I've recently taken the plunge from hobbyist to a professional woodworker and my business has taken off like a rocket! This is fantastic news, but in less than six months I think I've hit about every growing pain possible. These are good problems to have, but problems nonetheless.
One of the inefficiencies I'm struggling with is the design process. So far the projects have been pretty standard stuff like bathroom vanities, entertainment centers, or a bench with drawers. Nothing really artsy yet but with this 'standard' furniture/cabinet work I struggle with stuff like face frame sizing, drawer front or door sizing, and reveal amount. The project I'm currently designing is a full-wall entertainment center and I'm trying to decide how to build out the base. It will have the baseboard from the room integrated around the sides and front but I'm not sure the best or 'standard' way to do this. If anyone has tips on how to handle the floor/cabinet transition I'm all ears, but what I'm really curious about is if there are any books, videos, or other resources that cover some standard sizes and methods for this kind of work. I'm self-taught and these inefficiencies have never been a big deal with working as a hobbyist, but now that time is money, I need to speed up the process. I'm a pretty serious nerd and have been known to read textbooks for enjoyment so there must be materials that students in some sort of woodworking program get.
How do you know you're learning anything if you don't screw up once in awhile?
To my knowledge there are no real "standards," though you'll find some things are pretty consistent (such as cabinets using 2.25" or 2.5" rails and stiles at 3/4" thickness).
I look at every situation individually. I did a somewhat large built-in recently (there is a build thread here somewhere) and since it was sapele while the baseboards were standard white, I made the base essentially integrated baseboards but tall enough that the wall trim would butt against the flat part of the cabinet. If I were doing it in white, I'd probably just continue the trim around the piece.
02-27-2022, 11:29 AM (This post was last modified: 02-27-2022, 11:29 AM by MichaelMouse.)
(02-27-2022, 09:56 AM)mr_skittle Wrote: I've recently taken the plunge from hobbyist to a professional woodworker and my business has taken off like a rocket! This is fantastic news, but in less than six months I think I've hit about every growing pain possible. These are good problems to have, but problems nonetheless.
One of the inefficiencies I'm struggling with is the design process. So far the projects have been pretty standard stuff like bathroom vanities, entertainment centers, or a bench with drawers. Nothing really artsy yet but with this 'standard' furniture/cabinet work I struggle with stuff like face frame sizing, drawer front or door sizing, and reveal amount. The project I'm currently designing is a full-wall entertainment center and I'm trying to decide how to build out the base. It will have the baseboard from the room integrated around the sides and front but I'm not sure the best or 'standard' way to do this. If anyone has tips on how to handle the floor/cabinet transition I'm all ears, but what I'm really curious about is if there are any books, videos, or other resources that cover some standard sizes and methods for this kind of work. I'm self-taught and these inefficiencies have never been a big deal with working as a hobbyist, but now that time is money, I need to speed up the process. I'm a pretty serious nerd and have been known to read textbooks for enjoyment so there must be materials that students in some sort of woodworking program get.
I found that Robert Lang has a book, The Complete Kitchen Cabinetmaker. I requested it from my local library to see what it's all about before I buy a copy. llustrated Cabinetmaking: How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works by Bill Hylton is a really nice book too. It doesn't necessarily give the generally accepted sizes of cabinet parts but it does have examples of many different pieces and suggestions on techniques for building them. It also has a number of pages of pretty much every kind of joint you can think of.
I'm sure this info is all out there on the Web but no matter which search terms I use, Google spits back shopping opportunities and endless DIY blogs.
How do you know you're learning anything if you don't screw up once in awhile?
I think you are asking for an education on classical proportions and their practical use. I would do 2 things. Buy a copy of Benjamin Ashers “the American builders companion”. See if you can find any of the articles I've written, as that may spark how to use classical proportions.
Quickly, Every builder should know the types and functions of moldings (Asher can help) and how to determine their correct sizes using the column orders. This can be used, for example, to determine the height of a cabinets face frame or the depth of an apron under a table. For divisions within spaces, golden section can be used effectively. For example, defining the division between the top 2 drawers and lower 2 drawers in a cabinet. Also effective for the height to width ratios of cabinet doors.
Looking at traditional work can help inform how these rules are used.
Once you have the proportions, the style is defined by the details. Modern appointments may not have moldings, but the best modern designs typically maintain the classical proportions. Shaker or better, 19th Quaker furniture and interiors were grand without being showy, which fits our restrained but classy farmhouse style that people round me seem to want.
Last, try to visit some old houses or Google HABS, the WPA project that put architects to work drawing old buildings. Their work is in the national archives. Look for places that were old and fine in 1930, like Boston, ny, philly. Never looked, but places like Charleston, or Savannah might be worthwhile. I’d pay attention to windows and entry doors, you can use balusters (which are often thin columns) as inspiration.
03-02-2022, 12:47 PM (This post was last modified: 03-02-2022, 12:59 PM by adamcherubini.)
(03-02-2022, 08:25 AM)mr_skittle Wrote: Thanks Alan and Adam, I've got your suggestions on the way through my local library.
Here's an example: I just completed this door surround, clearly influenced by the column orders. Note that the base molding doesn't follow the column orders, but the top of the surround does. My view point makes this look a little top heavy. Its a little better looking in person. I'm not sure where a normal builder would have even started with something like this. The lumber yard has tons of crown moldings and different material stock sizes. This was all made from std stock widths.
Frankly, my workmanship is pretty good on this. But its the design people respond to, not my joinery. That's a lesson I keep learning and try to keep sharing. We are joinery nerds in general and maybe only we care. We love wood and wood grain, but most people just see shapes and proportions. Makes sense to educate ourselves on this design stuff.
For reference, the door is a salvaged tack room door from the stable (this is a barn conversion) and is 48" wide 7' tall.
03-03-2022, 10:36 AM (This post was last modified: 03-03-2022, 10:37 AM by rwe2156.)
Built in bases wrap arounds, I just make the bottom rail or base about 1/4" higher than the baseboard.
Some people are born with an eye for design, but you get better at it the more projects you find what works for you, and maybe develop your own "signature" design nuances. You learn a lot looking at other people's work, too.
IMO the best resource for frameless cabs is Danny Proulx's book.
To quote Frank Klausz, "After 40 years you'll be a pretty good beginner, too."
I hope someone makes a good flashing for that door!!
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