Panel Processing at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

Casework assembly methods that rely on evenly-spaced 32-mm holes are most efficient when you have high-volume precision equipment to bore the holes. Here's a rundown on the options in machinery for that purpose. September 18, 2008

Beam Saw Versus Sliding Table Saw

Which to buy, slider or beam saw? Versatility, productivity, and ease of maintenance are issues to consider. August 24, 2008

Drying Siberian Elm Slabs

Prone to warpage and bug damage, Siberian Elm is tricky wood to dry. March 31, 2008

Sliding Table Saw Crosscut Fence Safety

The crosscut fence on a slider is positioned for managing large panel cuts. April 10, 2008

Dust Cut Procedures

Woodworkers describe how they make initial cuts on sheet goods to establish straight and square edges. July 27, 2008

Melamine Chipping on a Sliding Table Saw

A cabinet shop goes through the learning curve cutting melamine on an entry-level slider. The discussion covers blade choices, sharpening, setup, adjustments, and technique. August 8, 2008

Saws

Basic descriptions of sliding table saws, miter saws, re-saws, and related saw equipment used in wood shops. November 13, 2008

Troubleshooting Warpage with Kiln-Dried Cherry

Why did a load of Cherry boards warp in the kiln? May 16, 2008

Face-Frame Versus Frameless Cabinetry

Have we had that discussion yet on the relative merits of face-frame and frameless construction? August 15, 2006

Methods of 32 mm system layout

Different interpretations on the 32mm system. (Cabinetmaking Forum) March 23, 2003

Cost of running a CNC router

Choosing the right CNC machine based on projected capabilities and costs. November 29, 2000

Nested-Based Routers Versus Beam Saw and Point-to-Point

Two different technologies, same product — why pick one or the other? January 14, 2008

Stroke Sanders and Wide-Belt Sanders

More thoughts on the choices in production sanding equipment. March 13, 2007

Table Saw Safety Accessories

A long discussion on the utility and practicality of guards, splitters, and automatic blade brakes. November 26, 2007

CNC tooling: What's the best?

Solving the problems of worn-out router bits and torn-out melamine. January 3, 2001

Capabilities of a Point-to-Point Router

If you're buying older used equipment, be aware of its limitations and its condition. August 17, 2006

Going from handcrafted to CNC

Discussion of P2Ps, dedicated boring, edgebanders and other equipment, software and processes. August 29, 2001

Value-added pricing: Why? -- Because you're worth it!

We all fear "those guys in their garages, doing work for cheap." But we really have nothing to fear at all.

One Man, One Kitchen, How Many Days?

Solo cabinetmakers compare notes on the time it takes them to complete a basic kitchen job. April 26, 2006

Drawers and the Utilization of Space

Why slide-integrated drawer systems are less costly to produce and provide greater space efficiency than traditional drawer construction. 1998.

CNC Router Versus Vertical Panel Saw

Which to invest in? It all depends on the shop's needs and the business plan. January 8, 2007

Installing Rollout Shelves

Keeping rollouts clear of the hinges. March 14, 2004

32mm manual vs NBM setups

Will any efficiency be gained by adding high-tech equipment to a small shop? July 24, 2002

Vertical Panel Saw and Sliding Table Saw Comparison

This discussion of the choice between vertical saws and sliders includes some thoughts on sliding table saw technique. November 21, 2006

Compensating for Material Thickness Variations

Thickness differences between pieces can cause trouble when machining parts out of sheet goods. But a savvy operator can work around the problem. August 29, 2006

Components--Not Cabinets

A longtime adherent of the system process of cabinet manufacturing makes his case for componentizing. 1998.

Marketing High-End Cabinets

Cabinetmakers share ideas for attracting big-ticket clients. February 10, 2004

Fastening dado joints

Fast techniques for assembling dadoed cabinet boxes. June 24, 2002

Troubleshooting "Banana Cut" Problems with Melamine

Humidity issues cause some panels to curve or bow when cut. Here, CNC operators discuss possible solutions. December 6, 2006

Squaring Up a Sliding Table Saw

Pros walk a newcomer through the steps of getting a slider trued up for accurate rips and crosscuts. February 20, 2008

Cutting Square on the Table Saw

The main pitfalls are that your stock is out of square from the factory, and that table saw fences move. Here are tips on squaring up panel cuts. December 11, 2006

To nest or not to nest?

Is nesting appropriate for all shops? June 4, 2003

Ripping Accuracy with Vertical Panel Saws

Tips for making accurate panel rips, and a discussion of equipment tolerances and various quirks. March 25, 2007

Do Edgebanders Provide Perfect Output?

Few, if any edgebanders will consistently produce panels that can pass your thumb's feel test — and none will without continual tending by a good operator. December 27, 2006

Accurately Squaring Cabinet Boxes

Methods foraccurately squaring frameless cabinet carcasses. October 16, 2003

Think before you take the CNC plunge

WOODWEB technical advisor Brian Personett offers some food for thought to those thinking about purchasing CNC equipment. November 15, 2000

Budget Cross-Cutting Solutions

Suggestions on gearing up for wide panel cross-cuts without investing in an expensive sliding table saw. March 25, 2007

Efficiency of nested-based manufacturing

How much time can be saved? January 16, 2002

Upgrading the Table Saw

Where do you go when you step up from that old table saw? February 8, 2008

Are Two Motors Better than One on a Two-Head Sander?

Some two-head sanders drive both heads with a single motor. What difference does it make? February 6, 2007

CNC Equipment for MDF Door Production

Advice on choosing the right CNC setup for milling doors from MDF. October 9, 2006

CNC Versus Panel Saw Accuracy

CNC equipment has a reputation for superior accuracy. Here, cabinetmakers discuss the reasons it may be so. March 25, 2007

Raised panel wainscot

Making wainscot onsite. November 24, 2002

Construction Boring Machines and Confirmat Screws

Tips on how to bore, countersink, and align cabinet parts for assembling with Confirmat screws. July 21, 2006

Frameless Cabinet Fastening

Attaching lower cabinet sides to deck. August 7, 2004

Squaring Up a Cross-Cut Sled

Getting a cross-cut table-saw sled jig squared up just right is a finicky and time-consuming process. June 30, 2007

Routing Dadoes with a Vertical Panel Saw

People who have relied on a vertical panel saw for dadoing panels say the idea is problematic at best. February 26, 2007

Cabinetmaking Forum -- 32mm: Imperial Versus Metric

Frameless cab systems use metric measurement. Your crew will make the transition with ease, but you'll still need to talk feet and inches to most customers. August 29, 2006

Inset-door cabinets

A cabinetmaker goes from frameless to face frame and seeks advice. September 19, 2001

Cutting Veneered MDF on a Bevel

Tips on blade selection and table-saw technique for clean cuts on veneered panels. November 28, 2006

Machining Scallops or Flutes into MDF Panels

With CNC equipment, you can machine any kind of regular or irregular scallops, waves, or flutes into MDF — but it can be pricey, and makes a lot of dust. January 26, 2008

Bit Selection for a CNC Router

A shop owner gets advice on what bits he'll need for his new CNC router, along with tips on bit care and re-sharpening. August 30, 2005

CNC V-grooving

Suggestions for tooling and techniques. March 23, 2002

Assembling Frameless Casework

Dowel, dado, or confirmat screw? August 9, 2005

Good Things to Have on a Sliding Table Saw

Are independently-powered scoring blades or extra-long length important? January 8, 2007

Blade Life when Cutting Melamine

Melamine tears up saw blades. Here are some observations on blade life expectancy, some thoughts on blade choice, and a success story involving diamond blades. August 14, 2007

Sawblades 101

Select the right blade for the job with this quick rundown of blade characteristics. January 7, 2007

Left-Tilt Versus Right-Tilt Table Saws

In response to a question about which is better, here's a well-thought-out list of pros and cons. December 28, 2006

Grinding a Warped Cast-Iron Table Saw Top Flat

It's not unusual for machinery tables to get deformed out of their proper flat shape, but the problem is correctable. March 25, 2007

Line-boring for adjustable shelves

The full range of options for getting shelf holes in place is reviewed. 1998.

Chip-out on HPL panels

Solving problems with chip-out during CNC machining. August 12, 2001

Double-Refined MDF

Double-refined MDF provides a cleaner, smoother machined edge. But there are also ways to improve the edge of standard MDF. November 5, 2007

Preventing Blow-Out When Cutting Double-Sided Veneer Plywood

Advice on equipment, blades, and techniques to prevent a ragged edge on the underside of table-saw cuts. January 20, 2007

Vacuum Lift Versus Scissor Lift

A discussion of equipment options for moving panels onto the sliding table saw. October 26, 2007

PTP vs. CNC: What's the difference?

Technical differences and applications of point-to-point and CNC routers. December 12, 2000

Rolling A-Frames for Moving Plywood

Ideas for a low-cost shop-built plywood-handling rack on wheels. July 10, 2007

Troubleshooting Curved Rips in Melamine

Cuts coming out curved when you rip melamine? It's probably due to stresses in the material, not a problem with the table saw. August 14, 2007

Stable spoilboard material

Choosing spoilboard material that won't shrink, grow or warp. January 3, 2001

CNC vs P2P

Defining the difference between P2P and CNC. June 13, 2001

Drum Sander Sanding Marks

Drum sanders typically leave "washboard" contact marks, so that sanded pieces still require hand sanding with a random-orbit sander. March 13, 2007

Dowel drilling and use guidelines

A quick guide to dowel clearances and practices, including drilling depth, diameter-to-edge ratios, and dowel selection. 1998.

Getting Straight Table-Saw Rips

Tips on tuning a table saw for straight ripping. May 23, 2007

Curing 32mm hole alignment problems

Improving results achieved with a single-hole line borer. January 24, 2001

Cleaning Melamine Blades

Solvent cleaning will give you a little more mileage between blade re-sharpenings. March 9, 2008

Adjusting a Wide-Belt Sander

Tips for fine-tuning a belt sander for smooth operation and good control. February 6, 2007

12-Inch Versus 14-Inch Table-Saw Blade Performance

Twelve-inch blades seem to cut straighter and smoother. September 8, 2007

Face frame versus frameless

December 28, 2002

Is CNC Equipment Practical for a One-Man Shop?

A long and thorough analysis of the value of an investment in CNC equipment for the small shop, this thread should be read by anyone considering the upgrade to CNC. August 23, 2006

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