Wow, lots of input but I can't resist.

1. Build the boxes, buy the doors and drawer fronts and have the doors
pre-drilled for cup hinges.

2. Find a hardwood supplier that is selling to the cabinet industry to
get quality ply and and S21E hardwood stock for the face frames and
any other hardwood components. They will usually sell to the public
via will call if you check around. Make molding from this also or buy
it premade.

3. If going with Cherry get the doors and drawer fronts unstained but
prefinished. After they arrive, practice finishing metods and
materials until you can match the finish for the boxes. Some door
companies will sell you matching finish materials.

4. Build and store all the cabinet boxes (face frames applied) and
drawer boxes built and installed before starting any demolition work
in the kitchen or ordering. Use a 32mm system for the shelf pins,
properly aligned so the door hinges can use the shelf pin holes. You
can get data from the door company about placement requirements.

5. Either build the drawer boxes from Baltic Birch (low cost) or
Maple. This can be a lot of fun, get a dovetail jig and do it up nice.
I'd suggest NOT doevtailing into the drawer front but rather apply
them to a 4 sided box, but if you are adventerous enough go ahead with
a real high-end drawer box setup.

On Nov 2, 7:05 am, Chuck wrote:
We are planning to redo our kitchen in a year or two. We'll be doing
most of it ourselves, including building the cabinets. I have been
building my skills and my tool collection and think I am just about
ready for this task. We have remodeled another kitchen in the past
using ready made cabinets.

I have one big question though. I'm not sure if it's cost effective to
build my own cabinets or to go out and buy some decent quality ready
made ones. As far as tools go I would have to buy a big router to
handle panel raising and either build or buy a "real" router table (I
am now using the Porter Cable entry level "table" with a PC 691).
Then, there is the cost of materials. My wife wants cherry and I know
it's not cheap. The cost of hardware is obscene and all the other wood
for drawers, shelves and carcasses will add up to a small fortune.

I know I will really enjoy the challenge and feel a major sense of
accomplishment but I'm not sure if it's worth it if I can buy ready
mades for half the price. Has anyone here done a serious cost
comparison?

Also, any advice about ways to save money would be appreciated. I am
planning on building face frame cabinets with raised panel doors and
LOTS of drawers. I can get cherry at my local lumber yard but it costs
a fortune (finished on all 4 sides). I have a jointer and planer but
no source for unfinished kiln dried cherry (I live in NY's Hudson
Valley).

Thanks in advance,
Chuck