Before the advent of the ice box, when kitchen cabinets were still more of a luxury than a standard item, a pie safe was considered a prize possession. These unique cupboards were used to store baked goods, flour and other kitchen sundries. Their classic style and design still blends well with many modern kitchen settings. In recent years pie safes have moved out of the kitchen and found new lives as entertainment centers, armoires and linen cupboards. Build your own prized pie safe and add a piece of history to your home's décor. Lowe's is happy to provide this information as a service to you.

Tools & Materials
Tools

• Table saw 
• Back saw
• Router 
• Combination square
• Drill press  with mortising attachment or drill/driver  and doweling jig
• Palm sander
• Chisel
• Wooden mallet
• Clamps 
• Tape measure
• Stapler
• Dust mask
• Goggles

Materials

• Material of your choice for door panels
• 1x6x8' = 12
• 1x6x10' = 1
• 1x4x8' = 6
• 1x4x10' = 1
• 1x10x10' = 1
• 1/4x4x8 faced plywood = 2 sheets
• Wood plugs
• Wood glue
• Screws
• Door knobs
• Cabinet pulls
• Hinges
• Door catch
• Sandpaper

Getting Started
This is an advanced project, but with a little planning, some patience, the right tools and careful attention to detail any motivated woodworking enthusiast should be able to pull through the project and maybe develop some new skills along the way. Before beginning this project, please familiarize yourself with the following techniques:

• Making a Mortise and Tenon Joint
• Making a Box Joint
• Frame and Panel Construction
• Gluing Panels

Make the Side Frames

1. Cut eight stiles to size. Put four of the stiles completely aside, as they will be used in the front and back frames.
2. Cut eight side frame rails to size. Cut 3/4" long tenons in each end of each side frame rail. Rout or cut a 1/4" wide by 3/8" deep groove in one edge of four side frame rails. These will serve as the top and bottom side frame rails. Rout or cut a 1/4" wide by 3/8" deep groove in both edges of the other four side frame rails. These will serve as the median (middle) side frame rails.
3. Create two side frame sets consisting of two stiles, one top side frame rail, one bottom side frame rail and two median side frame rails.
4. Lay out the side rails on the stiles so that:
   1. The bottom side rail is 6 1/4" up from the bottom of the stiles.
   2. The outside edge of the top side rail is flush with the ends of the stiles.
   3. The median side rails are evenly spaced between the top and bottom rails.
   4. Mark the stiles for mortises.
5. Cut mortises in each stile where indicated. Rout or cut a 1/4" wide by 3/8" deep groove in the inside edge of each frame stile. The groove in each stile should run from the top of the bottom mortise to the bottom of the top mortise.
6. Dry fit the side frames and check each one for square. While you have the frames assembled, determine the panel size for each opening. Measure the distance between the inside edges of opposing stiles and rails in each opening and add 1/2" to each measurement. Adding 1/2" ensures that the panel can't move enough to leave any gaps, but still has enough room to expand and contract without distorting the frame.
7. Cut out the panels from your 1/4" stock. Remove one of the stiles from each dry fit. Slide the panels in their respective openings and reinstall the stiles. Check the assemblies for fit and square. Make any necessary adjustments and glue the assemblies together.

Make the Back Frame

1. Cut five back frame rails to size. Cut 3/4" long tenons in each end of each rail.
2. Lay out the rails on the back frame stiles so that:
   1. The bottom rail is 6 1/4" up from the bottom end of the stiles.
   2. The outside edge of the top rail is flush with the top end of the stiles.
   3. The top of the bottom median rail is 11 1/4" up from the top of the bottom rail
   4. The two remaining median rails match the median rails in the side frames.
   5. Mark the stiles for mortises.
3. Cut mortises in the stiles, dry fit the frame and check for square. Make any necessary adjustments and glue the frame.
4. Rout a 3/8" by 3/8" rabbet all the way around the inside edges of each opening in the back frame. These rabbets will hold the back panels when the project is complete. Do not install the back panels at this time, leaving the back panel open makes assembling the frames much easier.

Make the Front (Face) Frame

1. Cut three face frame rails to size. Cut 3/4" long tenons in each end of each rail.
2. Lay out the rails on the face frame stiles so that:
   1. The bottom rail is 6 1/4" up from the bottom of the stiles.
   2. The outside edge of the top rail is flush with the end of the stiles.
   3. The top of the median rail is 12" up from the top of the bottom rail.
   4. Mark the stiles for mortises.
3. Cut mortises in the stiles, dry fit the frame and check for square. Make any necessary adjustments and glue the frame.

Assemble the Carcase

1. Counterbore four holes in the back stiles of each side frame. Space the holes so that they are centered between lines extended on the face of the back stile from the top and bottom of each rail in the side frame.
2. Glue and screw each side frame to the back frame so that the back edges of the side frames are flush with the back faces of the back frame. Clamp the assembly and allow the glue to set fully.
3. Counterbore three holes in the left and right stiles of the front frame. Space the holes so that they are centered between lines extended on the face of each stile from the top and bottom of each rail in the face frame.
4. Glue and screw the face frame to the side frames so that the outside edges of the face frame are flush with the outside faces of the side frames. Clamp the assembly and allow the glue to set fully.
5. Plug the counterbored holes and sand the plugs flush with the faces of the stiles.

Measure for and Make the Door Frames

1. Measure the height and width of the top opening in the face frame. The height of the finished door frames should be equal to the opening's height minus 1/4". The width of the right side door should be equal to 1/2 the opening's width minus 3/16". The left side door should be 3/8" wider than the right side door. To pick up the extra 3/8", rip the right stile in the left door 3/8" wider than the rest of the door stiles.
2. Cut eight door rails to size. Cut 3/4" long tenons in each end of each door rail.
3. Cut the door stiles to size.
4. Lay out the door rails on the stiles so that:
   1. The bottom edge of the door rail is flush with the bottom ends of the stiles.
   2. The top edge of the top side rail is flush with the top ends of the stiles.
   3. The median side rails are evenly spaced between the top and bottom.
   4. Mark the stiles for mortises.
5. Cut mortises in the stiles, dry fit the door frames and check for square. Make any necessary adjustments and glue up the frames.
6. Rout a 3/8" by 3/8" rabbet in the back of the left stile on the right door frame and the front of the right stile on the left door frame. Routing these rabbets allows the right door to overlap the left and hold it closed when the right door is closed. Routing in the front of the left door hides the 3/8" of extra width in the door stile and makes it appear to be the same width as the other three door stiles.
7. Rout 3/8" by 3/8" rabbets in the back of each opening in each door frame. The rabbets will hold the panels when the door is complete.
8. Test fit the doors in place with clamps and shims. You should have an even gap of approximately 3/16" all the way around each door. Adjust and mark the doors as needed.

Determine the Drawer Size

1. Measure the height and width of the bottom opening in the face frame. The drawer height will need to be 3/8" less than the height of the opening and its width 3/8" narrower than the width of the opening. Example: If the opening is 9 1/4" tall and 33 3/4" wide, the drawer should be 8 7/8" high and 33 3/8" wide.
2. Measure the distance from the front of the face frame to the inside of the back frame. The drawer's depth should be 1" less than the measurement you get. Example: If the distance is 16 1/2", the drawer should be 15 1/2" deep.

Make the Drawer

1. The drawer sides, front and back should be ripped to width to match the overall drawer height.
2. The sides should be cut to length to match the overall drawer depth.
3. The drawer front and back should be cut to length to match the overall drawer width.
4. Box joint the ends of all the pieces.
5. Rout or cut a 1/4" wide by 3/8" deep dado in the inside face of each drawer piece. The bottom of the dado should be 1/2" up from the bottom edge of each drawer piece.
6. Dry fit the drawer pieces and measure for the drawer bottom. Cut the bottom to be 1/2" longer than the distance from the inside face of the front to the inside face of the back. It should also be 1/2" wider than the distance between the inside faces of the sides.
7. Glue up the sides, front and back with the bottom in place.

Make and Install the Slides and Drawer Support

1. Cut pieces for the drawer slides and support from 1 by material (actual thickness 3/4"). The lengths should be equal to the distance from the back of the face frame to the inside of the back frame. The slides should extend 5/8" into the bottom opening of the face frame.
2. Install the slides one third of the way up from the bottom of the opening. Counterbore the slides and screw them to the side frame stiles.
3. Rout 1/2" deep by 13/16" wide dadoes in the sides of the drawer to accept the slides.
4. Counterbore holes, centered left to right, in the bottom rails of the front and back frames. The holes should be centered 3/8" down from the top edge of each rail. Screw through the rails into the support. Put plugs in the counterbored holes.
5. Test fit the drawer in place. Make any necessary adjustments.

Make and Install the Drawer's False Front

1. Glue up a panel that is at least 3" larger, in width and height, than the bottom opening in the face frame. Making the panel this large gives you the opportunity to cut off any rough edges from the panel. Allow the glue to dry.
2. Cut the false front down so it is 1/2" to 2" larger than the opening. Rout or mill any designs you want in the panel's edges.
3. With the drawer pushed into the frame, align the false front over the face frame opening and clamp it to the face frame. Screw through the front of the drawer box into the false front.
4. Attach your drawer pulls.
5. Remove the drawer and put it in an out of the way place.

Make and Install the Shelves

1. The bottom shelf should go in so that it is flush with the top of the median rail in the face frame. The other two shelves should be flush with the tops of the two median rails in the side frames. Measure the inside of the carcase at each shelf location and glue-up panels for each shelf.
2. Cut 3/4" by 3/4" cleats to support the shelves and screw them to the side and back frames as shown below.
3. Test fit the shelves and make any necessary adjustments.
4. Secure the shelves in place with screws or finish nails.

Add the Back Panels, Top, Top Trim and Doors

1. Measure and cut pieces of 1/4" plywood to fit in each of the openings in the back panel.
2. Measure and cut a piece of 1/4" plywood to fit the top.
3. Secure the 1/4" panels in place with brads or staples.
4. Install the top trim so it extends at least 1" above the top of the pie safe.
5. Shim the doors, clamp them in place and install the hinges.
6. Install the door catch system of your choice to hold the right door closed.
7. Install a knob on the right door. If only having one knob offends your sense of symmetry, add a second on the left door to mirror the one on the right.

Make the Door Panels

• There are basically three options for panels in the doors. You can use 1/4" plywood panels, wire mesh panels or punched metal panels.
• For 1/4" wood panels or wire mesh panels, all you need to do is cut the panels to size and secure them in place with staples or brads.
• For punched metal panels, cut the panels to size and use a nail, nail set or screwdriver to punch the metal in the design of your choice. After the panel is punched, set it in the door opening. Use 1/4" by 1/4" strips secured to the door frame with staples or brads to hold the panels in place.

Sand and Finish the Cabinet
Sand the cabinet as needed. You can finish the cabinet in any manner you choose, using paint, stain and a clear topcoat or with an oil finish. For more decorative finishing ideas visit the finishing projects section in Lowe's Woodworkers.