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Lesson Plan
12 Video Lessons · 1H 58M
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1. Course Overview
Your instructor, Ken, welcomes you to this cabinet making course, shares what you'll learn about cabinetry, and discusses how he began his career as a cabinet maker.
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2. Anatomy
Learn the basic parts of a cabinet. Ken describes the cabinet box, face frame, and different types of joints and cabinet doors you'll see on your journey as a cabinet maker.
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3. Hardware
Hinges, knobs, and drawer slides, oh my! Cabinet hardware choices are endless, and boil down to personal taste and budget. Ken takes you through a handful of options when choosing cabinet hardware.
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4. Material Selection
Ken teaches you how to decide what materials to use for your cabinet box and cabinet door construction, how to inspect the wood you're considering, and how to care for it once it gets to your shop.
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5. Building Cabinet Boxes: Rip Cuts and Cross Cuts
Working from a simple sketch, Ken shows you how to cut your sheet goods down to size to create the top, bottom, back, and sides of your cabinet case.
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6. Building Cabinet Boxes: Dado Joinery
Learn how to prepare the pieces of your cabinet box for assembly using a simple dado stack in your table saw.
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7. Building Cabinet Boxes: Box Assembly
Ken shows you how to assemble your cabinet box and troubleshoot a couple of common problems that might arise during assembly.
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8. Building Cabinet Boxes: Edge Banding
Edge banding is the thin material that covers the edges of plywood on your cabinet to hide the exposed grain. You can edge band with a specialized machine, but here Ken shows you how to do it by hand.
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9. Building Cabinet Doors: Sizing and Cutting
Ken teaches you how to measure and cut two cabinet door panels, and the right way to double check your work.
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10. Building Cabinet Doors: Edge Banding
Cabinet doors need edge banding, too. Ken takes you through edge banding, trimming, and checking your measurements.
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11. Building Cabinet Doors: Boring and Sanding
Ken shows you how to properly bore holes for hinges on your cabinet doors and sand them down so they're smooth to the touch.
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12. Building Cabinet Doors: Adding Hardware
The final step in cabinet construction is adding your hardware and mounting the doors. Ken shows you how to put hinges on the cabinet, install the cabinet doors, and prep your cabinet for finishing.
Key Topics
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Basic anatomy of a cabinet
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How to make a cabinet box
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How to make edge banding by hand
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How to create a simple door panel
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How to bore holes for hinges
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How to double check work
5 stars
Overall rating of 10 students
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5 out of 5
Sergio R.,
Apr 25, 2022
Great experience,good knowledge and would recommend this video to anyone who wants to learn.
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5 out of 5
Tina B.,
Apr 08, 2022
Excellent detailed instructions with plans!
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5 out of 5
Nate S.,
Mar 23, 2022
Looking forward to the next course!
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5 out of 5
Jesus R.,
Nov 23, 2021
Thank you. Great stuff. I loved the detail and finesse.
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5 out of 5
nick F.,
Jul 26, 2021
Very well explained. I felt like I could do exactly what you said in the videos.
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5 out of 5
Robert C.,
Jul 18, 2021
Have built a lot of cabinets and still learned a few new tricks … great class
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5 out of 5
Austin V.,
May 13, 2021
Do an advanced masterclass soon!
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5 out of 5
Graham C.,
May 11, 2021
This course parallels with knowledge that I learned from a cabinet installer who spent decades in the field working at a cabinet shop and developing standards for casework installation in commercial...
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4 out of 5
Mark A.,
Aug 29, 2023
The course material was informative and helpful. Ken showed how to do things and also explained the why behind his choices and indicated when there are other approaches that would also work. Overall,...
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4 out of 5
David W.,
Feb 05, 2022
Overall, this course was taught in a very thorough manner with lots of little tips from Ken that you can only get from a professional in this trade. I would recommend this for anyone that is...
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Ken Decost
Director of Millwork at NS Builders
Your Instructor
Ken DeCost is a cabinet maker based in Boston, MA. Growing up in a family of tradesmen, Ken began to develop his carpentry skills from a young age. Over the last ten years he has honed his expertise in high end cabinet making. In 2017, he became the Director of Millwork for custom home builder, NS Builders. Here he has assembled a skilled team that aligns to his level of high standards and excellence. From traditional to ultra modern, complex curved work to hand stitched veneering, he continues to push the limits of perfection and craftsmanship.
Become Job Ready
This course will increase your knowledge for jobs like:
Cabinet Maker
Cabinet Installer
Cabinet Finisher
Carpenter
Millwork Installer
For more information on these roles, visit our career page.
Search for these jobs at:
Common Questions
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What is MT Copeland?
MT Copeland helps you further your career in the building industry with expert-led online education that will make you a better, smarter tradesperson.
Our training courses give you a foundation in construction fundamentals and trade skills with real-world applications and best practices to help you grow on the job.
What do courses include?
Online courses include professionally produced videos taught by leaders in the trades and supplementary learning material such as quizzes, assessments and downloadable materials to help you acquire new skills. Watch anywhere, always at your own pace. We keep lesson videos short so they’re easy to watch after work or on your lunch break. You can finish a course in one sitting, or space it out over a week or two.
Can you learn with MT Copeland outside of the u.s.?
Yes! You can take MT Copeland courses from anywhere in the world. Our courses are online, so if you have access to the Internet, you can watch our training videos. Courses are taught in English, with English captions and Spanish subtitles available.
Where did the name MT Copeland come from?
MT Copeland was named after a legendary educator who promoted the idea that training in a specific trade paired with a knowledge of general business principles opens up a whole new world of career possibilities. We believe in the same powerful combination of skills and knowledge.
