my first kitchen...

[chrisntam]

I used pocket screws to put the entire kitchen together. No glue, only pocket hole screws (Kreg) used and no issues after 10 years.

Be prepared for it to take 4 times as long as you think it will.

I made all the boxes, drawers, etc, ran out of time and decided to have the doors/drawer fronts made professionally.

Plywood for the boxes, better service for when the cabs get wet, which they always do....

Baltic birch for the drawers.

If you have any 90 degree cabs, make sure each are spaced properly from the corner to allow each drawer to open without interference.

I'll post some pics of my masterpiece in a while, I'm actually rather proud of it, though it did take a long time to get done.

chris.

[chrisntam]

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[TucsonLawrence]

Thanks again for all the advise all--

Small change in plans for several reasons, including space limitations. -the boss has decided that I'm going frameless instead of face framed... good thing I haven't bought hinges etc yet

I'm drawing up plans now and plan to get materials next week- it is looking like 3/4 melamine cases with alder doors with plywood beadboard.

Blum hinges and slides (blumotion) is what she would like, and I plan to build them on plastic levelers with the toe kick clipped on.

...she wants leaded glass which she plans to make, in some of the doors...

More to come, but it is certainly coming along plan-wise and I appreciate all the advice.

Some of y'alls work is exceptional as well and I VERY much appreciate your taking the time to show examples of how it should be done

Next question- I've done only a little edgebanding of melamine- any suggestions other than an iron, a double-razor trimmer and patience? (I plan to buy a new blade for my tracksaw and already have a new forrest melamine blade for my tablesaw which was given to me a while back... hopefully these will cut down on chipping which is my biggest complaint about melamine)

Lawrence

[Halfathumb]

Although I didn't initiate this thread, I find it extremely useful. I'm in the planning stages and find a lot of help here. Thanks to everyone for your contributions

[Papa Jim]

Lawrence, Back 5 or 6 yrs ago when I did my kitchen the adjustable cabinet fixtures with the clip on toe clips were a bit problematic for islands or peninsulas. Because they were unanchored the possibility for post installation movement existed if someone bumped into them strong enough. Your design my not have this problem or they my have figured out a way of anchoring them by now. Just thought I would mention it.

[TucsonLawrence]

Papa Jim said:

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Lawrence, Back 5 or 6 yrs ago when I did my kitchen the adjustable cabinet fixtures with the clip on toe clips were a bit problematic for islands or peninsulas. Because they were unanchored the possibility for post installation movement existed if someone bumped into them strong enough. Your design my not have this problem or they my have figured out a way of anchoring them by now. Just thought I would mention it.

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Thanks for pointing it out Jim- LOML and I were discussing this this morning as a matter of fact!

We plan to only use 2 adjusters on the cabinets' fronts by walls and attach wood braces to the walls

For the Peninsula, we plan to attach the cabinets to the floors directly after getting them level - the back of the cabinets will cover the bracing up and brace the cabinets to the floor cleats. Hopefully this will give us the best of both worlds- the ease of leveling with the feet and the security of attaching the cabinet bases directly to the floor rigidly.

Thanks for the reminder though - I definitely appreciate all the "watch out for THIS" I can get.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to make a shopbuilt edgebander from a heat gun, baling wire and bubble gum...The 2500 inches of melamine banding for the kitchen as designed aren't enough to warrant buying a bander, but it is enough to warrant trying something other than LOML's iron! I'll let you all know how it turns out

Lawrence

[museumguy]

Papa Jim said:

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Lawrence, Back 5 or 6 yrs ago when I did my kitchen the adjustable cabinet fixtures with the clip on toe clips were a bit problematic for islands or peninsulas. Because they were unanchored the possibility for post installation movement existed if someone bumped into them strong enough. Your design my not have this problem or they my have figured out a way of anchoring them by now. Just thought I would mention it.

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What we do at work is use 3/8" lag bolts, usually 8" long. We drill inside the cabinet box, usually close to the back to counteract the open drawers. We predrill a 5/16" hole through the cabinet, through the floor as well. Then, drill a 3/8" hole through the cabinet bottom only. Slip on a washer and bolt the cabinet down. Of course, if the homeownwer has under floor heating, we can't do this. Just our way of doing things.

[Papa Jim]

Lawrence, at one time I built model airplanes as a hobby. When it came time to edge band my maple plywood shelves, I just used my old monocoat iron. Worked great. These are available at hobby stores for around $20 and even cheaper on e-bay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/tower-hobbies-cu...6sAAOSw14xXE8lg

I'm a DYI guy myself but sometimes the costs/time benefits can turn me!

By the way, I visited your photo bucket portfolio. You obviously have the woodworking skills for this. I'm a little embarrassed now to be giving you advice.

[jteneyck]

I did a whole kitchen's worth of Melamine frameless cabinets with nothing more than a household iron to apply the edge banding. It was plenty fast enough for me. I cut the banding to rough length, clamped the work piece in a vise and ironed on the edge band, following closely behind with a block of wood to make sure the bond was good and to help cool it.

I trimmed the edge banding with something similar to this trimmer, but you could use a two sided version for Melamine which has no grain and do both edges at once.

John

[HarveyRMiller]

That design is pretty good.

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Good design