As a cabinetmaker, you know that having the right tools is crucial to your success. By using the proper tools, you can create beautiful projects with precise joinery. Investing in quality tools will pay off in the long run and provide you with many benefits.
Though many complicated tools for cabinet making exist, they often require a lot of experience to master. They may take longer to learn how to use effectively, but they can make the work process much faster and more accurate once you have learned how to use them to their potential.
There are smaller and simpler cabinet making tools that don’t require as much of an initial investment, but still get the job done just as well. Here is a list of top essential cabinet making tools you will need to create your own cabinets:
1. Centering Punch
A centering punch is a type of tool used to create a small indent in wood or metal. The indent is then used as a starting point for drilling a pilot hole.
Centering punches are commonly used in cabinet making, as they allow for more precise drilling and they help to avoid the risk of the drill bit slipping.
When using a centering punch, it is important to start with a smaller indent, and then gradually increase the size of the indent. This will help prevent the wood from splitting or the metal from becoming damaged.
2. 90 Degree Corner Clamp Jig
A 90 Degree Corner Clamp Jig is one of the many tools used in cabinet making to help create 90 degree corners when joining pieces of wood together.
The jig consists of two parts: a base and a clamp. The base is placed on the edge of the wood, and the clamp is attached to the base at a 90 degree angle.
The wood is then placed between the two parts of the jig, and the clamp is tightened down to hold the wood in place. Once the wood is secure, it can be joined together using screws, nails, or adhesive.
The 90 degree corner clamp jig is an essential tool for anyone interested in cabinet making, and with a little practice, it can produce professional-looking results.
No cabinetmaking tools are handier than clamps. In fact, clamps replace your hands in many situations. A good clamp assortment is like having assistants in your shop. They hold materials in place while you’re measuring, cutting, joining and fastening your work.
There are countless clamp designs available at your favorite tool supply store. There’s a good reason for that. It’s because there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all clamp.
There are too many different clamp applications. Here are the most common clamps you’ll find in a cabinetmaking workshop:
C-Clamps: These are the oldest mechanical clamp design. They’ve been around for hundreds of years. C-clamps have simple steel frames with an open throat controlled by a screw jaw. They come in a huge size range and various throat depths.
Pipe Clamps: You’d have a hard time building cabinets without pipe-clamps. They look just like their name — a typical iron pipe with one fixed jaw and an adjustable clamp face. Sizes range from short to as long as you can find a rigid metal pipe.
Bar Clamps: These irreplaceable cabinetmaking clamps use a metal bar frame instead of pipe. They combine the strength of a pipe clamp with the depth of a C-clamp. Many shops have a dozen or more bar clamps on hand.
Band Clamps: If you’re assembling large structures like cabinet boxes, band clamps make it easy to wrap and secure your work. Band clamps have malleable fabric straps and ratcheting clamp controls that allow you to carefully squeeze components.
Specialized Clamps: Cabinetmaking often requires specialized clamps. Two common and irreplaceable specialized clamps are the 3-way face clamp and the flush-and-flat face clamp. Both make tricky joints easier.
3. Convertible Powered Screwdriver with LED Light
The 510-Q Convertible Powered Screwdriver with LED Flashlight comes in handy for reaching difficult areas. You can use it with a straight grip or pistol grip by clicking a button and rotating the head of the tool.
There’s an LED under the head of the tool that turns on when you pull the trigger. Also, there’s an LED flashlight on the backside of the drill. It comes complete with one powered screwdriver/flashlight, USB charging cable, and batteries are included!
4. ANGLE-IZER® Plastic Protractor
The ANGLE-IZER® Plastic Protractor is not only capable of measuring and marking inside, outside, and sloped angles, but it is also perfect for construction jobs where a standard protractor or t-bevel wouldn’t work.
5. Face Frame Jig System X1
The patented Face Frame Jig System X1 is an easy way to put together professional-looking face frames and cabinet doors.
In one setup, all your frame and door components will be aligned, securely clamped, bored for pocket holes, and screwed together! This time-saving jig system eliminates the need for separate drilling or assembly operations.
6. 4 In. Max Circle Cutter
Sometimes, you may need to cut a hole in the side of your cabinet for plumbing or electrical access. When that’s the case, you reach for a circle cutter.
The 4 In. Max Circle Cutter can create precise circles in materials like sheet metal, soft steel, aluminum, plastic and wood composites, all at less than 500 rpm on your drill press. There is also a model available that will cut holes up to 6 inches wide.
7. 1/2 Inch Countersink Bit
The smooth, finished look of any cabinetry depends on the details, including buried screw heads. You must countersink screws and then fill & sand before painting or staining to avoid unsightly exposed fasteners.
The 1/2 In. Countersink Bit (#195 – 1/2) is designed specifically for creating clean countersunk holes in wood and other materials. It’s also available in 5/8″ and 3/4″ diameter sizes to accommodate different projects.
8. Adjustable Pocket Hole Jig Kit
Is a pocket hole jig worth it? The Adjustable Pocket Hole Jig Kit is the perfect tool for anyone planning to construct cabinets, bookshelves, tables, or anything with multiple joints. This versatile jig can be used to create supports for cabinets, furniture, and more.
The pocket holes created by the jig are professional grade and don’t require putty or sanding to hide them.
Additionally, the kit is easily adjustable for wood thicknesses up to 1-½”—making it an ideal choice for those who want high-quality results without a lot of hassle. 3/8″ replacement bits are also available if needed.
9. Drill Bit Grinding Attachment
Nothing will destroy the smooth face of finished plywood faster than a dull drill bit, but you don’t have to experience that problem. The Drill Bit Grinding Attachment can hone drill bits to their original sharpness, which extends their life and improves drilling accuracy.
10. Pro Doweling Kit
Have you ever tried to pilot a hole for a dowel, only to find it’s a little too big or too small? Maybe you discovered, after the hole was drilled, that it wasn’t at a 90 degree angle to the face of the cabinet?
By assuring the alignment of dowel holes and pins, the Pro Doweling Kit helps create professional-quality edge-to-edge, right-angle and edge-to-surface joints that can be press-fit or glued. The E-Z Pro Doweling Jig Kit comes with drill bits, dowel pins and more.
11. E-Z Pro Dovetailer Jig
The best cabinet drawers are made with dovetail joints. In days gone by, they would be cut by hand and take many hours.
The E-Z Pro Dovetailer Jig can create professional-quality dovetail joints by working with a hand or table router. It has a self-aligning design that ensures perfect alignment of both ends of the joint, and it can handle wood from 1/2″ to 1″ thick.
12. E-Z Pro Aluminum Mortise and Tenon Jig Kit
The E-Z Pro Aluminum Mortise & Tenon Jig Kit is the perfect tool for cutting mortise and tenon joints, which are a popular type of joinery used for cabinet faces.
This easy-to-use machine will produce 1/4″ mortise and tenon joints quickly and accurately for cabinets, furniture, and frames – joints that would be difficult to cut by hand without this kit.
Our woodworking jig comes with bushings for also producing 3/8″ and 1/2″ joints with other size optional spiral upcut bits. (not included).
By using a plunge router with the jig, woodworkers of all skill levels can cut fully-aligned mortises and tenons ranging from 1/4″ to ½” thick and from 1” to 3” wide. The jig can be mounted directly on a workbench or onto a board that can be clamped in a vise or to any bench.
13. Table Saw
Table saws are a woodworking shop’s heart. Experienced craftspeople turn out amazing cuts on a table saw, and make cuts safely.
Table saws are dangerous tools in the wrong hands. Fortunately, modern table saws have excellent safety devices in guards, guides, adjustments and controls.
If there’s one must-have anchor tool for cabinetmaking, it’s the table saw. There are a lot of table saw options available. Making the right choice for your shop can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are the main table saw types used for cabinetmaking:
Cabinetmaking Table Saws: Like the name sounds, these table saws are centerpieces in a cabinetmaking shop. They’re heavy and rigid woodworking machines that fit between table extensions.
Cabinetmaking table saws accept blade diameters from 7.5 inches to 12 inches and handle large pieces like 4-foot by 8-foot plywood sheets.
Contractor Table Saws: These are medium-duty machines that many cabinet makers regularly use.
Contractor saws are portable, whereas cabinetmaking table saws stay fixed in the shop. Good quality contractor table saws make accurate cuts and also handle blade sizes up to 12 inches in diameter.
Benchtop Table Saws: Benchtop table saws might be small and compact, but they’re extremely handy for cabinetmaking work.
They’re portable tools that make great resources when cutting small material on installation sites. Most benchtop table saws use 7.5-inch or 10-inch diameter blades.
14. Miter Saw
Miter saws are must-have cabinetmaking tools, right next to table saws. Where table saws sit rigidly and require feeding woodwork into the blade, miter saws bring the blade to the material.
Miter saws aren’t designed for ripping material though. They’re operated by bringing a spinning blade down onto fixed materials.
You’ll often hear miter saws called chop-saws or cutoff saws. Actually, the word miter refers to making angled cuts for specific joints on frame or trim material.
You’ll also hear of different miter saw versions that accommodate blades up to 12 inches in diameter. Here are the common miter saws available to cabinetmakers:
Standard Miter Saws: These tools have a fixed swing arm that adjusts from 0 to 45 degrees. That includes left and right turns for either angle on the work face. Standard miter saws are simple tools, but many cabinetmakers opt for their more complicated cousins.
Compound Miter Saws: Compound saws also make 90- and 45-degree cuts as well as any angle in between.
But the magic to a compound miter saw is you can make cross angles on the work, so each cut has multiple geometric angles. Compound miter saws are the answer for crown molding work.
Sliding Compound Miter Saws: For the best variety of cut angles and work size, sliding compound miter saws are must-haves.
Their sliding arms let them cut across much wider stock than fixed arm saws can handle. With a 12-inch blade, sliding miter saws cut material up to a foot wide.
15. High-Quality Saw Blades
Even if you can’t afford the best quality table or miter saw, you can’t afford not to invest in high-quality saw blades. Sharp and precision saw blades make all the difference in the world compared to inferior blades. Your cuts are clean, without frays and make joinery easy.
LUXITE® carbide–tipped circular blades are must-haves in your cabinetmaking shop. These tools pay huge returns in performance and efficiency. Here are the top LUXITE® saw blades you must have in your shop:
Crosscut Saw Blades: LUXITE® fine-tooth crosscut saw blades are perfect for cutting fine-grained materials like plywood and melamine.
They’re also excellent for across-the-grain miter cuts on trim. They come in two sizes — 10-inch 60-tooth and 12-inch 80-tooth. Like all LUXITE® blades, they are carbide-tipped.
Rip Saw Blades: For ripping with wood grain, nothing beats carbide-tipped rip blades from LUXITE®. They work quickly, efficiently and safely. Again, these blades come in two sizes — 10-inch 30-tooth and 12-inch 40-tooth.
Combination Saw Blades: You can get the best of both crosscut and ripping with LUXITE® carbide-tipped combination blades.
If you have only one blade option for your shop, it should be a LUXITE® combination saw blade. These also come in two sizes — 10-inch 50-tooth and 12-inch 60-tooth.
