 MDO is beyond me. Ergo - I stick to plywood. Although even that's geting to be pretty heavy stuff these days.<g>


Clint

Yep Clint, I hear you. I dread handling most sheet goods because of size and weight. And it's hard to get home unless you own and pick up or have them cut it up for you. These heavy items are good for the chiropractor and bad for us. Alan in Md.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Clint Chamberlain
You put your finger on a problem all of us have - or will - encounter as the result of aging. I can no longer lift the weights that I usta, and a full sheet of 3/4 MDO is beyond me. Ergo - I stick to plywood. Although even that's geting to be pretty heavy stuff these days.

Yea, you "young fellas" are better at slogging big sheets of "stuff" around than me! Well..I may be trailing you by a few years, but I'm your basic weakling...with a bad wrist that I hope lasts through my kitchen renovation.

BTW, welcome to the 'Creek, Clint. It's good to see you here. Check out the bow-saw just posted about in the last day or two in the Neander forum as I know you like that kind of thing. It's a beautiful work of art!

[John Lucas]

Well at 66 and with a new pacemaker, I think I might have you all beat but I handle 4 x 8 MDF,birch and white melamine with minimal effort.
I made an oversized (12" wheels) panel storage rack. My lumberyard delivers and stacks panels on one of the two platforms (usually the inside one).
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/euro-17.jpg
When it it time to use, I pull straight out an plop on to two sawhorses waiting.

Even Beth finds that she can handle these panels:
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/euro-19.jpg
We then make finished cuts using Festool saw and guide system.

[Byron Trantham]

I see you use Cut List Plus. I bought it and have been using ir for several months now and wonder how I ever got along without it. CLP in conjunction with Auto Sketch, just about covers it all as far planning, layout and creating materials lists. BTW, I'm 58, no fancy panel handlers and I'm still moving MDF. I have to get them down a basement walk-out so I don't know how many more years I'll be doing that. :)

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Byron Trantham
I see you use Cut List Plus. I bought it and have been using ir for several months now and wonder how I ever got along without it. CLP in conjunction with Auto Sketch, just about covers it all as far planning, layout and creating materials lists.

I totally agree about CLP...it's been wonderful for my kitchen project and I'm really using almost every scrap as a result. That application combined with the CAD program of your choice is a killer combination. I tried several other "cabinetry" programs, but they were just too complicated in usability. And that's coming from someone who has been in the IT/Tech/Telcom field on a technical level for over 22 years...

[John Lucas]

Byron and Jim,
I do love CLP mainly for the labelling. When you are cutting white melamine (no grain) and the dimensions tends to be close, the label helps me keep things straight. I put label near the top on the inside. I no longer cut 35mm holes, or shelf pin holes in the wrong place or direction.