Daniel F. Duncan Craftsman, Cabinetmaker

Eight Doors

By David Luttrell

July 28^th, 2015

Daniel F. Duncan Cabinetmaker

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I‘ve known Dan Duncan longer than I would care to admit. He was building roll-top desks long before I met him. And from what I understand they were so precise and intricate he only built a few a year. But for the last 37 years he has been a custom cabinetmaker specializing in new and kitchen remodels, bookcases for home offices and studys, entertainment centers and fine furniture.

Dan‘s workshop is a spacious cinderblock structure behind his house. It has to be….. for the machines, lumber, paints, stains and other tools that are in the exact spots for efficient movement. And when the piece is put together in his space its then disassembled for delivery and installation. When Dan‘s in his workflow its like he‘s in a zone, a dance in a way, where he‘s at least three steps ahead in his mind of where his hands and eyes are presently engaged.

Music can be heard as the machines go silent and a small terrier named Izzy rarely moves from a spot next to the woodstove unless she‘s in the attic chasing squirrels.

Daniel F. Duncan Craftsman, Cabinetmaker

This particular project was a couple of bookcases that started with eight doors. And as simple as making a door sounds there’s a great many steps involved as you discover just how things are made.

The non CAD hand drawn plans are always in sight, taped to the back of the wide-belt sander. But I‘m convinced they are also backed up to Dan‘s internal hard drive, his brain.

made on a drafting board with parallel bar

old school is still good school, checking level of workbench where doors are assembled

The hard maple is cut and run through the jointer to flatten and straighten the wood.

Then its passed through the planer to obtain the exact thickness. Cuts are made for the 4 sides and a center panel is cut for each door. That‘s 32 pieces and 8 panels. The pieces are put together using a mortise and tenon joint. Precise measurements are made and separate machines are employed to obtain the exact cuts. The mortise machine is much like a drill press and the tenon cuts are made using a more automated rig.

Once these joints are made a groove is cut with a router for the door panel. Then each door is assembled for fit and first sanding before being glued. Then each door is taken apart, glued, reassembled and once dry, trimmed and then sanded a final time.

putting the doors together for the first pass through the sander

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A base is made for each bookcase and the doors are placed for their initial fit and spacing. Finally the bookshelves are assembled and placed on the base.