uilt- UL Cabinets for” Today's TYs Howtodesign = ira | | and build: Vig - Kitchens — — | -Bookcases {@ - Closets. mail ‘Home offices ~ - Window seats - Mantels UNTERNATI@NA\L WHAT'S | OUR SHOR o Pe ( & & he: _, = . tS | a | cai — rgd ‘BEST VALUE , “@ BEST OVERALL TAUNTON'S 2005 ao ‘Top Or ) LOL For current promotions, complete product info and a list of dealers near you: TOOL feuib)s t Woodwor Ll Over 40,000 Woodwor | Take thedieadeiche Gathige out of media set-up Now, there's a better way to fe [ere-}-}- ere) gg fe) a=) ane) | yo Media Access Cel ii Eo) 0210) 08 | ofa (oY [e | e 90° rotation in BEST PRICES * WIDEST SELECTION both directions ALL FROM STOCK Call For Our FREE 900+ Page Catalog! Outwater Plastics Industries, Inc. 1-888-772-1400 (Catalog Requests) 1-800-631-8375 (Sales & Product Information) For more 1-800-888-3315 (Fax) information visit New Jersey e Arizona * Canada id www.outwater.com www. accuriae.com Cm @r-}e)(-Waat-lat-le[-lanlcla ate | bye [=x6| spectratech cocor MDF Spectratech Color MDF gives you color to the core Showcase your craftsmanship with an MDF that: e Retains the physical properties and characteristics of conventional MDF panels, but boasts the benefits of brilliant color choices ° Eliminates the need for skin-deep finishes such as stains and laminates * Can be cut and shaped without compromising full-depth color Spectratech Color MDF is only available from Great Lakes MDF tk gi SO dee Great Lakes MDF Colorants supplied by BASF Corporation. www.greatlakesmdf.com www.FineWoodworking.com BUILT-IN FURNITURE 2006 Fine WoodWorking Turniture — ae SOTentS get inspired 40 Built-ins 56 Choosing Hinges That Stand Out A look at the many options 22 9 Rules for Built-ins A few refinements turn on the market cabinets into fine furniture BY ROBERT J. SETTICH Beautiful designs result when you apply these basic tenets Brazos) DAY BY LOUIS MACKALL . 60 Drawer Slides lea rn the basi cS Hidden, side-mount, or 28 Kitchens under-mount, your choice i ; , depends on the cabinet That Blend In 46 Biscuit Joinery BY JOHN MARCKWORTH Let ae house Ee Quick, accurate system your design choices handles all the joints : : BY NANCY HILLER in a basic cabinet 64 Working With MDF BY TONY O’MALLEY If you’re painting a cabinet, . medium-density fiberboard 34 Cabinets for ; is hard to beat Today’s TVs 52 Pocket-Hole Joinery BY WILLIAM DUCKWORTH Design options expand No method is quicker t flatt for building cabinets 1 2 vie nevoe eal BY MARK EDMUNDSON start building BY STEVE CASEY 68 Plywood Cabinets —— 1 Build strong cases quickly Hine = mapmenceemsans | with the look of solid wood BY ROLAND JOHNSON EASY DOORS 46 74 Home Office Learn to build a simple bookcase and the built-in possibilities are endless BY TONY O’MALLEY 82 Window Seats Create cozy nooks in any room BY GARY STRIEGLER 87 Fireplace Mantels Three classic designs to fire your imagination BY GARY M. KATZ, GARY STRIEGLER, AND SEBASTIAN EGGERT 94 Drawers Router-table method yields quick, sturdy drawers that look good BY LONNIE BIRD 6 4 WORKING WITH MDF Cover photo: Dean Della Ventura BISCUIT JOINERY 98 102 a 4 HOME OFFICE Easy Doors Router-made joint saves time, adds detail BY TOM BEGNAL Crown Molding Foolproof procedure takes the mystery out of a perfect fit BY GARY M. KATZ departments 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Quick Tips = Safer cuts on the miter saw = A simple way to drill shelf-pin holes 14 Design Gallery 106 Q&A = Cutting miters on stock of different widths = Rail-and-stile bits 112 Storage Solutions Creative closets P The Taunton Press Inspiration for hands-on living® FineWoodworking.com editor’s letter HOUSE VS. HOME At a fundamental level, we live in houses because they provide shelter from the elements. A house is our cocoon, a place that protects us from Mother Nature when she visits with fierce storms, bitter cold, oppressive heat, or an assortment of other uncomfortable and sometimes scary weather. Early on, we relied mostly on limestone caves to provide that shelter. Somewhere along the way, though, as we moved out of caves and into rooms with gypsum walls, a house became more than a shelter from unfriendly weather. A house became a place that reflects much of who we are. That’s especially true on the interior, where each room provides a setting to showcase our unique personalities and lifestyles. Perhaps that explains why we like to add built-ins. They offer an opportunity to customize any room to meet our varied needs. Indeed, built-ins can improve convenience, increase storage space, and help get things organized. They also can add elegance to an understated room. Plus, built-ins can increase the value of a home. If you think a built-in might be in your future, | hope you'll take a close look at Built-in Furniture. This special issue is a collection of the best built-in articles from The Taunton Press, publishers of the award-winning Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding magazines. Here you'll find a wealth of information on how to design and construct exceptional built-in furniture that can make your house even more livable. Whether you're looking to add a closet, a bookcase, a home office, an entertainment center, a fireplace mantel, a window seat, or kitchen cabinets, Built-in Furniture can help you through each step of the process. All the important details are here—from design ideas, to tool and material selection, to construction techniques. So turn on the workshop lights and get started. When the final coat of finish has gone on, your shelter will feel less like a cave and more like a home. —Tom Begnal Built-in Furniture editor 6 FINE WOODWORKING Fine WoedWorking Built-in Furniture ISSUE EDITOR Thomas Begnal ISSUE ART DIRECTOR Rodney Diaz ISSUE COPY EDITOR Elizabeth Healy CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Michael Amaditz Fine Woodworking magazine EDITOR Asa Christiana ART DIRECTOR Michael Pekovich MANAGING EDITOR Mark Schofield MANAGING EDITOR, ONLINE Matt Berger ASSOCIATE EDITORS Thomas G. Begnal, David Heim, Thomas McKenna, Steve Scott ASSISTANT EDITOR Tom Goffe ASSISTANT EDITOR, ONLINE Gina Eide COPY/PRODUCTION EDITORS Elizabeth Healy, Julie Risinit ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTORS Rodney Diaz, Kelly J. Dunton SHOP MANAGER John White ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Betsy Engel CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Christian Becksvoort, Lonnie Bird, William Duckworth, Garrett Hack, Roland Johnson, Gary Rogowski CONSULTING EDITOR Chris A. Minick METHODS OF WORK Jim Richey INDEXER Harriet Hodges PUBLISHER Anatole Burkin ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Christina Glennon CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Dennis O’Brien SINGLE COPY SALES MANAGER Mark Stiekman ADVERTISING MANAGER Linda Abbett NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER John Lagan ACCOUNT MANAGER Susan Warren Abrams SENIOR AD SALES SUPPORT ASSOCIATE Marjorie Brown WOODWORKING BOOKS & VIDEOS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Helen Albert Copyright 2006 by The Taunton Press, Inc. No reproduction without permission of The Taunton Press, Inc. HOW TO CONTACT US: Fine Woodworking The Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506 203-426-8171 www.FineWoodworking.com Editorial: To contribute an article, give a tip, or ask a question, contact Fine Woodworking at the address above or: Call: 800-309-8955 Fax: 203-270-6753 Email: [email protected] € We specialize in the finest examples of domestic and exotic veneers as well as burls, crotches and highly figured woods. yy berkshire veneer y. Selling The World’s Finest Veneers Isn’t Our Job, It’s Our Pleasure. 29 LOCUST HILL ROAD | GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230 | [email protected] TOLL FREE: 1-877-836-3379 | PHONE: 413-644-9696 | FAX: 413-644-9414 Roufverbits.com Zits, Blades, Books & More... Shop Online For Whiteside Router Bits Systimatic Saw Blades Fisch Forstner Bits Bench Dog Call For Your Free Catalog 1-888-811-7269 www.Routerbits.com Customer Service: For subscription inquiries, you can: eVisit our subscriber service section at: www.FineWoodworking.com ¢Email us: [email protected] ¢Call our customer support center: To report an address change, inquire about an order, or solve a problem, call: 800-477-8727 To subscribe, purchase back issues, books or videos, or give a gift, call: 800-888-8286 They say that when you buy a drill you’re actually buying holes buy a WoodRat and you buy joints — any kind of joint you need, complex or simple, quick, clean and in virtually any size of workpiece It’s an ingenious machine, finely engineered yet tough enough to work on site. visit Wwww.woodrat.com Advertising: To find out about advertising: Call: 800-309-8954 Email: [email protected] Retail: If you’d like to carry Fine Woodworking in your store, call the Taunton Trade Company at: 866-505-4674 The Taunton Guarantee: If at any time you're not completely satisfied with Fine Woodworking, you can cancel your subscription and receive a full and immediate refund of the entire subscription price. No questions asked. Printed in the USA Arbor Day... A Great ldea Grows in 1872, J. Sterling Morton gave the world a great idea. He created a holiday unlike any other, Arbor Day. This year, plant Trees for Amer- ica. For your free brochure, write: Trees for America, The National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410 Arbor Day Foundation” www.arborday.org Celebrating Our 50th Year! Straight, Round, Elliptical Simple, Easy, Safe Standard & Custom Knives Quality Construction Williams & Hussey Machine Co., Inc. 800.258.1380 © 603.732.0219 AMAWAUALLUCIAAETAIAEL 3 Aae)0 0) BUILT-IN FURNITURE 2006 5 QUICK ti ene sommes Safer, cleaner cuts on the miter saw t is difficult to cut small pieces of mitered trim on a power miter saw. The short sections often get eaten up between the blade and the fence or the blade and the guard. Even if the piece survives, you have to mount a search mission underneath the saw to find it. Also, you can get tearout, which will destroy a small molding, leaving scarcely any smooth, flat surface for a good glue joint. To solve all of these problems, support small pieces of molding while mitering them by adding an auxiliary wooden fence to your miter-saw table. I’ve made many fences of different sizes to fit whatever molding I need to miter. First, cut a rabbet in the front edge of the auxiliary fence to accommodate the size of the molding. Then make three registration cuts in the fence— one at each 45° angle and one at 90°. To keep from cutting the auxiliary fence in two, make the registration cuts only as deep as necessary to crosscut the molding. Because the auxiliary fence supports the molding on both sides, you get cleaner cuts. You'll find the auxiliary fence especially useful on really short pieces, and the sawkerfs in the fence serve as reference points for your cuts. Mark the cut, slide the line to the edge of the kerf, and cut away. All of the guesswork is eliminated. —STEVE LATTA, Gap, Pa. 8 FINE WOODWORKING Auxiliary fence Mark trim for miter cut. Shallow registration cuts Align cut mark on workpiece with registration cut. Auxiliary fence Trim to be mitered The Taunton Press Inspiration for hands-on living® INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS SINCE 1975 TAUNTON, INC. Founders, Paul and Jan Roman THE TAUNTON PRESS President & Editor In Chief Suzanne Roman Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Timothy Rahr Executive Vice President & Publisher, Magazine Group Jon Miller Publisher, Book Group James Childs Chief of Operations Thomas Luxeder DIRECTORS Creative Director Susan Edelman Human Resources Director Carol Marotti Controller Wayne Reynolds Advertising Director David Gray Consumer Marketing Director Diana Allwein Fulfillment Director Patricia Williamson Financial Analysis Director Kathy Worth THE TAUNTON PRESS Books: Marketing: Melissa A. Possick, Meg Day, Audrey Locorotondo. Publicity: Nicole Radder, Janel Noblin. Editorial: Helen Albert, Kathryn Benoit, Peter Chapman, Steve Culpepper, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Julie Hamilton, Pamela Hoenig, Carolyn Mandarano, Jennifer Peters, Amy Reilly, Jennifer Russell, Erica Sanders-Foege, Kathleen Williams. Art: Chris Thompson, Nancy Boudreau, Amy Griffin, Kathy Kelley, Sandra Mahlstedt, Wendi Mijal, Lynne Phillips, Carol Singer. Manufacturing: Thomas Greco, Laura Burrone. Business Office: Holly Smith, Gayle Hammond, Patricia Marini. Legal: Carolyn Kovaleski. Magazine Print Production: Philip Van Kirk, Nicole Anastas, Jennifer Kaczmarcyk. Circulation: Dennis O’Brien, Director; Andrew Corson, Keri DeGross, Catherine Hansen. Distribution: Paul Seipold, Walter Aponte, Frank Busino, David DeToto, Leanne Furlong, Deborah Greene, Linnea Ingram, Frank Melbourne, Reinaldo Moreno, Raymond Passaro, Ulysses Robinson, Alice Saxton, Nelson Wade. Finance/Accounting: Finance: Brett Manning, David Pond. Accounting: Patrick Lamontagne, Lydia Krikorian, Judith O’Toole, Shannon Marrs, Elaine Yamin, Carol Diehm, Dorothy Blasko, Susan Burke, Lorraine Parsons, Larry Rice, James Tweedle, Priscilla Wakeman. Fulfillment: Diane Goulart. Fu/fillment Systems: Jodi Klein, Kim Eads, Nancy Knorr, Dawn Viglione. Customer Service: Ellen Grassi, Michelle Amoroso, Kathleen Baker, Bonnie Beardsley, Deborah Ciccio, Katherine Clarke, Alfred Dreher, Monica Duhancik, Eileen McNulty, Patricia Parks, Deana Parker, Patricia Pineau, Betty Stepney. Data Entry: Melissa Dugan, Anne Champlin, Mary Ann Colbert, Maureen Pekar, Debra Sennefelder, Andrea Shorrock, Marylou Thompson, Barbara Williams. Human Resources: Linda Ballerini, Christine Lincoln, Dawn Ussery. Information Technology Services: Applications Development: Heidi Waldkirch, Frank Miller, Robert Nielsen, Linda Reddington, Lawrence Sullivan, John Vaccino, Daniel Woodhouse. Desktop & Network Support: Kenneth Jones, Michael Colonari, Petre Cotofana, Gabriel Dunn, Michael Lewis, Jay Ligouri. Operations: Joseph Morits, Roberta Calabrese, Sally Cunningham, Kevin DeGroate, John Gedney, Marc Imbimbo, Jennifer Licursi, Susan Nerich, Jeannette Pascal. T Room: Michael Louchen, Geraldine Benno, Anna Pendergast, Anne Scheurer, Norma-Jean Taylor. Maintenance: Lincoln Peters. Promotion: Michele Mayernik, Sandra Motyka, Nicole Pallatto, William Sims. Promotion Print Production: Diane Flanagan, John Cavallaro, Sandra Hannan. Taunton Creative and Editorial: Creative: Michael Amaditz, W. Kathy Martin, Sarah Opdahl, Alison Wilkes, Pamela Winn. Editorial: Jefferson Kolle, Debra Silber. Photography: Scott Phillips. Video: Gary Junken. Prepress: Deborah Cooper, Richard Booth, William Bivona, David Blasko, Richard Correale, William Godfrey, Brian Leavitt, Chansam Q Thammavongsa. Advertising Production: Laura Bergeron, Lisa DeFeo, Tracy Goodpaster, Steven Molnar, Patricia Petro, Kathryn Simonds, Martha Stammer. TAUNTON DIRECT Patrick Cozens, Donna Capalbo, Raphael Cardoso, Robert Harlow, Michele Ladyko, Kathleen McGreevy, Michael Valanzola. TAUNTON INTERACTIVE Jodie Delohery, Michelle Rutkowski, Robert Steigerwald, Stace Caseria, Christopher Casey, Mark Coleman, Jennifer Wheeler Conlon, Trish Dardine, Ruth Dobsevage, Geoff Krajeski, Howard Runyon. TAUNTON TRADE Kevin Hamric, Director; John Bacigalupi, Brett DeMello, Allison Hollett, Elizabeth Quintiliano, Rebecca Shafton. Single Copy Sales: Mark Stiekman, Valerie Droukas. TAUNTON MAGAZINES Fine Woodworking * Fine Homebuilding Threads * Fine Gardening * Fine Cooking Our magazines are for people who are passionate about their pursuits. Written by practicing experts in the field, Taunton Press magazines provide authentic, reliable information supported by instructive and inspiring visuals. TAUNTON BOOKS Our books are filled with in-depth information and creative ideas from the finest authors in their fields. Whether you're practicing a craft or engaged in the creation of your home, Taunton books will inspire you to discover new levels of accomplishment. WWW.TAUNTON.COM Our website is a place where you can discover more about the interests you enjoy, converse with fellow enthusiasts, shop at our convenient on-line store or contact customer service. EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION To inquire about career opportunities, please e-mail us at [email protected] or visit our website www.taunton.com. You may also write to The Taunton Press, Human Resources, 63 S. Main St., Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470. CUSTOMER SERVICE We are here to answer any questions you might have and to help you order our magazines, books and videos. Just call us toll-free at 800-477-8727. The Taunton Press, Inc., Taunton Direct, Inc., Taunton Trade, Inc., and Taunton Interactive, Inc., are all subsidiaries of Taunton, Inc. WoochyOrxer’s Sup plyx.. Since 1972 Where the eyparts buy their took” Request a FREE CLASSIC DESIGNS copy of our catalog, by MATTHEW BURAK featuring the largest selection of woodworking tools and supplies anywhere! Attention: Makers of solid panel cabinet doors US Pati#5317853 Revolutionary NEW woodworker.com/fww06 Product . The inexpensive solution Athi to your age-old problem: } / ¥ 800-645-9292 || ser panels expand * Stops panel rattle 1 1 . imi SPACEBALLS 0.26" diamet When calling, mention code Peles elvan, = fit standard elo an ral cutfra. cracking glue joints 8 to 10 SPACEBALLS fww06 BLACK BRIDGE ONLINE INC. 1-800-826-8912 blackbridgeonline.com Rail j ie years, I've tried virtually every major brand of saw blade. The Amana Tool® Prestige™ has all the performance features that | want ina blade, including crisp, smooth cuts both with and across the grain, low feed resistance, and incredible edge retention. Without a doubt, the Amana Tool® Prestige™ is the finest combination sa de I've ever used. - Lonnie Bird 040 = 10) Weer FOR: woonLae Mit pcroon (G LAUSSLUT FOR WOODWORKING TIPS & TECHNIQUES, VISIT OUR Q&A COLUMN - www.amanatool.cont ‘OR A DEALER NEAREST YOU CALL 1-800-4 nigh Ferlormance Guiting loals BUILT-IN FURNITURE 2006 9 QUICK tiPS nine Drilling holes for shelf-support pins Most jigs for drilling holes for shelf pins are awkward to use and bulky to store. By contrast, this simple homemade jig is small, accurate, easy to use, and built to last. To make this jig, start with a scrap block of 44-in.-thick medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and screw a hardwood fence to one edge. Measure in from the fence and install a registration dowel sized to fit your shelf-pin hole. Both the fence and the registration dowel should extend past the surface on both sides of the block: This allows the jig to be flipped over and used along both edges of the workpiece. Now measure a distance down from the registration dowel and drill the guide hole. The distance from the registration dowel to the guide hole will set the spacing of the shelf- pin holes. I prefer a spacing of 2 in. If the jig is to be used just once, you can use the guide hole as is. However, if you want a jig you can use over and over, install a steel headless press-fit bushing, type P, (available from MSC Supply; www.mscdirect.com) for the guide hole. To use the jig, install a depth stop on the drill bit. For this, use a %4-in.-dia. dowel drilled along its axis and then cut to length so that only the correct amount of drill bit protrudes. Measure down from the top of the workpiece and drill two starting holes, one on each edge. Place the jig’s registration dowel in the first hole and, while holding or clamping the fence against the edge of the workpiece, drill the second hole. Repeat this sequence while walking the jig down the workpiece until you have drilled all of the shelf-pin holes along one edge. Flip over the jig and repeat the process along the other edge. —ANDREW FAIRBANK, Hammondville, NSW, Australia Jig slides past slot cutter in router. Use a push stick to keep fingers away from exit point of bit. Key slot Door frame 10 FINE WOODWORKING Starting holes Jig for drilling es adjustable shelf holes Registration dowel Workpiece Steel bushing Steel bushing Dowel ane ene Registration dowel Jig Shelf- support pin hole Keyed miter joints I like to reinforce the miter joints in door frames by adding a contrasting key after the glue in the joint has set. The usual method of cutting the key slot is with a tablesaw and a vertical 45° jig riding on the fence, but I find it easier and safer to make the cut on the router table with a three-wing slot-cutting bit (available from www.eagleamerica.com). The jig can be made in just minutes and has the advantage of enclosing the spinning bit throughout the operation. The resulting slot has a flat bottom and is uniform in width. Inexpensive bits are available to cut slots as narrow as M6 in., which looks better on a small frame than the ¥%-in. slot produced by a tablesaw’s blade. On larger frames, I cut two slots by setting the bit a little below the centerline, cutting the first slot, and then flipping the frame over for a second pass. —PAUL DAVIS, Lake Stevens, Wash.