Finish Trim Advice needed

[ajw1970]

Hello,

This is my first post and my first project. I'm a new BT3100 owner and new to woodworking.

I've attached an image of my project. I've finished the main cabinet and have the face frame on it now.

My original thought was to do a crown molding around the top sides and front and a flat trim molding around the bottom sides and front (Behind the kickbase)

Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't skip these steps and just use a 1x4 to close off my kickbase. My thoughts are that as my first project, simplicity may be better. Once I get more experience I could go back and add trim after the fact (although I'm pretty sure now would be the time to do it if I want it done.)

I was hoping to get some advice from those with experience. This will be a free standing pantry in our kitchen. I plan to have 3 doors across the top (the left section is going to be a pull out pantry, the right side will have 2 adjustable shelves). The bottom sections will be large drawers.

The cabinet is 4' wide and 2' deep and 6 1/2' tall.

The crown molding concerns me for two reasons.

1) I'm not sure about my ability to get the cut right.
2) I'm not sure about the strength of it and am wondering if it would be simply broken off the first time we lean this to its side to move it.

The trim on the bottom isn't a concern but I'm thinking it might not look right if I don't go with the molding on top.

My plan is to trim off the plywood sides at the top to be flush with the top of the face frame. Originally I thought this extra wood would be handing when doing the finish trim but I see now that it doesn't belong. :-)

Any suggestions, thoughts, or guidance would be appreciated.

Thank you,

--John

[JimD]

John,

Looks good. I have a friend at work that used his BT3000 to cut crown moulding but I prefer my compound miter saw. If you have access to a CMS, the crown moulding is not a real big project. If you have to do it on the BT3000, you might want to get a piece and practise first. Primed mdf crown moulding is around a dollar a foot so it is not ridiculously expensive to try things out first. You would have to make a compound angle cut with the BT3100 and will need the formulas or you will have to be pretty good at math to figure out the angles. Actually, for small pieces you might be able to set up stops for the SMT to cut it like I do on a CMS (upside down and backward) but I've never seen it done.

I recommend you make it flush at the top, as you indicate you are thinking, and make a simple piece for the kick rail and concentrate on the doors next. As you say, the crown moulding can be added later. If you have a router table, you may want to make some flat or raised panel doors. It is pretty simple but you need a decent router and router table.

Jim

[mschrank]

First of all: WELCOME!

Second of all: WOW! That's pretty ambitious for your first project. Most start with a birdhouse or paper towel holder. I applaud your ambition!

In my experience (pretty limited), I think you'll find fitting the doors and drawers at least as tricky as crown molding...especially if you didn't get that carcase square.

I'd say go for the crown molding around the top. Though I haven't seen it before, you might have had a good thought leaving the sides a bit high. You might attach a sub base for the crown molding to that area. Just cut the sub base with a 45 degree bevel along one side. That'll make a real solid foundation. You'll probably want to add a few blocks along the top front as well. And if you're worried about damaging it while moving it into the kitchen, you could wait until you move and then attach the molding.

For the base, I'd try matching whatever baseboard is along the base of the kitchen. If your kitchen doesn't have baseboard molding, then I think 1x4 would look just fine...maybe with a roundover along the top edge. Remember that this part isn't called a "toe-kick" for nothing. It's going to get beat up from use and floor cleaning, kids toys, gogs etc. Keep it simple down there.

Good luck and post pics when done!

[Tom Miller]

I think baseboard-type trim wrapped around the sides adds function in addition to looks. Otherwise, that raw ply edge that's in contact with the floor could get all splintered up when you move the piece around. I agree with Mike; something simple like a 1x4 with a roundover on top.

Some cove molding on top would dress the thing up -- but make sure it "fits" with the rest of the cabinetry in the kitchen. It's not hard to do, and since it can be mocked up prior to installing, you can bail if it's not coming together (figuratively and literally). One trick for closing any gaps on outside miters (which you'll have with the crown molding on this piece) is to burnish the edges with a rod -- basically crushing the fibers to close up the gap.

Regards,
Tom

[ajw1970]

Thanks for the input guys.

I've added the simple trim with the round over and am waiting for that to dry. I've decided to go ahead and trim off the top flush with the face frame since I wasn't too thrilled with my miter cuts on the bottom trim and I don't want to risk any obvious problems right at eye level on that top part.

Soon I'll be on to building drawers and doors...

I'll post a reply when I'm done to show how this all turns out.

As for this being an ambitious first project.... you're telling me! We just moved to a new place and this is something that will make our kitchen organization much better. I sketched up the design and begin cutting the wood... and then I realized just how big my drawing turned out to be. :-)

Since I don't have a workshop and my tools live in a shed until I pull them out for use, I'm building this in the kitchen so it won't have far to go after I've completed it. My fear about the top being too weak to move had to do with looking into a time in the future when we move again.

Thanks again and have a great day!

--John