Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/10/2006

Question
I would like some information on how to build cabinets step by step info can you recommend any books or DVDs I have two projects 1st is the laundry room for practice then the master closet. as a hobbiest is the Leigh D4 a good investment for projects around the house or are ther other Jigs you like that work well  

Answer
Hi Adam,

Good questions, and I hope I can give you with a helpful answer.

When you mention cabinetmaking, are you talking about built in cabinetry, like what is in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms? Or are you referring to cabinetmaking, in which some people use interchangeably as furniture making?

I am going to assume you mean the built in type, so I would highly recommend a couple of books. But first- understand that there are basically two kinds of built-in cabinets, face frame cabinetry and frame-less  (or European) cabinetry. The face frame cabinets are the traditional cabinets that have a 1 x 2 face frame that is applied to the plywood box of a cabinet. Frameless cabinets are more modern, and do not have 1 x 2 frames. They are modular, easy to build, and use a better hinge which is fully adjustable, which is often a problem area for traditional cabinets.

Anyway, these books I consider to be the best on this subject, and I recommend that you try to find a copy of each one.  The first is Making Kitchen Cabinets by Paul Levine. His books will teach you all that you need about building frameless cabinets, and he even has a video out, which is very useful. I built my first kitchen nearly 20 years ago using his system, with very minimal tools. I think I had a tablesaw and a router, along with some pretty standard stuff like drills and sanders. But really- the tablesaw is the only big tool you'll need, and you'll get excellent results if you follow his instructions.

The next book is Building Your Own Kitchen Cabinets (Layout, Materials, Construction, Installation) by Jere Cary. This book seems a little dated now, but if you're looking to build face frame cabinets, this is the only book you'll need. He's been building for years, and this book is full of really great information.

Both books are published by Taunton Press, which is the home of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking magazines. My choice for the better of the two books is Paul Levine's book. His style is simple, versatile, and you can build his designs with a minimum of tools. The design is modern looking and easy to customize. And I have seen both these books not only on eBay, but at my local Borders and Barnes and Noble, so you should be able to find them. There is a third book I am hearing good things about- but I've not read it yet- it's called Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets By Danny Proulx.

Anyway, those three books should provide you with all the help you need. I recently built some face frame cabinets for a client, and it reminded me of why I recommend building the faceless ones- they're so much easier to build, and are completely modular, so you can adapt them to any size or shape you need.

Last part- you mentioned the Leigh D4 jig, and asked if it's worth buying. Truthfully- my opinion is no. I had one of those, and it turned into a $400 paperweight. Yes, it does some really cool things, but frankly, it's hard to use, and requires a lot of practice, a lot of trial and error, and a pretty decent investment in router bits and template guides. The one I bought was so confusing, I eventually sprung for the video, and even that didn't help. I eventually gave the whole thing to an engineer friend of mine and let him figure it out. He played with it for a while, made copious amounts of notes, and gave it back, and I still never used it. Fact is- it's probably thethe worst $500-600 I ever spent in the woodshop.

OK...so how do I really feel about it?  :)

There are a ton of other tools out there that I use way more than I ever used that, and you could buy several of them with that money. Like which tools? Random orbit sander, a biscuit joiner, a plunge router, Scru-gun, and a nice low angle block plane. Even a tabletop mortiser. So my recommendation is that you don't fall for the good looks of the dovetails; they're pretty hard to cut, and not worth the amount of time it takes to set the darn jig up correctly.

Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV