HOW MANY TOOLS DOES IT TAKE ??

This is the second of two woodworking blogs. I started on this last fall and am just now getting around to the finishing touches. Shame on me.

HOW MANY TOOLS DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD KITCHEN CABINETS ?

I love doing home improvement projects.

Shortly after Penny and I were married in 1990, we bought a 100 year old house in the Downtown Ocala Historic District and together we did a complete renovation.

But my favorite thing in the whole wide world is wood working. Especially furniture making.

Over the years I have made a few nice things.

 

 

My favorite project was the kitchen cabinets I made some twenty years ago. At the time

we couldn't afford fancy wood so I used 2 x4's that I cut to size. They looked great and aged beautifully. The only problem was they were a 'pain in the butt' for Penny to keep clean. So she wanted me to 're-face' the cabinets

Penny has always wanted something plainer and simpler. Since she has been playing around with some painted furniture projects, we (IE: Penny) decided the time was right for a re-design of the kitchen cabinets. Twenty years of Penny's great cooking had taken its toll.

 

We had just finished a large bookcase in the dining room and Penny painted the shelves and they turned out great.

 

She also repainted an old Amour that she found at Goodwill, and once I added some drawers and a new back, it was 'beautiful'. (Her words, not mine).

So I put aside my dislike for anything painted (and my pride) and told her to 'knock herself out' with the painting.

As I started to gather my tools, I got to thinking, "How many tools does it take to build kitchen cabinets?"

So I made a list. (not necessarily in order of appearance)

THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL

COFFEE (I'm an early riser – I am usually up and 'at em' by 4 AM)

Rock & Roll from my home recording studio. (50's and 60's only, please) OK, maybe some 70's too)

Cold beer (for later)

Band Aids (I am a Klutz- I tend to 'sand' my hands

as well as the wood, not to mention 'nailing' a finger or two.

'Tim the Tool Man' has nothing on me !!

Patience (If you know where I can get some, please let me know)

Framed picture of Norm Abram on the 

work shop wall (just kidding)

TV in the Workshop, so we can continue to watch the Gator football season self destruct. Again.

Now for the TOOLS

Safety glasses (remember what Norm always says)

'Be sure to read, understand and follow all of the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this. There is no more important safety rule than to wear these. (this is where I point to my face) Safety glasses. Now here's how I built today’s project.'

Today’s project? Seriously ?? Damn it Norm, this 'project' took me two months to complete !!

I've made many of Norm's projects over the years. How in the hell does he do it in thirty minutes? I guess that's a subject for a later date.

Now for the tools !!

Table saw

Jointer

Band Saw

12 inch surface planer

Jig Saw

Drill Press

Dremel Tool

Two Routers (saves on set up time)

Shaper, (Like a router, but on steroids)

Air Compressor and accessories.

Enough air hose to reach from the shop to the Kitchen (My compressor is bolted to the floor and looks like it came out of the local gas station. (I think I just 'dated' myself) Penny says I have enough air hose to reach Toledo. But I don't know anyone in Toledo.

Three different nail guns (you can never have too many 'pee numatic' tools)but watch those fingers!!!

Bench top sander

Two Random Orbital Sanders

Belt sander and lots of sand paper

Shop vac

Reading glasses for close up inspections

Cordless screw driver

Jack Hammer (Just seeing if you were Paying attention)

Cordless drill

Powered drill

Bench top grinder

Bench top buffer/wire wheel (to clean and polish hinges)

Biscuit joiner

14 bar clamps

KRAIG Pocket Hole Gig and special screws (man's greatest invention)

Assorted Hand Tools

Spring clamps

Putty Knife

Box knife

screwdrivers

chisels

crow bar

crescent wrenches

hammers

Level

Square

12 foot steel rule

6 foot steel rule

and finally

25 Sharpened Pencils (I keep losing the damn things).

So I set about to make new fronts for Penny's kitchen cabinets.I won't go into detail about the actual construction but I did take a few pictures along the way

I also learned it was also an exercise to see how DIRTY you can make the shop.

  The project was ton of work but Penny is happy with the final results and that is good enough for me.

 

So, your assignment this week is to go build something. Even if you go buy a bird house kit. Do something creative with your hands

Oh, I almost forgot the most important tool of all. It's nice to have an air conditioned workshop. After all this is Florida !!

Have a great week