Simple Cabinet Construction, Part 1: Story Poles & Boxes

Gary Striegler demonstrates how to build a simple two-piece cabinet-- including doors, drawers, and moldings, with basic carpentry tools.
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[@coherantbliss3483]

Retired custom cabinet maker here....just wanted to say that it's nice to see the old school way of machining cabinet parts is still alive and well. Much stronger boxes!

[@jonconaway6341]

Love to know more. It seems I can’t make a square box

[@longfade]

I'm an amateur, and I've built cabinets only once, for my kitchen several years ago. This is a great, comprehensive, straight-forward presentation that I wish I'd had access to back then. And story-poles RULE when you're doing custom work offsite.

[@SamIAmJam]

Out of all the videos I have been watching yours has helped my brain wrap around the concept of cutting the ply and not wasting the ply thank you.

[@resipsaloquitur13]

Most helpful and practical cabinet making video ever made.

[@joeettwein3826]

I've watched these cabinet videos many times just as a refresher...great info Gary

[@joshdrake32]

Most informative video on cabinet making I've seen yet. Great explanations and clever designs.

[@mikejustice1196]

Hello Gary It’s very refreshing watching a master craftsman.

[@papiwe1]

thank you for a showing a real shop and a practical explanation.

[@eddieshipman7224]

I used to make story boards for an entire kitchen on a single 1X6. I did the base cabinets followed by the uppers and then the vertical one on top of that. Each of the stories was just 1 1/2" wide. We used them to cut the carcasses and frames. We also used a table saw for our dados and rabbets.

[@DiHandley]

It’s hard to overstate how priceless this information is. Some real little nuggets there for sure. 👍

[@blakecollie8770]

I like his approach the best 👌 I've watched several different versions of building cabinets and hands down his is the best

[@cob1965]

great a carpenter with a shop that looks like he builds stuff to make a living!

[@garyolsen3409]

Boy cutting plywood on a table saw that is way narrower than it is long takes a lot of balls and gives me the shivers.

[@Qriusme]

Things look so easy when you have a large shop with all the tools you need.

[@MBZS500]

i really like the explanations. better than other videos

[@jakewalter3729]

CLS550 Is

[@TKevinBlanc]

Excellent primer. I'm going to be building some cabinets for my basement, and now I've got some confidence. Thanks!

[@k.b.woodworker3250]

Great video, love the use of pin nails to hold things in place before pocket hole screws. I'm going to try this today. No matter how careful I am and how many clamps I use, including the kreg right angle clamps, I always have something shift at least once. I've tried gluing first and letting the glue set, and this works ok, but this looks better.

[@AviBueno]

Excellent video series! Your a gifted teacher and your work experience has a lot of presence. Thank you!

[@TheYFlyer]

Gary I really love your Arkansas math tip. I've seen you explain it in a couple of videos. It sure is a great little tip.

[@Spencerbuildsit]

Nice job. I do my rabbits on a climb cut to help with that veneer splintering. I like the dado jig. How about glue/ screw a stop strip at 3 7/8 onto the bottom. Makes it a dedicated tool but eliminates a measuring and set up step for that bottom base

[@raybrensike42]

If you don't want to be working with clamps and having your pieces directly on saw horses all the time, where things are not always so steady, you can put a 4 x 8 sheet on top of saw horses, and fasten a 1"x6" along the long edge and a 1'x4' along the 4' edge, and then you can put on a strip of wood on top of that long 1x6" to run your router base along for the rabbits. Use blocks of wood to buck up against your pieces to keep them from moving, and you can use your straight edge set up you have for making your dadoes, and tack it in place with some finish nails on top of the bucking blocks you put down. Then you just throw your pieces against the stops, tack on the bucking blocks and tack on your dado guide, and you have your permanent strip for the rabbits on the long 8' side. Once you get used to it, it goes quite well. You will be using the same router and bit set up for making both rabbits and dadoes .Have a good brush, like a wall paper hanger's brush handy for getting all the dust off the table.

[@markpereira757]

Thankyou for sharing.Your practical presentation is excellent. I have been reading Fine wood working, Popular wood magazine etc. but I liked you skills . Happy Christmas . please keep making new videos.

[@w0mblemania]

This was an excellent instruction. Thank you!

[@IvanNickerson]

I fond this video collection very helpful thank you very much for sharing

[@machineenvyllc437]

First real working shop I have seen..... I can tell. Looks like mine. Not some staged stuff

[@126jld]

Great videos makes a newbe like me think I can make these instructions work. Please keep it can't wait for next video

[@richfarinelli3275]

These videos really helped me ..thanks

[@Chimp_No_1]

Extremely helpful. Thanks.

[@mrgrumpy5116]

you're obviously very experienced, I hope your relaxed attitude towards personal safety equipment was just for the purpose of making the video, I can't imagine life is much fun for a deaf guy with respiratory desease.

[@whatsinaname333]

Those shallow dados add a lot of strength, even if they're a bit loose!

[@WeGoWalk]

Good video. Cool tips. You make it look easy. Oh, by the way, the word is “Rabbet” and pronounced Rabbit, not Rebate, as in re-bait. Just thought I’d let you know. A Rebate is where you get money back from a manufacturer as an incentive for buying their product.

[@markspears1167]

Rich H, lol

[@lydialas8756]

@Hello Rich how are you doing

[@beetlebailey3034]

Build a jig to align the cabinet edges for nailing the pins. I'm sure you could come up with one that would make the process quicker and dead nuts.

[@markspears1167]

Gary, “Quick Screws International” actually sells a 1 1/8” “cabinet Assembly screw”. They are the same washer head style as the Kreg screws.

[@cbdeandc]

I went to that site and found the ones you mentioned. Unfortunately, it would cost $12 to ship a $2 box of screws.

[@markspears1167]

Christophe Dean, in my case I buy in bulk so I don’t have to pay shipping.

[@maryprather696]

You make it look so easy 😊

[@dalealleyne6132]

your a excellent teacher

[@bobhumenn2268]

Full scale story pole works great. Much easier than adding fractions.

[@dannorthcutt8112]

Best build video I've seen. Noticed you seldom use glue on assembly. Why is that?

[@LTVoyager]

Dan Northcutt I am guessing because he is making fairly cheap cabinets and doesn’t need the extra strength and cost of using glue. And with pocket screw joinery, the glue adds very little strength. There is at least one KZbin video showing tests of various joints and PH joints are only moderately strong and adding glue helped very little. The tests were done on standard butt style PH joints and he does add a slight rabbet here which would make the glue slightly more effective as it would have a little side grain to grab onto.

[@robertrisk93]

Probably by not glueing he saves clean up time and gets a better paint finish.

[@randykuhns4515]

I've used the Brazilian plywood building cabinets and it's the best,.. we just bought $52.00 a sheet cabinet grade birch plywood and not only is the skin thinner than paper making it literally impossible to sand, but I took a framing square to check the squareness and DID find it OUT 3/16 of an inch OUT,.. the Brazilian is cheaper to buy AND a better grade to work with. also I ground down my router bit to fit the smaller 3/4" plywood to get the snug fit I prefer,..

[@rcytb]

Very instructional. Thanks!

[@MIKESTREED]

Awesome video, now I need all these tools I don’t own yet... where is my credit card..🤔

[@Modelpilot]

Thnx for sharing this video, it’s really helpfull.... am i right if i notice you don’t use glue while constructing the plywood cabinet

[@Grassy20]

Question... why no glue? Is it simply a time saver? (which I can appreciate) or is there another reason?

[@Serendipitywww]

On the side pieces, the vertical rebate is 3/8” by 3/8”. What size are the rebates across the top of the side pieces?

[@k.b.woodworker3250]

Yes, the sound is a problem on my computer, lots of static. But I just turned on the closed captioning and was able to understand it all.

[@newenglandyankeeliving5052]

10:50 an absolutely critical step I’d probably forget lol

[@ealdydar]

The kreg shelf pin jigs is very good but i wish they would offer a carbide 5 mm bit cause the ones that come with it and you can purchase for it dull quick and rag out

[@stevebengel1346]

A tip I use it to out the drill in reverse first and run it for a second, that scores the veneer, then out it in forward and let er rip. Zero tear out and the bit seems to last a lot longer

[@gipiac]

Thank you for great info

[@coreymcniel3390]

I think you can learn more about it on woodprix website.

[@BrentDaughertyMe]

I used woodprix and it sucked horribly. I lost all my money and now live on the street :(

[@robd7703]

Woodpix is not good

[@starkaran8390]

Gooood plans!

[@rds333]

17:23, that's a good way to get kickback!

[@MrLiveEra]

17:02 Ingenious, why didn't I think of that

[@kenpoist7]

I've been working with wood for years (40+) however, with that said I don't know all. You keep saying "Rebate" I think I know the term as a Rabbet (Rabbit) are they the same feature and/or have I been saying it wrong for all these years

[@js1451]

kenpoist7 in another video he explains rebate is also known as rabbit cut.

[@ronanthem]

I love this video. I am very surprised you don't just adjust the guide on the pocket hole machine for thicker material? Will it adjust to 7/8" thick? that would eliminate the need for the 1" screws yes? Or would that offset it too much off center? Just a thought while watching you. Thank you posting this!

[@yolandarivera6872]

ronanthem i

[@shmikeymo]

It was a afterthought measurement

[@luisreyes1547]

ronanthem w

[@juanoramo]

Can you set kreg pocket hole drill bit to screw through 5/8ths plywood so that you can use the 1-1\4 screws? Just an idea.

[@MountainManFred]

Very Good!

[@kennethlemke9826]

Excellent

[@tonysplace8009]

1-1/8" long pocket hole screws with self-centering feature: fastcap.com has a pocket self-centering-pocket-hole-screw

[@tonysicily2687]

Not on their site they dont

[@tonysplace8009]

@@tonysicily2687 kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4LIqGSQfNxoa5Y

[@tonysicily2687]

Tony Taliaferro Awesome, you are very kind, I really appreciated you taking the time to help me. THANK YOU

[@lydialas8756]

@Hello Tony how are you doing

[@stevecuthbert8856]

Why is the sound missing on the right speaker? It's there when the introductory music is playing.

[@theacase8738]

I am a newbie. Thought I had heard the term before, so I looked it up. It is another word with the same meaning as rabbet.

[@rwe2156]

Keep in mind for kitchen cabs you build a separate base or use leveling feet.

[@lydialas8756]

@Hello Robert how are you doing

[@morningstar4473]

Hi, can you tell me the name for the tool to drill holes for shelves and for the pocket hole please

[@2JustMe1]

Great way of doing it thanks for sharing. The only part that confused me was when you said rebate as opposed to rabbet joint.

[@firstbuck4089]

to Kit Murphy, I agree, I didn't know what he was talking about, until I saw the cut.

[@rds333]

Yes, I agree. A rabbet joint is the correct terminology to use here. I have heard people use rebate to describe this and it sometimes makes me wonder where did they get their education for woodworking. The only time I use rebate is when it applies to Menards.

[@Chris000279]

Why did you pocket screw the inside of the base cabinet for the faceframe assembly. Why not hide it like you did for the upper?

[@ze_german2921]

I noticed that many people prefer to build the Face Frame first but is there a wrong or right? Myself I think I rather Build the box first.

[@papiwe1]

great thank you so much

[@paulgraves935]

I want to build 2 small kitchen cabinets

[@jacobw446]

How deep do you do the router cut? Is there a Standard depth?

[@zendrive]

I know the video's a few years old, but I heard your comment on 1 1/8" screws, and in case you're still wishing for those, FastCap makes some nice torx drive bugle head cabinet screws. They only come in that size: www.fastcap.com/product/bugle-head-screw No affiliation!

[@alexbowie6316]

Does this work ok just using an 18mm dia router bit and just cutting once through for the dado recess?

[@ThatFoodLife]

What is up with the volume on this? It is too low to be able to hear with everything cranked up.

[@mikebrian2557]

Mans hes got some cool tools

[@tkjvsmith227]

Well done. One constructive comment, and not on the work itself...I believe it pronounced "rabbit" for the act of creating a rabbet. It is not pronounced rebate. I do wish there was a good rebate though.

[@rds333]

I already know that this has been mentioned in other replies, It's not called a rebate, it's called a rabbet.

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

I’ve never been able to just screw ply and have it hold over time without glue.

[@ThekiBoran]

You're definitely doing something wrong.

[@beetlebailey3034]

Why not shim the plywood (the depth of the dado) when putting in the pocket screws. Then you don't have to worry about the screws punching through the cabinet.

[@matermark]

Great job, but you'd fail Safety Class! No Safety glasses, no dust mask when sanding, no push blocks... not safety related but those 2 brads on the filler board at the camera end looked like you had the nailer an inch or more down trying to nail a piece 3/4" thick. Did you hit it centered? (around 20:50)

[@bhrettbodman459]

are there pics of the final products, finished and painted?

[@aunttriciaattic]

Now I know I can do it myself

[@dianevessels2632]

What kind of pocket hole equipment are you using?

[@sailer5373]

Why would you use 3/4" ply for cabinets, especially wall hung cabinets. That's a lot of weight to hang on the wall, when you could use 1 /2" ?

[@ThekiBoran]

When you give change to a customer at 7-Eleven you should actually count it out and not just throw it in their hand.

[@jasonwest2064]

I'm all about getting trim

[@frozen_penquin9175]

why not use a dado set on the table saw to make dados

[@TheBeerbelly007]

Good stuff---

[@leeedwards3783]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Are the screws.you use in plywood coarse or fine? Thank you

[@CisnerosShop]

Lee Edwards coarse because it’s plywood. Fine are used mainly on hardwoods

[@raybrensike42]

I don't believe today's plywood is anything like it was back in the '70's. I've seen everything from some of it where the veneer has been sanded so thin you can see the glue, and some of the AC fir, if you can even find it, is like a potato chip, and it can change as much as a 1/4" in width depending on the weather, believe it or not. I made a shed door out of it, and that's what happened, and yes the door is like a potato chip when I shut it. Used to be we got real good ply. Now they are making plywood with MDF in the middle. It doesn't glue up right, nail right, or even keep it's dimension when the temperature changes.

[@kevinhayes5161]

Ray Brensike question

[@luvstupidpeople]

they make an 1 1/8 drywall screw, but it's in fine thread for steel stud....

[@ealdydar]

eeek pocket holes inside the cabinet next to the shelf pin holes???

[@stevebengel1346]

I'm with you on that one, I do cabinets almost identical to how Gary builds them but I would never pocket hole the frames on, especially from wherever it could be seen

[@christopherr7195]

Surprised your impact driver doesnt blow out those Kreig screws.

[@robertrisk93]

I believe that is not an impact driver. Instead is one with an adjustable clutch where you can graduate the strength of it.

[@flsigns5158]

I don't recall you saying how deep you cut your dados

[@granjmy]

Is it just my computer or is the sound not coming through? I only get static.

[@themeat5053]

is a rebate a rabbet?

[@ThekiBoran]

Yes, most Americans say rabbet while limeys across the pond say rebate.

[@donepearce]

Don't put a tape measure along a storey pole. The storey pole IS the measure. Mark straight from that.

[@jefflipski]

@17:26 crosscut may be safer with sled or miter not fence

[@josefsinger]

If you plan to copy this, never crosscut on the table saw the way its shown at 17:26. In general, the distance between the blade and fence should not be greater than the length of the side against the fence. This is a dangerous operation without a sled, as it's easy for the back end to rotate and kickback and possibly pull your hand over the blade. I base this on George Vondriska here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGHNk5pvgdp3qcU

[@TeamProsperity]

Sounds like you’re saying rebate the panel n I’m thinking what it he talking about n then I figured you mean rabbet 🤣🤣🤣

[@chuckkimmerle1320]

I actually went and looked up "rebate" in case I was missing something. LOL

[@Ivangonzalez-12]

What plywood u use

[@flipper84fontes]

Forgive me, just googled. Rabbet in America, rebate in Britain.

[@JeffThePoustman]

Rabbet in Canada. Had to google, too.

[@rubbersole79]

.....and Arkansas!

[@longfade]

Haha, I was puzzled too until I saw the cut and thought, "Rabbet!" Good stuff.

[@rayatlast]

Very informative, thanks for sharing. No dust protection?

[@stevendavis7456]

Dust protection, eye protection, elbow pads, knee pads, bicycle helmet ... congratulations, we are now officially a nation of capons!

[@ThekiBoran]

@@stevendavis7456 Don't forget jock strap with protective cup.

[@camtrathen9761]

not sure if you did it but can you show a home made amwar I think is the spelling of it please?

[@matthewschnettler6674]

I believe you're thinking of armoir

[@mtabernig]

A router table would really speed up all those rebates you cut

[@supermanivalex1153]

I felt as if I was deaf in my right ear.

[@Redhead1431]

What city are you in?

[@robertturriff9836]

Is popular a good wood for this?

[@BlumpkinSpiceLatte]

Yeah, I hear it's a very poplar wood to use.

[@barbkeen1221]

katana767 -. 🤦‍♀️ 😂😂😂😂 ROFLMBO! Yourself e my kind of people!! ☺️

[@ko6128]

Beardio is the greenish poplar crap at Home Depot good for faceframes or can you get better at lumber yards that isn’t so green?

[@ThekiBoran]

@@ko6128 For paint grade the popular crap at Home Cheapo is just fine.

[@jeremy4192]

No glue?