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Two questions about kitchen cabinets.
I've made cabinets with separate plinths before. This time I'm building one-piece with integral toe kick cutouts. This is a really dumb question, but what's your favorite method for cutting out the squared-off toe kick notch on the cabinet sides? Do you use a jigsaw?
Second question. It doesn't apply to me, but I'd like to know how people handle it. When you build a run of adjacent cabinets, what do you do about the face frame? One giant one, or a separate FF for each and then scribe? Related question, if you make separate FFs for each adjacent cabinet, do you mount them before (presumably oversized) or after you install the cabinets?
[Edit] Oh yeah, one more. What do you do for the backs of exposed cabinets?
Thanks all.
Best,
Aram, always learning
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Aram said:
Two questions about kitchen cabinets.
I've made cabinets with separate plinths before. This time I'm building one-piece with integral toe kick cutouts. This is a really dumb question, but what's your favorite method for cutting out the squared-off toe kick notch on the cabinet sides? Do you use a jigsaw? two cuts on the tablesaw faces up on exposed ends
Second question. It doesn't apply to me, but I'd like to know how people handle it. When you build a run of adjacent cabinets, what do you do about the face frame? One giant one, or a separate FF for each and then scribe? Related question, if you make separate FFs for each adjacent cabinet, do you mount them before (presumably oversized) or after you install the cabinets? longer runs I can handle I make one unit and add a scribe (1/4" to each end) if adjacent units are involved or there is an end tht needs a veneer cap. in both cases ( single or long run ) I add the FF before I install the cabinets on site. 90% of the time they are pre fit to the carcass(es) and finished first then added.
[Edit] Oh yeah, one more. What do you do for the backs of exposed cabinets? It depends I leave it to the owner/ designer. Some want the exposed wall color tobe the back so I just install cleats to mount to the wall others want the interior surface the same as the dividers so 1/4" whatever in that case.
Thanks all.
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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JGrout said:
[Edit] Oh yeah, one more. What do you do for the backs of exposed cabinets? It depends I leave it to the owner/ designer. Some want the exposed wall color tobe the back so I just install cleats to mount to the wall others want the interior surface the same as the dividers so 1/4" whatever in that case.
Thanks all.
[/blockquote]
Thanks Joe! Very helpful.
I should clarify my last question. What I was trying to ask was, what do you put on the back of a cabinet if the back side is visible? Like the end of an L-shaped return, where the cabinet does not butt up against the wall, but is exposed to the room.
Best,
Aram, always learning
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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on an exposed end I use a 1/4" veneered panel finished the same as the FF unless the client wants the Melamine, then nothing.
this shows the panels on the ends
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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JGrout said:
on an exposed end I use a 1/4" veneered panel finished the same as the FF unless the client wants the Melamine, then nothing.
this shows the panels on the ends
nm I'll just take that kitchen and call it a day.

Beautiful work. Thanks for the words of advice.
Best,
Aram, always learning
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Web:
My woodworking photo site
Posts: 4,452
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Joined: Jan 2005
Aram said:
Two questions about kitchen cabinets.
I've made cabinets with separate plinths before. This time I'm building one-piece with integral toe kick cutouts. This is a really dumb question, but what's your favorite method for cutting out the squared-off toe kick notch on the cabinet sides? Do you use a jigsaw?
Second question. It doesn't apply to me, but I'd like to know how people handle it. When you build a run of adjacent cabinets, what do you do about the face frame? One giant one, or a separate FF for each and then scribe? Related question, if you make separate FFs for each adjacent cabinet, do you mount them before (presumably oversized) or after you install the cabinets?
[Edit] Oh yeah, one more. What do you do for the backs of exposed cabinets?
Thanks all.
I cut the toe kick on a band saw and finish it with a router and template.Face frames are separate and cabinets screwed together after hanging.I mount face frames before installing.I rabbet face frames 1/8" deep by 25/32 " or whatever the sides measures.
Then the face frames are made up with mortise & tenon joints.The face frame is glued and clamped to the cabinet sides.
Most of the time I used machine screws and Tee Nuts to join the sides.If the stiles did not come together perfectly then I also screwed thru the stiles to pull them up.
I recall making cabinets without backs once or twice.The top and bottom would have a batten that was screwed to the wall.
mike