Cabinets - Perfectly Square or Square Enough

[woodlikesbikes]

Hello,
I'm new here - I was recommended this forum by people on Singletrack World Forum (mountain bikes).

I am in the process of making my first cabinet. it's the Norm Abram's Tool Hutch. There's a video on YouTube (too new to post a link)


I've glued and screwed the bottom up (about 4:40 in the video). However, it's not as square as I'd like. I've measured it with a small tri square that is accurate and checked the diagonals. I reckon I'm about 3-4mm out over a 500mm length. I've google and read up a bit on cabinet squareness. Some people seem to not bother with checking for square at all. Others say it needs to be within a few mm. Others say it should be perfect, but then admit they never get things completely square. In one book I read that it must be perfect, or I'll have a nightmare fit drawers etc. later.

My question then is how square does it need to be?

I don't have a huge problem pulling it apart and regluing. I know this is likely to result in a smaller cabinet. But then I messed up a bevel on the oak worktop trim, so that would give me the excuse to correct that. On the other hand I am aware that with baby no.2 about to arrive my wife is going to limiting garage time. Plus I have massive perfectionist tendancies. Could I just adjust drawer runners and faces to compensate?

Advice gratefully received

 

[custard]

I've checked the Norm Abram video at the time length you indicated. Personally I don't think it would be too hard to have all diagonals within a mill. But having said that it's not like there are big banks of drawers that need perfectly square housings, so you might get away with a 3mm difference on this project, especially as it's just a workshop cabinet.

But once the baby's born and you start making cabs for the nursery you should aim a bit higher on the accuracy scale!

Good luck with the project...and good luck with the new family member!