Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm getting ready to make the cabinet frames for my TD and was wondering what would be the best way to put them together. This will be my first attempt at making a nice set of cabinets, so I can use any pointers you can supply

I was thinking about using biscut joints, since I have a biscut jointer, but the recent thread about them has me thinking otherwise. I know several of you swear by the pocket screws, but I really don't want to buy a new jig if I don't have too. So that leaves me thinking about dowels. I think my son left a dowel jig around here somewhere, and in the thread about the biscut joints it was mentioned that they (dowels) are stronger.

My frames (and cabinets) will be made out of Birch, if that makes any difference.

Jeff, click on my "WWW" button and then goto "galley1" to see an alternate method of doin' it...it is a single sheet of ply. We made a tmplate and used a plunge router with a bushing and a 3/16 bit, the cutouts were edge trimmed with a T molding and used for the doors
madjack

Cabinet frames...

Traditionally it was done with dowels... but that is the old fashioned way. Biscuits replaced dowels in a hurry! I still do most of my frames with biscuits.

But Madjack makes a good point. If you don't mind the extra weight, you can use plywood, and just cut out the openings. If you use a good plywood, like Steve did in the Lil Diner for me, you can finish it nicely, and you're done.

A number of folks have also used pocket screws. My pocket hole jig came with 1 stepped drill bit, which I promptly broke. (It was probably made in China.)

And last but not least, you could probably glue sticks to a piece of 1/4" or 1/8" luan, and then cut out the holes with a router. Kinda like the way you make sidewalls.

Mike...

Mike, we used a 9ply cabinet grade 1/2 ply for the cabinets...I don't see that you would gain much in the way of weight savings doing a stick frame, if any...MAYBE in the doors if you used 1/8 panelling to make them up...JMO
madjack

There's the difference. Steve used 3/4" plywood in the Lil Diner, with 3/4" plywood doors...

Mike...

I built my own cabinets out of the same bead board that was used everywhere else. I mitered the corners of a 1x2 to make a picture frame. Then I routed out from the back side so the piece I cut out for the door opening would recess in. From the inside all is flush. The joints were glue with titebond and shot together using 2" trim nails. Use caution there not to shot out the side and attach your self to your work.
As for the cabinet itself I stick framed the framing then covered it with the bead board. On the inside I used 5.2 mill Luan for the sides, botoom, and top. It will be painted a dark hunter green.
sorry for the long post I got carried away..

Ive never attempted cabinets either but I did find some beautiful pre made Birch cabinet doors... and of course hinges.. so the frame I dont think is too hard to do...

What makes this unique is its called "visakoivu" or curly or Karelian birch. Latin name is Betula pendula var. carelica Its beautiful.



Classic Finn

Heiiki , I agree ,that wood looks very cool!
Are you gonna stain it ? or just seal it? Would a light stain make the big grain swirls pop out at ya or possibly hide them? do ya have a scrap piece to test on? either way I think it would make some dynamite cabinets!!!

Madjack,

Did the angle brackets you used already have the holes drilled or did you have to drill them? I have been looking for some with the holes in them but can't find any.

Scott F.

Madjack & Mike,

I never thought about using plywod, might have to think about that. I have some nice birch doors that I picked up a while back that I would like to use for the kitchen, so I was thinking about using birch for the framing. For the interior cabinet, I thought about making sliding doors out of some of the scrap birch 1/4" plywood that was left over from the sides, and again making birch framing. My main concern is how to hold the birch framing together if I go that route.

I dug through my sons stuff, and found his dowel jig (he left most of his woodworking tools with me when he was stationed overseas ) I also have a biscut jointer attachment for my router, so those would be the easiest/cheapest ways for me to fasten the frames.

I've also been wondering about attaching the cabinet frames to the side walls. I have sandwich type walls, and put blocking in where the cabinets will attach. Was thinking about screwing them in from the outside of the trailer (before putting the aluminum on), instead of from the inside, so none of the screws show, and because I thinki it would be stronger, but wonder if I might regret that if I ever need to remove or repair them later.

I am building my cabinets right now also. I use a pocket hole jig I built several years ago. The bit and jig cost $19 at Lowe's. I built the rest out of oak and had the clamp already. I love the idea of screws but the plywood cut out is a good idea also.

Jeff,

I made my stick and panel cabinet doors with pocket screws. They seem sturdy enough. The best part about pocket screws is you can dry fit everything and see if it all fits before final assembly. I also made them inset as opposed to overlay. I like how they turned out but it was a lot of work. I'd do it like madjack described if I were to do it over. I'd also make them overlay as I found a lot more hardware options for overlay. Watch out for brass screws with hardwood because they sure strip easily .
Bruce

Thanks Danny, I appreciate your information. I sure hope our tear don't rack bad enough to bust a joint on our face frames. In my 37 years of woodworking I used dowels many times and they are strong, like you said. As tight as our cabinets fit the galley I don't see how they can even move, much less rack, but anything is possible.

Scott...we used 1/2"X8'X1/16" Al angle and cut the brackets to size, drilling the hole ourselves...on any portion that was structural we also roughed up the Al and applied Gorilla Glue...the glue and pan head screws made a very strong joint...we coulda used wood for cleats but after experimenting with various woods, we decided we didn't like any of them nor the real estate we had to give them

Jeff we attached everything with cleats made from 1/2 Al angle click my "WWW" botton and look at the galley/cabinet photo's
madjack