How to Modify a Cabinet's Shape?

[John Ming]

Hi - I'm an eCabs newbie and I'm trying to figure how to design a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary cabinet, and hopefully along the way gain a better understanding of how to use the essential functions of the eCabs environment. Before explaining my specific cabinet desgin challenge, I'll also mention that I come to the eCabs world (along with the ShopBot link) as a long-time CabinetVision user (sans their ultra-expensive CNC module) and so part of the challenge of my learning curve is to figure out how/if the eCabs software does things similar to CabinetVision. This is not to say that CV is the benchmark - it's merely the tool that I'm already familar with....

What I'm trying to design is a tall wardrobe cabinet that installs along a wall that has a sloped ceiling element that comes down and intersects with a 4' tall stub wall. I'm (hopefully) attaching a rendering generated by my CV software which shows the basic notion that I'm trying to replicate in eCabs.

In the CV environment, this modified shape is achieved by editing a side elevation view of the entire cabinet, clipping off the upper back corner (via simple shape editing), and then the sofware automatically modifies the shape of the left and right side panels, shortens the vertical back panel section and the top panel, and adds the angled back panel section. Having read through most of the eCabs manual, I'm pretty sure I need to take a much different approach to achieve this design, but I want to make sure I don't things the hard way. Here's my best guess how to proceed:

1) Start with a frameless seed cabinet with overall dimensions set to what I want and with blind dado joinery that attaches the top/deck/back panels to the cabinet sides
2) Modify the cabinet top panel and back panel with large rear/top insets so that their final size is what I want, or maybe slightly oversize so I can miter the joints on my tablesaw
3) Use the part editor to clip the upper-back corners of the left and right side panels
4) Create the angled upper back panel by adding a very wide stretcher element (which blind dadoes into the sides) and angle that element to match the clipped corners on the sides
5) Add final components to the cabinet (adj shelves, roll-out trays, doors, etc.) once the basic cabinet shape is achieved

So for all you eCabs gurus, am I approaching this design the right way or is there a more robust/elegant way to handle it?? I'd rather learn the correct way to handle odd-shaped cabinets like this the first time around...

Thanks in advance for any assistance and kudos to Thermwood for such a nice piece of software!!

John

[John Ming]

Can't seem to get the attachment to upload. Trying again....

[Kerry Fullington]

John,

I think you are on the right track.
This is basically what you will end up with using your directions.

John.jpg (18.9 KiB) Viewed 2484 times

I should have rotated the grain on the stretcher back.

Kerry