I am just getting into wood working and would like to build some cabinets for around the house. I would like to get an idea of the base level of tools I would need to be able to perform these tasks. I would like to make informed purchases of tools that will last and allow me to develop in woodworking.
Thank you in advance for any feedback.
Replies
Let us know what you have now and what your intended project is... plywood cabinets? solid wood? built-ins? on the floor? on the wall?
I have a few handsaws, one chisel, wood rasp, a bench with a vice, a mitre block, a square, power drills, power circular saw, straight edge level.
My first project I was trying to tackle is I have two spaces that are 6'(wide) x 8'(tall) and 4' (wide) x 8' (tall). And I wanted to design and build a pantry cabinet system for these spaces. Currently I have two Ikea Cabinets there, but they do not optimize the space.
I have attached the sketches for these two spaces in this two page pdf.
I believe there will be many recommendations for more tools from relatively inexpensive layout tools to more expensive power tools. This will include a saw guide for cutting sheet goods and all of this should be bought item by item as you need them within your budget. Consider all sources for tools to save expenses where you can.
My first suggestion would be to type "cabinets" into the search box at the top of the page and spend some time reading. Let your reading guide your thoughts on tool purchases. Come back and ask again after your eyes go numb.
Second, (I'm assuming you are working alone) break those huge boxes up into smaller assemblies. Building smaller units will use more material but will allow you to succeed. Save $$ by using lighter materials where you can.
Third, don't make the mistake of getting too granular with your design. Knowing what you plan to put where is ok, but don't measure the mixer... you may get a new one that is half an inch taller.
Fourth, don't forget to allow for the thickness of your materials and the thickness of your sawblade. a 48" sheet of plywood will not produce three 16" wide panels. Design around actual yields.
Good luck!!
I would recommend a book Furniture and Cabinet Construction by Andy Rae. Aside from giving great foundational info. on construction - it gives info. on all the various tools generally required...many of the images show how these are used as well. Quite useful for those starting out! You could find a copy cheap I imagine.
Castas, +1 on The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction by Andy Rae. Its included in a Fine Woodworking Unlimited Member and here is the link:
https://archives.finewoodworking.com/finewoodworking/furniture-and-cabinet-construction/flipbook/1/
Check to see if there is a local Makers Space or equivalent to take classes and use their larger tools when starting out. This may not be practicle with a project as large as cabinets.
Regarding tools for cabinets: I had a very limited set tools to construct to built in cherry bookcases and an audio cabinet because I was moving. The cases were constructed with cherry plywood and face frames were cherry hardwood. I had a local cabinet shop mill the face frame stock to accurate dimensions and then I cut it to length. I also had the cabinet shop mill up a small cove crown moulding.
Tools:
1. Festool Track Saw TS 75 (alternative TS 55) 75" track and 55" track with connectors and clamps to rip 8' plywood Note: I also purchased the Festool Plywood Blade but it probably wasn't necessary. But it did make excellent cuts on both sides of the plywood.
2. Festool Dust Extractor CT 26 (10% discount when purchased with a tool)
3. Festool Parallel Guides (there are other manufactures versions now)
4. Festool Parallel Guide Extensions (or OEM equivalent) - for ripping narrow stock (less than 7" or so)
5. I used an existing DeWalt Miter Saw for crosscuts on the face frames. But this could be done with a Festool MFT (or home built version) and a TSO GRS-16 or GRS-16 PE for crosscuts.
6. Some version of Kreg Pocket Hole Jig and an existing drill and pocket screws.
7. Festool RO 90 DX Rotex Sander Rubin 120, 180, 220 grit sand paper.
8. Hand sanding block with various grits sandpaper.
9. Titebond II or III glue.
10. Kreg Clamps and Bessey Revo Parallel Bar Clamps 50" and 40" or 24" depending upon cabinet size - pipe clamps are a less expensive alternative
11. Headless Pin Nailer 23 gauge and compressor.
12. 12" Combination Square and perhaps a good framing square (use pencil line method reversing to check for square)
13. Measuring device
14, You'll need a work surface to breakdown the 8' plywood. I made an 8' x 4' table about 28” high that could be converted to a 4' x 4' work surface out of 2 saw horses and an interlocking cross lap grid covered by 2 4'x4'x3/4" plywood covered by cutting surface of rigid foam insulation.
I finished the bookcase / cabinets with bulls eye seal coat dewaxed shellac. You’ll also need denatured alcohol. Some tack cloths help. And 0000 Scotch Brite Pads for sanding between coats. There are various Fine Woodworking articles on how to apply by hand with a cotton ball applicator.
Caution: Make sure any oily rags are not left in shop in layers or it can spontaneously combust. I leave my rags in a sealed glass container when not in use and let dry outside or single layer before discarding.
I know that this may seem like a lot but you need to think through all the tasks and the tools you need to accomplish it.
Best of luck and welcome to woodworking.
Gary, I know you are trying to be helpful, but nothing in the OP's post gave me the idea he was in any position to go out and buy $5-6,000 dollars worth of premium tools. While everything you listed is certainly first rate and I own some of those tools and they will last a lifetime, I think offering more affordable but still quality suggestions can be more helpful to a man who owns 1 chisel.
esch, That is why I first suggested he check out Makers Space or equivalent where there is a membership outlay but no tool outlay.
He does have a very ambitous project. The materials alone will be a significant outlay.
In my response I identified the tools I used. Anyone is free to look for a more cost effective solution.
Here is most of the tools in my list based upon today's Lee Valley prices. Some of the items like 23 ga pin nailer, TS 75, 75" Rail were not available so I selected the alternatives TS 55 and an extra 55" Rail. Other items I made from common building materials.
Item Qty Price
Festool TS 55 REQ 1 $599
Festool Guide Rail 55” 2 $290
Festool RO 90 DX 1 $499
TPG Parallel Guide System 1 $290
Festool CT 26 1 $765
TSO GSR-16 Rail Square. 1 $159
Kreg K4 Pocket Hole Jig 1 $59
Starrett 12” Combo Square. 1 $109
Total $2770
My view is buy once cry once. YMMV
Wait. There's a person who only owns 1 chisel??????
Altho it may seem frustrating, it might be best to practice on a couple small projects that involve the tools and techniques you need for the big cabinets. Seems like you will be looking at these frequently and for a long time. Make your initial mistakes/inaccuracies on small, inconsequential materials in a small project. Just getting doors to fit and work right involves a fair amount of practice.
Good woodworking!
Harvey
You don't mess around do you? From what I can tell from that sketch you are biting off an awful lot for your first project and a very limited tool selection.
The first fundamental key to woodworking is being able to cut straight, closely followed by being able to cut square. After you master these 2 elements then you need to learn how to join to boards together. There are dozens of different types of joints, some are interchangeable others fill very specific needs. Some are stronger than others and it is important to know when you can get away with a lower strength joint and when you can't.
Most of the tools you listed will be of little use in the project you have planned. You have a power circular saw which is good, but you need a way to insure that you can not only cut straight but also perfectly parallel edges as well. Even 1/32" of variation can be noticeable in many situations. I had posted some suggestions to another member on how to accomplish this recently maybe you can find that thread to see a reliable way to accomplish this. Next your square. What type is it and how accurate is it? A framing square or carpenters speed squares are fine for framing carpentry but IMO are not accurate enough for fine woodworking tolerances. A good first square is a combination square but unless you have a premium brand like Starrett don't assume it is accurate. Home Center tools are notorious for being less than true. Woodpecker is another brand that offers reliable and accurate and often creative layout tools, but at a price. House brands of the large Woodworking retailers Rockler and Woodcraft, while made overseas can be a decent value and reasonably decent quality if the quality control is maintained. I am a big believer in buying quality tools that will last a lifetime rather than cheap tools that not only can impact the quality of your work, but will need to replaced or upgraded often.
Tools like a rasp and miter block(?) and even handsaws have little use in the cabinet you want to build. Your chisel is of value only if it sized for the task at hand and most importantly you know how to sharpen it.
The one tool that I think may be essential if you are to build the cabinet you have in mind is a good router. The easiest and strongest way to install all those shelves and dividers is by cutting grooves often called dados or rabbet the technical differences aren't important to you yet. The best handheld tool to cut those grooves is a router. I recommend the Bosch 2¼ hp 1617EVSPK with a plunge base as a tool that you will never need to replace, but there are other solid competitors from DeWalt, Milwaukee and Makita. Key things to look for in a router are: Plunge base, variable speed and at least 2 hp. If it has a removable motor like the Bosch even better since it can be easily placed in a router table lift without a lot of fuss. A dedicated plunge router while often serviceable in a router table usually isn't as convenient and anything that is fussy or time consuming isn't usually done very often.
I would recommend Googling MWA Woodworks.
You can build your cabinets with birch plywood from the big box store. Experienced woodworkers prefer Baltic Birch which is slightly more expensive.
You should consider the following tools:
Dewalt Jobsite Table Saw
Makita 5" Random Orbital Sander
Pocket Hole Jig
Buy the best saw blades and sandpaper you can afford
This is always a fun question. I'm going to answer spending the least possible on new tools that are worth keeping. You could spend less, but you'll regret it. Every project should be an excuse to buy a new tool!
You will need to be able to cut sheet goods to exact size. With a circular saw this is easy -
1. Make sure your circular saw is set up with the blade at 90 degrees. For this you will need a decent square. Buy a set of machinists squares - these will be great as 'reference' squares to ensure machine setup is accurate. If you can afford only one, get a 4" or smaller square as this will be more useful. I bought the 3 piece set https://www.chipsfly.com/engineer-squares.html from this supplier. They are excellent.
2. You can use thin plywood to make a guide that will allow any circular saw to work a lot like a track saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLsNYd5FmoY
3. You will need some marking gear - a decent tape measure (8') and a steel rule. I have a bunch of these as they always go missing so buy good mid-range items from a box store. A propelling pencil (0.5mm) is also a good buy. I use cheap ones from a stationery store. Again, they get lost.
4. You will need to be able to make dadoes and rabbets. A router is ideal for this. You can use the same straight-edge guide you made in 2 to guide the router. Pretty much any machine will do the job but this is the big purchase for the job. At US$306, this is what you need: https://www.rockler.com/dewalt-dw621-heavy-duty-2-hp-maximum-motor-hp-evs-plunge-router - it will do almost anything you want in your shop and is a purchase you will never regret. The big Triton Rockler sell is also superb (I use that one). Don't be tempted by a cordless router as your first buy. They will do the job, but you will not have much fun. They are great for lighter work, but swinging a half-inch bit is at the upper limit of capability, and you are sure to need a bigger machine in the future.
5. Router bits. You will need bits that match your plywood, and plywood is sold in METRIC sizes. You may need to experiment to find the best fit, but I'd start with 12mm ply for your project (18mm is overkill) and you will need a matching size bit. I always recommend that beginners start with a cheap set of bits from the box store, and replace the ones they actually use with better bits later. For your project, a minimum purchase would be https://www.rockler.com/undersized-plywood-router-bit-set - you can cut rabbets with these bits too as the router will come with an edge guide, and this is much easier than finding a rabbeting bit that exactly matches your plywood. Rockler also sell a set of 3 spiral upcut bits that you will not regret adding to your collection.
That's about all you need to make plywood boxes.
6. For a face frame, you will need to buy S4S timber of the size you want, or otherwise obtain a table saw and planer. You can cut to length with your circular saw, but you will need to build a simple jig for accuracy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qfXw9MCnZk You CAN rip wider stock with the circular saw but you will not enjoy doing it.
To fix the face frame together, use pocket screws and wood glue. Buy a decent jig. Something like the Kreg R3 Jr.
7. To fix doors to the cabinets, you will be best using Euro hinges - this will require that you buy a suitable sized forstner bit (usually 35mm) and make a simple jig to line the holes up. It's not hard to do. I just drill a hole in a bit of spare ply and use that.
8. You can also use your router to make really professional framed doors with a cope and stick bit set available on Amazon from $40 (ok) to $135 (excellent)
9. Miscellaneous - you will also need some wood glue (can't go wrong with titebond 3) various screws, hinges and something to finish your cabinets. Whilst sanding CAN be done by hand you will hate everyone for ever if you try. DO NOT buy a cheap crappy sander - the vibration and pain is not worth it. Buy one of these. You'll thank me: https://www.rockler.com/dewalt-5-random-orbit-sander-hook-and-loop
Clamps are essential - buy a 4 pack of deWalt or Irwin 6 inch trigger clamps - they will always be useful and you will need them to hold down your drilling jigs and saw track. Don't buy bigger clamps for this job - smaller is better.
So there you are - you will need a router ($300) and bits ($200 or so) plus pocket hole jig ($40) forstner bit (IRO $15) and some clamps ($20?) and sundry other bits (sat $20-100 depending)
You can make an awful lot of stuff with that kit but it won't allow you to process your own lumber. You need to want to do a lot to make that worthwhile.
Luxury additions which will make the job a lot easier and more fun might include:
A drill press - really useful. Try to get one with a rack and pinion to alter the height of the drill press. A NOVA Saturn DVR is the best you can get.
A nice tracksaw - makes a lot of things easier.
Foam insulation board on which to cut. Not essential but nice.
A decent hand plane. Buy a No4 - Rockler's bench dog planes get good reviews for a mid range option. Lie Nielsen, Veritas and Bridge City are keepers. You'll also need to think about sharpening gear too, so it's quite a big step from where you are at right now. The hand plane will be useful in this project for leveling face frames and shooting to precise 90.
A combination square. Starret is favoured.
A speed square (any brand)
A mitre saw OR a table saw
This last item is going to be controversial, but if you envisage doing a lot of DIY it's a good idea. Buy DeWalt. They are good.
Some would argue that if you had the budget or room for only one item a small table saw (deWalt, Sawstop or Makita) is better as it will cut mitres and also rip stock. They are right, but the TS is twice the price of a reasonable mitre saw and if you want a big mitre saw, then you probably need a big table saw too.
It's already been said before, but do break this job down - making cabinets wider than 4' is not enjoyable and certainly unwise for a beginner. What you save in plywood you will spend in blood and curses. Don't ask me how I know!
Above all have fun.
An old habitué of this forum once opined words to the effect that anyone can make a complex and high standard piece of furniture to a very good standard by his or her or her second piece. All it needs is the will to do so, then the time & effort ..... and the tools. The FWW readers gallery testifies to the truth of this.
There are various tool-ways to make the same cabinet, with the most familiar being power vs hand tools. Most of us do "hybrid" with power tools to do the grunt work and hand tools to finesse everything.
If you're serious about buying once with the minimum of crying, then you need to go for high quality tools. Second hand ones are usually just as good (maybe even better) than the new ones. (Careful owners have often fettled even the best tools to work superbly).
On the other hand, supply problems have currently pushed up the price (and availability) of second hand tools too. You might have to buy new .... although the supply problems might mean a wait.
*********
So, decide which approach you want to take with tools first. Personally I would recommend a good tablesaw and planer for making the rough planks smooth and dimensioned to the start-parts. Some prefer a bandsaw to the tablesaw.
A drill and RO sander also speed the grunt-work. After that ..... do you want to handtool the final joints and decorative effects or rely on more machines?
Then there's the price of wood ....
This hobby is not inexpensive, no matter what you do. It's not an economical way to buy furniture. In reality, it's about the process and pleasures of making it much more than the final result - an education with the end result of a cabinet the test of one' abilities in the process of creating/making.
Lataxe
This is always a fun question. I'm going to answer spending the least possible on new tools that are worth keeping. You could spend less, but you'll regret it. Every project should be an excuse to buy a new tool!
You will need to be able to cut sheet goods to exact size. With a circular saw this is easy -
1. Make sure your circular saw is set up with the blade at 90 degrees. For this you will need a decent square. Buy a set of machinists squares - these will be great as 'reference' squares to ensure machine setup is accurate. If you can afford only one, get a 4" or smaller square as this will be more useful. I bought the 3 piece set https://www.chipsfly.com/engineer-squares.html from this supplier. They are excellent.
2. You can use thin plywood to make a guide that will allow any circular saw to work a lot like a track saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLsNYd5FmoY
3. You will need some marking gear - a decent tape measure (8') and a steel rule. I have a bunch of these as they always go missing so buy good mid-range items from a box store. A propelling pencil (0.5mm) is also a good buy. I use cheap ones from a stationery store. Again, they get lost.
4. You will need to be able to make dadoes and rabbets. A router is ideal for this. You can use the same straight-edge guide you made in 2 to guide the router. Pretty much any machine will do the job but this is the big purchase for the job. At US$306, this is what you need: https://www.rockler.com/dewalt-dw621-heavy-duty-2-hp-maximum-motor-hp-evs-plunge-router - it will do almost anything you want in your shop and is a purchase you will never regret. The big Triton Rockler sell is also superb (I use that one). Don't be tempted by a cordless router as your first buy. They will do the job, but you will not have much fun. They are great for lighter work, but swinging a half-inch bit is at the upper limit of capability, and you are sure to need a bigger machine in the future.
5. Router bits. You will need bits that match your plywood, and plywood is sold in METRIC sizes. You may need to experiment to find the best fit, but I'd start with 12mm ply for your project (18mm is overkill) and you will need a matching size bit. I always recommend that beginners start with a cheap set of bits from the box store, and replace the ones they actually use with better bits later. For your project, a minimum purchase would be https://www.rockler.com/undersized-plywood-router-bit-set - you can cut rabbets with these bits too as the router will come with an edge guide, and this is much easier than finding a rabbeting bit that exactly matches your plywood. Rockler also sell a set of 3 spiral upcut bits that you will not regret adding to your collection.
That's about all you need to make plywood boxes.
6. For a face frame, you will need to buy S4S timber of the size you want, or otherwise obtain a table saw and planer. You can cut to length with your circular saw, but you will need to build a simple jig for accuracy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qfXw9MCnZk You CAN rip wider stock with the circular saw but you will not enjoy doing it.
To fix the face frame together, use pocket screws and wood glue. Buy a decent jig. Something like the Kreg R3 Jr.
7. To fix doors to the cabinets, you will be best using Euro hinges - this will require that you buy a suitable sized forstner bit (usually 35mm) and make a simple jig to line the holes up. It's not hard to do. I just drill a hole in a bit of spare ply and use that.
8. You can also use your router to make really professional framed doors with a cope and stick bit set available on Amazon from $40 (ok) to $135 (excellent)
9. Miscellaneous - you will also need some wood glue (can't go wrong with titebond 3) various screws, hinges and something to finish your cabinets. Whilst sanding CAN be done by hand you will hate everyone for ever if you try. DO NOT buy a cheap crappy sander - the vibration and pain is not worth it. Buy one of these. You'll thank me: https://www.rockler.com/dewalt-5-random-orbit-sander-hook-and-loop
Clamps are essential - buy a 4 pack of deWalt or Irwin 6 inch trigger clamps - they will always be useful and you will need them to hold down your drilling jigs and saw track. Don't buy bigger clamps for this job - smaller is better.
So there you are - you will need a router ($300) and bits ($200 or so) plus pocket hole jig ($40) forstner bit (IRO $15) and some clamps ($20?) and sundry other bits (sat $20-100 depending)
You can make an awful lot of stuff with that kit but it won't allow you to process your own lumber. You need to want to do a lot to make that worthwhile.
Luxury additions which will make the job a lot easier and more fun might include:
A drill press - really useful. Try to get one with a rack and pinion to alter the height of the drill press. A NOVA Saturn DVR is the best you can get.
A nice tracksaw - makes a lot of things easier.
Foam insulation board on which to cut. Not essential but nice.
A decent hand plane. Buy a No4 - Rockler's bench dog planes get good reviews for a mid range option. Lie Nielsen, Veritas and Bridge City are keepers. You'll also need to think about sharpening gear too, so it's quite a big step from where you are at right now. The hand plane will be useful in this project for leveling face frames and shooting to precise 90.
A combination square. Starret is favoured.
A speed square (any brand)
A mitre saw OR a table saw
This last item is going to be controversial, but if you envisage doing a lot of DIY it's a good idea. Buy DeWalt. They are good.
Some would argue that if you had the budget or room for only one item a small table saw (deWalt, Sawstop or Makita) is better as it will cut mitres and also rip stock. They are right, but the TS is twice the price of a reasonable mitre saw and if you want a big mitre saw, then you probably need a big table saw too.
It's already been said before, but do break this job down - making cabinets wider than 4' is not enjoyable and certainly unwise for a beginner. What you save in plywood you will spend in blood and curses. Don't ask me how I know!
Above all have fun.
Agree with esch5995. Agree with Rob also. I'm relatively new to diy woodworking, doing more serious stuff ( bookcase cabinets, kitchen cabinet and doors, small tables) after retirement 2006.
As soon as you can, get a table saw for time and accuracy. I own a Dewalt. Love it. Would rather have a stand alone tb, but costs a lot more.
Love the Kreg pocket hole jigs. Have used a lot.
Seriously consider a pin nailer for glue ups. I have a Ryobi. Have used it a lot. Of course, pocket holes will use screws, as will butt joints.
Enjoy.
Wow! Apologies for the late "thank you", I was out of town and out of reach. My girlfriend recommended I try asking the question on a woodworking forum tog et feedback on how to start, and she was not wrong. You are all so incredibly helpful and volunteering with your information. Thank you, thank you, thankyou. I am going to read through all of this again, and take some notes, and start the process. I will keep you all updated as I progress.
I laughed out loud at, "Wait. There's a person who only owns 1 chisel??????"
I'm glad you got back. I was worried we scared you off. Great advice here for getting started. Item by item you can ask for more recommendations before you buy. It would be great if you could work part or full time in a cabinet making shop. Good luck.
Castas, I echo all of the words of caution above. If I have successfully attached a picture, it is a pantry style cabinet. The size is 94 inches x 30 inches x 24 inches deep. It is one piece construction and took days to build by myself. It was then slide into place. I would not undertake a project this size by myself every again.
I was asking this question about seven years ago myself when I had no woodworking tools. I discovered I mostly wanted to work with hand tools (my personal choice and I am saving hard for a few machine tools as we speak). As such, the two best sources I found for which hand tools to get was Paul Sellers website, especially the one called Common Woodworking. Lost Art press has a book called The Anarchist Tool chest that does an excellent job of explaining which hand tools as well. As for machine tools, there are others better qualified to explain that. If you can find and join a local woodworking club, you will no doubt start to receive emails in which members are selling some of their tools and you could likely get some excellent prices on good machines that way.
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