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Is cabinet making any different from furniture making you may well ask? Well, there's a real difference according to the Light Manufacturing Industry Training Council. So much so that two separate trades have emerged from the original cabinet making occupation.
Cabinet makers build, repair and install furniture or fixtures made from either wood or wood substitutes, including mass produced flat panels destined to become kitchen cupboards and other furniture items. They predominately require an in-depth knowledge of equipment such as computerised, numerically controlled (CNC) routers, multi-borers and modular construction.
Furniture makers use predominantly 'traditional' wood working skills and knowledge of timber features and frame construction to produce items ranging from custom-built fine jarrah furniture to volume production solid timber furniture. And don't think that technology has bypassed this woodworking trade! The outdoor furniture sector is heavily reliant on CNC technology too.
Centuries Old Craftmanship
Furniture makers are involved in creating custom-designed furniture using hand and power tools and machines such as routers, sequencers, planers, drills, saws and sanders. It's not unusual for them to be involved in all aspects of the job, including designing and working from specifications (drawings), giving quotes to customers, selecting and cutting the materials and fitting and assembling the components by glueing, clamping, nailing or screwing pieces together. They may also do the final sanding, polishing or staining of the wood and any intricate carving and inlay work.
These precision crafstpeople are highly skilled in their trade, being able to transform the unique grains and knots featured in a piece of speciality timber into an article of beauty.
''I love timber, especially Western Australian marri and jarrah. We brought marri to the attention of the public eight years ago and have sent dining suites to England and Ireland. Before that it was used for wood chip timber. Western Australian timber has been horribly abused. People need to learn it is a living and breathing thing and if you're going to cut it down, people should use it to its advantages,'' says Michael Brooker, owner/Director of Brooker Fine Furniture.
Cabinet makers can also use traditional wood working methods to build and install kitchen cabinets, wall units, built in robes and display cases for both commercial and domestic markets. However, there is an increasing trend towards using technology and automated production processes, especially with the emergence of the flat panel sector.
Welcome To a New Era
''We don't use any hand tools in our furniture making, only air tools in assembly. You can't find a chisel or a handsaw anywhere in our place,'' says Bill Clare, former managing director of Clare Manufacturing, a company which manufactures and exports knockdown, outdoor furniture (flat packed for pre-assembly).
The majority of shops nowadays are automated, working with machinery rather than hand tools to produce mass-produced furniture or flat panels (manufactured boards). The focus is on computer know-how and the operation of machines, not the precision skills mentioned above, although some businesses incorporate elements of both styles in their factories.
Using CAD/CAM (computer aided design and manufacturing) systems, machines can cut out, drill and rout in one pass. A CNC router can groove wood in shapes with a single or multiple spindles. Even in the machining area, the most economical way to cut boards is worked out using an estimating package.
''Every factory works differently. We produce cutting lists in the office, and this generates a work program to go to the machinist (who can be a cabinet maker), and then to component preparation areas and finally to the assembly area. We use technology such as multi-borers, CNC routing and computerised beam saws. The building part is becoming less and less important,'' says Alvin Duthie, proprietor of a flat panel, furniture manufacturing business.
Which Trade is For You?
With such a difference in the focus of the two types of trades, it's important to choose the one that best suits your interests and talents. More opportunities certainly exist in the field of CNC technology and flat panel production, although there are niche markets for working with specialty timbers from the South West. Those working in traditional furniture making must demonstrate an aptitude for woodwork, have a good sense of aesthetics and an eye for detail.
Individuals working in the computerised field need to know about computerised technology and machinery and be prepared to learn new systems. There is enormous scope for people to specialise in programming. A downside to the computerised production process is the fact that you may not be involved in manufacturing an item from start to finish, and the work may be repetitious.
''The work in large flat panel shops can be repetitive and if you're constructing thousands of drawers an element of repetition will be a factor to consider,'' says Karen Duthie, co-owner of Marabou Furniture.
Opportunities Galore!
Cabinet makers and furniture makers can be found working in medium to small enterprises specialising in either fine furniture, the project home market, refurbishment of bathrooms or kitchens, or banks and shopping centre fit-outs. Opportunities also exist for work in South East Asia and the United Arab Emirates on commercial building projects.
Experienced cabinet makers can get work as supervisors or leading hands.
Some jobs will involve after hours attendance such as installing shop fittings. For those cabinet makers working in kitchen installations, there is usually a need to work on site, measuring and installing the cabinets.
There is currently a shortage of skilled cabinet makers, and this looks likely to continue over the next few years. Opportunities for furniture makers could be affected by the State Government's decision to cease all logging in old growth forests. However, the furniture industry is receiving financial support from the Australian Government to adapt to these changes.
The starting salary for cabinet makers and furniture makers is approximately $34,000 and may go as high as $50,000 for an experienced tradesperson. Many businesses pay above award rates for experienced staff, especially given the shortage of tradespeople in general. Self-employed persons in either trade may earn well in excess of these salary figures.
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