Hi!!
My next project is to update the kitchen cabinets. I plan to remove the trim strips, strip the carcases and restain and varnish the face frames. I will construct my own new doors and drawer fronts (perhaps the whole drawer). New hardware, different style doors (more of a craftsman style) and new color should look pretty good.

It is the sides of the cabinets that concern me. I don't think they are even oak. I think the cabinet maker used fir plywood and an oak stain. In any case, they are pretty scroungy looking. They are also not perfectly flat. I am somewhat distrustful of the thin veneers on the market. I can resaw my own veneer and have an 18" Rikon bandsaw for just that purpose. If I were to resaw a bunch of quartersawn oak into 8" wide and 3/32" thick strips, how would I stick them to the sides of the cabinets with any expectation of them staying put. Also, with wide strips of wood over plywood, what do I do about wood movement. Will my thick veneer buckle?

Finally, how do I smooth out the surface of the cabinet to create a flat gluing surface?

So, 4 questions:

1. Should I be so intimidated by the stick on veneers on the market?
2. How would I attach 3/32" veneer to the sides of cabinets without uninstalling them.
3. What about wood movement in thick veneer?
4. How do I create a flat gluing surface.

many thanks,
STEPHEN
P.S. I taught Industrial Arts for 8 years but never certified in woodworking. I was a plastics and metals kind of guy. I did get used to having those wonderful shops around for my own projects and have acquired some tools over the years.

This short 2 minute video is a brief summary of a contemporary remodel that we are very proud of. Clean Lines, Horizontal Grain, Premium Hardware and a very modern look. You be the judge, feedback is always welcome. Hope you like this brief look at this project. If you have any questions ,Please call Patrick at (650) 960-3447 ext.# 4

Eight tenons are used for each faceframe. 2 faceframes are 42 x 36 and 1 is 24 x 36. The 24 x 36 is profiled.

Get more great tips at www.burrellcustomcarpentry.com now! When I first used my Festool parallel guides I could see the potential to combined them with the Festool LR32 system to speed up the hole drilling process. The LR32 system is a great way to drill system holes for shelf pins or Euro style hardware. It is, however, a system that requires some setup time for each piece to be drilled. When combined with the parallel guides I'm able to simplify the setup and reduce the time it takes to clamp the work piece. This greatly speeds up the process without reducing accuracy. Another big advantage is I'm no longer restricted to the standard 16 mm or 32 mm offsets. I can now use custom offsets like that of the "Pearls" or "KISS II" systems.

I designed and built this kitchen in the shop at home. Maple is used on the doors and drawers. Walnut is the face frames, cabinet bodies and island. Prairie style was the design goal. By Mark Davenport

Used 22 plate joining biscuits and 3 dowels to attach the faceframe. The cabinet size is 42" x 36". Made 3 total - one 24"x 36" and two 42" x 36"

Routing 5/8 '' deep mortises in the ends of the rails for 3 faceframes.(Three passes 3/32'', 3/8 '' and then 5/8'') The 1 x 2 is not wide enough for plate joining biscuits so I am using loose tenons. Am replacing 3 cabinets above the kitchen countertop with homemade cabinets. Fixture is made out of 1' by 1' 1/2'' thick plywood and 1x2. Used a 1x3 to set the width for the center space at 2 1/2 ''. The 2 outer 1x2 enables the fixture to be clamped to the router table fence. Do not use a router bit larger than 1/4, tried my 3/8 and kicked back too much. Made 2 more for true 2" stock and 1x3