Turning Corners In Cabinets With Angles

[Jay Boutwell]

 With all the accurate miter saws and table saws available and the Kreg Jig pocket screw system of today, the making of angled joints has allowed us to master the art of joining wood together.

 Since building a cabinet that runs along a wall in a straight line requires little or no angle cutting of stock, other that the 90 degree cut to length and join with a pocket screw.  Other configuration require the use of miters and angles.   I was wondering what everyones method is for doing cabinet runs that twist and bend into angles like like 22 1/2 degrees,  45 degrees and or some other angle to fit a wall or build a custom cabinets run other than a straight line or a 90 degree bend.  I know everyone has their own  methods and it would be interesting to hear about everyone's approach to this problem.

[Michael Campbell]

Jay I usually bevel the pieces on my table saw, glue and use a headless pinner.  Then i run a piece, of usually pine or any soft wood so it will not split, through my table saw twice to get a corner of the degree of the corner.  example  a 45 degree conner,  I set my table saw to 22.5  run it through then flip it and run it though again to get a 45 degree corner running the length of the board.  then i cut it into 6-8 inch pieces and put it on the inside of the piece as cleats.  usually under shelves and about every 18 inches or so.  I glue and and brad these in.   you can also use the same wood and run the length

[Jay Boutwell]

Michael, sounds like a pretty good and sound method to me. There is several tricks in the  work of building  an angle cabinet and lots of different approaches to it.  That is why I started this discussion as I though it would be  interesting to know what others are doing when they build theirs.  

I plan on waiting for a few others to publish their methods and then I will explain how I do mine using pocket screws and two cuts on the table saw.

[Michael Campbell]

Look forward to your method Jay

[steve kidd]

wish i could comment, but havent made any angled cabinets yet. looking forward to how everyone here makes thier cabinets

[Jay Boutwell]

My method of building angled cabinets is actually straight forward where I cut the required cabinet angle on one stick of the face frame and run it into a 90 degree joint using glue and pocket screws to secure the members.  When using 13/16 stock the cutting of the angle and running it into a 90 degree stock the toe on the angle piece grows depending on the cut angle.  To remedy this aline the inside pieces with other allowing the toe of the miter to extend out past the 90 degree piece secure the joint with the pocket screw and then sand and or cut the excess of the toe off. (refer to photo) .

When using 13/16 " stock  the toe to heel will grow 3/8" on a 45 degree miter.  A  22 1/2 degree miter the same stock grows less than 1/8 inch.  The method above shows a miter for the outside of a cabinet angle so the make the inside just reverse the 90 degree piece to place the screw side in towards the toe of the miter.  Aline in the same manner and then sand off the toe.    This places the screws to the inside of the face frame. On the ou...    Rule of thumb, run the screws into the mitered piece always boring the pocket holes into the 90 degree piece.........................................                                                    (more will follow)

[Jay Boutwell]

(Angled cabinets continued:)    In dealing with an angled cabinets  the most ideal thing is to cut the miters and the 90 degree piece from the same stock of wood thus maintaining grain figures as well as color of wood.  The same applies in the sheet goods as well as wide lumber.  To make a miter turn in sheet goods or lumber mitered in the long grain cut, the same miter to 90 degree connection applies.  To cut a stile in a mitered turn, use stock that is wider than the finished size of the two stiles.  Cut the needed miter angle and then recut the waste from the stock into a 90 degree stock and attach the miter again allowing the toe of the miter to extend past the 90 degree stock and then sand or cut this off.  The photo below is a 45 degree outside miter that you would use on the back of a cabinet. A 22 1/2 degree is done the same manner and if you match the grain you will  make an almost invisable joint.  The best part of this, it is done with two saw cuts, no cleats or backing pieces.  It is flush on the inside and the outside and it is fastened with pocket screws and glue.  Again to make a inside piece, just reverse the piece so the screws are on the side opposite that of what you want to be visable.

 

Another advantage to the method is that the miter joint tricks the eye.  When you sand or cut the toe off at the face of the 90 degree piece and maintain that cut so that it is flush to 90 degree piece you  fool the eye into looking at the  corner where most expect the joint to be and it is not.  It is actually located about 3/8 of an inch from the actually joint on 3/4 or 13/16 stock.   You can also take advantage of this method by it allowing you the flexability to sand the corner round into a full bullnose style.  There is no length to how long this joint can be  and it does not matter what angle you make.  You cut the miter and screw it into the 90 degree piece and you have a almost invisable joint, secured with glue and pocket screws. 

 It might sound tricky but it is really simple once you get behind the saw and cut a few pieces.  You  learn the method very quickly and find that you can make difficult cabinets very easy with two cuts on the saw, the miter cut and a matching 90 degree.  Bore the pocket holes in the 90 degree piece and glue and screw the pocket screws into the miter.  The big thing to remember is bore the holes on the opposite side that you want to expose.  Need more information please ask.  This is one of the most difficult things to do in cabinet or furniture building.  It becomes easy and  simple using this method.

 

[Geoff Simpson]

Excellent detail Jay.  Any pics of the finished product?  I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the end result....then again i'm bred for pretty, not for smart

[Jay Boutwell]

Thanks Geoff, sometime I wonder if i'm getting across to others what I'm trying to say.  It is not as difficult as it sounds.  Yes I have some photos that I will round up that has some of the angle cabinet details in it,  I use it most frequent when I am building a bar and or a corner cabinet where they want the front 45 degrees from the two walls.  What makes it really easy is the pocket screws. (another point is the favor ot that pocket screw)   Normally a corner joint is the weak link in a cabinet but using this system it is fast simple and becomes one of the strongest joint in the cabinet run.  Just two cuts and some pocket holes, sand off the overhang of the toe on the miter and that troublesome corner is done.  Now for the other part.  Well I would say you appear to be "PRETTY SMART" to me.  I liked how you handled that pocket screw vs tenton joint chapter of our lives the other night.  By the way I did find that statement about the pocket screw being much stronger than the tenon joint and posted it last night.  I'll get some photos together and send them. 

[Jay Boutwell]

Geoff,  you asked for photo for an example of the mitered faceframe angle.  Here is one done in Hickory.  Look closely and you will see a 22 1/2 degree mitered joint on each side of the doors (two glass and two raise panels below the glass doors.  Note the ability of this method of keeping the wood grain patterns.

[Jay Boutwell]

Jay Boutwell said:

Geoff,  you asked for photo for an example of the mitered faceframe angle.  Here is one done in Hickory.  Look closely and you will see a 22 1/2 degree mitered joint on each side of the doors (two glass and two raise panels below the glass doors.  Note the ability of this method of keeping the wood grain patterns.

[Jay Boutwell]

Geoff, a larger shot of same cabinet. 

[Geoff Simpson]

Niiice.  Great work Jay....i fully understand now