Looking to save some money on your next tool purchase? Consider reconditioned or re-manufactured. These tools, for whatever reason, were returned to the manufacturer for repair, with some type of defect or missing part(s) or maybe it didn’t perform like the customer expected. They can not be resold as new.  These tools differ from those being sold as used because they have been checked over, fixed and brought  back to manufacturers standards. Used tools are just that, used. You really don’t know what your getting when you buy used. You’ll be taking a much greater risk that it will not perform as expected or it won’t last. Also, used tools typically don’t include any type of warranty. However, if you’re at a yard sale some Sunday afternoon and you see a power tool that looks in pretty good condition, try it out right there if you can. Never pass up a good deal!  Especially if the price is dirt cheap. You may also be tempted to buy tools at your local pawn shop. Don’t! Most of those tools have been abused. I would never recommend buying from pawn shops.

Refurbished,re-manufactured or reconditioned tools can be bought at substantial savings through reputable companies like CPO Tools, Tool King, or even on Amazon. When deciding on your tool, find out as much about it as you can. Best thing to do is read reviews and customers comments of those who have purchased the tool in question. Next, get a first hand look and feel by going to your local big box store or hardware outlet. Take note of the price and then compare the same item on one of the above companies website. If you find the same item, at reasonable discount ( 20%-40% less then retail ) then it would be a good choice to go with the refurbished/remanufactured source. Don’t forget to include all shipping and handling charges as well!

I think that you will find buying reconditioned, re-manufactured, or refurbished tools will allow you to get a better, higher quality grade of tool for a much lower price then if you bought it new. As a professional cabinet maker, I know that the tools I buy and use for cabinet making must be built to withstand daily use, be of high quality, and perform as expected.

Here’s one example comparison for the Bostitch U/CPACK300 3-Tool and Compressor Combo Kit.

Bostich CPACK300 3-Tool Combo Kit

Shapers, molders, planers and routers are the tools used in cabinet making for taking raw lumber and turning it into cabinet grade hardwood face frames, trim moldings and solid wood components. A common stationary tool used for making moldings and profiling is the shaper. The shaper is a costly piece of equipment and I think it’s over rated. I have a 3 hp shaper in my shop and for the most part it sits idol. The reason, I have a 3 hp variable speed router mounted under a large table with a quality fence system that I use to do most jobs. It’s more versatile, easier to set up for long runs, and the bits are much cheaper. The BenchDog ProMaxRT Router is a good example of a router table system that will perform most shaping duties and replace the more expensive shaper. In m shop the router is by far the most used and important piece of equipment that we have. In cabinet shops it is very common to have several with varying horse power to do specific jobs.

A planer or a combination planer/molder is a must addition to your tool inventory. It’s essential that your hardwood materials be of consistent thickness because you will be joining parts together and variations in thickness will give you nothing but trouble. A portable, 13″ planer, which usually costs less than $400 dollars, will usually handle your surfacing requirements. It should be mounted on a stationary stand for stability and you should have in and out feed roller stands for supporting longer material lengths. However, for the best  results a larger stationary 20″ planer would be preferred for continued high use and dependability. Keep in mind these machines are several thousand dollars so be sure your volume of work justifies the expense.

When it comes to profiling moldings and making trim here’s what we do in our shop. We use the William and Hussey molder. We custom make all types of moldings, in a variety of species. We make radius trim for arch’s and all manor of curved trim. The shop Fox W1812 , around $1,300 bucks ) is a less expensive equivalent to the W&H.  I would not recommend buying this machine if your just starting out, unless you expect to be making lots of moldings and trim. They are well worth the cost, however, if your shop is growing and expanding into custom moldings as part of your cabinetry designs.

In general, I’d say, start with a good portable planer for surfacing and get a 1 hp, or better, router for general purpose use. Also decide if you want to spend the money on a shaper or whether a router table system is more in your budget ( I would highly recommend the later ). As far as making detailed moldings in a small shop goes, there’s no better way, in my view, then using the W&H or ShopFox for this.

That’s my opinion. Take it for what its worth. I’ll discuss assembly and more tools for cabinet making in part 3 of this series.

I asked that question to myself about 40 years ago and I realized then, as I do now,  it’s not a question with a simple answer. Practically all woodworking tools can be used in cabinetmaking to one degree or another. The problem lies in choosing the right tools that will help you produce a well built cabinet easier and as accurately as possible. To that end, I have comprised a short list of categories that I believe you need to look at before you consider buying any tool for the purposes of cabinet making. You will need several tools from each to even begin to feel capable of doing quality cabinetmaking.

All the tools listed in the categories below are what I consider essential for producing custom cabinets. But, the question is: “What type of cabinets do you plan to make?” Are you building as a hobby or do you plan on making it a living? Are you just looking to buy a gift or just want to add to your tool inventory? If your going to get serious about it make sure you plan on spending lots of time, have the space to build in, and of course, “Deep Pockets!”

Cutting/Sizing: The mainstay of any cabinet shop has to be table saw. A good quality table saw will allow you to cut and size your cabinet parts accurately. If you plan on building kitchen style cabinets you’ll be working with large sheet good material. A sturdy, heavy duty cabinet saw with at least 2+ horsepower, 10 inch blade,  and a good rip fence is a must. Finally,add an out feed table to support longer runs plus some quality rip, cross-cut, and plywood carbide blades. Add a 10″ or 12″ compound miter saw for cutting your smaller pieces, face-frame materials, and moldings. Put the miter saw on a bench or fixed stand and add out-wings or roller stands to support longer pieces.

Back to the table saw for just a moment. Now, some cabinet makers may disagree with me here, but I believe the table saw is taking a back seat to automated machinery. Not the smaller ones, but the midsized shops. With the development of Computer Numerically Controlled ( CNC ) machines it has become much more efficient and cost effective to phase out the manual cutting of cabinet parts and convert to using automated machining. When you start designing cabinets using CAD/Cam software and generating code to these machines which then calculates the best usage of your material. There is no longer the need to manually develop cut-lists and try to figure out the best way to cut your sheet goods. Having  CAD/CAM software will enable the CNC to cut all cabinet parts, drill shelf holes, dado, and rabbit, giving you the best yield out of you material. You must train yourself on design software and it’s a big learning curve, but, this is the future of cabinetmaking for companies expecting to grow and be competitive in today’s market. Obviously, these statements are geared to those  planning on developing  a cabinet making business.

My suggestion for someone starting out would be to get a  Delta Cabinet Saw

Delta Cabinet Saw

with a Beismeyer 50″ fence system, cost around $1400-$1800  dollars or so. If that’s to high try a Jet, Grizzly, Craftsman, or similar stationary type. Remember though, “you get what you pay for!” Don’t skimp on your saw or you will surely regret it! For a miter box I’d suggest a good quality 10″ or 12″ compound like those made by Dewalt or Makita. Bosch and Hatachi are also good machines as well. $200-$500 dollar range. Look for sales at the big box stores.

To complete your cutting  list you should have a good Sabre Saw for cutting curves, cutouts, and off cuts. Also a Circular Saw for general rough cutting and for use in field installations. A Band Saw or Scroll Saw are  “nice to have” stationary saws for scroll type work or re-sawing.

I hope these suggestions, and my comments,  will be helpful in allowing  you to make a good decision when  selection tools to acquire for cabinetmaking. Your comments and question are welcome!

Future posts will cover the following topics:

Shaping, Profiling, and Assembling ( Part 2 )

Finishing and Installation ( Part 3 )

Makita 9903 Belt Sander

Perfect Tracking and Quiet too!

The Makita 9903 Belt Sander is  a perfect belt sander for any woodworking shop. Makita has been around for along time and makes all types woodworking tools of the highest quality.

One of our Porter-cable sanders went down the other day ( bearings were shot and it started to make that “grinding noise” as it slowed down ) so we took a look at a reasonably priced replacement. After reading reviews on amazon we elected to give the Makita 9903 Belt Sander with variable speed a try.

Tim Dean, the cabinet tech whose Porter-cable went bad, got the surprise when it came in  ( quickly I might add from Amazon.com ) as we brought it over to his work area. Tim was indeed surprised and very thankful that we got him a new belt sander, but, a Makita?  “give it a try” I said, “you just might like it!” Well after about 2 days and with plenty of hard use  he came back to us and said, “Man this is sweet!“, “it’s nice and light, belts are real easy to change, lots of power, and its belt tracking was dead on every time!” “The dust collection bag wasn’t in the way as I thought it would be and its real comfortable in long usages:. “Thanks for looking after Me!”

When our Dewalts croak we’ll replace them with this Makita 9903 Belt Sander as it’s become a very popular belt sander in our shop, already,and everyone wants a piece of it.

I’m definitely glade that we made this choice because, frankly, we were more use to the Dewalt and Porter-cable models. I would most highly recommend this sander for your shop. It’s a great Tool for cabinetmaking!

Clamps

There is no more important piece of equipment in a cabinet shop then clamps! It’s a safe bet that the cabinetmaker your buying a gift for has clamps. The thing here is it’s never enough! Cabinetmakers never have enough clamps and can always use more, always! The best and most common sizes that are used routinely are the 6″, 12″, and 24″. The Bessey company produces a top quality clamp in a variety of sizes, styles, and functionality. This is the only brand I use or recommend. Watch video or read my post on these clamps.

Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

Kreg Jig Master System

This may seem redundant because I’ve already posted on the Kreg Jig but I believe this tool should be a gift to consider. Not that expensive, it will add many more options to the cabinetmaker when considering assembly of cabinets. It allows face frame joinery without the use of bar clamps. Also, this type of construction can be applied to many situations and help the cabinetmaker in a variety of areas. See video and more comments in my post on the Kreg Jig.

Read my posts on other tools for cabinetmaking. Any one of them would make a great gift for the cabinet maker in your life.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.

This molder or moulder, however you spell it, is a tremendous  asset to any cabinetmaking shop.  I’ve been using this machine to mill complicated moldings and trim for cabinetry for many years and have found that there is no replacement for its ability to produce architectural millwork, and cabinet trim components accurately and cost effectively.   If you build just box’s then you don’t need a molder, but, if you like or need to add decorative molding accents to your cabinetry then this powerful, yet small machine can transform your box into a uniquely designed piece of furniture.

Cabinet Moldings – When we meet with customers and show them what we can do for them ( thanks to the William & Hussey Molder ) they often choose fluted columns or arched fluting to accent their custom made cabinetry. They add shelf nosing detail baseboard molding and crown molding or even chair rail molding to their project. Because we can provide all their trim needs we find that having the ability to produce crown moldings, casing, baseboard, and picture molding usually results in  an increase in the initial job. Just having the ability to provide this service helps us to make the sale. Radius and elliptical trim are  hard to come by and having this machine in your tools for cabinetmaking will increase potential for additional work.  Take a look at some of the cabinets built at my shop whose trim was made using the Williams & Hussey molder.

Architectural Millwork – Where can I buy Cherry 4 5/8” crown ? Who carries 3 ½” Adams casing in walnut? Where can I find DC99 casing in mahogany? If you had this molder and a source for hardwoods you could say  “You Do” Most profiles can be reproduced with the Williams & Hussey Molder Planer. If it’s a stock profile that can be manufactured by any of several molding knife companies, then it is just a matter of ordering the knives and  running the material.  For restoration work, sending a piece or tracing the profile and faxing it will allow you to obtain an exact copy of the design to enable you to duplicate the molding exactly.

Lets Take a Closer Look  – This machine has a small foot print, doesn’t require a lot of power, and is very easy to maintain. It has a dust collector port, a well built stand with wheels for mobility, and the company offers lots of accessories and attachments. Considering the cost of around $1,800.00 plus the cost of some attachments like the Vari feed, Multi-pass, and elliptical jig it will make your projects stand out and will most certainly pay for itself in a short time.

Specifications:

If you are considering a molder for your shop I would highly recommend the Williams & Hussey Molder Planer.

One of the tools for cabinetmaking I realized was essential, if I wanted my projects to standout, was a quality finish that looked professional. Back in the mid ninety’s when High Volume Low Pressure systems were starting to be used more regularly by small cabinet shops I decided to make the switch from high pressure conventional spray to HVLP. At the same time, I also chose to switch to waterborne

Fuji Industrial Spray Equipment

lacquers, stains, and paints. Today I have both HVLP and Air-Assisted-Airless spray systems. I use the HVLP primarily to apply paints and stains and the Air Assist for my clear waterborne top coats. However, the HVLP system can be used for all finishing applications provided you use the proper fluid, needle, and tip combination’s.

The HVLP systems, because of their reduced waste and softer spray, are becoming the most popular spray system on the market for small cabinet shops. Choosing your HVLP spray system is pretty straight forward. Basically you have three choices: (1) Suction Feed, (2)Gravity Feed, or (3) Pressure Pot. Your decision will come down to cost and if you need portability. Turbine supplied guns are easily portable because the whole unit is small and fairly light. This would be an ideal setup if you need to spray on the job or have limited space available. The system costs a little less then a compressor and gun.

If you already have an air compressor a combination compressor/HVLP gun may be the way to go. For larger volume output I would suggest that you use a separate pressure pot which is pressurized by an air compressor.The advantage of this is having several gallons of material available so you won’t have to change or refill your cup gun as much. Another thing about using a pressure pot

Apollo 1025 4-Stage HVLP Turbine System

is that you eliminate the weight of the fluid cup as you spray and the possibility of hitting a surface by accident with the cup. Prolonged spraying causes fatigue as well. This configuration also allows you to get into those tight corners and inside of cabinets better. There is one drawback, however, and that’s cleaning. If you only spray one or two objects every day or so this may not be economical. You will have to clean the hose out and disassemble the gun for complete cleaning.

Gravity feed requires less air because the cup does not need to be pressurized. Car finisher’s prefer this type because, they say, it produces less over-spray. I don’t think there’s a difference.

Brand choice. Today there are more than a dozen excellent choices. The key feature you look for is quality of atomization. This comes with a price. The better gun systems like those from Fuji , Turbinaire, or Campbell Hausfeld are quality HVLP systems and should be considered when making a final decision. These manufacturer’s provide good tech support and parts availability.

Spray Booth. Even though these HVLP systems produce much smaller amounts of over-spray, but, your doing significant amounts of finishing and you want good results you must consider the necessity of a spray booth or a separate well lite and clean spray area.  What ever stage of finishing your at a finishing area is a must. I recommend you research spray booths and decide what best fits your needs.

Having the equipment is only the beginning. Developing the skills and techniques of finishing takes patience, practice, and study. Join woodworking forums. Read articles from wood magazines related to wood finishing and problem solving methods. Best of luck to you as you venture further into cabinetmaking.

The ProMaxRT Router Table with base

One of the Tools For Cabinetmaking you should consider is a well made, accurate, and reliable router table. A good router table with a solid cast-iron table and sturdy base can be a a great asset in your cabinet making tools inventory. The ProMaxRT Router Table with base is an affordable substitute for the more expensive shapers available today. Mounting a variable speed 3hp router and attaching a standalone dust collector will give you the capability of performing a multitude of wood routing operations.

This is a top-of-the-line system featuring a 8 1/4″ x 11 3/4″ ProPlate router plate, with Bench Dog’s 32″ Pro-Fence and ProCabinet Baltic birch base. The cast-iron top is over 5 square-feet, no seams, and machined T-slot and miter

slot. At almost 100 lbs it’s actually bigger than most shaper tables. The ProPlate excepts up to 3 hp routers and the ProLift adjustment system. The Bench Dog dual-track with standard miter slot and universal T-track will accept featherboards, stops or other accessories with 5/16″ bolts, 1/4″ bolts, or 1/4″ hex bolts.

The ProCabinet base is made from Baltic birch.  Built with strong bolt-and-cross-dowel construction it has two pullout trays, two shelves, four casters, and a dust port. Weighs in at a hefty 97 lbs.

Other types of table tops are available  like HPL (high pressure laminate) the lowest priced version with a steel base(around $300 bucks), and a mid priced phenolic top with aluminum router plate and steel base for around $500 dollars.

High quality cabinet making tools are essential in any shop, small or large. Weather you chose the high-end table model or one of the less expensive ones the router table, with a good selection of  bits,  will provide you with a versatile routing center to help make your finished products look professional and save hours of frustrating and time consuming hand routing.

My installation Bucket

An essential part of any good cabinetmakers tool inventory should be an installation kit. When you think of tools for cabinetmaking you must consider what tools you will need to install them on the job site. I highly recommend that you invest in a tool bucket that contains the most needed tools to help complete the task.

When your on the job it’s much more efficient to have an array of usefull installation tools in close reach. These tool buckets allow you to bring those items and the provide a way for you to organize those items to be easily accessed. I do not recommend that every time you go out to install cabinets that you collect tools from your shop, hoping you didn’t forget something needed, and take the chance of not being able to complete the job. Put a installer’s tool buck together using a five gallon

container like a drywall bucket and purchase one of those bucket liners from Lowes or HomeDepot. All those little things like nail sets, drill bits, measuring tape, hammer, cordless drill wit h battery charger, level, touch-up kit, sandpaper, countersinks, hand saw, files, screw drivers, etc. Add tools as needed. Keep this tool bucket separate from you shop tools. This bucket is for “grab and go” and should be kept ready for use at all times. Having a bucket like this will prevent  you from forgetting something and will save you lots of time.