There are fewer things that are more enjoyable than standing back from a piece of work that you have created from scratch, and admiring your work. This is a quick intro to making a cabinet, something that I actually tried for the first time, and got it right first time. It's not that I had the best instructions - because that's not true - the instructions were terrible, and from a book that was dated 1978 and was not just about cabinet making, but also about creating a mangle holder. Yes, it was that out of date!
Anyway, the whole process made me wonder how many other people out there would just simply pick up their nail gun and have a go at something like this. There were a few books that I saw in the local bookstore, which were relevant but somehow inappropriate. Then I found myself short of something to do one Sunday, and dug out an old book I'd rescued from a torn down garage in the back yard. If you are looking to create your own masterpiece - or at least something that doesn't look like a giant cat flap on your wall, then here's how to get started...
Wall Wine Cabinet
Create yourself an easy design for your wall cabinet. If it's your first time building a cabinet, then make the design as easy as possible by leaving out any ornate embellishments. Draw a wall cabinet that has two sides, with a top, and a bottom and of course two doors. As the wall cabinet is going against the wall, there's no need to make a back panel. You can save on materials this way, and make the creation much simpler.
Now, find the studs that are in your wall by using an electronic stud locator or by just knocking on the wall and listening. If you are tapping the wall, then you can probably tell if you are tapping on a stud by the solid sound, rather than the hollow sound of studless areas. You can now mark where every stud is on the area of the wall that your cabinet is going, bearing in mind the measurement of the actual cabinet. There's about two feet of space between studs in walls.
For just a very basic, simple wall cabinet, get your tape measure, a pencil, a piece of two by two lumber, some two inch thick plywood (about eight foot by six foot sheet), your circular saw, your drill, carpenter's glue, clamp, door hinges, your screwdriver, packs of 1 inch and 1 and a half inch screws, a spirit level, a hammer or brad nailer, finishing nails, door handles, some medium wood putty, medium woodworking sandpaper, some wood stain or paint to your liking and colour scheme. You will of course also need some eye protection.
Thats the ingredients, now go build your cabinet! It really is as silly as that. It's what I did, and the book wasn't MUCH more useful than stating the obvious like 'be sure not to get too much glue in the joints'. I mean, come on!