Frame and Panel Cabinet Build – Lots of Pics

[Mike Allen1010]

My wife likes to arrange flowers (she’s creative and artistic that way) and occasionally uses my shop for that purpose. Turns out flower arranging requires its own set of tools/equipment. She started appropriating my portable toolbox to store her flower tools:eek:. We all know that’s not gonna fly – so I built this small cabinet for her out of “Whitewood” (I think White Pine).
This is a pretty casual project, built of inexpensive materials which gave me a chance to play with some of my favorite hand tool techniques. Below is probably too many pictures of the build process I thought I would share with my fellow Neander’s who are interested in following along:

Dimensioning stock with my grandfather’s Disston #7, 10 PPI crosscut saw. Those are his initials scratch the plate.

https://i.postimg.cc/50j1bkQ0/1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/MMkgY5D2)



Jointing a reference edge with what was a horribly dilapidated beach jointer plane I found hidden in my Dad’s shop. After a little TLC it’s become a favorite. I don’t know why some of these old irons just seem to take a great edge?
https://i.postimg.cc/QC1MZnv7/2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/wRxzhFqx)


Carcass sides are molded frame and raised panel construction with four panels per side. I admit to running the quarter round molding for the frame with an electric router. For me hand plane moldings with hollows and rounds are a lot of work that I tend to reserve for “show” moldings with more visual impact. After cutting/shooting to length, next step is to remove/miter moldings where the bridle joints will be. I like Japanese saws for these delicate , small cuts. I try to take my time with this process as gaps are pretty obvious and I’ve certainly created my share of those! Better to leave moldings a little “fat” and trim them to a final fit when fitting frame joinery.

https://i.postimg.cc/B6t8kpq5/3.jpg (https://postimg.cc/TLMYWr5h)

https://i.postimg.cc/5tLKv5c3/4.jpg (https://postimg.cc/xkjPVz1J)

https://i.postimg.cc/7LZbJ9Tv/5.jpg (https://postimg.cc/bZ4qKQTL)

https://i.postimg.cc/pLZpd4rY/6.jpg (https://postimg.cc/FYY9WPj7)

https://i.postimg.cc/3JjwLVX5/7_(2).jpg (https://postimg.cc/tYTyJrv2)


With moldings trimmed, time to saw the bridle joints. Over time this has become a fun exercise for me. With good technique you can go fairly quickly and results are immediate.

https://i.postimg.cc/LXdhX1LL/8.jpg (https://postimg.cc/kVc7YDjg)

https://i.postimg.cc/CxHfqdP8/9.jpg (https://postimg.cc/0zjQg5q5)

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https://i.postimg.cc/rw3wnrh3/11.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Mike Allen1010]

For me, trimming moldings to accommodate the cross frame member are strictly a “fit by eye trial and error” process of laying the cross piece tennon on the frame and marking directly.

https://i.postimg.cc/285jCwMg/13.jpg (https://postimg.cc/G9ZnQkcj)

https://i.postimg.cc/qqysqrNM/14-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/q6BhD9c9)


Typically I plow a groove in the frame members to capture the panels. However this creates a couple problems; it reduces the height of the bevel I can put on the panel because it has to be shallow enough to fit within the thickness of the frame. Secondly I struggle getting good panel alignment/consistent reveal during complex glue ups. Consequently, for this project I went with open rabbits that allow me to insert panels into the frame from the inside after glue up.

https://i.postimg.cc/kMvDJD4R/15.jpg (https://postimg.cc/yWW7n107)

https://i.postimg.cc/4ySDfzhT/16.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Zv67jvcf)


With frame complete now dimensioning/surfacing panels.

https://i.postimg.cc/bw7qHjrj/17.jpg (https://postimg.cc/K15Xxwt9)



I experimented with trying to make curved raised sections with shop made panel raising plane. Although it worked out OK, it’s really hard for me to keep the irregularly shaped iron sharp and I anticipated that getting through eight panels would likely result in unacceptable tearout and frustration.

https://i.postimg.cc/8PnpcvVc/18.jpg (https://postimg.cc/kBK3hBGP)

https://i.postimg.cc/Jnmmvcj6/20.jpg (https://postimg.cc/TykZWb7g)



Instead I went with my standard flat bevels. What works for me is to establish deep reference knife lines to layout the central panel and then set up the fenced rabbit plane just short of those lines. I struggle getting a nice clean edged rabbit to define the central field on the panel and prefer to sneak up to the final layout line with the shoulder plane.

https://i.postimg.cc/vBkRMrnw/21.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Q9QYJWSf)

After establishing the initial rabbit, use a Jack plane to remove most of the waste and then a pair of LN small, block style, bevel up rabbit planes – one fenced, the other with no fence to complete the final slope of the beveled edges. Here’s some pics of the final results.

https://i.postimg.cc/gk99TKdv/23.jpg (https://postimg.cc/JtQdyZsn)

https://i.postimg.cc/yN6CTYKt/25.jpg (https://postimg.cc/YvPPr7hz)

[Mike Allen1010]

Old dog- new tricks: Here’s a random pic of my new slow speed bench grinder for “unicorn edge” experimentation. So far good results with chisels – unsure about plane blades.

https://i.postimg.cc/Z5c10tNc/28.jpg (https://postimg.cc/YvvXyPbG)



Installing internal kickers/runners for three drawers in top of cabinet. This is where decision to capture carcass side panels in rabbits (rather than grooves) creates the need for installing additional spacers to create a smooth drawer pocket. This has implications for drawer front joinery.

https://i.postimg.cc/9QhhrYnW/29.jpg (https://postimages.org/)


Dovetailed rails join carcass sides at top and bottom. End grain of through dovetails will be covered with molding. I’m also counting on the dividers, shelves and cabinet back to provide some rigidity and strength.

https://i.postimg.cc/0jMtChrL/30.jpg (https://postimg.cc/XBWcjHf8)

https://i.postimg.cc/fbHnqnTL/31.jpg (https://postimg.cc/JyB2tFXV)

https://i.postimg.cc/5y4z4zWp/32.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ygGxnkdS)

Bracket feet are design elements that historically mystify me – I’ve made many genuinely ugly examples. For this cabinet I went with the height equivalent to 1/8 height of the carcass (about 4”?), and length = 1/4 cabinet width. I also plan the thickness of the stock to get the reveal from the carcass sides I need to accommodate the width of the base molding that will transition the bracket feet to the carcass. Because I only had 4/4 stock I had to laminate some scraps to get the desired thickness.

https://i.postimg.cc/9QrGwyRn/34.jpg (https://postimg.cc/LJFqrYVt)

I do the shaping of the bracket feet after glue up so it’s easier to get a uniform transition at the miter. My new favorite tool, the pin nailer super handy for tacking things together while the glue dries.
https://i.postimg.cc/vZk5rD5H/35.jpg (https://postimg.cc/68V7wWHD)

https://i.postimg.cc/xCKGTYJj/36.jpg (https://postimg.cc/bDwS3794)

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https://i.postimg.cc/Hkq7JRCr/41.jpg (https://postimg.cc/QFqMw6CD)

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https://i.postimg.cc/9MVRb90V/43.jpg (https://postimg.cc/qtbvMz2Z)

[Mike Allen1010]

https://i.postimg.cc/y8gZ8B2q/44.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5XJ0Pcxp)

I should’ve used a smaller glue block to support the weight of the cabinet that wouldn’t be visible – oops.

https://i.postimg.cc/y8gZ8B2q/44.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5XJ0Pcxp)

This picture of the front of the assembled cabinet shows the interior width of the drawer pockets means I can’t use half blind dovetails for drawer fronts/sides.

https://i.postimg.cc/LXTqbsgP/45.jpg (https://postimg.cc/tZsC1p5R)


After dimensioning drawer fronts to fit pockets, I scribed and cut sliding dovetails to join front and sides. Because tolerances are really tight, X-Acto knife is my preferred layout tool for the small dimensions. I saw the sides of the female housing and router plane to final depth. Cut the male DT slightly oversize and pare with a chisel to get a tight fit. If you haven’t tried this before, it’s easier than it looks.

https://i.postimg.cc/mZjMdm7n/46-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/4nKmybLv)

https://i.postimg.cc/FK0k0p9D/46-3.jpg (https://postimg.cc/94FfhGw7)

https://i.postimg.cc/wjm1d2sg/46.jpg (https://postimg.cc/HrTYwQ2h)

https://i.postimg.cc/QxPFPwCf/46-5.jpg (https://postimg.cc/bsxYS6Qn)

https://i.postimg.cc/6qb8B105/47.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zHWzj769)

https://i.postimg.cc/900fgYh3/49.jpg (https://postimg.cc/xNrYcH8g)


Through dovetails for the back and test fit the drawers.

https://i.postimg.cc/2SZ7X4kB/49-5.jpg (https://postimg.cc/JsRXsHB1)

https://i.postimg.cc/Px2xMF0z/50-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/WFqTNSNh)

[Mike Allen1010]

For little visual interest, I added some mahogany cock beading. I prefer cock beading that’s a little narrower than drawer front so I can create a small rabbit on the d rawer front that provides a consistent reveal. Drawer fit looks pretty good here in this picture but it definitely took an hour of fiddling with block plane and sandpaper to get to this point.

https://i.postimg.cc/PfVJp9Wd/52.jpg (https://postimg.cc/c6Y0PDkz)

https://i.postimg.cc/Vvhkx0fJ/52-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zHnNWBRN)

https://i.postimg.cc/8CbP10kQ/53.jpg (https://postimg.cc/f3JhC50B)

https://i.postimg.cc/qRMBgxgt/53-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zL6YcWC5)

https://i.postimg.cc/htWSVBfR/54.jpg (https://postimg.cc/RNd5z27g)

https://i.postimg.cc/XJGjw7c3/55.1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/sQzCzzN0)

I laid out some mahogany escutcheons on graph paper to try and scale for different sized drawers. With straight sided, parquetry inlays like this, I beveled the sides to get a compression fit and temporarily glue them in place with a couple drops of hide glue to scribe the mortises.

https://i.postimg.cc/GtP1QBB0/55.2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/P5XdSMzS/55.4.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3dqMRmqG)

Next are sawing bridle joints for doors for bottom of cabinet. I typically have better luck getting a perpendicular flat bottom on the mortise by drilling, rather than sawing out waste with coping saw and paring from either side.

https://i.postimg.cc/PrkXwHLs/56.1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3Wn5sPCn)

https://i.postimg.cc/CMbYY2cv/56.2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/pyV3Jsb8)


I made some mullions out of mahogany to add a little visual interest. I tried to cope/undercut drawer moldings to get a better fit but still ended up with too many gaps.

https://i.postimg.cc/pTN76WMP/56.4.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/NG8hZH0S/56.5.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Rq0bHqKL)

https://i.postimg.cc/tgLQGdWQ/57.jpg (https://postimg.cc/KKrsnM0J)

[Mike Allen1010]

Here’s my attempt at shooting a base molding. Typically I try and find an existing molding to copy but couldn’t find any examples that fit the required dimensions. I drew out the profile I was looking for on graph paper. What helps me is to draw line indicating the overall slope of the molding. In retrospect, I think this profile is to “busy” – probably should’ve gone with something simpler.

https://i.postimg.cc/Gm2ZBgjn/58.1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3dsLVB6t)

https://i.postimg.cc/Wb2RV1F3/58.2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/DmYpdFck)

Planing initial rabbits with shop made rabbit plane and sticking board. Ideally I would’ve liked the larger rabbit to terminate closer to the center of the Cove. Because my rabbit plane is a pain in the neck to sharpen (have to take the fence off to remove blade), I try and use it just to establish the initial position of the rabbit and then planing to final depth with easier to sharpen unfenced rabbit planes. The hollows and rounds works pretty well in this soft pine, but the molding still required some curved shape scrapers and sanding blocks to finish.

https://i.postimg.cc/Yq85CBYx/58.2_(2).jpg (https://postimg.cc/56Y7sGPH)

https://i.postimg.cc/dVLxQkqq/58.3.jpg (https://postimg.cc/VJPRDNrT)

https://i.postimg.cc/MKsL8bJP/58.4.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/Xv51FRGm/58.5.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/7hKKwDdG/58.7_(1).jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/kXMHZYzR/58.7_(2).jpg (https://postimg.cc/s18KGmV3)

Planing the cabinet top with kit made infill plane from St. James Bay.

https://i.postimg.cc/2jGc4Fyk/59_(2).jpg (https://postimg.cc/rzdNT453)

Doors are inset. Trying to install the hinges to get a consistent reveal is always a tedious and frustrating task for me. I initially made the hinge mortises too deep which caused the doors to bind and had to shim them out with paper (finally a use for those business cards).

https://i.postimg.cc/85VKbZL5/59.jpg (https://postimg.cc/R3XLSQs5)

https://i.postimg.cc/285HTbL4/60.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Jt9czhqn)

Lessons learned: 1) make shallower hinge mortises initially, you can always deepen them if needed. 2) Steel screws in middle hole only initially to allow for adjusting door to fit flush with frame, before locking in position with final brass screws.

I used store-bought wooden knobs. Mistake - the knobs are too big which means they both cover the escutcheons on the drawers and touch when the doors are closed – argggh! Finally, I tried to use magnets as latches for the doors but I couldn’t get them to latch securely. Either the fit was bad or the magnets aren’t strong enough, either way something I need to fix. I appreciate any suggestions about what you think would be a better hardware latch for this application?

https://i.postimg.cc/VvZW2g0X/61_(1).jpg (https://postimg.cc/fSXd9xKb)

https://i.postimg.cc/NfL4m3ZD/61_(2).jpg (https://postimg.cc/zVZK1czH)

https://i.postimg.cc/B6ggB4qY/61_(3).jpg (https://postimg.cc/wy1L6KRL)


Thanks for looking – all the best,
Mike

[Michael J Evans]

Wow Mike
That is fricken fantastic! Very nice, I hope one day to be able to create work that nice.

[Mark Rainey]

Very nice cabinet for your wife Mike, and very nice display of a wide variety of hand tool techniques. Handsaws, coping saws, wood planes...I will scroll through the pics several times - very enjoyable!

[Jason Buresh]

Wow........ Just wow.

A fantastic display of craftsmanship

[Josh Robinson]

Nice work and interesting thread and photos! Thx

[Christopher Charles]

Mike, great project! Thanks for posting. I always pick up a good trick-this time it was drilling the bottom of bridle joints before sawing.

And I'm always impressed by how fast you turn out projects-at least that's how it seems from the outside :)

Best,
Chris

[Winston Chang]

Really nice work! Thanks for showing us how you do it.

[Derek Cohen]

Masterful, Mike. Absolutely masterful! Design, choice and execution of joinery, handwork, and not to forget the excellent photography ... all top class. Thank you!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks, thanks, thanks Mike. So much to see and take in - more than I can grapple with on one pass through the excellent photos. I am at the stage where I am just contemplating H&R edge moulding and was glad to see that detail at the start of this episode. Cock beading is definitely on my list as well and I need to go through that again. Very good stuff for us Mike. Thanks again for sharing.

[Tim Best]

Simply amazing work, Mike. I think “wow...just wow” has already been used so might I say...
Absolument sensationnel et magnifique.

[Clifford McGuire]

OK, that was cool. Thanks for bringing us along for the ride!

[Wayne Cannon]

Mike, Thanks for sharing the detailed step-by-step. It is an inspiration for this would-be neander, as it help to demystify the process. The result is beautiful.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Mike for sharing. Wonderful piece. The accent mahogany is a very nice touch. Too nice to live in the workshop. Will she be doing her flower arranging in the family room now? :D

[Mike Allen1010]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I sometimes wonder if posting lots of pictures/descriptions might come across as self indulgent. Please know that’s absolutely not my intent. I’ve often had the experience reading Woodworking books/magazine articles where I can’t quite figure out how the author got from point A to point F. My intent is to hopefully illustrate the process because I know for me at least I find that helpful.

I’m interested in any suggestions from my fellow Neanders about latch hardware that works well on inset doors. I always struggle with this. When I look at all the adjustability that’s built into commercial grade hinges for overlapping kitchen cabinet doors (those things are adjustable eight ways from Sunday with screws), I think it would be great to have something similar (although hopefully on a smaller size) that would allow for that same adjustability to get a solid latch and also maintain the correct reveal. There is a invention idea for engineering minded neanders. Any and all help/suggestions are much appreciated!

Cheers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Simply amazing work, Mike. I think “wow...just wow” has already been used so might I say...
Absolument sensationnel et magnifique.

Merci beaucoup Tim, vous êtes trop genti!

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike, great project! Thanks for posting. I always pick up a good trick-this time it was drilling the bottom of bridle joints before sawing.

And I'm always impressed by how fast you turn out projects-at least that's how it seems from the outside :)

Best,
Chris
G
Thanks Chris, good to hear from you I always enjoy your build threads!

I guess the only upside of home quarantine is lots of shop time!? Honestly wasn’t able to spend some of that time in the shop I’m pretty sure I would be even crazier than I am now. Don’t know how everyone else is managing endless hours at home. Funny how that idea seems really attractive pre Covid – I guess under the heading “be careful what you wish for“.

Cheers, Mike

[Ben Ellenberger]

I definitely appreciate all the pictures, including the process pictures. I often struggle to follow written descriptions of processes. Oh, and nice cabinet too!

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I sometimes wonder if posting lots of pictures/descriptions

I really enjoyed this, more as you keep working please!

I really enjoyed seeing how you built up molding. I have seen it done before but I have never given it a go; I don't even own the tools to do it.

Fun to see.