Planning Workshop Cabinets

[Frank Snyder]

I'm in the process of planning the layout and construction of base and wall cabinets for my workshop. I planned on using double-sided melamine (MDF core) for the carcasses and shelving. Normally, I would use plywood for the carcasses, but this has to be a quick and cheap project for me, plus I don't want to have to deal with finishing the inside of the cabinets or shelves. I'll probably do Poplar face frames and flat panel doors so I can paint them quickly. I was also going to add 4" toe kick drawers for extra storage.

Should I just figure standard sizing dimensions (24" deep, 34" tall, 24"-30" wide) for the base cabinets, or has anyone wished for deeper or wider cabinets? I was also just going do a 1-1/2" laminate countertop and integrate a SCMS station into the design.

I'd appreciate any ideas or suggestions with this project.

[Jim Dunn]

Frank I made my top 30" and some how the base cabinets came out 27":eek: Don't ask me how:o Any way with the integril dust collection piping the drawers just clear and they are 24" deep drawers.

Search my profile for all threads and you'll see a pic or two of my mitre station system.

[John Bush]

Hi Frank,
Be sure to measure the range of motion and the extension of the arm of your SCMS. I had to make my cabinets deeper to accomodate my DW708. Also, If you could design a downdraft DC attachment you will be lightyears ahead in the dust control realm. Building a hood or cover over the saw and having the DC pulling down would be worth the loss of cabinet space below. Good luck, JCB

[Frank Snyder]

Jim - Thanks for the info...I'll do that.

John - I have the same DW708 at the moment and I'll observe the measurements for the range of motion. I agree that a downdraft system would be the way to go. I had planned on something along those lines, perhaps making a hood out of Lucite. I was going to bump out and lower the base cabinet beneath the SCMS as well, so that it was in plane with the countertop.

I saw somwhere where someone built a secondary shelf above the countertop to act as the cutting platform for their CMS...interesting concept.

Thanks again.

[Laurie Brown]

I'm planning to make some in my shop as well, and have been deciding the same question. I prefer a deeper work surface to work on, so I'm going to go with 30" if it will fit without interfering with the overhead door.

Probably going to make mine from MDF, though. Haven't decided on a finish yet.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I made my base cabinets the appropriate depth to allow room for my SCMS - 24" is typically not sufficient. With a top depth of 37", my SCMS fence is 15" from the front edge of the top, and there is no room to install a dust hood on the SCMS. Try to take all of these dimension needs for your SCMS into account. Sometimes I wish I has simply used a portable stand for the SCMS instead of building it into the base cabinets.

[Jim Becker]

I think you need to consider multiple cabinet depths depending on where in the shop and for what purpose. Dave's point about the SCMS illustrates that...wider is better there, but it would likely be quite unweildy in other places to have that much depth to reach over. I find that my 30" deep miter station is "at the limit" for comfortable reach, although it gives me storage options for a few benchtop tools, like my mortiser and OSS, without interfering with lumber processing in front of the fence.

[Michael McCoy]

Dave had a good point also. I had a fixed station at my last home but moved into a smaller shop temporarily. I bought the Delta portable to give me easy access to the saw.

[Mike Holbrook]

Danny Prolux, "Building Woodshop Workstations", says "Wall cabinets are usually 12" deep by 30" -high. Base cabinets are 24" deep by 35 1/4 high." Danny's book has good plans, material lists etc. for all sorts of shop cabinets and work stations. Danny provides instructions for building with MDF both plain and coated. He builds his "Mobile Workbench and Tool Cabinet" out of plywood with hardwood trim. I am just starting to build his "Mobile Workbench and Tool Cabinet," modifying it for use with Festools. I am also working on his "Mobile Table Saw Center", out of plywood instead of MDF, with a few other modifications. His book is a great place for shop construction ideas for the person that does not have a great deal of time to devote to the projects.

[glenn bradley]

If I was going to permenantly mount my SCMS I would put it below the level of the base cabinets and use them for infeed/outfeed surface. You could make the saw lift out and replace with a small filler panel if you needed more top surface. It would be easier to store a 30" wide filler panel than two 48" risers, eh?

[Pat Zabinski]

Frank,

When I built my shop, I had limited time to work on cabinets, so I scrambled for a quick/easy way to get them built. I was able to purchase base cabinets from the local Salvation Army (commercial-grade melamine cabinets that happened to match my shop), so I needed to build some quick-dirty wall cabinets.

I ended up using double-sided melamine MDF as you're describing, and in one full day, I was able to design the cabinets, purchase the materials, build them, and hang them, and they've been working great ever since. I stuck completely with the MDF in a faceless design, which saved much time.

Here are some photos.

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I ended up using 16" wide shelving material, so three sides were already covered with melamine. To finish off the doors, I used the iron-on edging, which worked well.

I made the top cabinets 16" deep to match the material, which I have never regretted. My cabinets is full of tools, pieces, etc. that simply would not fit in a 12" deep cabinet. For kitchens, the standard 12" works well, but for shops, I really like the deeper cabinet. The potential problem is if you hang the wall cabinets over standard base cabinets, where the top cabinets can sometimes get in the way. It's not a problem for me, because I store my rolling tools under them. If you're hanging the wall cabinets over your base cabinets, you might want to stick with the 12" depth.

Based on the 16" material (actually, 15 3/4"), I scaled the cabinet width to 32" such that I did not have to trim the door widths - just used the default 16" material for the doors. I used scissor hinges such that I could butt the cabinets directly against one another.

A dado on the sides was all I used to join the box with construction adhesive (I had several tubes laying around) and screws to hold it all together. Also used 1/4" sheet stock in the back and included some backer/hanging strips of scrap MDF for strength.

[Steve Clardy]

I have a run of 20' of shop cabinets.
The first 16' are standard depth 24" box.
Then the 4' SCMS box is 36" deep, with 37" top.
I also have the DW708 slider on that cabinet, with builtin dust control in the back of that cabinet.
Cabinet could have been about 2" deeper. I had to remove the 1/4" sheeting on the wall behind the saw to get enough room for the saw to sit there, without it protruding out the front of the cabinet.

[Frank Snyder]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the plethora of information. I'm working on a design now in Sketchup and I'll post it soon.

Laurie - I'm going to experiment with different depths using Sketchup. I'd like to try and minimize material waste, so 24" deep cabinets make the most sense in that regard using s 49x97 3/4" sheet of Melamine.

Dave - If I had more room I would park the SCMS away from the cabinets on its own stand like you suggest. Unfortunately, I need to integrate it as best as I can while keeping the dust it produces under control.

Jim - I agree with you on modifying the depth and height of the cabinet(s) based on the specific use of that area. The SCMS base cabinet needs to be lower and deeper than the surrounding cabinets.

Mike M. - I currently have the SCMS mounted on a Delta Kickstand, but this is just temporary. I think I can make the SCMS work in a cabinet arrangement.

Mike H. - I'll see if I can locate a copy of Danny Prolux's book for some ideas. Thanks for the suggestion.

Glen - I'm looking at an 18 ft. run of base cabinets, so I hope I don't run out of counter space ;). I like your idea, though.

Pat - Thanks for the pics. Those are interesting hinges. I think 12-13" deep wall cabinets might be a bit shallow, so I may bring them out to 15-16" as well, provided the extra depth doesn't interfere with the use of space beneath them.

Steve - Thanks for the measurements on the DW708, I'm thinking 38" might be the magic number here for the SCMS base cabinet.

My Byrd head arrived today, so I'll be spending tomorrow installing this instead of finishing these cabinet designs, so expect me to update this thread by Friday. Thanks again, everyone.

[Frank Snyder]

I'm hoping to sneak this cabinet project in this week if I can. I wanted to ask if anyone here has ever used MDF for face frames and cabinet door frames? I'm going to paint them, so I thought this might be the best route. Otherwise, I'd go with Poplar.

Thanks!

[Corey Hallagan]

I built my cabinets out of mdf and also used mdf for drawer fronts. I would go with the poplar or plywood if I had to do it again. MDF chips and breaks if it gets dinged hard.

Coreuy

[Frank Snyder]

Thanks, Corey. Was the MDF bare or painted? I didn't know if a quality enamel paint (BM Impervo) might keep it from chipping? These are just for my garage, but I would like them to look nice, so if MDF is not so durable, then I will use Poplar. I just don't have a lot of experience with MDF as I mostly use hardwoods.

[Jim Becker]

Frank, MDF is fine for the panels in your doors, but I suggest you use poplar, pine or maple for your rails and stiles, both on the doors and on the face frames. Or plywood if you don't mind the striped edges. You can still do pocket screws for speed to get a strong construction and you will have enough meat for whatever hinges you choose to work well.

BTW, my local HD is finally carrying 1/4" MDF panels...so far only the 2'x4' panels, not full sheets. They also seem to be stocking 1/2" in full sheets now.

[luc gendron]

If you want to get more out of your melamine stock, use adjustable cabinet legs. They are great for a workshop as you don't have the melamine sitting on the floor, wich in most instances is in a damp or cold garage were moisture could become an issue. You save on melamine because sides are cut at 32'' instead of 35'', hence you can get three sides per 97'' melamine length. Danny Proulx used these in his books. I get mine from www.hardwareattic.ca (http://www.hardwareattic.ca).

[Frank Snyder]

Jim - Thanks for the advice...I will just use MDF for the panels and Pine or Poplar for the face frames and door frames. My local hardwood supplier has 1/4" melamine in 4x8 sheets for about $30 which I thought I would use for the cabinet backs. As far as the panels go, they also carry a nice MDF beadboard product for about $40 per 4x8 sheet which I thought I would use for the panels.

Luc - I was going to add toekick drawers to the base cabinets for additional storage. My concrete slab has radiant heat, so it doesn't get cold or damp on the floor. But I do know which adjustable legs you're referring to and were it not for the toekick drawers, I would consider them. I'm also keeping the base cabinets around 32-1/2" (plus 1-1/2" countertop) so that they don't interfere with the outfeed path of my table saw (34-1/2").

I'm still working on a SCMS station design which will require a deeper (and lower) cabinet section. I'll post some Sketchup designs as soon I as figure this part out.

Thanks again for the advice.

[Jim Becker]

Recommend you make your bases/toe kick area separate from the cabinets. That will allow you to more easily level the same as well as make sure your drawers are working well before you put the cabinets on top. I did this for our kitchen and would do it again for any cabinetry I build. easier cutting out cabinet parts, too.

[Frank Snyder]

Thanks, Jim. You're right...if the floor has any high and low spots, it makes for problems with toe kick drawers, depending on what kind of clearances I shoot for. I'll see what I can come with. There's going to be plenty of storage space, so part of me wonders if the trouble of toe kick drawers are worth it. I did them in our kitchen, and we use them quite a bit. It just seems like wasted space without them.

Thanks again for the advice...I'll use it.

[Chris Bolton]

I'm also keeping the base cabinets around 32-1/2" (plus 1-1/2" countertop) so that they don't interfere with the outfeed path of my table saw (34-1/2").

Thanks again for the advice.

A section of my base cabinet run (about 6' by 24" deep) were built on a rolling base with some locking casters which give me a lot of versatility in my tiny shop. They roll and lock into place with the other "fixed" cabinets. I built it so that it "is" the outfeed for my table saw. Also having it on casters allows me to pull it away from the wall which gives access around all four sides which is pretty handy when working on larger projects. It serves as a glue up/ assembly station, can be wheeled to the finishing area and has a number of shelves to accomodate different tools like a mitre saw, planer and a quick and dirty router table and the dusty collection is built into that section. I really like the versatility of the mobile cabinets as having fixed cabinets would have really chewed into the floor space.

Planning your own shop space is so personal. You have to consider how you work, the projects and tools you use and the space you're working in. Once you come up with some creative ideas it can really make working so much more enjoyable.

Best of luck.

[Dennis Hatchett]

:) Hey Frank,
I found myself in a similar position as a business was closing nearby. I wandered into their shop and paid a premium price of 50 bucks for a 20 foot run of white melamine carcasses they had used for open shelf storage under a counter top. I was planning on saving several hundred dollars for MDO Carcasses but it was just too tempting to save both the time and money on carcasses that wouldn't even be seen behind my doors and drawer fronts.

I installed them in one day on a 3" base held back a few inches for a toekick. I just cut some plywood shelves and they were ready for use. It took about 6 months to find the time to build and install 20 dovetailed drawers on full extension slides and doors to enclose shelf storage. But I just did that when I had spare time since the space was already useable.

I then selected some fancy grain birch plywood and cut the fronts and doors so that there would be a flow pattern for the grain and they look like custom cabinets(at a glance anyway). I didn't even need a face frame because I used overlayed euro hinges(using the adjustable pre-drilled holes) for the doors and all the doors a drawer fronts lined up giving the appearance of one clean surface. I ended up spending twice as much on hardware for the cabinets as I spent on wood. Still the whole project came in for under 500 dollars and looks very nice.

So, If you're settled on MDF you may want to consider buying them prebuilt from a box retailer or scrounging for them second hand. It may be about the same cost when you figure in your time and material costs. More time for gettin to the stuff you want to do. Just a thought.

[Laurie Brown]

Danny Prolux, "Building Woodshop Workstations", says "Wall cabinets are usually 12" deep by 30" -high. Base cabinets are 24" deep by 35 1/4 high." Danny's book has good plans, material lists etc. for all sorts of shop cabinets and work stations. Danny provides instructions for building with MDF both plain and coated. He builds his "Mobile Workbench and Tool Cabinet" out of plywood with hardwood trim. I am just starting to build his "Mobile Workbench and Tool Cabinet," modifying it for use with Festools. I am also working on his "Mobile Table Saw Center", out of plywood instead of MDF, with a few other modifications. His book is a great place for shop construction ideas for the person that does not have a great deal of time to devote to the projects.

I have that same book, and I made the saw table as my first project, then the router table, both from MDF. They are rock solid and were a great learning experience to build. The biggest pain of the saw table was putting the wheels on the end with the dust collection compartment. Put them on before you glue in those diagonals, or you're going to need someone with very thin arms to reach inside to put the bolts in. (I borrowed a neighbor's son for that :) )

[Frank Snyder]

Chris - Putting the base cabinets on casters is a great way to adapt the space to whatever the situation dictates. In my case, the wall where I'm planning on installing these base and wall cabinets shouldn't be a problem provided the base cabinets don't exceed the height of my table saw. I can also lower the built-in casters on my PM2000 and just rotate the saw 90 degrees if I've got something really long to rip, so being that the table saw is mobile, I'm not sure the base cabinets would need to be as well. Nonetheless, a great idea you suggest. Thank you!

Dennis - You got a good deal on those used cabinets. That's probably the best route to take if you can find someone local who comes across deals like that. I need some experience working with melamine and making inexpensive cabinets, so I'm fine making them myself. I'm sure after I make them, I won't want to work with this stuff again ;).

Thanks again, everyone, for your help.

[Frank Snyder]

One last question...if I'm using quality drawer slides, can I use 1/2" melamine for the drawer bodies or would I be better off using Baltic Birch? I'd like to avoid any unnecessary finishing, which is why the melamine is appealing. But since its basically particle board, I wasn't sure how it would hold up over time.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[Jim Becker]

The answer to your last question is "yes you can", but...the method you use to assemble will have a major effect on how they hold up over time. You'll need to use KD hardware (with the complicated drilling involved) or Confirmat screws to get the best results. The BB ply would be simpler as you can use familar methods to build the drawers...like pocket screws or biscuits combined with glue.

[Frank Snyder]

Thanks again, Jim. Baltic Birch it is then.

[Frank Snyder]

Here's my Sketchup design for the cabinets in my workshop. I'll use Melamine for the carcasses, Poplar or Pine for the face frames and door drames, MDF for the door panels, Baltic Birch for the drawer bodies and adjustable feet for the base cabinets (decided to lose the toekick drawers). I'll also use Euro-style inset hinges and concealed drawer slides.

For the SCMS station, I brought the cabinet depth to 32" which should be enough. I'm getting a new SCMS next week, so I'll use the that to determine the ideal depth and height I need when it arrives. I'd like to try and integrate and tape and stop system within the countertop...perhaps a T-slot which could accept a removable custom fence or stop? Not sure if anyone has tried this before. I just like the idea of being able to remove the fence if I need the countertop space. I'll devise a dust shroud and collection system for the SCMS.

Most of the base cabinets are 30" wide and 24" deep, which should be plenty of space. I brought the wall cabinets out to 14" depth and 18" above the countertop. Along the length of the countertop, just below the wall cabinets, I'll run a 4" duct for DC with multiple hookup points and blast gates for any benchtop tools I may use (spindle sander, dovetail jig, etc...).

56116561175611856119

Let me know what you guys think of this design and some of the ideas I've put together.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

You are NOT going to be wanting for storage space for awhile, Frank! Seems like a nice setup.

[Frank Snyder]

It's taken me far too long to get to this project and finally wrap it up. Despite the good advice I received here, I decided to be my own guinea pig and use MDF for the face frames, doors and even the counter top to keep costs down. I painted the face frames and doors with an oil-based primer and enamel (BM Impervo) which adheres extremely well and adds a durable protective surface for the MDF.

I had to use some unorthodox construction techniques as a result of using MDF. I had to stick-build the MDF face frames onto the cabinets after hanging them since the MDF would split if I tried to edge join them with screws. Dominos were used to create the joints, and they were glued and pocket screwed to the carcasses. I also added stretchers behind the horizontal rails of the face frames for the base cabinets to give them some support. For the doors, I glued and pinned the 1/4" MDF panels into their frames for maximum strength. They look, feel and behave like a Poplar door would, but without the warping.

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continued...

[Frank Snyder]

I used Dominos for the carcass construction, as well as the face frames. I really like the beaded face frame look with inset doors & drawers, which motivated me to spend the additional time mitering all of the joints. For the drawer bodies, I used more Dominos, which seems to be a popular alternative to dovetailing. I had a lot of Blum Tandem drawer slides left over from other projects (bought in bulk), while overkill for workshop cabinets, they are a pleasure to install and use, especially for inset applications.

The carcasses are just Melamine coated particleboard purchased at the Borg. The base cabinets rest on a PT 2x4 sub-base which I leveled. The counter top is 1" thick MDF with several coats of an oil-based, floor grade polyurethane. I figured the MDF was a material I could easily repair (fill with Plastic Wood, sand and finish) which I've done with my MFT over the years. I used Dominos again to join the counter top and back splash sections together.

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continued...

[Frank Snyder]

I also wanted to make the SCMS easily removable for road trips, which I achieved using Stablemate's mounting bracket. I made a 2" thick MDF cleat with the reverse profile of the mounting jaws mounted to the counter top. All it takes is a few revolutions of the crank arms, and off she comes. I added a stop on the left for lateral alignment so it is always calibrated with the fence.

For the fence, I just used some leftover 3/4" Melamine strips in conjunction with the Kreg Measuring system. To attach it to the countertop, I just used 4 3/8" knobs with 2" studs and some brass inserts driven into the MDF counter top. The fence will always line up in the same spot and can easily be removed when I need the counter top space. I get about 6" of infeed support from the countertop, which is plenty. The base cabinets are 24" deep while the SCMS base cabinet is 27" deep.

I wanted to add additional dust collection ports for benchtop tools, and I decided give the $80 2-1/2" plastic DC kit from Lee Valley a try. Much to my surpise, it actually works really well, even with my SCMS, which (and I'm not exaggerating) gets about 95% of the dust. The T's aren't all that efficient, but they seem to work well enough here. The Hitachi C12LSH also has the best DC of any SCMS I've ever used.

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It's such a relief to finally be able to get organized with this additional storage and not have piles of stuff everywhere. I actually have a few empty cabinets as well. I know these look like overkill for workshop cabinets, but I do get some prospective clients who stop by and want to see my digs, so I thought it made sense to make something that looked nice for those occasions.

I also wanted to thank everyone here who gave me some really good advice with this project. I may not have followed every suggestion, but I'm still grateful that this resource of knowledge and experience exists.