Build This Book Nook & Window Seat

(Page 5 of 5)

August/September 2007
By Steve Maxwell 
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One must-have tool for trimming the outer surface of cabinets is a hand-held circular saw that can be used to follow a strip of wood temporarily screwed to the cabinet to guide the blade. Ordinary electric saws work fine in this application, though a cordless is more maneuverable.

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Start by determining the final width or length of cabinet you need, then mark the outside surfaces in pencil. Next, position a straight strip of wood far enough over on the waste side of this line so it guides the saw cut. The factory-cut edge of a piece of three-quarter by 5-inch plywood makes a nice, straight cutting guide. Secure it with a 1¼-inch deck screw every 24 to 36 inches before making the cut.

If your cabinet is large enough to have internal dividers, you’ll find a jigsaw essential for slicing these parts. All models let you cut in close quarters, though the DeWalt DC 330K jigsaw cuts closest of all. It uses a triangular shape blade that permits flush cutting against 90 degree surfaces. A Japanese handsaw also is helpful for cutting next to flush surfaces.

Woodworking Words

Face frame: A square or rectangular wood frame that surrounds a cabinet opening.

Kick base: A recessed zone common around the bottom of kitchen cabinets.

Particleboard: Interior-grade sheet goods made from sawdust glued together.

Plywood: A sheet building material made of layers of thick veneer glued together.

Shim: A wedge-shape piece of wood used to level or fill space.

Veneer: A thin slice of wood that’s often applied to cabinet-grade plywood or particleboard.

Contributing editor Steve Maxwell can account for all 10 fingers: no small feat considering the abundance of custom woodwork he has installed in his hand-built home on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.
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