Kitchen Cabinets

[monster]

Misses also got me to make all the draw dividers and cupboard doors racks and a wine cooler cabinet next to fridge.

Thanks to everyone on here who helped me along the way and answered my questions and gave me ideas. I’ve learnt a lot throughout the process and fully enjoyed it, it also helped to swell my tool collection!!

 

[Doug71]

That looks amazing, absolutely fantastic job. It will bring you so much pleasure and you made it yourself, great feeling

Dare I ask do you have any idea how many hours you put in to it?

Anyway crack on, I'm looking forward to the Accoya sash window build thread

 

[monster]

Thanks Doug, I really don't know how many hours in total it took me - but certainly an awful lot longer than it would have taken in a professional.

 

[doctor Bob]

Looks great

 

[Spectric]

I don't think I should have read that... It's a very good way to justify buying a domino...

The cost may not end there, people say it is a precise tool but it is no good making a precise hole unless it is accurately placed and you may well need one of these to keep alignment accurate unless you are willing to accept making the holes sloppy(oversized) for which a setting is provided. Having tried on the right fit to get good alignment it can happen, but as I found it is not guaranteed no mater how precise you think your marks are in line and really anoying when you find something will not align or close during glueup. I am now trying one of these.

https://fctools.co.uk/product/domino-alignment-jig-system-daj-dlux

 

[monster]

Thanks Bob.

Spectric, remember though that the sloppy setting is only sloppy in one plane!
The key is to just use the tight settlings once in each axis to provide the datum and then use the loose settings for the remainder.

 

[Spectric]

I agree it is only sloppy in one plane but it is still sloppy. The sloppy setting is actually a Festool answer to a problem, so if they had addressed the problem and not just circumnavigated it then they would have something to boost about at the cost of the aftermarket providers of solutions.

The one thing I have gained is a real appreciation of just how good the Dowelmax is straight out of the box, yes it is slower and glueup more tedious but it leaves the Domino in it's wake when it comes to accuracy. When I first got it I run two rows of fifteen dowels 45mm deep on a length of pine just to see if it was as accurate as claimed and the two workpieces came together and fully closed, no alignment issues at all. Using the principle shown below. My 700 Domino can now do this on sheet goods using the DAJ from FC tools but not on say 40mm.

 

[rafezetter]

WOW Monster, those look absolute quality - sure it took a long time, but think of the money you saved, I'd be interested to know what Doctor Bob would have priced this worts of work at, and as you say the learning that came with it is invaluable

 

[monster]

Thanks Rafezetter, I appreciate your comments.

Spectric, I’m afraid I can’t compare to the dowelmax as I’ve never used one.

I would however like to gently suggest that maybe you are missing the point with the domino in as much as I don’t think it matters that every single mortice is precisely positioned in each plane. It only matters that one mortice on each plane is accurately positioned on the tight setting, the rest can then be machined in a looser setting precisely so that any positioning inaccuracies don’t matter.

I’ve used the domino to make all my carcasses and also to hold the face frames together and also to fix the face frames to the caracasess and I never experienced any of the difficulties you have mentioned and whatever I have affixed to each other has lined up perfectly, which is why I am suggesting it’s your approach that may be the issue rather than the tool itself.

The only time i did have an issue was when I forgot to machine a mortice on one of the parts and then tried to assemble and wondered why it wouldn’t go together! Doh!

 

[baldkev]

I just read the thread! Monster, that is very professional looking.
I actually feel inspired to make my kitchen when we replace it! Although due to time i will most likely buy the cabinets, then make frames, doors, end panels etc.

Very good work

 

[Spectric]

I would however like to gently suggest that maybe you are missing the point with the domino in as much as I don’t think it matters that every single mortice is precisely positioned in each plane. It only matters that one mortice on each plane is accurately positioned on the tight setting, the rest can then be machined in a looser setting precisely so that any positioning inaccuracies don’t matter.

This is similar to the discusion I had with Frank at FC tools, if this was the case then there would be no market for the Domino alignment jig but a lot of people do not like the Festool solution to get round their alignment issue and want precise positioning of the holes. In this price bracket it is only accepted because Festool owns the patent and hence the market, otherwise they would have developed the tool further by now to remain competative. Woodpecker also do a nice alignment jig.

The Dowelmax out of the box can place 10mm dowel holes precisely, they are all tight and the joints fully close, I have done long lines of patterns of eight groups of three dowels and never any alignment issues. Problem for me is it can be slow drilling the holes and a lot more rushing around to get them inserted during glueup, what made me finaly look at alternatives was after making a single oven unit from 86mm by 48mm and used 96 dowels in all, luckily the beech dowels are only £8 for 100.

 

[Rorton]

Just read the whole thread in one - excellent work and a brilliant outcome, looks fantastic.