# The Evolving Build Of A Euro Cabinet - Cherry Kitchen



## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Just starting up on this job so nothing really to report. I have tried a few different ways to do Euro cabinets and haven't been pleased with the processes. 

I've tried just screws, but being a higher end producer of cabinetry I feel this is a cheap way to make cabinets. It works, but relying on just screws seems cheap to me.

Next time I tried using biscuits. Worked better, but a lot of work with all the aligning and milling the biscuit slots on both sides. Each slot needs to be cut which means moving the machine around a lot and aligning it somewhat precisely to make sure it matches its mating slot. Gluing up is difficult on larger cabinets.

Then I tried using a blind dado. I made a jig/machine that would mill the slot and 2 tablesaw setups to do the tenons on the decks and tops. Again, very labor intensive setup, same type of glue up operation.

So now I am on a different path..doweling. If I did the doweling with normal means this would be a bust. It would take forever and alignment would be a disaster. But being me..I made a jig, a Euro doweling jig. Actually I made the CAD drawing and I had it milled out of 4140PH steel by a machine shop using a CNC machine. Holes were milled and reamed to .376". By using a few different setups with the jig I can do the end doweling, the top and deck doweling. 

I have just about finished up with cutting my sheet goods and banded them. Sometime tomorrow I should start using the jig to drill the dowel holes. I will be doing a bunch of testing and samples before I start drilling holes in my parts. If I had to I could switch to biscuits if I can't get a satisfactory fit with the dowels. I am pretty confident that the jig will work nicely.

Here is a pic of the jig.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Now that I am done with the sheet good sizing an banding I started to play with the jig. Seems to work extremely well. Very simple setup and just bump the reference points on the MDF and clamp it down, drill your holes.

Here are a few drilled samples, just scrap that was on the side of the TS. The dowel joints are tight and I'm thinking I won't need much clamping, I put the longer boards together and I had to hammer them apart, I couldn't just wiggle them apart. Put a little glue in that and I'm thinking I am golden.


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## Big Dave (Sep 16, 2006)

I was just talking to a guy at the cabinet shop I work at from time to time about building frameless cabinets. He said that they used pre glued dowels. You just get them wet, install and put your pieces together. He said they set up quick so you had better make sure you have your pieces fitted tight together. He said that they didn't have to clamp anything. 

The preglued dowels seems like it would be quicker and less mess.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

That is a slick idea there. I like it alot. Please keep us posted


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

It's an interesting method, but it seems a bit labor intensive. What substrate are you using?









 







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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Cherry veneered MDF

How would you make Euro cabs?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Leo G said:


> Cherry veneered MDF
> 
> How would you make Euro cabs?


So I would guess you bought the panels that way. Actually the way I do it might seem too simple. Since they are frameless, I do plywood, and melamine the same way. Generally, the ends are rabbeted, floors and tops of cabinets are dadoed for dividers.

For laminated inside and out... the sheet is laminated first (for the inside). The parts are cut. Dadoes and rabbets are machined. I assemble with glue and fasteners, and laminate the underside, then the visible ends. Then I do the leading edges. No biscuits, pockets screws, or dowels are used. 

For base cabinets, it's easy as the floor of the cabinet fits to the rabbets with glue. For party cabinets (ones with a cabinet next to it), they can be through screwed, or just clamped with glue (if I have the time). For finished ends, they could be pin nailed (and filled) from the end, or from the bottom at an angle into the rabbet.

At the top of the ends for the base cabinets, I rabbet for a 3" rail front and rear. At the rear, the rail makes into a hangrail with gluing and screwing a 90 degree 3/4" piece to the bottom edge. The backside of that assembly sits flush with the rabbet for the back of the cabinet.

For upper cabinets, the same applies to party cabinets. For finished ends I do a deep rabbet into the end (up), like this. Believe it or not, with a good fit and glue, that 1/16 of veneer doesn't show from the bottom. Fastener from the bottom. On some occasions I might use a lock miter joint.

I don't edge prior to assembly, especially if I'm using iron on wood tape. After the box is together,solid wood veneer or lumber can be glued and clamped to the leading edge just like if it was a face frame. I make loose toe kicks.










 







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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

We just butt joint,staple and finish with screws. Not complicated and havent had a call back yet.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Rabbets and dadoes. I use a story pole or stick. I assemble as many as will fit in the doors in the shop. If you think about it. Why build them one at a time? One at a time construction is a product of manufacturing standardizing. Before that cabinets were built on site in place.

I also build the kick separate and set it level and set the bases on it.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Here is one of the setups required to do base cabinets. This is the deck setup. It lines up flush with the toekick cutout.










And the result of drilling


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Here is the setup for the stretcher holes. This flush setup will be doing a lot of work.










And the result of drilling


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Here are the stretchers being drilled.










And the result of drilling









All the decks, tops and stretchers use this setup. The decks and tops will have 6 holes drilled across the endgrain matching the holes drilled in the sides.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Finally assembling cabinet components. Delivery is Wednesday.


Blind corner (right). No hardware in this cabinet









Cooktop cabinet, drawer doesn't function, two pullout shelves









Sink with flip out drawer









These are the shelf pullouts, unfinished in these pics:









Trash and tray cabinets









Trash with door pulled open









Tray w/door open









More cabinets to assemble tomorrow.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Well, the last two days the kitchen was installed. The client wanted the Euro cabs to the ceiling. What a pain. The ceiling was uneven and sloped, especially where the refer cabinet was, and I didn't really catch it when I was taking measurement for the kitchen. It made it a difficult cabinet to get in. But it went in never the less and was adjusted accordingly to get things lined up. Gotta love those Euro hinges with their adjustment.

Couple of shots with my P&S camera. It was a long day in the shop at 7:30 and back at the shop at 8:20.






































Blind cabinet hardware










trash pullout with storage for bags


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Looks great, Leo. Looks like that jig really made things easy for you. I will have to keep that in mind.... Is there anything that you might change about it?


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

I'd like to change that jig into a CNC machine :w00t: For normal cabs it wasn't that bad to use. The larger floor to ceiling cabs have a lot of dowels and take some time to do and make sure things get aligned. Dado is still much quicker, but you really can't use a dado in Euro cabs without extra work on the banding if you want it to look correct.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Good day today. The appliances came in today. They all went in nice. He gave me a scare. He called me up and told me the refrigerator didn't fit. Then he he said that my opening dimension was a smidge under 33". And I told him the specs said the fridge was 32 5/8". He then says I guess we'll try to fit it in. WHAT?! He called me up to tell me the fridge didn't fit and they didn't even try.

So it fit, no problem, just as planned. Everything else fit to. Fridge, MW, DW and built in oven. Nice to have the job to completion.


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