So I want to make the “garage workshop” cabinets as seen on New Yankee Workshop. Here’s a link if you’re interested….
http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?1201
Though I’d love to use it, I just can’t afford MDO plywood because it’s close to $70 a sheet (double-faced) where I live. So, what’s a reasonable alternative for about half the cost or less?
– Toolfreak
Replies
Hi Toolfreak,
I made mine using leftover pieces from kitchen projects. If I was to do it again from scratch, I'd use MDF and paint it a bright color to reflect light. I'd also use plexiglass panels for the doors and lights inside the cabinets to cut down on the guesswork.
Good luck!
Wow, the painted MDF is really a great idea. I made a couple upper cabinets for my shop out of 3/4" birch ply from Home Depot. The stuff looks great, but it's crap to work with. Not only is every sheet a different thickness, but individual sheets vary in thickness in themselves! You can imagine the headaches that creates with joinery..MDF would be a nice cheap solution, even if you hate painting as much as I do. It would be nice to make it all out of prefinished Maple, but I'm guessing since it's a shop cabinet, you're aiming for cheap...
"3/4" birch ply from Home Depot"
Made in China - awful stuff!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Yep,
I learnt the hard way and made a cross-cut sled for my table saw from H D 3/4" Birch ply. It was perfect for one day, the next day it looked like bent laminated stock and I had a rocking sled....
HD wod sucks.. I shop there all the time BUT NOT FOR WOOD!
Jazzdog:
It is not awefull stuff because it is produced in China. It is "awefull" stuff because Home Depot will only carry cheap #### products!!
Blame Home Depot, not China.
Thank you,
The Great Marko
I believe I made two true statements, while you inferred blame.
The half- and three-quarter-inch birch plywood I have purchased at the big orange box did not meet my expectations or perform well enough to warrant subsequent purchases, and it was made in China.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Jazz--
You did make two statements---
1. The product is made in China
2. The product is awfull.
There is no way on God's green earth that you can NOT expect readers to to infer that you mean China produces awful products. While it may be true that the product is made in China; it is irrelevant to the fact that the product is "awful."
I am getting on my soap box on this because, I am so sick and tired of reading ignorant messages regarding "made in China products".
For the record--- China does not make "awful" products compared to products made in the USA. The USA, China, Japan, Hong Kong and every other country makes products based product specifications that are developed by engineering, marketing and top level managers in companies across the globe. When the specifications are poor, the resulting manufactured products are poor. It really is that simple.
Game over!Thank you,
The Great Marko
Do you always get this excited over your interpretation of other people's utterances and intentions?-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Jazzdog:
Don't be coy. And to answer your question--- yes!
Can you tell me in good faith that you disagree with my interpretation of products produced in China???Thank you,
The Great Marko
Can you tell me in good faith that you disagree with my interpretation of products produced in China???
its been my experience that countries like China, UK, US are more than "grown up" enough to pick and set their own standards. Similarly, standards are set to suit the market they're pitched at; in a global market, geography has little to do with it...
what I can disagree with is your interpretation of Jazz's comments... didn't see your implication in what he wrote...Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
"made in China products". ..
Been to a few factories there.. Really nice folks that do quality work... HOWEVER they make it to specifications given them!
I have two of my several Grand Daughters... "made in China products".
.. They are just about PERFECT!
Will-
I agree with you 100%. Tell Jazzdog....not me.Thank you,
The Great Marko
geee I messed up again with the wrong person.. I DO that ALOT!
Will--
No problem. I am just glad there are others that see the light.Thank you,
The Great Marko
Made in China - awful stuff!
reminds me of my early projects... 3/4" big box ply...
Made in Brazil - awful stuff!Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
toolfreak,
Just a couple of thoughts you might find useful.
Whatever fits your budget and is stong enough to do the job is my motto when it comes to shop cabinets. Mostly I used 3/4 ply..oak or birch..but melamine in some places works too. I've used cheap ply too.
Second, making more use of vertcal space is a good idea too. I built a tall (about 8'x2'widex1'deep) cabinet out of one sheet of ply...with doors (1/4" panel with frame) and it stores a ton. It is easy to move as my needs change.
Over the workbench I built cabinets with box doors (total depth about 12") so that the power tools sit on shelf and the doors hold the handtools.
Even if you use pressboard in areas and paint...it may add needed brightness to the area...good luck
I use cabinet grade plywood. Baltic Birch is one type of many that are like that. So long as it is a multiply with no voids.
I use OKUME in 1/2" and 3/4" it runs me about $40 per sheet for the 3/4".
For some cabinets I use MDF and some I made with a combination of ply and MDF. It all depends on the application. Free standing workstation, wall cabinet, bench...
MDF is real heavy and cannot be left touching the floor due to moisture absorbtion issues. I also make shelving with 2x4 uprights, 1x2 supports at the ends, 1x3 aprons and 3/4 shop grade ply for the shelves ( i have the 1x3 covering the edge of the ply and use some screws to secure the ply and strengthen it)
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Edited 6/6/2005 11:21 am ET by Rick
Hey TF,
I made mine from the modular design in Shop Notes Mag. It uses frames of dimensional lumber (2x4, etc.) bolted together with carriage bolts. The panels are 3/4" MDF. I made the drawers, and doors from common pine 1x4 ripped and glued into panals instead of using the plywood described in the article, because I wanted some experience making raised panels on my shaper.
Tom
What issue of shop0 notes was that in?1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Hey Rick,Shop Notes #59.You can get a free cutting diagram and materials list at:
http://www.plansnow.com
It's called a "Modular Shop Cabinet"I made two units, two modules long, with a one module gap knee space, under a continuous counter top.I used common pine, knots, blue stains and all, to make my drawer fronts and doors. The doors are frame and raised panal. I finished it all off with a few coats of shellac.It's solid as a rock and weighs a ton, but it can be knocked down flat and stacked, if necessary.Tom
I built that workshop using plywood with one good side. I don't know what they call the grade but it was about 19 bucks a sheet as I recall.
The plans have a superb materials and cutting list and the video makes it a foolproof project.
I recommend you spend a little extra money and get the full extension slides for the drawers and pull out shelves.
I recently ordered a maple top for mine replacing the plywood top and it is a thing of beauty.
Have fun.. this is a great project!
Would you be willing to post a picture?- Toolfreak
Hey ELCOHOLIC,
I'm not all that up on spraying lacquer, so how do you spray white lacquer? Do you just buy white lacquer off the shelf somewhere special? Or do you have to add your own white pigments?
I'd say MDF would be the least expensive way to go. As far as keeping it off concrete so it doesn't wick up moisture, you could build a separate base out of pressure treated wood, or you could buy all kinds of metal legs/cabinet leveler feet and just add a separate toe kick piece.
(I could just rant about how contractors do not put poly sheeting/visqueen under the slabs before they get poured. ARRGGGH!)
One tip I do have for you, I built some shop cabinets out of the Home Depot birch veneer 3/4" ply a few years back. (It must have been made in the USA AND OR to better standards because I never had any problems with it.)
I think I used the shop notes or woodsmith magazine plans for those cabinets.
Anyhoo...got the full sheets of plywood home and set them up on sawhorses outside. Used a lambswool applicator and a paint tray with a plastic liner filled with a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and polyurethane. Stood at the end of a sheet with the long pole and lambswool applicator and put on a finish in about 30 seconds.
(I used a bunch of duct tape to get the loose fibers out of the pad first, like a lint brush roller thingey. I do the same thing for paint rollers too.)
After a few coats cured on both sides, I went about cutting up my materials. Since everying is dados, rabbets and grooves, the finished plywood didn't interfere with any of the glue and screw joinery.
Chills
"I'm not all that up on spraying lacquer, so how do you spray white lacquer? Do you just buy white lacquer off the shelf somewhere special? Or do you have to add your own white pigments?"
I buy Lilly lacquer by Guardsman. I can find it a few paint stores. Since then I've pretty much switched over to w/b so if were to build them again I'd use Enduro which is available white pigmented.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
I made mine out of ULMDF and Poplar. The ULMDF was sprayed w/ white lacquer and has held up very well.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
You might want to check around - yellow pages - other woodworkers.. and see if there are any stores in your area that specialize in plywood.
I am lucky enough to one of those stores here, they have good baltic birch, okume, regular, shop, MDF, MDO and so on. They also carry hardwood modings, wall paneling, hardware and some building supplies and they have specials on shorts.
I picked up a number of 2'x4' pieces of multiply 1" plywood when they had some in.
I made my router table out of 2 pieces of that laminated together and banded in 3/4" oak. Table is 24" x 30" with a miter track and some T-track in it. - It is ROCK Solid.
I made this hand plane cabinet out of poplar for the sides, 1/2" plywood back, maple rails & stiles and 1/4" cedar beadboard I found at Home Depot. It also has a French Cleat made of maple so I can take it off the wall if I'm ever stupid enough to carry it somewhere.
I guess it depends on the usage and the weight of the contents. I used hardwood here because of the weight of the planes, and because I wanted to cut dovetails as an added strengthener. I wouldn't use MDF unless I had to, just because it's so darn heavy. I agree with the plywood recommendations - you can use B-C stuff for cabs which you don't need to look great, or veneer core ply for stuff that you want to show off.
Hope that helps,
Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
If I were to break down and buy something for my shop fixtures instead of using leftovers, I'd use white melamine. It's amazing how much gunk gets dribbled down the cabinets. The melamine wipes right up, doesn't dent easily, reflects light, is cheap, and looks clean. You can buy edged shelves and side panels with adjustable shelf holes at HD and others. You could buy inexpensive doors or iron on some tape to the edges.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Hammer,
I use to do a lot of melamine offshore, but the stuff at HD is terrible. I'm used to materials with a hard smooth satin finish, like Corian Any idea where this kind of melamine is available?
Jellyrug, I've been using the HD melamine for closet shelves and some shelves in the shop. Just utility stuff, I haven't had any issues with the product considering the price. It's pretty convenient to be able to go in and pick up a few pieces that are already prepared for use. It only takes a few hours to have a finished, functioning storage unit.There is a wide range of prefinished sheet goods available. There are manufacturers all over the world that supply cabinet companies with products to specification. You can get all types of substrate and top materials. Some companies will prepare the parts for you. We aren't talking about a few sheets but a few lifts.Here's one link, the Thomas Register may have some info too.
http://www.awi-wa.com/OVERLAY_PROD.htmBeat it to fit / Paint it to match
I want to second Benchdog's recommendation to use (paint) a light color. It makes a huge difference. I replaced our countertop with melamine last year, and whatever pegboard is in the shop is the white stuff. Really, really helps the lighting. Don't know if melamine would be a good choice for the cabinet carcasses or not, but I'd be tempted......
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Save the time and aggrivation. Make them from the cabinets in your kitchen when you go tell the bride " hey honey, how about a kitchen makeover?"
Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
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