sons kitchen updates

welll my first attempt at making crown molding didnt go as well as expected.
After spending a long time making sure I understood the speed of the router to properly get a decent cut, (not worried about the profile so much yet, since its only practice molding), I forgot to lock the router in place and was wondering and to be honest, a bit frightened how much the bit shook. I didnt want to be using a large bit that didnt seem stable.
After I got a rough first pass, something clicked in my brain damaged head and I realized I didnt clamp the router secure.
Its going to take 3 very light passes at around 15000 rpms to get a decent cut.
I made another error when I passed it over the 45 degree chamfer bit, seems I forgot to chamfer the back on the top, so it looks a bit off, but its only practice.

Ive had zero sucess in the few times in my life I tried to put up crown molding. After wasting 5 feet or so of the mdf crown I put up in my house couple of years back, I purchased the corner blocks to make my life easy.
I promised to just avoid crown as long as I can, but now I have to learn how to hang it.
Maybe simple simon stuff for some, but up until today, I just had a block.

I cut any profile, just to get a feel of it, then made a corner so I could practice to put up two pieces to make sure Im cutting it right. Im happy it came out fine. I ran a piece of 120 grit paper over the edge, but wont be doing that once I install the pieces I cut for the kitchen.
This is my nightmare, and the reason Im making my own crown, so after I waste some pieces I wont kick myself for spending 5 bucks a linear foot for cherry molding.

My contractor neighbor,(retired now), gave me the rockler crown molding jig a while back.
He told me hed come over any day and teach me how to cut it, but I figured it out with the jig, and kinda like using the jig instead of just placing it against the miter fence simply because I can lock the piece in with the jig and hold it down better.(so I used the jig, besides, it has the proper blade and piece placement written on it so an idiot like me doesnt cut it incorrectly)

the profile I cut isnt the one Ill be using, just showing what the profile bit can do, I need to move it up a bit, and not chamfer the front face.
I dont own a 52/38 chamfer bit, so Im using my 45 degree one.
I have to cut a better block to pin the molding on. I just took a piece of ply for a nailing block for the practice run.
I have more molding, so Ill keep practicing.

Im hoping to get the big cabinet installed sunday, along with some faceframes and a few more doors.
 

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slow going, made 2 pieces, one 4 foot, one a bit less than 3 feet, and it took me over 1.5 hours.
got the profile I wanted, still have to make lighter passes.
 

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cutter is buried in the fence, move the fence back very slightly to increase the depth of the cut.
the 2 pieces I made came out fine until I tried to hog off too much on the 4th pass.
I did a bit of sanding, but I think Id have to sand them all down anyway, to at least 120 grit.
 
... Ive had zero sucess in the few times in my life I tried to put up crown molding. After wasting 5 feet or so of the mdf crown I put up in my house couple of years back, I purchased the corner blocks to make my life easy. ...

Allen, how did you cut the miters for the corners?

The easiest way is to flip the crown upside down to the way it will mount on the wall. Set it at an angle using the miter saw fence and base. Make sure the saw blade is 90° to its table. Rotate the blade to 45° (or whatever is needed for the corner) and make a cut straight down.
 
managed to get the big pantry cab and a couple of uppers finished today.
I have to make a spacer for the pantry, and havent installed any crown yet(wont do the crown until I finish the soffit panels off)
tried to work on mapping out a space for a dishwasher, but my sore back ended my work day.
I drove home 40 miles and will be going back there shortly for a bbq and movie night, so Ill do some more rethinking later.
Not sure if I can use the base cabinet with the sink, might have to take it out and make a new cabinet. undecided about the best approach here.
Its a slow process for me.

I have to devote some time, hopefully, this week if my back permits, and make a cart for a popcorn machine. Block party in a month and Im donating the popcorn(and have the machine to make it. Party companies want too much around here, and we have to purchase the popcorn anyway) Nothing fancy, just whatever sheetgoods I have laying around and Ill make plywood wheels for show, paint it all bright colors.

heres some cell phone pics of where Im at with the kitchen reface. (sorry, the pics are from a cell phone, eventually Ill remember my camera)still waiting on the window guy to replace the window so I can get started on that area also.and yes, my son kitchens is the messiest Ive ever seen, maybe now with some cabinets hell some of his mess.
 

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Im reluctant to let my sone move the heating lines out so we could put in cabs on the other two blank walls.
hes never capped off pipes, and besides, we need to secure a water line for the fridge icemaker, so I might have to get a plumber in here to do the work. If I can get the dishwasher space sorted, I can finish the lower cabs under the sink and get moving on with the empty two walls.
 
it was a job to remove the counter, didnt realize just how heavy the thing was, had to be careful not to destroy the sink and plumbing,(were not keeping the sink, but until we get a new counter and sink, it could be a while, have to keep the kitchen in functioning order) and not scratch the cabinet I already installed(we had to move them to get the sink cabinet out)
It couldnt be saved, so instead of knocking myself out trying to cut down the cabinet, Im just going to rebuild a couple of cabinets to finish off that section.
 
I hired a contractor today, he will install a new kitchen window, install the all house attic fan and hook up the new dishwasher. Hes part of a crew Ive been using in my home for the past 20 years.
I happenned to be speaking with a member of his crew today, and he mentioned suprisingly, they are a bit slower than usual for the summer, so I approached him with all the little odds and ends Id rather have a pro do.

as far as the refacing goes, I just finished off and sanded the base cabinets faces.
There is very little base cabinets on this wall, since we are putting in a dishwashwer.

comparing the two pictures, the double doors on the right are gone(dishwasher space), and on the left cab, there are no more 3 drawers, just one top one for cutlery, and then a cabinet door.

I will make a few more drawers on the other walls when I get to them.

I had to rip out that old sink cabinet, and it took me all of one day to rebuild him another base cabinet.
Im sorry I just didnt rip out all the old cabs and make new ones.
I like my 3/4 inch new ply walls better than the old 1/2 inch ply that are there, but its a moot point now.
Brain freeze, what was I thinking. I had to remake the cabinet over the stove for the microwave, and I made the big pantry cabinet, so that only left 5 small cabinets to complete those 2 walls. stupid. It would have been a small cost, and I could have made the new cabs in a few days. Stupid. Guess this is how one learns.

I keep having to call it quits early each day, so progress is very slow. My back just refuses to cooperate, and the more I stress it, the more I pay the next day. I think Im taking the next few days off, hoping to let the disk settle down a bit.

look at those base cabinets. doesnt matter what I make for him, anything looks better than those.
 

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Looks great Allen! Did you make an end panel for the right side of the dish washer? We typically make them 3" wide by the depth of the cabinet.

Looks like you can add making kitchen cabinets to your resume now!
 
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