Building Traditional Kitchen Cabinets
by Jim Tolpin
"A kitchen is probably the most complex room in your home to design..."
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Book Description:
From Library Journal
Improving the kitchen adds not only to a home's resale value but also
to its comfort. Unfortunately, such improvement is also very expensive.
Professional woodworker Tolpin shows how to build and install cabinets
and, to a lesser degree, covers kitchen design and laminate countertop
construction. The author's straightforward text, combined with numerous
photographs and illustrations, should enable most woodworkers to
make their own cabinetry. Other types of storage furniture can be
made using information gleaned from this source. Especially rewarding
when used in conjunction with an excellent kitchen design book such
as Steve Thomas's This Old House Kitchens: A Guide to Design and
Renovation (LJ 12/91), this book is recommended for most libraries.
Amazon Customer Reviews:
Excellent, step-by-step guide to cabinetry construction
"As a professional woodworker, I highly recommend any of Jim Tolpin's books. His writing is routinely well organized, clear, and concise. Building Traditional Kitchen Cabinets is no expception. Jim takes the reader through design, materials, construction, and installation with the style of a seasoned veteran. It is obvious that he has learned many valuable lessons over the years as a successful cabinet maker. Anyone, even the most experienced woodworker, will benefit from his thoughtful, award winning techniques. If you have basic cabinetry skills, this book will show you how to build and install traditional kitchen cabnets more quickly, to a higher standard, and with fewer mistakes. Do not miss this opportunity to add a truly valuable writing to your bookshelf."
"I own several books on cabinet construction. This one is my favorite. It provides step-by-step examples of how to layout, design, build, finish, and install traditional face-frame cabinetry. The graphics are certainly not flashy, most appear to be hand etched, but I find them to be useful.
The book includes techniques and jigs that are great for cabinet construction. I've built several of the jigs that are shown, including the jig for using a biscuit joiner to join the face frame edges, and the cross-cut sled.
You won't find everything in this book, but I've been able to accomplish a lot with this book and Taunton's Trim Carpentry and Built-Ins."
I love this book
In the beginning of the book, the author quotes someone saying
that you should do what you love, but only write what you know about.
He thanks them for that, and I thank the author for doing it. The information
in this book, is written in such a way, as to prove to me, the undeniable
in depth experience, the author has in the trade. He covers all the
bases. True no one book can give you it all. For example, I noticed
when I installed a Dishwasher, into my existing kitchen, that it snugged
in perfectly, both under the counter, and between the sections. Had
it been one eighth of an inch smaller, it wouldn't have gone in. From
that I realized that their must be standard dimensions in the industry.
The author does not cover those dimensions. What he does do is cover
everything else, that most others miss. The real information and what
you need to know, in order to avoid costly mistakes. What finishes
to use, and when. Prepping properly. How to build your cabinetry, and
mark out your layout using a story stick. Drawing a floor plan to scale.
He is not afraid to share with you the basics. It really is a step
by step guide. I like the guy. His writing style is a natural flow
of ideas. Not clamored with egotistical sensationalism. Reminds me
of good old down home American craftsmanship. Like he was part of the
Shakely shop. Although not caught up in old world techniques to a fault.
(He prefers random orbit round sanders to the square finish sanders)
After all the Shakelies used power tools as well driven by water wheels
outside, and long leather belts and pulleys.
You can build any style kitchen cabinetry from the information provided.
The author talks about the Early American style periods, including
Shaker, Arts and Crafts, as well as Colonial. I get a feeling of the
Old World Americana in the book, and yet the practicality of modern
methods, tools, and techniques. He doesn't like fast drying catalyzed,
toxic urethanes. He does cover many different types of finishes, and
their usability. Has a chart with them all on their including the urethanes.
I guess I'm rambling. What I really want to say, is that I am starting
out on my quest for building the ultimate kitchen-cabinets. I spend
a lot of time learning, then I begin.I have some cured Hickory that
I had sawn from a sawyer. I has a beautiful light brown center. I am
sure that 90 percent of what I need to know, will be gleaned from this
book. No one book ever has it all, but I just feel good reading this
one. It is helpful, informative, and I can't help but feel the contagious
love for the beauty of a well built kitchen, that is shared by the
author. I highly recommend this book. For the price, it is page for
page, thought for thought, a super buy.
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