[.ca] Building Cabinet Doors & Drawers (ISBN 0854420894)

Very Disappointing:
I eagerly awaited the arrival of this book after reading the 5 star reviews by other readers. I do not know where to begin to express my dissapointment with the book's contents. I guess I am a more advanced woodworker than I previosly thought. I am starting my own business specializing in custom made, solid wood, raised panel doors. Obviously, I already know how to make them (one would hope !). Since this is what the book's title is all about, I figured I could pick up some good tips. Well, this book is obviously for beginners only. With this in mind, I feel bad for any beginner trying to make sense out of some of Mr. Proulx's "formulas". I got to the chapter where he shows a picture of drawing an arc for an arched panel door. I thought, "Hmm, at least I can see if he as an easy formula I can adapt (there are many !) to draw an elipse/arch based on the door width". Nope, he states the radius of the arc once, with no explanation of why, how, where he arrived at this figure. To add insult, in later pages/chapters involving similar cuts to be made, he says "Refer to chapter #, or page so and so where this procedure or formula was explained/illustrated". Aggravating to say the least. Also, all door types made are with a router and router bits (no mention of shapers in here). Nothing wrong with this, but while I have always gotten by making raised panel doors on a table router all these years, I would think that a pro/author of such a book would mention that a shaper is the way to go, especially when rasing a panel !. He also mentions 3 possible thicknesses of panels to be used in conjunction with frame (rail & stile) thickness. He completely omits my favorite: a 3/4 thick panel that is "back-cut" to make the panel flush on front and back side of the door. There's a lot more, but I'll stop here. If you already know how to make a cabinet door and drawer don't waste your money on this book. If you don't already know how, you can pick up some decent general basics. However, if you're a beginning woodworker, don't even try to understand the section on european hinges (drawings and explanations). These belong in a more advanced edition.

The KISS Principle:
Simple, straightforward and full of great ideas that the author somehow makes you feel confident that you can achieve. So many authors try to complicate things and you spend more time trying to figure out the book than figuring out your project. Not so with this book. I plan to buy more books by the author. This book covers doors and drawers and does not cover carcus construction, hanging technics, etc. And it's still worth the money.

Not bad!:
All in all not a bad book. The technique used to make an arched raised panel was different from my own but none the less works. This is definetly a book I'd recommend to anyone wanting to make their own flawless doors. I believe Mr. Proulx mentioned the fact that wood expands and contracts with a solid wood raised door but didn't mention a good gap between rails/stile and raised panel of 1/16" works very well. If using 2 1/4" rail/stiles and the router bit cuts 3/8" groove in the rails and stiles subtract an additional 1/16" for the expantion of the raised panel. Dry fit the door (try not to force it) if the panel is loose use small tacks to secure the panel from moving(mentioned in book)!! Thanks Danny

Great Ideas.:
Danny Proulx has put together a great book with some really good examples of all types of doors and drawers. I've used some of his ideas in my kitchen remodel.

Fun just to read and dream!:
I am a beginning cabinetmaking student, and this semester my course work covers basic case construction. Because I hope to design a built-in arrangement that will house a small closet, a chest of drawers and a computer desk in what is currently a large closet space in a small room, I will need to know how to do both drawers and doors as part of it. I purchased Building Cabinet Doors & Drawers by Danny Proulx as a resource both for design and for methods of construction. It is a very satisfying book. I've spent several hours just enjoying the planning of my project and estimating the plywood and hardwood requirements for it. I expect to do both my bathroom and kitchen cabinets over the next two years as well, so the book should get a good work-out.