The pantry cabinets are progressing, albeit slowly. The carcasses are done. The face frames are finished but not as perfect as I would hope. I think I need to find a finer mesh strainer for my sprayer. I kept getting crystalline bumps. I also need to accept that more of my supplies need to be considered "single use" items. The finish is good but it took two extra sandings and spray coats to get there. The shelves are all finished and I’ve order 140 shelf pins – 80 for this job and 60 for the next. The face frames have been attached using the same biscuit technique i used on the kitchen base cabinets.

Since the pantry will have inset doors rather than drawers, I used a trick I learned from a cabinet making shop. I lowered the face frame about 1/4" so the door would close against the bottom of the carcass. This required I cut the bottom of the carcass 1/2" shallow and then install a 1/2" piece of finish wood. I glued and screwed a complement piece of finish wood to the back side of the face frame at the top such that it hung down 1/4". When a pantry door is closed, it is now fully supported along the top and bottom so it will remain square and flush. At the bottom, it is advisable to add an extra strip of carcass material below the finished edge so there is something for the biscuit joints. Technically it is possible to get by without it but with a 1/4" reveal, that only leaves 1/2" of the carcass for the slot and biscuit joint and that was not enough for my comfort. (The insert at the bottom of the photo is a zoom of the bottom of the center pantry cabinet and highlights the technique.)

Next weekend, I will build the three large doors. If it stays warm enough, I might be able to cut all the parts over the course of two or three evenings. The rail and stile material has already made a pass through the router table to receive the panels. However, the panels are large so cutting them will be a task for when I have patients and am not tired. They will also need to be rabbited just a little since the plyboo is true 1/4" and the shaker panel bit set is made for undersized stock. (such is life)