5 Makita Tools Useful For Building Custom Cabinets
Many home DIY projects can be tackled with little to no experience, and custom cabinets are one such project. While you'd likely want to watch some YouTube videos beforehand, the idea behind making a cabinet is simple enough, but you'll need to grab some tools. Makita is a brand with a rich history, and it has a wide selection of power tools. That'll be more than enough for putting together a cabinet and it'll give you the flexibility to work on other projects around your home.
Every product on this list has good user scores on Home Depot's website, as it's important to know what you're buying has worked for other people as well. It's never any fun to get something only to have it fail on you within a week. A more in-depth explanation of how and why these five tools were picked can be found at the end of the list.
Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion 1/2 in. Cordless Driver-Drill
A power drill is something you'll eventually need when putting together a cabinet, and many other things, so you might as well get it out of the way and grab one first. Not only will Makita's 18V cordless drill work to build your cabinet, but you can also use it for plenty of other things. Luckily, Makita's cordless drill is well-received among buyers as it holds a 4.7/5 rating on Home Depot's website.
You can pick this drill up for $114, but there's a key drawback and it's that there isn't a battery or charger included with the purchase. A single battery can end up costing more than the drill itself if you go for one of the larger options, so that's going to have to be something you keep in mind. If you already have a Makita battery and charger, then you're good to go.
Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2 in. Lightweight Circular Saw and General Purpose Blade
If you're putting together your cabinet from scratch using lumber you bought from a store, you'll need to cut it down into the correct size pieces. Makita's lightweight circular saw is a great option, and you can pick it up from Home Depot for $159. Like some other options on this list, the purchase doesn't include the 18V battery or a charger. One of the things working in its favor is the fact it's 7.3 lbs and has no cord, so it's quite easy to take it outside of your workshop and right to your work area.
With 800 reviews on Home Depot's website and counting, this saw has a 4.7/5 score from buyers. However, that doesn't mean it's not without its downsides. Some reviewers note it doesn't have the power for larger projects, but if you're just sawing 2x4s and smaller wood you need for cabinets this will work just fine. Bigger and more prolonged jobs could require more juice, and that could end up being outside of Makita's wheelhouse.
Makita 15 Amp 12 in. Corded Single-Bevel Compound Miter Saw with 40T Carbide Blade and Dust Bag
Having a portable saw is nice to have with some projects, but it's tough to beat the value a miter saw can offer. Makita's compound miter saw is available from Home Depot for $399, and this will make your cabinet-making process go much quicker. This saw can make angled cuts – 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, 45° right or left, and 0° — so you have a lot of freedom to make and shape things exactly the way you want.
Makita's compound miter saw holds a 4.8/5 rating on Home Depot's website, so this is a good option if you're able to spring for it. The $399 price tag does make it one of the more expensive tools on the list, and that can be hard to justify for a one-off project. If you're planning on tackling more woodworking down the line, it could be a saw that ends up paying for itself in the long run. It's tough to beat the precision offered here as it gives a lot more than a regular circular saw would despite it not being portable.
Makita Guide Rail Clamp
Making a precision cut isn't always easy, especially if you're working alone, so a pair of rail clamps can be very handy. Makita offers a 2-pack of these clamps for sale at Home Depot for $44.08, and they will hold the wood in place while you make your cut. It can't be understated how important it is to have these around, especially for something like cabinet-making where you have to make the correct measurements. Your wood will be held in place, and these clamps are advertised to work with 6 1/2-inch circular saws, much like the one Makita has available.
These clamps have a 4.8/5 rating on Home Depot's website, and reviewers point out it works with more than just Makita products. One buyer note it works with a Milwaukee track saw rail, so don't feel like you have to be locked into Makita if you already have a saw from Milwaukee or someone else. While the price might seem a bit high for just a pair of clamps, these will prove to be valuable additions to your collection.
Makita Cyclonic Vacuum Attachment
One part of the woodworking process that's often overlooked is the cleanup. After making a set of cabinets, there's a good chance you'll have plenty of sawdust leftover, but Makita gives you an easy way to get all of that cleaned up. The Cyclonic Vacuum Attachment will connect to your Makita vacuum and speed up the process. The vacuum costs $129 while the attachment runs you $34.73 on top of that. Makita says this can catch up to 90% in a single go-around, so cleaning up the wood shavings and debris shouldn't take long at all.
This attachment has a 4.8/5 rating from Home Depot shoppers with over 70 reviews. If you already have a Makita vacuum this can attach to, it is an easy purchase to make. However, spending close to $200 on a vacuum, especially if you already have one, can be a tough decision to make. Keep in mind this vacuum is useful for more than just sawdust as it can clean up pet hair in a hurry, too.
Why were these tools chosen?
Making cabinets requires quite a bit of tools, and it can be overwhelming to track down every item you need yourself. Makita is a respected brand that makes everything you need to get started, and a lot of it comes at an affordable price. All Makita items are sold at Home Depot either in-store or online, so there's no issue with finding everything even if you don't live near a store.
The most expensive item on the list is about $400, so outside of that you're looking at a lot of relatively affordable options. When the price is coupled with high user scores, there's a recipe for success and it's tough to go wrong with any of the options here. If you're planning on tackling more woodworking in the future than just cabinets, you'll find the tools on this list will come in handy time and time again.