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I thought this might be a good topic not just for guitar building. Todd, I'm very curious to hear what you have to say about this specifically, because everything that I've seen of yours (tutorials etc.) seems to be very efficient. I recently realized that I have got to build a whole lot more storage carts/cabinets/shelves for my shop but I have never been very efficient at building stuff like this. Invariably I'll have to cut some dadoes then move on to another operation only to realize that I have more dadoes to cut using the same setup etc... So to the guys and gals with a lot more experience building furniture/boats/cabinets, are there tips that you can share to help get more efficient? Do you typically make a list of parts or a list of operations for every project? Or do you have any general tips for streamlining projects?
Jason

I was thinking earlier today that perhaps I should do a tutorial on how I make a basic cabinet box. I have over 25 separate cabinet boxes in my shop including the table saw outfeed, tool stands, storage and workbenches.

In my opinion, benches and storage units made from sheet stock such as MDF or plywood are quicker to make, stronger, more attractive, less dusty (for the items stored inside) and if not cheaper then at least not much more expensive than the usual 2 x 4 frame with a plywood top that one often sees in shop photos.

A shot of the bench in my instrument room. The top is 3' x 7' and it is made up of 6 cabinets, each 15" deep by about 27" wide. Very solid and lots of storage. I don't have time to do a cabinet making tutorial today but if there is interest I will do one up in the near future.

Scott

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Thanks guys. I'm at my worst with drawers I think. Dadoes for the bottoms, rabbets for the backs etc. I'm guessing that a good game plan makes all the difference. My problem is coming up with good game plans.

Scott, I'd be interested in that tutorial.
Hugh

Yeah, forget the dadoes. What do you need them for especially for shop furniture. As far as utility drawers I just nail and glue the sides, (butt joints with the sides overlapping the front and back) and nail and glue the bottom right on the sides. squares up the drawer very easily, takes no time at all the build and plenty strong. No dados, no half laps, no drawer joints, no groves. Easy, peesy, lemon squeezey. Plus you gain some drawer depth.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I have to agree with Link. There IS a difference between Cabinets and Furniture. My woodworking career really started as a cabinet maker making fixtures mostly for government buildings, restaurants, churches, law offices and the like. I have also made a fair jag of furniture with hand cut dovetails and through mortises, etc. My favorite cabinet making tools; a biscuit joiner and cordless drills. I have been using biscuit joiners since the early 80's when the only ones available were the Lamello machines (at like $800!!!). Once you get them figured out they are super fast and the joints are very strong. I use screws only really as clamps while the glue dries for the biscuits. The joiner I own is a Dewalt and I really like it, that machine is a good 15 years or so old now (probably more!). I will be making a cabinet for my new rim sander and I will be posting the construction of that so I will take some pictures of the cabinet construction then as well. Anyway, this system uses butt joints and for drawers I build a box, glue and nail the bottom on, install and add a second front to cover the bottom plywood and to cover the extra space required to insert the drawer if using drawer slides. Simple, quick and effective and it even looks good!

Shane

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Canada

What Link and Shane said! No need to get fancy and technical with shop furniture (unless that's just what you desire to do). If you do want to get fancy, or just want to learn some quick and dirty techniques that work well, you could learn more, quicker by going to FWW's website and buy the online membership for $14.95 a year. There's a 14 day free trial membership so you can try before you buy. In there you'll find all sorts of excellent resources (online videos, drawings, plans) for folks ranging from absolute beginners, to pro's looking to simplify their techniques.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Me too Scott - Thanks !

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

Thanks. I'm not really asking how to make shop furniture (I'll take all the advise I can can get though) but rather how to streamline processes. Todd did a little tutorial on how he makes linings on the table saw and what I'm trying to figure out is how he decides which cuts to make and in what order. I would think this would translate very well to guitar building (less wasted time standing around). I'm very good at picturing a finished product/guitar in my head but not so good at coming up with an efficient process for creating said object.

Jason, that is called experience. It is a skill that is developed by doing and paying attention to the doing. Wanting to be efficient takes thinking about being efficient before and while you are doing a job. You make mistakes in efficiency and learn for next time. One reason it involves doing is that you need to find methods that work for you. Part of experience is knowing when it is necessary to really be absolutely accurate, relatively accurate, and when it doesn't matter. As Shane and others have said, the approach is different for different classes or kinds of work.
Now if you want to know something specifically, then checking out Todd's, or Robbie's or a lot of other folks methods for doing something is great. Keeping in mind that once you do it their way you might find a way that better suits your tools, or ability or comfort.
So to sum it up IMO efficiency is a skill and like any skill it takes some time and experience to gain.

Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I'd like to double up on that. I always disliked pocket hole joinery. I thought they were punky, ugly looking. But you never see them when the job is done and they are quick and solid.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

I like to start with a list with on any project with a sublist of items that will need to get glued, that way I get those done and don't have to end up watching glue dry, or waiting to rotate clamps. Then a list of parts to cut, always cut large parts first, so when you mess up you can make a small part out of it.

For cabinets, I agree, no need for dadoes or rabbets, just have the deck on the bottom go the full size then set the sides on them, just like drawers, I agree with Link, glue and some brads is fine for most things, if you have a drawer for heavy stuff, you may want to make a better bottom.

As a owner of a small woodworking business, I love streamlining processes. I like to start with very detailed lists, and if I miss something on the list, I add it to try to make a more complete list for the next time. Then I will look at the list to determine what I want to get done that day, highlight those items and number them in the order. The list for the day is always leading up to a clamping and drying process to finish the day with. Sometimes the whole thing, whatever the project, gets overwhelming, then the list can give us something to do that is easy while we figure out the issues. Then at least something is getting done, thinking in the shop is sometimes necessary, but not an efficient use of shop time. For me thinking should be done in line at the grocery store, in the shower, during morning coffee.

For complex cuts that must occur in a specific order, even a rough sketch will help. While doing non critical work, I like to make sure that I spend a few moments thinking what the next move will be when I put the tool in my hand down.
Full scale storypoles help, extra cuts in scrap can be used to reset fences if they change, pocket screws are great, very quick and strong.

Sometimes I pretend there is a boss watching me, what would this pretend motivator say about a work habit or a process?
Rob

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The big thing is to make good drawings and stick to them when possible. I like to draw up everything then I cut out pieces in the order they make sense and though I cut them at once, I stop between peired pieces so I can check the fit (and my math). For example, I'll cut out the two sides of a cabinet, then the bottom, and then stop to check the fit and math. It's easy to forget to subtract the width of a board to factor in an overlap. Once the pieces I have cut fit and look right, I cut out the faces, check, then cut out whatever else I need. It still allows you to cut out everything first and then build without bouncing back and forth between the saw and your build, but also lets you catch any potential math or cutting errors so you dont end up wasting wood.

Also, be creative. If you make a rolling cabinet, screw in some batons along the back and you have a clamp rack that rolls with your cabinet. If you make risers for your tools, cut out the front pannels so you can store things like shop vacs and rarely used tools/jigs underneith with easy retrieval if needed. Long story short, there shouldnt be bare areas, you can store something on that cabinet sied if you put some small shelves or bins on there. Be creative, and take your time, and post some pictures.

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http://www.sixgunguitars.com

Yeah, a pin nailer or a brad nailer and some glue goes a long way on shop drawers, IMO.fd

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I build stuff for a living and for fun. I suppose the biggest problem I see is most people don't plan well enough. It still amazes me to watch experienced engineers design something and then start building a prototype that flat doesn't work because they haven't thought it through. Drawings don't have to be pretty, they just need to be correct. When you start cutting, you should just be making parts. As you make the parts you can dryfit them to make sure everything is going to fit correctly and adjust as needed.

When I do stuff for the shop I usually use 3/4" stock, titebond, and pocket screws. All of my benches except one are the same height (34") and three of the smaller ones are on rollers. I have one corner bench at desktop height for detail work and it also holds the shop computer.

I even use pocket screws, glue, and 3/4" ply (usually the lightweight sandply) to build shop drawers. The smaller drawer bottoms are of 1/4" ply; I cut the dado with a few passes on the table saw. They go together fast, they won't fall apart with a full load of junk, and can be used as a weapon, if needed.

edit - yeah, what Waddy said too - I use those a lot on quicky stuff, small shelves and the like. I also use a lot of deck screws, especially to knock together jigs (doesn't everybody?).

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

OOPS! Guess my fingers kept going after my brain quit! Not uncommon at my age!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks everybody. Link, you said something that was so simple but it really helped me when you said "Wanting to be efficient takes thinking about being efficient before and while you are doing a job.". Just "thinking efficient thoughts" as it were. I just realized a big part of my problem with building jigs and shop furniture is that I'd just rather be doing something else so I don't really stay as focused as I do building or doing a repair. I'm always in such a rush to get it done and out of the way that I get all out of sync. Zen and the art of woodworking I suppose. Maybe I'll post some pics of the new shop furniture.

Part of experience is knowing when it is necessary to really be absolutely accurate, relatively accurate, and when it doesn't matter.


soooo true!!!