Trying my luck with Cabinetry

Good morning
I'm going to build some cabinets for our self-built home. Over the last few weeks I've been cleaning my shop and organizing tools.
Getting warmed up I've refurbished my old Craftsmen Table-saw. Rebuilt a table belt - disk sander.
Some smaller projects are getting done too, such as putting new handles on garden tools.
I've neglected our hand tools being ill for three or so years.
So far I've supplied  one two forged-blade hoe with a new handle.
I'm still working on making a handle for an eye-hoe where the handle sets like a pick handle.
I'm having the time of my life tinkering in the shop as I'm getting it organized and projects are coming out better as more of the old tools come on-line.      
Thank goodness for the Interweb for forums like Permies  and Youtube where I can read and see videos on woodworking.
Learning about  joinery and old style cabinet construction thrills me to no end.
Yesterday I found a link to a valuable book on a video from Kingpost TimberWorks  
Ye olde-book  Cassells Carpentry and Joinery
Boy Howdy! This type of carpentry is so cool and shall fit nicely into my low-budget permaculture and continuing  homesteading retirement plan!
There are so many types of joinery I never knew about Some Joints WOW!
Yesterday I rebuilt an old stereo and replaced the speakers from a supply stash, so now I have tunes in the shop! Yay, another skill comes back to life.
Last evening I began work on restoring a unique dining table with leaves that tuck up underneath for storage. Unfortunately, the glue joints on the maple top  are randomly coming apart.
It looks like the top is made from 3/4" by 2" maple strips of which several joints have come un-glued.
I thought about running the top over the table-saw once I can get a finer 80 tooth blade for it.  That was before I realized how many joints there are. I can see the skill of the carpenter in the joinery because I couldn't see the quantity of joints, but Ye Olde glue failed.
With all the cut-outs for the hardware underneath the table-top for the "pocket-leaves" sawing the joints out  would change the spacing.
So last night I secured the table top to a bench and popped the partially loose joinery with a small mallet to crack it apart. It worked well on the first piece, but the second time instead of the glue joint cracking, it cracked in a new place, darn it.
I glued the cracked piece which looks okay now, he says meekly.
I chose this project to start with because the condition of the table-top is so bad anything I accomplish will be good. As long as I don't make it worse, right?
It still has a few joints near the edges where the joints are loose. Suggestions are so very welcome.
Today I need to go in the forest around our house and locate rotting logs for the Huglekultur berm next to our little spa conversion Koi pond. I'll also gather rotting pine needles for the berm as well as for our gardens. I think pine-needles are the most economical form of mulch for us here. The last time I bought straw it sprouted into a carpet of wheat, which may be a good thing for mulch, I don't know but I'm learning more as I read here at permies.com about soil regeneration. Suggestions welcome on the mulch too. Thank you thank you.
Brian  
     

Most glue joints will come apart much easier if you heat them first. I use a regular heat gun but even a hair drier can be used to heat glue joints to soften the glue before you start taking them apart.
Gentle prying is the best way to break loose glue joints. (I think you may have already found out that hitting with a hammer isn't so good)

Love what you are doing. I'm very interested in woodworking as well. I've done some small projects with my father, trying to learn all I can from him while he's still around.

I also have a dining table with a leaf that stores underneath, but mine's solid teak. It is a very nice feature.

Good luck, and I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

Thanks for the tip Bryant. I do have a heat gun so I'll try that on the other joints.
Much obliged.
Stacy thank you so much for the complements. My father got to spend a lot of time with my mother's father, a backyard craftsman and hobbyist antique restorer.
I learned some stuff from my father, but I was pretty wild when I was young and didn't have a good set of old time craftsmanship values.
You are so correct in what you are doing being with your father and learning. Smart.
Brian

I've been delayed from cabinetry work as we decided to stucco the side of our house and that is taking most of my time and energy.
I've tried the new plane blade sharpening jig. It works great and all, but most of the blades in my tool box have been abused since I've owned them and i tend to have too many projects to really spend the time properly sharpening blades, until now that is.
I'm wondering if I can use my lapidary wet wheels to get a hollow grind going on these old blades before I try and sharpen them. The lapidary wheels are made from soft rubber that holds sand-paper belts. Would it be to soft?
I got to do something, these blades are way off square. As It stands I'm only cutting with part of the blade. I can't wait to see how a properly sharpened plane cuts!