Factory Tour 2020 - Mullet Cabinet
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Factory Tour 2020
Receiving Lumber
The process to manufacture cabinets from start to finish can be an overwhelming product
to produce without the proper tools, processes, and the craftsmanship. Many steps are
involved to make custom cabinetry, and we would like to take you on a plant tour and
show you what it takes.
It all starts with receiving shipments of
rough lumber. Fun Fact: We average at least
two semi loads of lumber per day! Once the
lumber is unloaded it is stored at one end of
our facility. This is where the process begins.
If you ever get a chance to visit us you will
see that our cabinetry will flow from one
end of the building all the way to the other
where the finished cabinets are packed and
loaded on a truck for shipment.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Receiving Lumber 1
Rough Mill
The next step after receiving lumber is to cut the lumber into smaller workable sizes,
such as taking a board that is 10” wide and sawing it length wise to make smaller 3” wide
boards. To do this we use what we call “The Paul Saw.” This piece of equipment can cut
the entire length of a board creating perfectly square smaller boards.
On the front end of the saw, the rough lumber is loaded on a
conveyor and goes into the machine.
When the rough lumber is cut it
moves to the back end of the saw
where the boards are unloaded,
stacked, and ready for the next step
– cut to size area.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Rough Mill 2
Cut to Size
Once the rough lumber is sawed
to make the boards different
widths, we will now move
the pieces to our cut to size
area where the boards will be
chopped. The saw pictured is
programmed to automatically cut
the correct measurement of the
lumber that is loaded into it.
For example, a six-foot board in length can automatically get cut into 3 equal pieces (two-
foot sections) if that is what the work order calls for.
After the board is ran through the saw and cut, the waste is removed and the boards run
along a conveyor where they will be sorted.
Here is what the cut pieces look like after the boards are loaded into
the machine, cut, and sorted.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Cut to Size 3
Glue Ups When a piece of furniture calls for a panel that is over 3” in width the boards will need to be glued together in order to make wide panels. To do this it is important that the boards being used are arranged so the grain and color matches throughout the entire panel. It is also how we are able to arrange each board that is going to be used in a panel so that the color and grain match as close as they possibly can – think seamless! At this point the boards will be glued and loaded into our clamping machines until the glue is cured. Then the glue ups will be unloaded and sent to their next destination. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Glue Ups 4
Planers
In woodworking, planing is an important step because not only do we need an exact
thickness, but the board also needs to be flat. The rough lumber that was shown
previously is far from being usable in building cabinets due to thickness, roughness, and
uneven cuts.
Our planers will shave down the thickness of the boards to a precise
dimension. In the cabinet making process, you can see how important
it is to have the parts an exact thickness.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Planers 5
Door Assembly
The process of our door assembly area involves taking parts that have been cut and
shaped to their correct dimension and preparing them to be clamped. This includes
inspecting, assembling, gluing, and clamping.
After assembly the doors are placed in a clamp machine, similar to our glue-up
clamps, where the pieces will be pressed together and the glue will be cured.
The result is a well constructed door that will last for years to come.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Door Assembly 6
Door Hand Sanding Hand sanding is vital to the consistent finish you see in our Levant products. On flat services we use orbital sanders and to sand the curves in a profile -- sanding blocks and sandpaper will be used. Once the doors are completely sanded and inspected, they will be on their way to the finish room. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Planers 7
Specialty Cell 1 At our facility, we have specialty cells that focus on areas of a project that is not in standard production. This is where our saying, “If you dream it, our skilled craftsmen would love to build it for you!” Our door specialty cell makes all the custom doors, panels, arches, applied molding, and anything that would not go through normal production. We even take on projects outside of kitchen furniture, such as custom parts for ceilings and arch ways. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Specialty Cell 1 8
Specialty Cell 2 Everything outside of cabinet assembly gets made in our specialty area. Shown below is a custom hood that one of our craftsman is building. Here is just a few items our specialty department can make: Hoods, Wine Lattice, Fireplace Mantels, Plate Racks, Knife Blocks, Square Post, and Radius Island Walls Below is two other specialty pieces getting worked on, floating shelves and a countertop. Both are made per customer’s specifications. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Specialty Cell 2 9
Dovetail Drawer Boxes All our drawer boxes at Levant are constructed using a dovetail joint. Not only does this type of joinery make it hard to pull apart once constructed, but the beauty of the dovetail joint just adds to the craftsmanship that you see in Levant products. Shown below is our dovetail machine shaping the ends of the boards. After the parts are sanded, dovetailed, and grooved, they will move to assembly. Then additional sanding will be required before getting finished. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Dovetail Drawer Boxes 10
Nested Based CNC Our nested based CNC (computer numerical control) router is used for precise cutting and drilling. This machine runs off of programs created from CAD drawings, which is why CNC’s are so precise with cutting -- it will only do what it is instructed to do. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Nested Based CNC 11
Edgebanding When a job only requires plywood or veneered panels, but needs to have a solid-wood look, this is a perfect piece of equipment to have on hand. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Edgebanding 12
Edgebanding Shown below is material running through the machine. Panels get loaded at the front of the machine where the edgebanding is applied, then it runs along the conveyor where it is heated, glued, pressed, and cleaned. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Edgebanding 13
Molders
We all know how important moldings are in cabinetry. Whether it is crown, base, or any
other type of applied molding, it is the part of the design process that adds the finishing
touches that can change the overall feel of the room.
Each profile ran through the molder requires the machine operator to adjust the
machine and install a new cutter.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Molders 14Molders Here is what the cutters look like that goes into the molder. The head of the cutter has knives on each side that creates the shapes of the molding when it is ran across the wood. During operation the operator loads one end of the machine with a square board and when it comes out the other side it will be shaped to the specification of the cutter. Every piece ran through the molder will be identical in size and shape of the profile. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Molders 15
Cabinet Assembly Levant cabinets are both constructed and finished per order so every cabinet is consistent. It all starts with framing. Shown below is an order of cabinets getting ready to have panels and dividers attached to the frame. During the assembly process, the cabinets will be clamped until the glue is properly cured. Once curing has been completed, our craftsmen will finish by sanding and inspecting each cabinet before it moves to the finish room. Here is a look at how all our finished ends are assembled using a miter lock joint, making the construction beautiful but very strong. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Cabinet Assembly 16
Makor Finish Line The Q-One robotic finish sprayer is another machine at our facility that gives us the ability to provide consistency across an entire order of cabinets. Doors, shelves, moldings, and other flat parts are finished on our 100’ long Makor Finish Line. Parts are put on the conveyor, sprayed by robotic arm, and travel through a tunnel for the chemicals to flash off. At this point the finish starts to catalyze and then goes through 2 tunnels with forced air and heated air in order to dry by the time it reaches the end. Parts are then sanded by hand and make several more passes depending on the finish. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Makor Finish Line 17
Makor Finish Line
The Q-One sprayer can consistently apply finish all day.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Makor Finish Line 18Finish Room Flow & Process Every cabinet will go through different steps and depending on the finish it may go through the same process multiple times to achieve our signature finish. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Finish Room Flow & Process 19
Finish Room Flow & Process
Our painted cabinets will go through a similar process except they will first be primed.
After the first priming the piece will get moved to the oven for curing. After the curing
has occurred the cabinet will go through the process of sanding, priming, and curing
again. At this point the cabinet is ready to be painted and depending on the color it may
need to be glazed/distressed.
Cabinets moving from spray booths to oven.
Our stained cabinets will be sprayed, wiped off, and then moved to an oven to cure for 15-
20 minutes. After curing they will be sanded, sealed, and once again moved back into an
oven for curing. At this point a stained cabinet will be sanded once more before receiving
a top coat, glaze, or distressing.
Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Finish Room Flow & Process 20Pre-Install The last stage in the manufacturing of our cabinets is Pre-Install. The final touches, adjustments, hardware installation, and a final quality control inspection will be made prior to packaging for shipment. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Pre-Install 21
Packaging After Pre-Install, cabinets are now ready to be packaged. Each piece is wrapped with foam and gets corner protectors to protect against damage in shipping. Then labels that show cabinet number will be applied along with a touch up kit that goes with each order. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Packaging 22
Our Design Center The Cabinet Design Center is where all the pieces start to come together, where the pictures in your head become the heart of your home. When we blend your individuality with our creativity, the result is a perfect space to celebrate all that makes your family special. In March of 2019, Levant Kitchen Furniture completed the construction of it’s new Design Center and Showroom at Mullet Cabinet. Beautifully crafted in the Heart of Amish Country, Levant Kitchen Furniture relies on old-world craftsmanship that leads to sound construction and attention to detail. Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Center 23
Design Inspiration Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Inspiration 25
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Design Inspiration Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Inspiration 27
Design Inspiration Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Inspiration 28
Design Inspiration Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Inspiration 29
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Design Inspiration Levant Kitchen Furniture Tour - Design Inspiration 31
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