Tools Needed for Making a Cabinet (Part II)

Making a Cabinet part 2

Making a cabinet is a process for creating aesthetic and functional products for different residence portions, such as kitchens, chambers, and bathrooms, which requires some essential tools. Experts and experienced carpenters do the job in the fastest and most precise way possible by utilizing these tools. However, making a cabinet with these types of equipment is also possible for individuals who tend to go for the DIY process. In the Tools Needed for Making a Cabinet (Part I) article, we discussed two must-have tools for creating these practical products. In this section, we will introduce other beneficial tools that can be handy for the purpose.

Miter Saw for Making a Cabinet

Miter Saw is a must-have cabinetmaking tool for cutting different wood materials such as MDF. The table saw sits rigidly in its appropriate place while needing feeding woodwork in the blade. It brings the edge down to the working material for the process. However, this tool design is not for ripping the fabric, but they bring the cutting tool down onto the fixed piece, and they help the process. The word miter refers to making cuts with angles for specific joints on trim or frame material. This tool is available in various models, including Standard, Compound, and Sliding Miter Saw. The first model features a fixed swing arm that can be adjusted from 0 to 45 degrees. This type is a simple tool, but most carpenters opt for its more complicated systems for making a cabinet. Compound type can also create 45- and 90-degrees angle cut. However, by utilizing this tool, the cabinetmaker can cross-angle the working piece for creating more aesthetic kitchen cabinets. The sliding miter saw feature arms that allow it to cut much wider stock than the other types

Having High-Quality Saw Blades is Essential

Having sharp and precise saw blades make a substantial difference in making cleaner cuts without frays. Crosscut saw edges are perfect for cutting engineered woods and are suitable for across-the-grain fabrication on trim. On the other hand, for ripping with wood grain, the most practical tool is the Rip Saw Blade. They work at a fast pace and provide safety and efficiency. However, it is possible to get the best of both ripping and crosscut by utilizing combination blades.

Use Drilling Jig for Making a Cabinet

Drilling jigs are designed to help the carpenter make accurate, reliable and repeatable holes in the working piece. Some artisans prefer to construct their unique tool. The particular advantage of the drilling jig is that it can serve as both guides and clamps for creating holes in an exact location with a suitable angle. Most of the drilling jigs are adjustable for achieving customized spots equivalent to the needs. This tool is available in various materials such as wood, plastic and metal.

Scribe Tools

This tool is a piece of must-have equipment for making a cabinet that allows carpenter mark wood or other materials for having a clear pattern of cutting, drilling and other operations. It is perfect for transferring a pre-defined way to a surface destined to bond with it. Experts regularly utilize this tool to trace and transfer irregular shapes to a new cabinet design and counter joints. Most scribes are made from metal materials, and they feature a sharp point to inscribe pattern into a new surface.

High-Speed Hinge Placement Tool

Hing placement on the kitchen cabinet doors must be precise for excellent finish and fit. Shop-made jigs or commercial scribes can slow down the process of making a cabinet. Thus, it is essential to have a tool for fast and accurate hinge placement. The high-speed hinge placement tool works well with various hinges. Some of them feature three spring-loaded punches for transferring drill points at a higher pace.

Self-Centering Bits are Beneficial for Making a Cabinet

Another tool that is practical for both making cabinets and various interior doors is the self-centering bit. It is prepared to many extents and quality standards and comes from different sources. The best bits are often made from hard carbon steel guide barrels while having a tungsten or carbide internal section. The guide barrels align the bit with a fastener or hinge and then line the bit to make a perfectly centered hole. Another essential advantage of these tools is that there will be no bit slippage across a tight grain or error in hinge creep when the carpenter makes self-centering bits.

Dado Set with a Thin Kerf

Making a cabinet requires much more delicate cuts than other typical construction work. For building a high-quality kitchen cabinet, even the most diminutive dimensions make a considerable difference. This is especially true when cabinet making process needs dados and precise cut kerfs. Kerfs are the channels created by a saw blade that is not set to sever the wood material severely. Thus, using a dado blade can help the cabinetmaker adjust the kerf widths. There are unique dado blades that are designed to allow experts to create thin kerfs.

Tools Needed for Making a Cabinet (Part I)

kitchen cabinet cutting

Making a cabinet serves the interior designers in creating aesthetically pleasing rooms and kitchens for homes. Novice woodworkers or professional carpenters, and even large-scale manufacturers appreciate having proper tools for making a cabinet. The right equipment and tools make the difference between efficient applications with stable structure and sloppy works where nothing fits correctly. Investing and utilizing the best tools will bring a return that will be hard to defeat. Many people love woodwork and show interest in DIY cabinetmaking, but they don’t know what tools they need to complete their work perfectly.

Some tools for making a cabinet are expensive due to their complexity. Thus, they are difficult to master and purchase. However, once an individual learns them, they make the job much faster and more precise. There is no worry for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money on tools because other cabinetmaking tools are more straightforward, smaller, and require less money output to purchase. However, there is some essential equipment that is needed for making a cabinet with a DIY process. We have included all the must-have cabinetmaking tools that are available in the market in this article.

Using Clamps for Making a Cabinet

Making a cabinet without using clamps is almost impossible. These tools are convenient, and they replace human hands in many situations. A suitable clamp assortment is similar to having an assistant in the workshop. They hold materials in the demanding place while the carpenter measures, cuts, joins and fastens the work. There are countless clamp models and design available in the market because there is no such thing as an on-size tool for fitting all types of work.

The oldest mechanical clamp designs are called C-Clamps. Carpenters have been using them for hundreds of years. These tools have a simple steel frame with an open throat which is controlled with a screwed jaw. They come with various size ranges and throat depths. Another clamp tool for making a cabinet is the Pipe-Clamp featuring an iron pipe with one fixed jaw and an alterable clamp face. Sizes of these tools range from long to short. One of the irreplaceable cabinetmaking clamps that utilize a metal bar frame instead of pipe is the Bar-Clamps. They combine the depth of the C-Clamp and the strength of the Pipe-Clamp. However, if the carpenters tend to assemble large structures such as cabinet boxes for kitchen applications, Band-Clamps can quickly wrap or secure the work. The Band-Clamps feature plastic straps and ratcheting controls that allow the cabinet maker to tighten the components. However, it is essential to note that making a cabinet requires specialized clamps such as 3-way face and flush-and-flat face clamps that can make tricky joints simpler.

Table Saw is Essential

Table Saws are considered the heat of a woodworking shop. Artisans with much experience can create excellent cuts on a table saw and make the process safer, which means that these tools can be dangerous in the wrong hands. However, modern table saws feature perfect safety devices in guides, guards, controls and adjustments. If there is one must-have tool for making a cabinet, then it is the table saw. There are various options available in the market for this particular equipment. Making the right choice for the shop can be a little bit confusing. Thus, it is essential to know them individually to make the most efficient choice for the job.

The first type of table saw is the cabinet making one that is centerpieces in a woodworking shop. They feature heavy and rigid machines that fit between the table extensions. These tables saws accept blades with various diameters and can handle large pieces such as MDF boards for doors and cabinets.

The second most popular table saws are Contractors, which are medium-duty machines that many carpenters utilize for their work. These are portable table saws that can make accurate and precise cuts while handling various sizes of blade diameters.

Along with the cabinetmaking and contractor table saw, another tool called Benchtop is practical for the purpose. It is relatively small and compact while being extremely handy for making a cabinet. These tools are also portable that make perfect resources when cutting small materials on the installation process of cabinets.

In Part II of this article, we will discuss other practical tools for making a custom cabinet for the kitchen or bathrooms.

MDF Panels in Interior Design

MDF Panels for Interior

MDF panels are decorating materials that can satisfy almost every type of interior design and project. These materials are becoming very popular among designers and homeowners who consider creating aesthetic and durable interior equipment. The term MDF attains for medium density fiberboard, an engineered wood product with cost-effective and stable characteristics. These boards act as well as a substitute for wood materials. Manufacturers produce these materials with sawdust and other wood residuals while breaking them into their component fibers. Bonding substances fuse these particles, such as wax and binders, into a panel. The standard MDF panel is often available in a thickness range of 4 to 25 millimeters with plain or pre-laminated surface protection. These panels are also available in a variety of finishes and colors.

MDF Panels Characteristics

Just like any interior product, medium-density fiberboards come with unique characteristics. These characteristics made them practical and suitable materials for different applications. The followings are some of the essential properties of MDF panels which any customer should know before purchasing them:

  • One of the advantages of MDF panels is that these boards do not have grains due to their uniform density, resulting from materials composition, unlike solid wood.
  • These panels feature a smooth surface due to their knot-free and internal layers characteristics. Thus, carpenters can saw and make grooves or moldings on these particular materials.
  • The sustainability of MDF boards is perfect due to their structure made from waste products such as sawdust and wood fibers. However, the glue utilized in the binders are often known as carcinogenic, and it is better to look for materials that have a controlled process and additives manufacturing process. This type of procedure can minimize and decrease formaldehyde emissions which can cause health problems.
  • MDF panels have dimensional stability meaning that they will not expand or contract with temperature change and heat as standard solid woods.
  • Manufacturers utilize veneers or laminate on the surface of these boards to create a realistic wood finish on the furniture and doors.
  • One of the benefits of medium density fiberboards is their capability of being painted, polished and varnished.
  • Low-quality MDF panels can swell or warp when exposed to water. On the other hand, exterior grade boards have water-resistant characteristics with engineered and greater strength and density.
  • They are no air pockets or waviness in these composite materials due to the high pressure and temperature manufacturing process. Thus, the cross-section of the panel is also very consistent.
  • The last notable characteristics of MDF boards is their cost which is more economical than solid wood and plywood.

Now you know why MDF boards are growing in the industry, it is time to introduce the interior usages of these practical panels. Any customer should have the basic knowledge of the applications that can benefit from medium density fiberboards.

Cabinetry and Furniture with MDF Panels

As told, MDF materials can overcome humidity and heat changes better than solid wood and plywood. Thus, they are perfect core materials for kitchen cabinetry and bathroom doors. Some shutters commonly used in kitchen cabinets utilize a sheet of membrane wrapped around the material. By molding them into all grooves and contours, creating a single continuous surface without any joints is possible. The furniture which is made with these panels is generally lightweight and less sturdy than other wood materials. The lightweight characteristics of these products make them easy to install and decrease labor costs.

MDF Panels Partitions and Wall Paneling

Another practical usage of MDF panels is in wall paneling for exhibiting acoustic and insulation properties. Thus, they are suitable for providing sound and thermal insulation characteristics for both homes and offices walls and partitions. Due to their density and stability, they dominate solid woods and plywood in many ways.

MDF Flooring

Manufacturers often use MDF as a core material for laminate or engineered flooring creation. As MDF is resistant to humidity, the sides of the board should not be exposed to water. Thus, manufacturers must completely seal these products surfaces to prevent further damages. Experts often recommend not to use these panels for bathrooms and powder room floorings.

Walls with Extra Texture

Medium-density fiberboards lend themself to imaginative and creative experiments in interior decorations. Designers utilize them to create textured walls that can feature three-dimensional relief work such as organic shapes, moldings, and waves. They can also be beneficial for textured paint finishes or walls that showcase specific designs.

Cornices and Moldings with MDF Panels

Due to the structure of these boards, which contains fine particles, they can be cut easily and shaped with routers. Artisans can carve them into moldings and cornices to create decorative interior furniture and items. After shaping them, they can receive different types of paints and finishes to match the overall harmony of the design.

Top 4 MDF Cutting Softwares

MDF Cutting Softwares

In the world of carpentry, there are many tools that make the job easier. In the field of working with MDF and derivatives, it is imperative to observe the details and principles because both in terms of raw materials that are to be used, you will save, and you will have a beautiful and elegant final product that will be delivered jointly. To do the basics of working with MDF, you can get help from software, which has already been installed, and many software have been installed. In this article, we try to review MDF cutting softwares.

CutMaster 2D Pro

CutMaster is one of the most efficient MDF precision cutting software and shows the best MDF cutting modes.

This software is straightforward to work with and allows you to get the exact sizes of MDF quickly. For example, give the required value to CutMaster and then enter the dimensions we want to extract from MDF; now, with a short click, CutMaster shows us the best cutting modes.

It also provides other accurate statistics, and you can see different cutting MDF methods in the report section. No loss and no need for complicated calculations are one of the most critical features of this software.

CutMaster 2D software, due to importing information from drawing software such as CAD, CAM, has made it easy to import and use it in the software by designing in the main space such as AutoCAD.

CutMaster 2D Pro software uses various machines, including CNC, to allow users to cut accurately, ultimately, and optimally.

CutMaster 2D Pro Software Capabilities:

  • Accessible to use and environment
  • Very high accuracy in measurements
  • Provides several different modes in MDF cutting
  • Cost savings chart 
  • Save with all formats
  • Output in XML and DXF
  • Import XML and Excel files
  • Measured in feet, inches, meters
  • Possibility to adjust the thickness of the cutting blade
  • Preview patterns and reports of cutting
  • Rearrange before cutting manually

SmartCut pro

SmartCUT software is one of the software in the CutMaster family, but there are some differences between the two software; one of the leading and distinctive features of the Cut Master is that it allows you to select the cut’s priority. This means that in practice, you can choose the sizes in terms of length and width.

Selecting the automatic option will give the best cutting layout, simplifying the cutting and having the highest efficiency. Select the fast calculation option to finish with the least number of cuts.

Receive adjustable colour output that reduces cutting errors and dramatically increases the accuracy of the work.

Working with this software is simple and has no extraordinary complexity. With the help of this software, you can easily create your cutting designs.

SmartCut Pro Software Capabilities:

  • It has a unit of measurement of inches and feet
  • Easy import of panels via keyboard
  • Quick cut calculation in less than 10 seconds
  • Accurately calculate the panel size for the given parts list
  • Ribbon calculation
  • Design preview
  • Ability to save the design in various formats
  • Adjustable cutting blade

Sketch Cut pro (Fast Cutting)

The point to be considered in use is that this software automatically calculates the cutting of rectangular flat sheets with minimal waste.

This software is designed to cut materials such as chipboard, MDF, Plywood, HDF glass, plastic, and wood.

It is one of the most beneficial software for designing three-dimensional structures. It can be used to create wooden systems, decorations, cabinets, tables, and chairs.

Sketch Cut Pro Software Capabilities:

  • Select and change cutting parameters such as sheet size, blade thickness.
  • Ability to receive order information, materials, order date, order delivery time.
  • Automatic cutting of sheets according to selected parameters.
  • It has two different algorithms used to calculate and optimize the design and select the best cutting method.
  • Can do the automatic calculation for cutting length area, edge strip length.
  • You can download the results in a PDF file for printing.
  • Metric and Imperial unit systems with a simple conversion

CutList Plus fx

The fastest time can calculate the number of raw materials for the project and their price and cost accurately. Select the desired parts and then proceed to advanced cutting.

Increasing waste can sometimes lead to damage to a workshop or factory. To prevent the increase of such destruction, the powerful cutting software CutList Plus fx allows you to make more accurate cuts.

This software helps you significantly reduce losses in your products by determining the cutting lines more accurately.

CutList Plus fx Software Capabilities:

  • Rapid production of precision cutting sheets
  • Save time in producing cutting lines
  • Ability to use a variety of materials
  • Use metric units
  • Produce less waste
  • Report the number of materials used for each project
  • Adjustable on the international SI system
  • Compatible with various versions of the popular Microsoft Windows operating system