Better way to build cabinet?

[Nat Wheatley]

I'm redoing my closet library, and will be basing it on the cabinet attached below. The last time around I used color coded edgeband to distinguish certain parts (finished vs unfinished ends, fixed vs. adjustable shelves etc.) but am going to do without edgeband on these. The edgebanding seems to slow processing times considerably (can't pull the trigger on a new computer at the moment), and the cabinets will never be used for display, just for creating parts. Looking for suggestions for an alternate way to mark the parts, that will stand out in the library pictures.

To generate my shelf holes (which run top to bottom and also receive the RTA studs) I've used an adjustable shelf located in a set position in each of the cabinets. Shelf material is set as 'invisible' and filtered out when I generate cut files. The problem is, that some of the cabinets won't have an adjustable shelf, and on the ones that do, if I move the 'reference' shelf to an actual shelf location, the holes move with it. Though it does work just to leave the reference shelf in place and work around it, it seems a little awkward. I'm also concerned that, when working on a cabinet, I might inadvertantly shift the shelf, which would throw my shelf (and RTA stud holes) out of whack.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

GCMF - 12 - 4 - New.hsf

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[DanEpps]

You could create different libraries for each style or devise a naming scheme that will tell you the style at a glance. Names like FEAS (finished end, adjustable shelves) would be easy to decipher.

You are doing what most folks probably do for the shelf holes--place one shelf with a set number of holes above and below and don't apply holes for additional shelves.

If you want the holes without any shelves, there are two ways to go about it. The first (fastest and easiest) is what you are already doing. The second, and most involved way, is to take the ends into Contour Mode of the Part Editor and Create Edges. Remove the blue lines for the panel outline, leaving just the holes. Save the hole patterns in a geometry (.X_T) file. Remove the shelf then take the panel back to the Part Editor and use the saved geometry to create the holes. After the holes are cut, take the panel into the Constraint Manages and constrain each hole so it doesn't move.

[JohnLashuay]

Nat,

I am also in the process of reworking my closet library with the 32mm line bore system. I decided to create cabinets, that have adjustable shelves, by figuring the exact placement of one of the adjustables for the line bore and then removing the holes for the rest. I am working on drawing up in CAD side panel views of each cabinet so I can quickly refer to them for dimensions.

As far as cabinets that do not have an adjustable shelves to attach holes, I am leaning toward leaving out the holes. So we wouldn't be so rigid with the 32mm system.

I would be interested to see what direction you end up going because this has been something that I have been struggling with for some time now.
-John

[Dennis Englert]

Holes always seem to be an issue.

Dan's method works well. Install a shelf with the desired holes, move the shelf to align the holes correctly (fore and aft, up and down), then use the Part Editor to create the hole pattern as Dan described. Remove the shelf, load the pattern and cut the holes.

It seems to me that most closet system applications use standard parts. If that is the case, you may not need to process the parts through the Constraint Manager. If the part's depth or height do not change, the hole pattern will not change, thus no need to constrain the pattern.

If you're using traditional machining methods rather than CNC the main reason for including hole patterns is for reference. The cut lists and drawings will show the hole pattern. If all of your end panels and partitions are drilled using a standard pattern anyways, you probably don't need to include the hole pattern in the design. It's just a given that these parts are drilled.

[Nat Wheatley]

I like the idea of using saved geometry, and then constraining the holes.

The problem with using separate library for cabinets with 'like' parts, is that some have a mix of parts. Some of the cabinets have both a finished and an unfinished end, some have both fixed and adjustable shelves. I'm wondering if there's some way to create a colored 'dot' that I then associate to that cabinet in a logical spot. Just a thought and I have no idea how I'd go about it...again, open to suggestions.

Thanks for the help.

[DanEpps]

I think your best bet is to develop a naming convention that tells you at a glance what the design is.

You can do this with diur lists:

1. List all options
2. All combinations of options
3. All of your standard sizes
4. One from list 2 and one from list 3 until you have all combinations and sizes

From list 4 you can come up with a naming convention that will provide you with the type, size and options for that particular cabinet. This is where you might want to lump some of the option combinations together in separate libraries. Lets say that you have option combination A in five different sizes. Put all of those sizes in a library named to reflect option combination A and so on. Using different libraries in this manner will make it much easier to quickly find what you need for a design.

[Nat Wheatley]

Dan, thanks very much for all you input. I'll give the naming system a try.

-Nat