Tools for Building the Cabinet

The circular saw. If you don't have access to a table saw, this will serve you almost as well. I have a plywood cutting blade in it, which does a very nice job with my cuts. This blade will also cut laminate.

The router. I cannot say enough good things about it—it is a critical tool for me. When I built this cabinet, this beauty was already over 30 years old (thanks Dad) and still worked perfectly, handling everything I threw at it.

2026 update: The router is now over 50 years old and still going.

Corded drill. Even if you have a nice cordless drill, I would really recommend having even a low-end corded drill. You don't want to run a battery dry at an inopportune time, and you will occasionally need the extra torque.

The jig saw. It is handy for cutting the first side. Run it against a straight edge and the resultant cut is nearly impossible to discern by sight from a circular saw cut. The downside is it takes a lot longer to cut with than the other saws.

The main router bits I use are the slot cutter (far left), the flush cutter (second), and the 3/4" straight bit (third from left). The next bit is the combination drill bit/countersink. A 3/8" spade bit is second from the right, and lastly the 1-1/8" spade bit for the control panel.

Saw horses. I have four on hand and use them constantly. I have found the cheap ones work just as well as the higher priced ones for the application we need them for. I just would not recommend expecting them to hold your body weight in addition to the board weight for any length of time. In other words, no napping on construction days.

I love these small, quick-release clamps. I own two and they are used all the time. You should invest in at least a set. They are expensive but worth every penny.

These are the two clamps I use to hold the cabinet sides together during test fittings. They are 24" long.

This is a combination drill bit and countersink. It is a huge timesaver.

The cabinet is held together primarily with 1" and 1-1/4" coarse-thread drywall screws. They are quite strong, have a nice flat head, and have a fantastic grip. A pound of each will be plenty.

Just for informational purposes, I included this shot of some common router bits. This was a roughly $10 set from a traveling tool sale, and the 3/4" and 1/2" straight bits more than paid for the entire set.