Viewer Comments:
Thats an old pic. Its on the cover of "Building Kitchen Cabinets". Your book, wow what a small world! lol. If thats all hand built nice job thats alot of work!
Justin,
This cabinets where build about seven years ago. Since not everyone has my book I thought I share it here. This was one of my favorite jobs. Yes I build all this by my self,
Including about a 100 dovetail drawer boxes throughout the house . Only had help with the installation.
Udo
Udo,
It's an honor to speak with such a fine craftsman. I also own your book and have read it cover to cover many times. In your book you show several methods for building drawers, pocket holes, and dovetails.Do you think pocketholes would last as long as dovetails do? Did you cut all your dovetails on the router table or did you also use a dovetail jig? Are you a one man shop and if so can you offer any advice on how to make a decent living in the woodworking trade? It seems you can make a better living building cabinets than you can custom furniture, do find this to be true? Sorry for all the questions Udo. Your work is outstanding and I'm glad you take the time to post it on woodweb.
Mike
Mike,
I am humbled by your comment. We use a Katie dovetail system for our drawer boxes,
(http://www.katiejig.com/) with a two router table. This system cuts the dovetails in less then five minutes. I was a one man shop for a long time.I trained my son for over four years now and just got a new apprentice. Hopefully in another three years they can take over the shop. In my opinion, making a good living in the woodworking world is a fine balance between good craftsman ship and getting things done. The difference between a journey man and a master is that the master knows how to hide his mistakes. With other words, you need to learn what you can get away with. That was the hardest learning curve I experienced, and I am still learning. If you send me your e-mail I’ll be happy to get more detailed.
Happy woodworking,
Udo
I was so impressed with your work that I bought you book too and recognized this picture.
Thanks for the sound advice Udo.
Mike
I am in the process of building my first set of maple kitchen cabinets and have relied on your book as a guide. I am a carpenter by trade now but I still remember when I first started out baking (1st trade, 30 years ago)my employer gave me similar advice "difference between a journey man and a master is that the master knows how to fix his mistakes".
What is the name of the book and where can I get it? howmany hours are in that kitchen.
Nice kitchen, but if I may make a comment, I really do not like the drawer hardware on the panel, I personally think it should be on the top rail, lookes better and makes sense, my 2cents...
Thanks every one for the nice comments.
The book is called “Building Kitchen Cabinets”, written by yours truly
And published by the Taunton Press in 2003.It is readily available like
Amazon.com and other online book stores. Barnes and Noble tries to keep it
In their stores, but they only have one or two copies. Amazons third party book sellers offer the best prices.
I have seen the hardware on panel drawer fronts on the upper rail but it always looked unbalanced to me.
Thanks again and happy woodworking,
Udo
Udo, I too have had your book for some time (in part because the wife wants the glassed top level in theuppers) and planning to start cabinets soon. One question i had is how the uppers are constructed. Is this a single carcass with a fixed dado shelf and single face frame?
Brad,
The wall cabinets are one box , a little bulky but a cleaner look,
Udo
Great to see you on this forum. I also reconized the kitchen pic and couldn't put two and two together untill I scrolled down a little. I also have your book and read thru it many times durring my first build back in late 2003. Two of the major things I picked up out of your writing that I previously didn't use in my custom furniture making was how you used the thickness planner to edge your face frame stock (worked amazing but now run them thru my wide belt) and also how you pin nail the doors from the back side. Worked very well and kept the clamps moving so production is way up. Now I use a 22guage 5/8" nail and I don't even fill holes.
I am now full time on my own www.premiercustomwoodworks.com and am on around my 20th kitchen and alot of my techniques I got from you book.
Thanks a bunch!!!! Ryan
It´s very nice to see you in a forum, I´m from Mexico and I have your book, you give me a lot of confidence to do my kitchen myself. I´m planning it and I´ll start this month. Thanks for all the tips in your book. Gracias!
Great kitchen.
I’m just completing a maple island & I need to come as close as possible to match the orange/amber finish on the existing cabinets. Any suggestions are appreciated.
