I always wanted to incorporate an adjustable stop and a built in measuring tape on a crosscut sled. It works great.
As I pulled each sheet out of the pile I noticed a few things. I decided to go with veneer ply rather than MDF or particleboard core due to its strength. I want to build concrete countertops and I didn't want the base cabinets buckling under the load. I think though, again in hind sight, I might go with a different core if I were to do this again. There were several imperfections in the surface of the material, caused by voids in the core plys. I made a point of helping the guy at PJ White load the plywood on my trailer so I could cull any flawed sheets, which there were lots of! Of the 16 sheets I bought I think we put 8-10 aside because of glaring flaws. It was a brand new lift too, not one that had been picked through, we took the bands off and started pulling sheets. Anyhow, some minor flaws were obviously missed because a few sheets are a bit rough. It was simple to cut around the obvious screw ups, but nonetheless - you pay the same for a flawed sheet as a good one!
Working with this pre-finished stuff is a bit tricky. Even though it's baked-on epoxy it is still susceptible to scratches so you have to watch what you're doing. I believe this is C-Grade, so while both sides are finished, there's a good side and a bad side. I actually like the color of the bad side better, but there is lots of knots and filler, so I'll keep it to the inside of the cabinets.
This is the entire off-cut pile after cutting 11 sheets, 115 pieces total.
The next step is to apply edges and cut to final dimensions, which has it's own list of 'how the hell am I going to ...?' things. For instance, I'm currently testing methods of finishing an applied edge that is glued and flushed to a pre-finished panel without having an obvious masking tape line. I think 0000 steel wool and wax will be used liberally.
8 comments:
Dude that is some serious efficiency if that is your off-cut pile. When i eventually get to doing the cabinets around here i'll def use the program you used.....what was the name of it again?
For a guy with an aversion to tablesaws you really know youw way around one. Nice work. So Bradford Cabinets is officially open for business?
Ha! I'm afraid 'Bradford Cabinets' would go tits up almost instantly. People go to school for 4 years to learn to build these things, I'm just winging it. It's taken me 3 weekends just to get ready to start building, I can't imagine what my bill would be if someone actually hired my slow ass. Just making 4 sawhorses to help with material handling took almost a full day!
Nick, it's called 'Cutting Optimization Pro', you can download the trial version at www.cutting-optimization.optimalprograms.com
The trial version is only good for 45 days, and a full version is $140, so you have to work quick. Really though, if you have more than one project to use it for it would pay for itself quickly. That's only a couple sheets of plywood.
I can't get over that off cut pile! That is incredible. I like your sled as well. Great idea with the sliding stop and tape.
Again I am anxious to see these cabinets coming together. You've got me excited to make some for my house as well.
I am curious to see how the biscuits work out. Honestly, I have only tried the biscuit joiner out a few times and made a complete mess though I blame myself entirely for my lack of success.
Did you guys catch any of New Yankee Norm doin his thing at FWW.com? I found the series helpful. His style is about 180* from something I would like to make but his technique seems pretty strong.
Yeah, I haven't used biscuits much either. I just bought a biscuit joiner and am going to make a few test runs this evening. In places that will be hidden, like behind drawers, I'm going to use a revolutionary joinery system I recently developed. Due to a copyright infringement with Rane's 'Threaded Metal Tenon' system, I've decided to re-name mine 'Screws'. It's a better name anyhow, more sexual.
The only Stormin' Norm article I've seen is the one in FWW a few issues back. Gay designs, but the techniques seem sound. I've only seen his show a couple times and I can't believe he still has all his fingers. "And now we'll just rip this 3/8" strip with the tablesaw..." and then he proceeds to barely squeeze his fingers between the blade and fence.
I find his designs to be very progressive. Brian Newell rips him off blatantly.
I was really disappointed to learn that Norm's shop isn't his real shop at all, it's a studio. It broke my achy breaky heart.
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