Cabinets - DIY or Professional?

[NorCal Matt]

To the OP.

Does the thought of building your own cabinets excite you? How long ago was your shop class?

I've built cabinets and furniture for years, semi professionally. This is what I tell people who want to build their own;

If you're on a budget, have all (or most) of the tools already, and want to try your hand at it, then I say go for it. If you'd rather spend your time doing something else and can afford a profession, do that. USUALLY a professional will build it faster and better, but they will lack some of the passion you can bring.

It is fun to know that you built it, but marriages are difficult enough without another project if neither of you want to tackle it.

Matt

[Lumatic]

SuzyHomakr,
Where did you find that diverter faucet. I need a new one.
Thanks

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by NorCal Matt

To the OP.

Does the thought of building your own cabinets excite you? How long ago was your shop class?

I've built cabinets and furniture for years, semi professionally. This is what I tell people who want to build their own;

If you're on a budget, have all (or most) of the tools already, and want to try your hand at it, then I say go for it. If you'd rather spend your time doing something else and can afford a profession, do that. USUALLY a professional will build it faster and better, but they will lack some of the passion you can bring.

It is fun to know that you built it, but marriages are difficult enough without another project if neither of you want to tackle it.

Matt

I agree with this and will add, maybe try a small cabinet fist and don't wait too long to give up if needed.

[SuzyHomemakr]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

SuzyHomakr,
Where did you find that diverter faucet. I need a new one.
Thanks

It's a Dura Faucet RV Lavatory Faucet w/ Shower Diverter DF-PL720A-CP
and a RV Shower Head & Hose Kit (Finish: Brushed Satin Nickel)
DF-SA130-SN

more pics of the vanity... The top is epoxy cloth coated OSB with cherry edges. Sea Dog Line push button latches.

... and that's MISTER Homemaker to you, fella!

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

It's a Dura Faucet RV Lavatory Faucet w/ Shower Diverter DF-PL720A-CP
and a RV Shower Head & Hose Kit (Finish: Brushed Satin Nickel)
DF-SA130-SN

more pics of the vanity... The top is epoxy cloth coated OSB with cherry edges. Sea Dog Line push button latches.

... and that's MISTER Homemaker to you, fella!

Mr. Suzy Homemaker,
Your bathroom look would work perfect in my Tradewind. I make a motion you start your own thread on your project. Inquiring minds want to know.

Where are the Dura Faucet and Sea Dog latches available?

By the way my wife, Flordemayo, is something of a celeb and I am often called Mr. Flordemayo.

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by cliffcharb

One thing to take into account is weight. That's why as we rebuild our interior we are essentially making just the face frames.

As a skilled professional cabinetmaker who made his own cabinets for my 310 turbo diesel, this is the method I chose. I use soid pine rails and styles of varoius widths as needed and Dominoe'd them together with hardwood biscuits. The resulting faceframe if assembled square will always remain square. The gables I attached to the facframe were only long enough to mount drawer slides on to and that's it; no bottoms or backs and the counter top is the top.

The Domino system is the strongest way to attach faceframe components.

http://www.festoolcanada.com/power-tools/joiners/

As far as counter top material I use a form of solid surface laminate. It is 1/16" thick and white throughout, so no black backer lines.I also used 1/2" baltic birch as the underlay for the top itself.

Cheers
Tony

[NorCal Matt]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

As
The Domino system is the strongest way to attach faceframe components.

http://www.festoolcanada.com/power-tools/joiners/


Cheers
Tony

The Domino is my next larger tool purchase. It is an awesome system. I've been using the horizontal boring table on my minimax, but the domino would say me a lot of time. I haven't experienced tool envy in while. Thanks for that

[IndianaDanO]

Originally Posted by drboyd

I was "lucky" to find an inexpensive cabinet guy off Craigslist. Our deal was that he'd make the cabinets to my dimensions, and then I'd cut the back curves and around the wheel wells and the like, and I'd install them.

He was cheap and good, but it took for-freakin'-ever! The good part of that was that I'd go over to his shop, take him a chorizo burro for lunch, and watch and ask questions. I picked up a bunch of good tips on how the pros make cabinets!!

I also learned where he got his materials.

Pro tip: It ain't the orange place, the blue place, or the place where they sell you a tiny piece of onga-bonga wood for fifteen dollars.

I ended up making the upper cabinets myself, as well as the dinette. I did have him make the doors for the upper cabinets, because I can't do mitered corners for crap. (That may change since I got a better [non HFT] miter saw).

The two most important tools to have will be a good table saw and a Kreg pocket hole jig set. A good miter saw won't hurt any, either.

Ditto! I used flat T brackets and bent them to attach to the back and inner mounting points so I could use olympic rivets to fasten to the inner skin. Kreg tool is perfect for these "smaller" project.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Stanley-Nat...ackets/3169829

[youngpeck]

[QUOTE=IndianaDanO;1874836]Ditto! I used flat T brackets and bent them to attach to the back and inner mounting points so I could use olympic rivets to fasten to the inner skin. Kreg tool is perfect for these "smaller" project.

IndyDan:

I understand T brackets. I'm having trouble visualizing how you actually attached them to the inner skin and then used the oly rivets. Did the rivets go through the T brackets? And where were the T brackets attached to the cabinets? If you have any pictures that might help. Thanks.

[AIRHEDS]

DANGER DANGER ...

Festool tools multiply in the dark. It only takes you bringing one home. Then by parthenogenesis, one becomes three and three become fifteen and ... and ... same with Lie Nielsen. It only takes one ... and ... then you're broke!

On the serious side, should you become inflicted with this wonderful disease, be sure to hop on over to the festoolownersgroup... But know bankruptcy is the only possible cure.

Take care,
Rich

[AIRHEDS]

I have something called the MortisePal Jig ... if anyone is interested it's in MINT condition ... (used twice?)

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...,43000&p=66925

Search youtube and google for more info about it and PM me if you're interested in it... It does joints much larger than just a biscuit and more importantly, if you want to do real mortise and tenon joinery without having a dedicated mortise machine, or drill press/chisel process, this is an awesome way to go without spending the big bucks on the Festool stuff...

Take care,
Rich

[go_lope]

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

BTW: Just installed my new custom mirror that I built...

That mirror is phenomenal!! What did you use for the light source? LED?

[SuzyHomemakr]

Originally Posted by go_lope

That mirror is phenomenal!! What did you use for the light source? LED?

<blush> Thanks!

The mirror is mounted on a piece of 3/4" ply. The LEDs are glued to the edge of the ply.