Sliding dovetails provide several advantages over a dado joint. First, they're stronger because they don't rely solely on glue. Second, the shoulders of the dovetailed piece hide the edges of the slot, much as a tenoned workpiece hides a mortise. And the exposed dovetail provides a visible signature of your craftsmanship.  Cabinet Sourcing is proud to make high quality sliding dovetail face framed kitchen cabinets. Also we can make similar construction where top and bottom connect to sides. This construction save our customers assembly time and make it easier.

To make this joint, you'll rout the dovetail slot first, then cut and size the dovetail to fit. For the slot you'll need a handheld router and the dado jig shown below. In addition to a 5⁄8 " guide bushing, you'll need a 1⁄4 " spiral downcut bit for clean cuts (a 1⁄4 " straight bit will also work) and a 1⁄2 " dovetail bit. We chose a 7° dovetail bit because it leaves a thicker, stronger "neck" on the dovetail than a 14° bit would. You will shape the dovetail on a router table. For testing the router-table setup, prepare a panel the same thickness and about the same width as the project panels to be dovetailed.

You will cut the dovetail slot in two operations. First, to reduce the load on the dovetail bit, remove most of the waste with the spiral downcut bit. Then switch to the dovetail bit to complete shaping the slot. Because the dovetail slot tapers from bottom to top, the inside edges of the jig do not align with the top edges of the slot, photo below. To reposition the jig accurately for each operation, use the jig to draw layout lines on your workpieces to define both sides of the slots. Install the bushing and spiral downcut bit, and set the bit's cutting depth to 1⁄16 " less than the final depth of the slot. Clamp the jig along the layout lines and rout across the panel. Rout each slot with this setup.

Sometimes called utility cabinets, tall kitchen cabinets are usually 84" (7') tall, but some are 90" or 96". 7', 7.5 or 8' are considered the normal height that the top of wall cabinets are installed. There are three main tall cabinets: oven, pantry and utility or broom.

OVEN CABINET. These cabinets are used to house an oven separate from a range. Often used when a cooktop is used in place of a range, or for a second oven. An oven cabinet could hold two ovens, or an oven and microwave. At Cabinet Sourcing, we make oven cabinet to customer specs. We can customize the opening for customer to fit oven or microwave of any size. Check manufacturers information for how much you can cut out of the openings.

PANTRY CABINET. Sometimes a regular utility cabinet is used and a kit is installed that contains shelves, brackets, etc. Kits are available for door storage. Manufacturing network of Cabinet Sourcing can provide special pantry unit with storage in doors, shelves and other features.

FINISHED ENDS. The fixed size cabinets usually have all the cabinet ends stained to match. Some of these ends will be exposed while others will be hidden, but since they are all pre-stained it’s not a concern.
The cabinets that are kitchen cabinet factory made, but not until an order is placed, usually stain only the ends requested. This means the kitchen estimator has to inspect the design and “list” either “REF” (right end finished), or “LEF” (left) or “BEF” (both) and add the required cost.
Cabinets from Cabinet Sourcing normally have both ends finished. Some kitchen cabinet manufacturers have a fir end you can get prefinished at a lower cost than the main cabinet wood. This could be a good choice next to a refrigerator, for example, where you may see the end, but not plainly.

There are many other base cabinets and accessories available. Appliance garages, custom shelves, prefinished matching V-groove, or no V-groove panelling sheets so the back of regular kitchen cabinets used in a peninsula can be finished, cutting boards, bread boards, wire basket liners, bread box liners, cutlery trays, half-round open shelves for end of base cabinets, microwave trim kits and more.