Free cabinetry advice...

[SeanFu]

Advice is always worth what you pay for it...

1. Clamps.  You can never have too many clamps.  Beg, borrow, or buy some decent bar clamps.

2. Unless you are good with a table saw, and have a good table saw, get somebody qualified at Home Depot to rip your wood to the width you need for all "non-side" panels.  Explain to them that it is critical that it all be the same width, and you don't want the saw re-adjusted until all the ripping is done.  Don't worry about getting every panel possible out of a 4x8 sheet (jigsaw puzzle like).  Just get the pieces to be the same width.  You might waste a some wood.

3. Clamp it all together with the bar clamps.  Adjust it until it's square and perfect.  Light taps with a hammer can be useful here.  Once it's perfect, Apply your mechanical connectors (whatever that may be).

In no time you will have a tight, solid, square cabinet.

[Rawker]

a pneumatic nailer is your best friend if you don't have one

[Alpha17X]

is there any good way to google search for cabinets that might be available in my area?       its nearly impossible to find out whats available in the edmonton, alberta area, and all the operators around here seem to get REALLLY annoyed when you even ask about their machines.

[Oldskool]

If using a circular saw, ALWAYS use a straight edge. It makes a world of difference.

[SeanFu]

If using a circular saw, ALWAYS use a straight edge. It makes a world of difference.

I've got a square, it might be called a roofer's square, that has a lip on one side.  It's pretty convenient to use for a quick straight edge when using a circ saw.  You can get it for a few bux at any hardware store.  Unfortunately they don't seem to come in big sizes.

For longer cuts I clamp down a larger square.

I recently got some Wolcraft clamps.  Man are these things sweet.  Lots of pressure, nice rubber covers to protect the wood, and one hand operation!.  The long ones are nice, but I have found the smaller ones (6" or 8" I think) indespensible.  Nothing like having a strong, clamp you can put one with one hand.

[pmc]

If using a circular saw, ALWAYS use a straight edge. It makes a world of difference.

I've got a square, it might be called a roofer's square, that has a lip on one side.  It's pretty convenient to use for a quick straight edge when using a circ saw.  You can get it for a few bux at any hardware store.  Unfortunately they don't seem to come in big sizes.

For longer cuts I clamp down a larger square.

I recently got some Wolcraft clamps.  Man are these things sweet.  Lots of pressure, nice rubber covers to protect the wood, and one hand operation!.  The long ones are nice, but I have found the smaller ones (6" or 8" I think) indespensible.  Nothing like having a strong, clamp you can put one with one hand.

The square with the lip is called a "speed square" or "quick square". I think it's called "speedy" because it can be slammed up flush against a piece of stock and instantly provides a a line square to the long-edge of the stock. Excellent for marking cut lines on 2x4s and 2x6s.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008IHTP/102-5571105-3289737?v=glance&s=hi&n=553282&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&vi=pictures&img=14#more-pictures

The bigger "L" shaped square has no lip and is usually called a framing square. I've also seen it called a carpenter's square or contractor's square. If you learn how to read the numbers on it, you can figure out rise-over-run calculations for stairs and rafters.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004YYG0.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

What I typically do is to use a framing square to find my cut-line, and then I use a couple of clamps to clamp a 1x2 across that line. I use the 1x2 as a fence. That works OK as long as the 1x2 isn't warped (and they all are!). My big issue with this technique is that you have to figure out the fence to saw blade distance perfectly. It's easy to cut a perfect line in the wrong place.

I'm thinking I'm going to buy something like this to make my life a little easier:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000224DM/ref=pd_sbs_hi_4/102-5571105-3289737?v=glance&s=hi&n=553160

Can you describe that Wolcraft clamp? Is it a straight-edge clamp?

All this said, I actually skipped the fence when I cut my 3/4" MDF cabinet. I used a fine-toothed circular saw blade and free-handed it. I used as jig-saw to finish off the cuts. I think the cuts came out excellent. But I was REALLY careful because I knew I only had one shot to get it right. I don't remember why I opted to skip the fence.

[SeanFu]

Here's a link.  I guess I got the name wrong, it's actually wolfcraft.  I got some of these clamps for Christmas, and there's no going back!

I use the 6" ones all the time.  my C-clamps are now collecting dust.

http://www.wolfcraft.com/product_detail.cfm?id=66

The link to the guide looks pretty good, but I'm not sure how it is also a bar clamp (per the web page).  You need a bar clamp to generate a lot of pressure.

For a larger guide I usually use the Wolfcraft clamps to clamp down either a large square, or if I need a real big guide I clamp down a large level I have or a T-square.

[Apollo]

Easiest way to straight edge with a skill saw is get yourself a nice straight length of 4"X1" pine and tack it temporarily on to your ply/mdf. Very fast and accurate way to make cuts.

[slicer_d]

a pneumatic nailer is your best friend if you don't have one

 This man is so correct!

[Grauwulf]

I have a couple of really big t-squares at work that are big enough to be very usefull for cab construction. I can't remember if they're framing squares or drywall squares, but the long part of it is 4' long. Long enough for ripping a full sheet of plywood or mdf with a circular saw.

[allroy1975]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46809
These are cheaper than those WolfCraft ones..but in my expericne just as awesome.  I can't find it on their website, but last time I was at harbor freight I got a 36" clamp and it was $11.  Not bad I think.  I can't wait to have it for my next cab.  

Allroy

PS - I guess that money saving advise vs. cabinetry advise...but...advise none the less