Angled panel sides!!

[KungFuJoe]

I hate even talking about this, but the worst has happened.  After all the careful planning and preparation and purchasing, we began cutting the wood the other day.  After cutting out the 2 side panels, base panel, and front panel, we realized that the jigsaw we had been using was angled just ever so slightly...maybe a couple degrees off center.  Turns out the jigsaw was damaged because it's notched for centering and even when we're sure it's centered, it's still off a few degrees.

So, I think you know where I'm going on this.  All the sides that we cut are at a slight angle. Will we have to completely redo everything (including purchasing more wood) or is there some way we can "work" with it?  I was thinking that if everything was mounting together using 2x4 or 2x8 supports (so that you are, in effect, not attaching the panels directly to each other) maybe it wouldn't matter so much that the panels were not flush at 90 degrees.  Then we could cover up whatever slight gap there was with putty later on.

Anyways...since this is my first cabinet, I just want to know what other opinions are on this matter...

[Mark70]

I haven't build a cabinet yet, my woodworking experience is from rebuilding my boat, but I'd say:

-Recut them square to the surface.  Figure if you can make adjustments in the panel widths, or do you have enough an edge on the side panels that you could live with 1/4" instead of a half inch sticking out.  You could recut the edge with a good jigsaw, or a router with guide strips of wood attached or a skill saw with a guide angle.

I guess it depends on which panels and which way the angle is cut.  I'd avoid filling if you can, but it may be inevitable.

Let us know what you do.  I will likely have to fix up some bad cuts myself once I start.  My habits are loose from the boating world, since you cover everything in resin after.

[RaggedEdge]

If you had a router you might be able to use a bit to square up the edges, but if you don't have one, it would just be cheaper to buy some more wood.  I am not sure what cabinet design you are building, but my side panels stick out  on all edges so if they got trimmed a small amount it probably wouldn't be noticeable.  As far as the other panels, I think you should cut them again if possible.  My jigsaw will not cut MDF real well.  Even though I follow my line, the blade likes to curve either out or in, so my cut ends up like yours.  I used a table saw and a circular saw to cut out most of my pieces, then only used the jigsaw to cut the curved part near the top.  I got sloppy when I first cut mine and didn't measure accurately.  After I cut out the two side panels, I realized I wanted it to look better so I went to the store and bought two more sheets of 3/4" MDF.  You could possibly use the two messed up side panels as wood for other pieces, that's what I did.

[Effayy]

I hate even talking about this, but the worst has happened.  After all the careful planning and preparation and purchasing, we began cutting the wood the other day.  After cutting out the 2 side panels, base panel, and front panel, we realized that the jigsaw we had been using was angled just ever so slightly...maybe a couple degrees off center.  Turns out the jigsaw was damaged because it's notched for centering and even when we're sure it's centered, it's still off a few degrees.

So, I think you know where I'm going on this.  All the sides that we cut are at a slight angle. Will we have to completely redo everything (including purchasing more wood) or is there some way we can "work" with it?  I was thinking that if everything was mounting together using 2x4 or 2x8 supports (so that you are, in effect, not attaching the panels directly to each other) maybe it wouldn't matter so much that the panels were not flush at 90 degrees.  Then we could cover up whatever slight gap there was with putty later on.

Anyways...since this is my first cabinet, I just want to know what other opinions are on this matter...

If the angled edges will nag at you for the entire time you'll own your cabinet, then definately take the time to buy a couple more sheets of MDF and nip the problem in the bud.

If, as was stated above, you could live with 1/4" edging instead of 1/2" on your side panels, then square up what you have with a router and adjust the measurements of your cabinet to match up. 

EDIT: I've already needed to purchase a couple sheets of extra MDF to fix my mistakes, and I'm not even halfway done the building process yet.  So you're definately not alone.   In the end for any future projects I'm going to use a circular saw to cut close to my measured lines, then trim off with a router afterwards. Much more reliable than the jigsaw I started with.

- FA

[GameOver]

I would just straighten out the jigsaw & cut again.  So you're CP shrinks by an eighth or so...no biggie.  No one would know but you.  Or if ya got the cash get some more wood!

[KungFuJoe]

I'm more concerned about the "solidity" of the entire cabinet than really for looks.

[NoOne=NBA=]

For those coming behind, and contemplating a saw purchase, get a circular saw.

On my cabinet, there were only TWO cuts that I couldn't make with a circular saw, using a metal saw guide to keep them nice and straight.
(You can substitute the uncut edge of a piece of MDF or plywood in a pinch).

Those two cuts were both small inside-curving cuts, so I used a jigsaw on them.
Had I been on a budget, I would have bought a coping saw, cut them as close as possible with the circular saw, and used that to finish them off.

Even on a perfectly maintained jigsaw, there is usually some blade deflection.
There just isn't enough meat on the blade to keep it from bending.

For outside curves, you can trim them down as close as possible with the circular saw, and then sand them to your "cut" line.

[KungFuJoe]

Just wanted to add another vote for a circular saw.  It's made my life so much easier and I'll never EVER use a jigsaw again for long cuts.  I spent hours just sanding down all the imperfections made by the jigsaw (and my lack of skill).  What strikes me as odd is that the 2 plans that I loosely based my design on (found them online) both used a jigsaw for ALL the cuts, which is why I used it to begin with.

But I'll definitely use a circular saw from now on....

[armax]

Yep, I'm a convert too on the circular saw.  I used to use a jigsaw for the accuracy but once you learn how to use a circular saw, it's quick, it's dead on straight and most of the time you don't need a guide.  With the exception of curves, I use a circular saw if I can get away with it.  If you have problems with a circular saw, get some scrap wood and practice, your cab will thank you for it!

[DrewKaree]

Got a belt sander?  If so, sand the edges square if you're worried about it. 

If not, how much wood will you have to buy again?  You might actually spend less time and about the same money by buying a router and squaring up the edges like that, plus you'll have it for when you have to cut the t-molding groove. 

Let this be a lesson for all of you.  ALWAYS check to see that your setup is square (or to the angle you require) BEFORE cutting.  Ghey as it always sounds, measure twice, cut once.  Even your circ saws have angle settings.  Make sure your blade is square to the shoe if it's a portable saw, or square to the table if it's a table saw. 

I'm not putting down your tools, mine seem to be the same way....I've never had a jigsaw that I ever felt comfortable using to make a cut that had to be square.  Not only can your shoe be off-center, but the blade can flex as well.  Mark has a magical saw, but I'm not sure Home Depot sells the exact same one in my area.  It LOOKS the same, but I don't know that it's got the same amount of magic in the package