Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #169278 in Books
• Published on: 1994-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

From Library Journal
Improving the kitchen adds not only to a home's resale value but also to its comfort. Unfortunately, such improvement is also very expensive. Professional woodworker Tolpin shows how to build and install cabinets and, to a lesser degree, covers kitchen design and laminate countertop construction. The author's straightforward text, combined with numerous photographs and illustrations, should enable most woodworkers to make their own cabinetry. Other types of storage furniture can be made using information gleaned from this source. Especially rewarding when used in conjunction with an excellent kitchen design book such as Steve Thomas's This Old House Kitchens: A Guide to Design and Renovation (LJ 12/91), this book is recommended for most libraries.
Jonathan Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

A +++
This book is excellent. My husband and I are building our own home, and wanted a book on cabinetry. This is a complete step by step guide to building our cabinets. Definetely a must if building cabinets for the first time.

I love this book
In the beginning of the book, the author quotes someone saying that you should do what you love, but only write what you know about. He thanks them for that, and I thank the author for doing it. The information in this book, is written in such a way, as to prove to me, the undeniable in depth experience, the author has in the trade. He covers all the bases. True no one book can give you it all. For example, I noticed when I installed a Dishwasher, into my existing kitchen, that it snugged in perfectly, both under the counter, and between the sections. Had it been one eighth of an inch smaller, it wouldn't have gone in. From that I realized that their must be standard dimensions in the industry. The author does not cover those dimensions. What he does do is cover everything else, that most others miss. The real information and what you need to know, in order to avoid costly mistakes. What finishes to use, and when. Prepping properly. How to build your cabinetry, and mark out your layout using a story stick. Drawing a floor plan to scale. He is not afraid to share with you the basics. It really is a step by step guide. I like the guy. His writing style is a natural flow of ideas. Not clamored with egotistical sensationalism. Reminds me of good old down home American craftsmanship. Like he was part of the Shakely shop. Although not caught up in old world techniques to a fault. (He prefers random orbit round sanders to the square finish sanders) After all the Shakelies used power tools as well driven by water wheels outside, and long leather belts and pulleys.
You can build any style kitchen cabinetry from the information provided. The author talks about the Early American style periods, including Shaker, Arts and Crafts, as well as Colonial. I get a feeling of the Old World Americana in the book, and yet the practicality of modern methods, tools, and techniques. He doesn't like fast drying catalyzed, toxic urethanes. He does cover many different types of finishes, and their usability. Has a chart with them all on their including the urethanes.
I guess I'm rambling. What I really want to say, is that I am starting out on my quest for building the ultimate kitchen-cabinets. I spend a lot of time learning, then I begin.I have some cured Hickory that I had sawn from a sawyer. I has a beautiful light brown center. I am sure that 90 percent of what I need to know, will be gleaned from this book. No one book ever has it all, but I just feel good reading this one. It is helpful, informative, and I can't help but feel the contagious love for the beauty of a well built kitchen, that is shared by the author. I highly recommend this book. For the price, it is page for page, thought for thought, a super buy.

Very Good
This is a pretty good book, showing lots of good techniques and a few ideas. The only thing I found a little disapointing was no help with standard sizes and dimensions for common cabinets. It is very focused on proven techniqes, including finishing. I bought this book to help me build cabinets for a new home and even though there were no project plans, it was still very helpful.