What tools did you use to build your cabinet?

[DrewKaree]

What are the absolute tools required for building one's first cabinet? Circular saw, jigsaw, router, drill??? What tools would you recommend to make the job easier? Thanks -diamz

Since this came up, and you can help out,  please do.  There's two parts to this.  If possible, please separate the answers.

1.     What are the tool(s) you believe you SPECIFICALLY CANNOT do without in order to build a cab?

2.     What is the reason you feel the tool(s) are mandatory for cab building?



This isn't meant to be a pissing match of "hey, I did it with this, so that's wrong" or "you can't do it with that, x happens with those, so that sucks".  I'm looking for YOUR information and comments about YOUR recommendation.

Thanks.

[DrewKaree]

I'm not looking to stop you from commenting.  I'd still like more comments, I'm just adding mine.  More replies make the information more complete, so please add to this.



1.     A circular saw, a router, a jigsaw, and a random-orbit sander.

2.

A circular saw cuts straight lines faster and easier than anything other than a table saw and allows you to take the tool to the wood.

A router makes your work easier.  You only have to cut one side of your cab, then use the router and a pattern or flush-trim bit to trace-cut another piece of wood to the exact identical shape.  It's also needed for a t-molding slot.

A jigsaw can make curved cuts that a circular saw simply can't.

Hand sanding quickly becomes tedious and is going to more often than not be ignored or given minimal attention because of this.  A smooth paint/stain job is easier to obtain with a smooth surface, so a random-orbit sander speeds up this chore and makes it easier to complete.  That would tend to make someone more apt to complete it correctly, or turn back to it in order to fix mistakes that may happen.

[Sprucemoose]

Considering that I am not an Amish carpenter and need powertools this is my must have list:

-Circular Saw- for straight cuts...with saw board
-Drill- for most everything else
-Router- t-moulding and to make perfectly even sides or templates
-Measuring tape- figure it out
-T-square- to get a nice right angle

[missioncontrol]

Circlar saw- long straight cuts
Jig Saw - detailed and curved cuts
Framing square - very handy for measurements and right angles
Drill - screws and making cuts with hole saw
tape measure - obvious
router - t-molding and for routing ares of CP
hand cart - moving cabinet around easily

[Mark70]

I went with:

-circular saw + sawboard
-CLAMPS ...I got by with two 36" bar clamps the quickgrip kind
-drill
-kind of in with drill but I'll count hole saws separately for an inside corner with a radius, including the corners of the coin door hole.
-while I'm counting hole saws separately, I may as well count the 1 1/8" spade bit separately.
-...and the screw bits for the drill
-saw horses
-bench vise
-router for t-molding slots, and for squaring edges, and for cutting speaker holes in the middle of a panel
-handsaw for finishing any sharp inside corners so you don't have to overcut with a circ saw.
-random orbit palm sander
-wire strippers and crimping tool
-various pliers
-screwdrivers
-putty knife
-painting supplies, brushes, rollers, tray, tape, foil, etc.

[Fat_Trucker]

Assembly:
Jigsaw
Router (+ slot cutter)
Workbench
Clamps
Vice
Drill and selection of bits
Assorted wire and connectors
Soldering Iron
Hot Glue Gun
Electric Screwdriver
Electric Drill
Electric Sander
Pencil, Paper and lots of planning.
Project Arcade the book.

And probably the most essential cabinet building tool - the BYOAC forums.

[danny_galaga]

i'm someone who's always had tools around. crap ones growing up (we weren't rich and dad collected what he could get a hold of. except for a pair of real vicegrips, which i still have- they must be 30 years old and still good. yanks make damn fine hand-tools    ). better tools as an adult. so for my cab i tend to think in terms of what i had to get especially*. these were a jigsaw and a router. im not a carpenter so i didnt feel the need to get a circular saw. i just clamped aluminium angle to the piece to guide the jigsaw in a straight line.

so basically:

drill (with bits, drivers, hole saws and spade bits)
jigsaw*
router*
soldering iron
belt sander (wouldnt have bought it if i didnt already have it though)
screw driver
paper, pen
brain
and lots of internet!

i can't say BYOAC because i hadn't really looked there until AFTER i finished. thank god because otherwise i'd just get stuck in EE 

[diamz]

I just want to say Thanks! for starting this thread and to to all the contributors. This is exactly the kind of info I've been looking for. -Diamz

[JoyMonkey]

Don't forget your Dremel/Rotary Tool.

No self respecting hobbyist should be without one!

[lovespicyfood]

I just bought a Hitachi 2 1/4 hp fixed base router from Lowe's for $114.  I did some research and this one seemed pretty good.  My opinion should be taken with a grain of salt though because I've never used a router before!   

My question is, would it be more convenient to also get the plunge base for this router?  They had a kit w/ the plunge base and case for $174.  Now when I look at the cost of the plunge base purchased separately (~$115), I'm thinking I should go back and get the kit.

When routing out your cp to flush mount a control, can you just set the depth of your bit and drop the fixed base router into the panel?  Or do you need the plunge base to do this safely?  This is where I'm confused...

Thanks for your input!

[Mark70]

I forgot no.8 screw set/countersink.

[Ed_McCarron]

When routing out your cp to flush mount a control, can you just set the depth of your bit and drop the fixed base router into the panel?  Or do you need the plunge base to do this safely?  This is where I'm confused...

Thats what I do.  Set the router on one edge, get a REAL GOOD grip on it, and lower the bit into the wood.

Then again, I do the same thing with the circular saw when starting a cut mid-panel, so maybe I'm not the best example.

It all comes with practice.

[Ed_McCarron]

Oh, and I have no clule who makes it...

But the drill bit w/ countersink that you flip around to turn into a screwdriver without unchucking?

Worth every penny.

[AMDman13]

Pneumatic brad nailer saves a ton of time self counter sinking and when used with Tite Bound = incredible strong bond.

[Buddabing]

A credit card with a hefty spending limit.   
 

[markrvp]

A credit card with a hefty spending limit.   
 

Ha Ha. 

That is definitely the one that got used the most.

[HOTR6]

Well I got Lowes to make most of the long straight cuts. I stood there and made sure to help and make them get it right.
I used a jig saw to make the rounded cuts and cuts into the CP for the trackball and the coin door in front.
A table saw to make the smaller straight cuts.
A sander
A pocket hole jig and bits
A hole saw bit
Glue
Iron
Drill I have both a  cordless and a corded. I suggest the corded for this prject because you have more power and don't have to wait for it to charge.
You need a smaller flat screw driver, for putting the wires in the Ipac
A level for getting things straight and level

[M3talhead]

1st Aid kit.

I dont care who you are or how much experience in woodworking you have. You need it....

[BobA]

Beer

You cannot build a cab without it.

[rackoon]

Vodka and a good marriage counselor.

[somunny]

It's been said before but there's just no substitute for a table saw with a good 80 tooth blade.  Perfect miter cuts on laminated mdf.  Like butta...

Steve

[rwhip41]

A saw.
At the minimum...a circular saw with a blade with many small teeth if using MDF. I also had a table saw and a mitre saw. I used the table saw the most, but could have survived with the circ saw.

A drill...and a 1-1/8" speed bore.
You WILL need to make holes. The speed bore works best for buttons (better than a hole saw, especially for MDF).

Clamps.
Hold the work down while sawing. Works well when gluing as well.

Jig Saw.
A must when incorporating a track ball. Also a must if your cab has rounded or contoured edges.

Primer paint.
Seal the cab to protect it.

[lovespicyfood]

Thats what I do.  Set the router on one edge, get a REAL GOOD grip on it, and lower the bit into the wood.
Then again, I do the same thing with the circular saw when starting a cut mid-panel, so maybe I'm not the best example.
It all comes with practice.

Thanks for your input Ed,  I appreciate it!

For anyone else out there, can you tell me if you use a plunge router and if it's woth the additional' cost?  I'm guessing this might make it easier to drill the 1 1/8"" holes for joysticks/buttons?  Am I just grasping at thin air to have a reason to buy more stuff?   

[Ed_McCarron]

Router for button holes?

Nah.

1 1/8" spade bit will work fine.

Theres fancier ways, but that'll do.

Drill halfway thru (till the point just penetrates), flip the board, and drill from the other side.  Nice clean holes.

[DrewKaree]

Thats what I do.  Set the router on one edge, get a REAL GOOD grip on it, and lower the bit into the wood.
Then again, I do the same thing with the circular saw when starting a cut mid-panel, so maybe I'm not the best example.
It all comes with practice.

Thanks for your input Ed,  I appreciate it!

For anyone else out there, can you tell me if you use a plunge router and if it's woth the additional' cost?  I'm guessing this might make it easier to drill the 1 1/8"" holes for joysticks/buttons?  Am I just grasping at thin air to have a reason to buy more stuff?   

If that's ALL you need it for, it's foolish to buy the plunge attachment.  You can just lower the bit into the wood with your fixed-base router like Ed says.  If you'll have more than 2 uses for it, then take it back and buy it, since you'll be saving a bunch of money. 

I'd bet most folks don't have a need for it.

[Spaz Monkey]

Bondo, putty knife, drill, cabinet props.

I was going to build a "cabinet dolly" using 2x6's.  The sides of the dolly would be under the cab while the front and back pieces would be level with the bottom of the cab. It would look like  this from the side:    =------= .  The cabinet would fit in the "depression".  I needed to make the dolly since two of the corners didn't have any support for casters.  The whole base is MDF.  To make an already long story short, I didn't complete the dolly, but I still needed access to the bottom of the cab.  I took the front + left side and the back + right side made them into one of those "House for Sale" looking things that get planted in the front yard.  I'm able to lean the cabinet into a 45 degree "lean" where I can work on the bottom.  There's no grip for me to lift it up if I put it on the ground flat.

[psychopanda]

Wood chisel. Not having access to a router (yet), I was able to chisel out the trackball mounting plate fairly easy with a chisel, hand saw, and 1 1/8"spade bit. MDF is so easy to cut with a chisel!

Most the other things have been said already; circular saw, rulers, drill, drill bits, etc.

If you're working with MDF, make sure you get some sort of face mask and goggles. It creates ALOT of dust. My second trip to Home Depot I also picked up some plastic sheets to lay over everything in my garage, because that dust gets EVERYWHERE.

[Havok]

Don't forget the duct tape!

[PCtech]

I have been call the biggest TEWL there is....does that count? 

[neuromancer]

I think I used only a circular saw and a cordless drill, but some of the narrow stock came out of my scrap bin, so maybe you'd count the table saw too.. I put it together with screws, so clamps were unnecessary.

http://www.2fiddles.com/arcade/uncabMain.html

Bob

[Tahnok]

My first cabinet was built with a jigsaw and a battery-powered drill. Since then though, my favorites have become:

Plunge Router (various straight blades, pattern cutting bit, slot cutting bit)
Jigsaw
Circular saw
Sawboard (nothing beats the $15 sawboard)
Plug-in Drill (the battery one just doesn't have the torque)
Carpenter's square (had it sitting around; never needed a T-square)