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Cabinet making involves making the component parts first then assembling the pieces together. The major components are the carcase, drawers, face frames, and doors. A router is a useful tool to have when making cabinets. Find out what router bits are used in this activity.

What gives the carcase its strength is partly due to the plywood and the way the plywood sheets are joined. A single component results after they are glued together. The use of routers when making the joints is recommended so that you get straight and even cuts.

The cabinet case is made up of plywood sheets. The top and sides of the cabinets are joined using a rabetting bit. This does not give the cabinet its full strength. Using a straight bit, a groove is cut half an inch on the inside face of the plywood. This groove is where the back panel is slid into. When all five plywood sheets are glued together, the cabinet attains full strength and will not rack from side to side.

The case of the drawers can be formed with the help of finger joints. Finger joints are best made with a straight bit that is attached to a router table. Using a step and repeat jig, the spaces between the fingers are routed away. When the fingers are meshed together a large surface area for gluing is created. This gives this joint its amazing strength. On the lower inside part of the drawer is a groove made with a straight bit. This is where the bottom is slid into.

Doors are made using frame and panel construction. The frame is composed of rails and styles with a groove in the inside face. The groove is made using a straight bit. A spiral bit is used to cut away the mortise on the ends of the rail. A tenon is made on the ends of the style. A panel is placed in the groove resulting in a classic frame and panel door.

When attaching the hinges on the doors, space is created using a hinge mortise. Use a small hand-held router and a spiral bit to remove wood. Remove small bits at a time and use a jig to make clean and precise cuts.

One can easily make kitchen cabinets using routers. When mating two pieces together, it is best to try out what you plan to do on scrap pieces of wood. The wide variety of router bits makes routers one of the most useful woodworking tools in the workshop.