Shop links go to the Wooden Ren carpenter store (TWD, ships from Taiwan). Prices are cached — actual price on the store page wins.

18 steps total, estimated 15.8 hours of work (±50% depending on skill level).

1. 01Prep stock

   Select and inspect stock

   ~30 min

   Working in Pine. Pick boards with clean, straight grain, no major knots, and stress-released stock (no edge bow). Leave 5–10% trim waste — don't skimp on this buffer for larger projects.

   Tools:5m Tape Measure (Giant German Premium)
   • ·Moisture content must be ≤12% (8–10% ideal in dry climates). High-MC stock will shrink after glue-up and split tenons.
   • ·Save the cleanest grain / colour for visible faces (top, seats, doors).
   • ·Avoid knots > 10 mm on load-bearing structural parts.
   • ·Hardwoods (oak / beech): sharpen tools before working — dull edges chip the stock and risk injury. Softwoods (pine / fir): raise plane angle and slow the cut to avoid tear-out.
2. 02Prep stock

   Joint and thickness-plane

   ~60 min

   Joint one reference face plus one 90° edge (square to the face), then thickness-plane the opposite face parallel to the reference. No jointer / planer? Buy pre-milled (S4S) stock and skip ahead.

   Tools:Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm
   • ·Joint the reference face first; check with a try-square that the second face is 90° to it before moving on.
   • ·Planer passes ≤ 1.5 mm (≤ 1 mm in hardwood) — multiple light passes leave less tear-out than one heavy one.
   • ·Leave 0.5 mm for sanding — don't plane to final thickness; sanding will remove another 0.3–0.5 mm.
3. 03Cut to length

   Cut to length — 23 parts

   ~290 min

   Cut milled stock into individual parts per the cut list. **Note:** parts with tenons already include the tenon stock — don't add length. Mark each part on the side with its part-id (e.g., leg-l-f / apron-front) right after cutting so dry-fit doesn't turn into a guessing game.

   Tools:5m Tape Measure (Giant German Premium)Stainless Steel Ruler 30cmTemple Tool 180mm Double-Edge Ryoba Saw (Rip + Crosscut, Japanese Steel)
   • ·Cut longest parts first — long stock can become short, but short stock can't grow back.
   • ·Mark the cut line with a try-square + pencil or marking knife, and keep the saw kerf on the waste side.
   • ·Check both ends square after each cut — a plane can fix a slightly out-of-square end now, but not after glue-up.
   • ·The cut list shows two numbers per part: "visible size" and "cut size". Joinery parts will differ by the tenon length — cut to the cut size.
   • ⚠️ Double-check the cut list before every saw cut — you can't un-cut a board.
4. 04Cut joinery

   Mechanical-joinery prep (pocket hole / dowel / DOMINO — pick one)

   ~35 min

   Assembly mode replaces traditional joinery with mechanical fasteners. **Pick one method and stick with it** — mixing makes alignment harder. (A) **Pocket holes** (fastest, beginner-friendly): drill 15° holes on the male part (aprons / stretchers / drawer sides) with a jig and drive #6 × 1¼" screws. (B) **Dowels** (cheapest): drill ⌀8 × 30 mm holes on both parts with a doweling jig, insert 8 × 40 mm dowels + glue. (C) **DOMINO** (most pro, needs a Festool): cut slots with the joiner, insert 5 × 30 mm DOMINOs.

   Tools:Gen-2 Pocket-Hole JigDrill + Tapping Cantilever Positioning Stand6.35mm Hex Shank Brad Point Drill Bit SetTaibang No.2 PVA Wood Glue
   • ·One method per build — pocket-hole aprons + dowel drawers makes alignment headaches.
   • ·Drill pocket holes on the male part (apron / stretcher); mother (leg) stays clean. Hidden face up so screw heads never face the room.
   • ·Vacuum every hole clean before driving — chips block depth and starve the threads.
   • ·Drive the screw within 10 minutes of glue-up: glue is wet, screw clamps tight, then the glue cures.
   • ⚠️ **Never point pocket holes at the room** — the visible face of an apron must face the wall or floor.
   • ⚠️ Dowels must be a snug fit (finger-push in, mallet-tap home). Loose dowels = no joint.
5. 05Dry-fit

   Dry-fit (no glue)

   ~18 min

   Assemble every joint without glue first. Target fit: pushes in by hand, seats with a light mallet tap, takes some effort to pull out. **Pare tenons, never mortises** — mortises are mother structure, you ruin them and the part is scrap.

   Tools:Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm5m Tape Measure (Giant German Premium)
   • ·Dry-fit in the same sequence you'll use for glue-up — sub-assemblies first (leg frames, drawer boxes), then combine.
   • ·Check 90° at every corner with a try-square; if it's off, you can still adjust.
   • ·Measure both diagonals across the carcase — equal = square, unequal = racked.
   • ·Tight tenons: pare lightly, 0.2 mm at a time, testing between cuts. Aggressive paring leaves a loose joint.
   • ⚠️ Don't force-tight tenons home with a mallet — glue makes wood expand and the mother will split.
6. 06Glue-up

   Glue up the drawer boxes

   ~28 min

   Each drawer assembled independently. Sequence: glue front + 2 sides (dovetail or half-lap), check for square, attach the back, slide the bottom in from the back — **do not glue the bottom**, it needs to move with seasonal humidity.

   Tools:Taibang No.2 PVA Wood GlueHeavy-Duty Malleable Iron F-Clamps × 4Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm
   • ·Drawer box must be perfectly square — out-of-square boxes will bind in the cabinet.
   • ·Leave a 1 mm glue gap around the bottom so the panel can expand / contract without splitting the sides.
   • ·Attach the drawer-front to the box with screws from inside (not glue) — lets you fine-tune front alignment later.
7. 07Glue-up

   Build the doors (frame-and-panel or flat)

   ~21 min

   Frame-and-panel: rails + stiles around a floating panel. **Don't glue the panel into the frame** — it must move; leave 2 mm expansion gap. Flat-plywood door: cut to size, edge-band all four sides.

   Tools:Taibang No.2 PVA Wood GlueHeavy-Duty Malleable Iron F-Clamps × 4Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm
   • ·The floating panel must never be glued to the frame — wood movement will split the frame.
   • ·Wax or pre-finish all four edges of the panel before assembly — keeps the visible edge from showing unfinished wood when it shrinks in winter.
   • ·After glue-up, measure diagonals — square it with a clamp twist if needed and let it cure 24 h.
8. 08Glue-up

   Final glue-up (combine sub-assemblies)

   ~35 min

   Combine the cured sub-assemblies (frames / drawer boxes / doors) with the main structure (top / sides / back). Thin PVA on tenon walls and inside mortises — 1 mm coat is plenty; thicker just squeezes out and is hard to clean up.

   Tools:Taibang No.2 PVA Wood GlueHeavy-Duty Malleable Iron F-Clamps × 4Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm
   • ·Lay out all clamps before opening the glue bottle — PVA open time is 8–10 minutes, no time to hunt for clamps.
   • ·Wipe glue squeeze-out with a damp rag immediately — dried glue blocks stain and finish.
   • ·Measure diagonals right after clamping — if racked, release one clamp and re-clamp to pull it square before the glue sets.
   • ·24-hour cure for full strength before releasing clamps and sanding. 6 hours gets you to handle-able but only half-strength.
   • ⚠️ Glue-and-clamp the entire assembly in one continuous pass (within 10 minutes). Don't pause.
   • ⚠️ Pad clamp jaws — bare metal will dent the finished face permanently.
9. 09Glue-up

   Install the back panel

   ~14 min

   Slide the back into the rabbet from behind. Plywood backs can be glued; solid-wood backs **don't glue** — they need to move. Tack 18 mm pins around the perimeter from outside.

   Tools:
10. 10Sand

    Sand pass 1 (120 grit — remove plane marks)

    ~35 min

    Use 120 grit to remove plane marks, saw marks, glue residue. **Sand with the grain** — cross-grain scratches will not come out later.

    Tools:Fuji Star Japanese Sandpaper Set 120–600 Grit
    • ·Hardwoods (oak / beech) with deep plane marks: start at 100 grit. Softwoods (pine / fir): 120 grit is fine.
    • ·Use a random-orbit sander for efficiency; corners and edges by hand to avoid rounding them over.
    • ·Ease sharp edges with a 1 mm chamfer — sharp arrises cut hands and lose finish first.
11. 11Sand

    Sand pass 2 (180 grit — refine)

    ~28 min

    Move to 180 grit. Fully remove the 120-grit scratches before moving on — leftover scratches show through every finish coat.

    Tools:Fuji Star Japanese Sandpaper Set 120–600 Grit
12. 12Sand

    Sand pass 3 (240 grit — ready for finish)

    ~21 min

    240 grit final pass to prep for oil / finish. Vacuum and wipe with a tack cloth — any dust left will get sealed into the first coat as grit.

    Tools:Fuji Star Japanese Sandpaper Set 120–600 Grit
13. 13Finish

    First oil coat

    ~35 min

    Thin coat of wood oil (OSMO Polyx-Oil / Tried-and-True / Watco Danish Oil) with a lint-free rag. Let it sit 15 minutes for the wood to drink, then wipe all surplus off with a clean rag (must wipe, or it dries sticky). Cure 12–24 hours.

    Tools:Otani Vaton Wood Protection Oil
    • ⚠️ **Oil-soaked rags can spontaneously combust!** Lay them flat to dry or submerge in water before disposal — never ball them up. The exothermic oxidation will start a fire.
14. 14Finish

    Burnish with 0000 steel wool

    ~20 min

    Once coat 1 is fully cured (24 h), burnish the whole surface with 0000 steel wool to knock back raised grain. Wipe clean with a dry rag. This step is what makes the surface feel silky.

    Tools:
15. 15Finish

    Second oil coat

    ~35 min

    Repeat coat 1: thin coat → 15 min → wipe surplus → 24 h cure. After two coats the surface is noticeably smooth with a warm sheen. Two coats are enough for daily use; high-wear surfaces (tabletops, seats) want a third.

    Tools:Otani Vaton Wood Protection Oil
16. 16Dry-fit

    Install hinges and door pulls

    ~180 min

    Euro cup hinges: drill the 35 mm cup with a Forstner bit (12 mm deep) on the door back, fasten the hinge, then screw the plate to the cabinet side. After hanging, fine-tune the 3 adjustment screws (forward-back / left-right / up-down) so reveals are even.

    Tools:Drill + Tapping Cantilever Positioning Stand
    • ·Standard Euro-hinge placement: 100 mm in from the top and bottom of the door; add a third in the middle if the door is > 1 m tall.
    • ·Even 3 mm reveals all around — adjust at the three hinge screws to dial it in.
17. 17Dry-fit

    Install drawer slides (if used)

    ~40 min

    Full-extension slides: outer rail to cabinet side, inner rail to drawer side. The two rails must be perfectly horizontal and aligned left/right or the drawer will bind. Traditional wood runners also work.

    Tools:Drill + Tapping Cantilever Positioning Stand6.35mm Hex Shank Brad Point Drill Bit Set5m Tape Measure (Giant German Premium)
    • ·Outer-rail front face flush with the cabinet front edge — drawer fronts will cover the slides.
    • ·Left/right rail height tolerance ≤ 1 mm. > 3 mm and the drawer will bind.
18. 18Finish

    Final inspection and sign-off

    ~20 min

    Once all glue and oil are fully cured (~72 hours total), do a final check.

    Tools:Stainless Steel Ruler 30cm5m Tape Measure (Giant German Premium)
    • ·Square: try-square on all four corners; diagonals equal.
    • ·Level: spirit level on the top / seat — should sit flat in any direction.
    • ·Stability: rock the piece — every foot should sit flat. If one leg lifts, plane the longest one down with a card scraper.
    • ·Door reveals even at 3 mm, opens and closes smoothly.
    • ·Drawer slides smoothly, no binding, no tilt.
    • ·Finish feels silky-smooth, no grit or missed spots.

Above is the auto-generated standard build sequence. A future version will offer “AI deep-dive / YT script” buttons where Claude adds practitioner tips and filming notes.