In article ,
Dave Hinz wrote:

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 19:08:27 GMT, Vic Baron wrote:
A friend and I ( both amateur wooddorkers) have been going around and around
over the order in constructing cabinets. He's an AVID pockethole man and
says he always starts by making the faceframe first and then constructing
the cabinet to fit.

That's how I do it, and it seems easiest that way.

I tend to do it the other way - seems to me that if an adjustment need to be
made, it's much easier to adjust the faceframe to fit rather than vice
versa.

Funny, that's why I make the other parts after the face frame.

If I'm making a piece of furniture I always construct the carcase first and
fit the faceframe toward the end.
Or is it just personal preference.

Sounds like that might be it. For me, it's more convenient to do
the face frame first, then two sides, then the bottom, then the
back. Each step gives me a chance to make sure nothing is getting out
of whack. Also, if nothing else, it's easier to attach the faceframe to
the sides and bottom when you don't have to crawl inside the cabinet to
reach the screws.?

Dave Hinz

My approach: (YMMV)

Face frames and cabinets are made to dimension. Face frame B fits on
carcase B. Different parts of the shop. Face frames are assembled with
pocket screws and always pre-finished. They meet up much later in the
process. Attached to the carcase with 4 bisquits just for alignment. The
location of the bisquit slots are always the same, due to jigs ( A blast
of RF and the glue sets in seconds) If the grain is lively, I'd pop in a
few 18ga air nails and hide them with a wax pencil at cleanup after the
install.

If somebody can read a tape measure and a drawing, you could make the
carcase in another town and it should fit. The doors and drawers don't
meet up till the job-site.

All the probelms are worked out at the drawing stage.

I knew there was a reason I like European style cabinets... no face
frames, YAY!... 32 mm system.... YAY! (I miss my 13-hole gang drill)

0¿0

Rob