Hello!
I recently discovered my interest for woodworking therefore I’m am new to the woodworking game.
After shopping for furniture and finding nothing to my liking and when I did find something the price was just too rich for my blood and in my opinion, overpriced. I decided to enter woodworking as a hobby and maybe build my own furniture.
My first project is to built a custom wall cabinet that I plan on mounting in my bathroom tiled wall. The purpose of this wall cabinet is to store cleaning supplies (pine sol, toilet bowl cleaner, etc) and a sponge roller mop.
I have constraints that I have to work with due to the bathroom being a small sized bathroom.. see attached picture to see where I plant on mounting the cabinet.
I purchased the a cabinet door at the clearance section of ikea, see attached picture. Got this for 5 bucks, “as is” ..
A snapshot of my experience:
Late 30’s
Knows how to use tools. Both power tools and hand tools
Worked installing drywall periodically ,started when I was 15, on and off during my vacation and summer breaks up until I was 23 yrs old, used the money earned as spending money throughout college.
I am Degreed mechanical engineer working as a Manufacturing engineer with 15 + years of experience working in a fast pace manufacturing environment.
List of tools I currently own relevant to wood working that know how to use :
1. Impact driver
2. Drill driver
3 . Cordless dremmel
4. Plunge base attachment for cordless dremmel (this is a recent purchase and still have yet to use it).
5. Dewalt 4.5 inch cordless one handed saw.
6. 10 inch ryobi corded miter saw.
7. Hole saw attachments for drill or impact driver, I have a couple of sizes that I just randomly picked up whenever I would see them at a discounted price
8. Conical step bit with capacity to do up to 1 3/8 inch hole
9. Spade bit set starting at 3/8 up to 1 1/2 inch.
10. Milwaukee m12 fuel hackzall.
11. Dewalt cordless planar
12. Kreg master k4 set (this is a recent purchaset, I have yet to use so I will have to familiarize myself)
13. Hand saw
14. Jab saw.
15. 6 inch digital calipers
16. I have bar clamps, c clamps, spring clamps, sizes anywhere from 3 inch all the way to 15 inch. Oh and a pair of corner clamps.
17. I have a couple of levels, box level and small 4 inch level.
18. Speed square.
As you can see by the pictures, my setup is just a cluttered mess right now but I’m currently organizing and putting together a setup in my garage. My woodworking setup is a WIP. My pc is at the shop being serviced so I’m waiting on that to do my layout on autocad. I am also currently shopping for work bench but I’m also shopping on a budget and being cautious that I dont “just buy anything” without taking cost into consideration. I do have a husky portable jobsite work table but still wanted something else to compliment my husky portable work table.
My next power tool purchase is going to be a cordless jigsaw. I’m on the dewalt 20v and Milwaukee m12 platform but want to start a makita 18v battery platform, I want to base my woodworking tools on the makita battery platform. I am hawking a good deal that includes both jigsaw, battery and charger deal.
I’m hoping to get by using my dremel along with the plunge base attachment for my router needs for the time being, probably not ideal but I figured I can get by with more passes. I eventually plan on getting a big boy router.
So with that being said.
1. Can someone guide me to a set of plans/drawings that can work with to do my project?
2. Is there a tool that I do not have that I will need for this project?
Thank you for your time!
Replies
Buddy you have enough tools to get going with no doubt about it.
You can find loads of plans online but obviously you will need to scale it to the space you have available but you could probably plan it yourself with some paper, pencil and measurements.
It looks as though your good to go! but if I were to buy one tool over, it would be a Dewalt DWE7491RS table saw. don't get a cheaper one, you will probably regret it
Cool ! You are not the first person advising me not to skimp on a table saw! That dewalt looks like a winner that I will definitely take into consideration! The only negative to me is that its corded.. I'm not a big fan of anything corded.. but being that it's a table saw I will take exception..
Thank you! Is there a specific website that has a good reputation of having good plans?? I started doing the research myself but did not feel like sorting through the research results I came across. A lot of "sponsored" websites with advertising..
I hope you have some small measuring and marking tools you did not mention, some hand planes, a marking knife, a set of bench chisels, a cutting gauge, a mortise gauge, etc. Lots of recent and past FWW articles expand on these tools. All the experts use these tools along with machines. Don't forget card scrapers. You can sure do a lot with draw knives and spoke shaves too.
If you are building "box projects" like this, and don't have a tablesaw yet, a real router will take you a long way. You can make the depth of your cabinet whatever the lumber comes as, cut to length with the chop saw, and work out your joinery with the router.
The best way to find out what you need is to start your project with what you have. You will learn by doing. Unless you plan on becoming a traveling craftsman, what in the world is your fascination with cordless tools?
@ ecyor
I forgot to mention because I forgot I had one is a number 33 bench plane, I'm going to have to dig it up, as far as marking tool, I do have a 3 chisel set and an a couple of awls, the other said tools I do not own and never used before to be honest. I will buy them as needed, I greatly appreciate your feed back. I'm just a beginner thirsty for knowledge and eager to dive in.
@jonarden
I totally agree with just starting my project and "learn by doing" I'm just tapping in other peoples mind to see what feedback I can gather, even if it's in online forum, its unfortunate that wood makers are not as common as I would like, it would be awesome if I personally knew an experienced woodworker to have as a mentor, for know I will use this forum to soak up as much knowledge as I can.. As far as corded vs cordless, I like the convenience of NOT being hindered by a cord. But this being a table saw that I will have in one place I can most certainly adapt to having a corded table saw! Anyhow thanks for chiming in!
What you've got there is basically a good set of carpenter's tools, truth is it won't even get you out of the starting blocks if you're planning on building furniture.
Cabinets by and large you're talking sheet goods. Personally I can't build a cabinet without a track saw and table saw but -- you can cut sheet goods to size using a straight edge and circular with a good quality blade. A basic box can easily be built with nothing but these tools plus a drill.
That said, for this project you could build a small cabinet out of dimensional lumber.
The Dewalt table saw mentioned is far from "skimping on a saw". It is an nothing but a jobsite saw, again only going to take you so far. The power and accuracy is just not there for a ww'ing shop. And as far as "not corded" you can forget about that idea if you're talking about a table saw suitable for a ww'ing shop :-)
As to the project itself, obviously the door is going to dictate the size, you need to only figure out the depth. Also whether you want the door inset or overlay (I recommend overlay). As for construction, its really quite simple but difficult to explain on a forum. I recommend you watch a couple videos on cabinet making or simply Google "building a kitchen cabinet".
I don't mean to discourage you, and you can do this project, but I see you making the same mistake I and a lot of other made starting out: lack of knowledge about equipment, and trying to do ww'ing with carpenter type tools.
FineWoodworking it an excellent source for tool reviews I suggest you take advantage!!
@rwe2156
Thank you so much for your feedback. I appreciate honesty.. you telling me that I dont have the adequate equipment gives me the heads up.. and you didnt discourage me sir! You motivated me 🙂.
I knew wood working wasn't as easy as it seems to be. I also figured that there is probably a good reason why woodworkers arent as common. Anyhow, your feedback is much appreciated!
I see that you have a Kreg jig- they have a plans website available and your little wall cabinet would be a good first project. Browse their plans site and sign up for the newsletter.
How high is the ceiling? Reason I ask is I can't tell from your picture if you have room for a wall unit.
Zen woodworking; take the door off, sit in the doorway and take in the room. Based on what I saw, I think about Gorilla two-faced tape and a floor unit next to the toilet. To my recollection there's no law against a cabinet on the floor.
But, other than conjecture I can't offer more.
Good luck,
Mikaol
Glad you took it that way. A good way to get a handle on it is watch a bunch of project videos and you’ll learn a lot about machines, hand tools, benches, jigs, planning a project, techniques, safety, etc. Lots of good stuff here on FWW also YouTube guys like Marc Sagnolo, Mike Farrington, etc check their channels, too. Good Luck!
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