Build a Wall Cabinet, Part 2: Face Frame

This video is part two in our three-part series on how to build a wall cabinet. In the first one, we got the carcass put together. Once the glue is dry on assembling the carcass, you can take the clamps off. And next thing we're gonna do is make the face frame that goes over the front of that carcass. In order to make the face frame, have a look at your cut list, have a look at the plan. What we're gonna do is rip our face frame parts to size. In order to get to that point, what you really wanna do first is straight line these pieces. What I mean by that is, just what it sounds like. We're gonna use the track in order to cut one good straight edge on every one of these pieces. Don't rely on the factory edge on this stuff as being straight. Then we're ready to cut these to size. Same stop system I used on the carcass in the first part of the video, we're gonna get set up so that we can get everything cut uniformly to width. Then with the stop set, that sawn edge that we just produced will go against the stops right there. And it's helpful for the track if we take one of our other pieces and put it there, and there, just keeps everything kind of balanced. And then there's all sorts of rinse and repeat kind of going on here. And just keep on keeping on. It's a good time... As long as you're doing this, it's a good idea to go ahead and cut your doorframe parts at the same time. Look at your cut list. They're the same width. So once we're set up for face frame components, could be economy of movement here doing your door frame components at the same time. So get all the pieces that you need rip to width. And then we'll look at getting this stuff sized perfectly to make the face frame for the cabinet. One of the things you always wanna do, remember how we ripped these to get a good edge on them. Before you cut them to length, you wanna cross cut 'em to get a good end on 'em. So I'm not cutting them to length yet. I'm just squaring up one end. And then I'm marking that, so I know which end I just did that squaring cut on. I'm not a fan of measuring. I am a fan of gauging whenever we can. So what I mean by that is, instead of measuring how long should these styles be, the vertical component, I'm gonna put that square end even with the top of the case. And I'm feeling it to be flush. Then move to the other end, and mark it even with the bottom. So at the end of the day, what's happening is the length of that style is the same as the length of our case side, then to get our rails, it'll be like that but different. I'm gonna do a style and a style. Then I've got that square end on the rail. And I butt that against the styles, make the styles flush, mark the other end of the rail. So the key to this is two styles here. This is giving us style, rail, style, making the rail so it fits in between 'em without having to do any math and figure this out. Then... When you cross cut these babies to length, looking for my squared ends and my pencil mark, your best bet is to cut two rails together, and even go so far as to clamp 'em to make sure that they stay aligned on that squared end. And now when we cut 'em to length, we know that those two rails are gonna be perfectly identical, which is really important for the face frame. Next step, pocket holes. Pocket holes are an incredible way to put face frames together, lots and lots and lots of strength. They're very easy to do. So when you do this, big warning, is make sure that you're keeping the same face up against the drill guides here. We wanna drill, rotate, drill. Don't allow that piece to flip. If you end up with pocket holes on opposing faces, it just doesn't work. Get a few things together here, and we can put her together. When you assemble, a little bit of glue on the end of that rail. And then a little down pressure from a clamp. And then that's ready to go on the cabinet. Putting the face frame on is gonna be really simplified by maybe my favorite cabinet making tip ever, which is start by tapping a nail in. And this is a four penny brad, somewhere around four penny works great for this. Then with side cutters, clip it, so it's just a little bit above the surface. One on each corner. What we're gaining from this, is that if you don't do this, our next step is gluing. If you don't have those Brads sticking up like spurs, when you put the face frame into glue, it just wants to swim around. It moves all over the place. So having those brads hold it up out of the glue, and then they're gonna act like spurs to engage in the back of the face frame, when we're ready to actually position it. In order to clamp this, it's gonna be easier if we're up on blocks. And then with the face frame, let it just sit up on those spurs, and then get it where you want it. So we're gonna be flush, centered, and then once you're in your happy place and your face frame is in its happy place, push. And what that down pressure does, now it's seated onto that spur. And as you work your way down and around, it's not impossible. There can be some flex in that plywood carcass. It's not impossible that you're gonna have to flex this just a little, just like I'm doing right there, in order to get stuff into alignment. So if you come down to the bottom, get centered again, push against the spurs. Get on the rest of your clamps. What I'm gonna shoot for here is one more clamp across this rail, two more clamps up each style, and then let that glue dry. And there, that takes care of our face framework, and, procedurally, what I like about this is don't make the face frame until the carcass is done. And the way that we did this, we sized that face frame perfectly for this particular cabinet, so it has to fit because of the way we transferred measurements. A couple more clamps to go, and this is gonna be set.