About the project
What tools are required?
- Table saw
- Router
- Drill press (or hand drill with guide)
- Brad nailer
- Table saw dado blade (or a straight router bit, 10mm diameter or less)
- ~2mm or ~1/16″ drill bit
- 9mm or 3/8″ drill bit or forstner bit
- 18-20mm or 3/4″ forstner bit
- Quality metric ruler (at least 500mm long)
- Square
- Calipers
- Flush-trimming router bit (at least 19mm or 3/4″ cutting length)
- Roundover router bits (2mm or 1/16″, and 5mm or 3/16″)
- Round-nose router bit (~20mm or 3/4″ diameter)
What materials & hardware will I need?
- 18mm or 23/32″ hardwood plywood for the cabinets
- 9mm or 11/32″ hardwood plywood for the drawers
- Wood glue
- 45mm or 1-3/4″ wood screws
- 25mm or 1″ brad nails
- Paste finishing wax (for the drawer slides)
- Protective finish (I used wipe-on poly)
- M6 x 25 or 1/4 x 1″ bolts, hardened washers, and locknuts (for connecting the cabinets together)
- Scrap MDF or plywood to make the drawer jigs
How long does it take to build?
This will vary drastically from person to person, and depending how meticulous you are. That said, a good estimate is 4.5-7hrs to make two cabinets (I usually make them in pairs) and 4.5-10.5hrs to make eight drawers (enough to fill the two cabinets). These times do not include waiting for glue to dry. Below is a detailed breakdown. The steps marked with * are optional steps only for aesthetics or ergonomics, not necessary for functionality, so this could help you decide which steps are worth it to you.
To make two Cabinets:
- Cut panels: 25mins
- Mark panel orientations: 10mins
- Mark and center-punch holes: 60mins
- Drill holes: 40mins
- Change table saw blade and set up dado set: 15mins
- Cut drawer slots: 40mins
- * Chamfer slots: 10mins
- * Pre-sand panels: 10mins
- Dry assemble: 50mins
- Disassemble and reassemble with glue: 20mins
- Flush-trim edges: 10mins
- * Round-over and sand: 70mins
- * Apply finish: 60mins
- Total with optional steps: 7hrs
- Total with only necessary steps: 4.5hrs
To make eight Drawers:
- Cut all panels: 60mins
- * Round-over some edges before assembly: 25mins
- Mark locations for nails: 10mins
- Assemble: 2hrs 35mins
- Flush trim all overhangs & create handles: 35mins
- Rout handle cove: 15mins
- * Roundover remaining edges: 20mins
- * Sand: 2hrs 40mins
- * Apply finish: 1hr 35mins
- * Wax slides: 40mins
- Total with optional steps: 10.25hrs
- Total with only necessary steps: 4.6hrs
Why is this project only in metric?
The material that it’s designed to be made from (Baltic birch plywood) is sold in thicknesses of 9mm & 18mm. If you try to make all the other dimensions imperial while using metric materials, you end up with a lot of odd numbers and inconsistencies. I believe it’s better for the entire project to use just one measurement system. That said, I intentionally made the cabinets 508 x 508mm, because that is exactly 20 x 20″. This way even though your cabinets are metric, they will integrate nicely into an otherwise-imperial workshop.
Can I use a different kind of plywood, or does it have to be baltic birch?
Any type of plywood that has hardwood throughout (not just the face veneers) should work great. Softwood plywoods will also work, however they will produce a substantially weaker cabinet, so some configurations would need some extra structure to support them. Softer material will likely also wear out more quickly. Whatever plywood you use should be between 17-19mm thickness, the closer to 18mm, the better.
I am unable to / don’t want to use Etsy. Is there another way to buy the plans?
Yes, you can buy them directly from me using PayPal. Email me for details. This option takes longer, since I only check my email once or twice a day, but you’ll get the same product for the same price.
About the Cabinets
How big are the Cabinets?
508 x 508 x 342mm (20 x 20 x 13.46″)
How big are the Drawers?
The inside of the drawer box is 375 x 450mm (14.76 x 17.71″). Possible depths are 27mm, 65mm, 103mm, 141mm, 179mm, 217mm, 255mm, & 293mm (1.06″, 2.56″, 4.06″, 5.55″, 7.05″, 8.54″, 10.04″, & 11.54″).
What is the weight capacity of the Drawers?
30kg or 65lbs, assuming you make them from Baltic birch plywood and use a good-quality wood glue. I have tested them up to 45kg (100lb) without them breaking or binding, but I don’t know how they’ll hold up over time with that much load.
How much do the Cabinets and Drawers weigh?
Cabinets weigh 11kg or 24.3lb each. The shallowest Drawer weighs 1.76kg or 3.88lb; add 0.52kg or 1.14lb per slide for deeper drawers. (Assuming they’re made from Baltic Birch plywood)
If your questions were not answered here, please contact me. I will add the most common questions to this page.