After an almost 2 year delay, I'm tackling the entertainment center project , again, with the help of my nephew. We have the main carcass/sections lin seed oiled and next week will be spraying them with lacquer. This is the m ost ambitious project I've ever attempted and I'm not sure if my previous p lanning has covered all my bases.
Recent thread/posts note I should plan for particular drawer slides, first, prior to making any drawers. I have a cache of Knape & Vogt 14" and 12", Series 8400, drawer slides -
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s-knape-vogt . I may need help with this installation, though I've instal led these on my router bit cabinet and am pleased with the results.
Also, I may need help with the door design/installation, relative to proper hinges to be used. I suppose I need to select the proper hinges, to accom modate the door design. I'll likely use a door frame overlapping the carca ss face frame design and I'm not sure what hinges may be best. I don't do this often enough to know what may be best.
Second project: I've always wanted to make a shaving horse, hand made with only hand tools, direct from the log (green walnut). It's done... finishe d it yesterday! Took a week to make it, a lot more work than I thought it would be. This log and parts were hard to split. I suppose I may need t o tweak it, later, as the wood will dry and shrink, over time. It's pegged together, for easy disassembly, transport and reassembly, if need be. It was a fun project, with a few challenges.
again, with the help of my nephew. We have the main carcass/sections linseed oiled and next week will be spraying them with lacquer. This is the most ambitious project I've ever attempted and I'm not sure if my previous planning has covered all my bases.
prior to making any drawers. I have a cache of Knape & Vogt 14" and 12", Series
8400, drawer slides -
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I may need help with this installation, though I've installed these on my router bit cabinet and am pleased with the results.
These slides are simple to install. The trick is to make the drawers exactly the correct width so that they work properly. Generally the drawer should be 1" narrower than the opening. I typically will set the cabinet side of the slide on the bottom of the cabinet or on the drawer divider rail. Stacked drawers, starting from the top, I use plywood panels to hold the slide level and the correct distance from the bottom of the cabinet. I cut the panel to the correct next lower height after installing the slides on both sides of the cabinet. Cut the panel shorter for each of the remaining height slide positions. Mount the cabinet side of the slide flush with the front opening. BE SURE that the slides are mounted flat against the panel, they have to be parallel to the drawer side slides.
For the drawer I mount the slide flush with the bottom of the drawer and the front of the drawer. This will raise the drawer about 3/8" from the bottom of the cabinet side slide when installed. This wastes a small amount of room but makes installation simple.
A warning here, it is imperative that the cabinet side walls, that the cabinet slides will be mounted to, to be parallel. You typically only have 1/32" wiggle room otherwise the drawers will not function smoothly or at all. So insure that the slides remain parallel to each other and have the prescribed, usually 1/2" for each side, clearance between the drawer and the cabinet opening. While this may sound overstated a warped plywood side panel can cause a world of problems, that goes for drawer sides too.
I typically have no issues however I have installed hundreds of these slides and pay attention to construction of the cabinet and drawers to insure and easy installation. The last thing you want to do is add shims to correct a problem.
hinges to be used. I suppose I need to select the proper hinges, to accommodate the door design. I'll likely use a door frame overlapping the carcass face frame design and I'm not sure what hinges may be best. I don't do this often enough to know what may be best.
If youo are going to have the doors overlay the face frames, the doors will be larger than the openings I highly recommend Blum Euro stile hinges. They will not show and are simple to install and adjust. Typically I build my doors so that there is 1/2" over lap on all sides including top and bottom. This would call for an 1/2" overlay hinge.
I use these, and buy at least 50in multiples of 50 at a time for the better pricing. The mount to teh inner edge of the face frame.
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only hand tools, direct from the log (green walnut). It's done... finished it yesterday! Took a week to make it, a lot more work than I thought it would be. This log and parts were hard to split. I suppose I may need to tweak it, later, as the wood will dry and shrink, over time. It's pegged together, for easy disassembly, transport and reassembly, if need be. It was a fun project, with a few challenges.
Do the same as you did, NP. Just assure that the case parts are level and where you want them. __________
I've always liked these hinges...
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With these, the door overlays the frame by 1/2". You'd probably want that same 1/2" on the other three sides too which means the doors need to be 1" wider and higher than the opening.
They are strong, easy to install and adjust (but not much adjustment available), come in a variety of finishes and are inexpensive to boot. I particularly like that they wrap around the frame, stronger than screwing to the face of the frame. There are many other styles at the same vendor. You used to be able to get them at HD/Lowes but what they have now are imports...not bad but not as good as the Amerock. _____________
Whoa dude! Them are some old school hinges baby. I would only use those if I were matching a kitchen from the 50's.
I would use any of the Face Frame hinges from this page.
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They come in different s izes depending on how much overlay. The more expensive essentially the more adjustable. I like ones that come apart easy so you can take the doors off when needed. Also makes it easier to install by measuring in the first (up per) hinge and just attache the FF part. Then hang the door and attach the bottom. Also easy to fabricate. Just drill a forstner hole set in the right amount from the edge, pop in the hinge, square it up, mark and drill the h oles and you are off. Some of them come with pop in inserts so you knock th e screws in with a hammer and only need to screw them if you want to take t hem off.
Thanks Leon.... excellent tips and advice. I'll certainly make sure the ca rcass sides are parallel. I suppose I should have included, I'll have only 2 drawers, one drawer at the top of each section on each side of the middl e section, of the base unit -
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If I need more drawers, I think I can easily install others, later.
The proposed drawers will be concealed by doors on the front. If my carcas s sides aren't parallel, shimming for 2 drawers shouldn't be too much troub le.
carcass sides are parallel. I suppose I should have included, I'll have only 2 drawers, one drawer at the top of each section on each side of the middle section, of the base unit -
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sides aren't parallel, shimming for 2 drawers shouldn't be too much trouble.
Looking good ... curves always take things out of the ordinary, and this is no exception. I really like the design.
Thanks DadiOH. I should have mentioned I prefer the hinges not show.
The shaving horse - I didn't have another log to work with. This log was a limb from a tree that was cleared from the yard of an old house we tore do wn at the farm. It is the tree to the left of the left dozer in this pic -
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- The trunk of the tree had nails and fencing imbedded in it and other defects, so it wasn't worth milling. We cut this tree for firewood and 2 logs for s having horses, but I had one of those shaving horse logs milled. Part of t hat tree is still available, so I may do something with that other part, al so.
Thanks Karl. Not quite my design, though. I saw an internet pic and prett y much copied it, as best I could figure. To the pic design, I added the 2 outer curved sections. I didn't want a typical(?) square-ends look. Like a good fetching woman, the mo curves, the mo betta!
I think I have discovered a problem. Since the carcass had been sitting, u nfinished, for so long, the cherry has darkened. Any new applications will be a different shade, as I've discovered with the base's kick plate moldin g I recently applied. I may have to allow future applications to sit a whi le, for them to change color/shade, before oiling and finishing.
With some steam bending of parts, I may test some fuming (ammonia) to see i f this may speed up the darkening process. The kick plate molding didn't d arken by steaming alone, though I didn't expect it to, but I didn't anticip ate the shades would be so different. The different shades don't look good and I don't want to tone the lacquer finish for the remaining parts.
Yeah, I know...everybody glommed onto the "euro" hinges. And euro (frameless) cases. And ROS. Been a while since I looked at "euro" hinges, are they still made of pot metal? :)
As you may discern, I don't care for any of the above; fortunately, I only make stuff for me (and wife) so can use retro hinges. Re ROS, I live in fear that my Porter Cable 505 finish sander will expire before I do. Why they stopped making it I'll never understand, best finish sander ever made.
Nope, they stay home. I do chase the neighbor dogs home (they have between
6 and 10, most small yappers). And their chickens, turkeys, guinea hens and (previously) peacock. I no longer have to worry about their pigs though, he castrated them - the males - and turned them loose. That means fresh meat (sows) for the wild boars.
Besides, we don't really have a "lawn"...just 10 acres of mixed weeds :)
unfinished, for so long, the cherry has darkened. Any new applications will be a different shade, as I've discovered with the base's kick plate molding I recently applied. I may have to allow future applications to sit a while, for them to change color/shade, before oiling and finishing.
this may speed up the darkening process. The kick plate molding didn't darken by steaming alone, though I didn't expect it to, but I didn't anticipate the shades would be so different. The different shades don't look good and I don't want to tone the lacquer finish for the remaining parts.
Direct sunlight will greatly speed up the darkening process.
carcass sides are parallel. I suppose I should have included, I'll have only 2 drawers, one drawer at the top of each section on each side of the middle section, of the base unit -
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sides aren't parallel, shimming for 2 drawers shouldn't be too much trouble.
Oh good Lord! After seeing what you are building I don't think you are going to have any issues at all. You are well past the learning stage! Great job so far.
unfinished, for so long, the cherry has darkened. Any new applications will be a different shade, as I've discovered with the base's kick plate molding I recently applied. I may have to allow future applications to sit a while, for them to change color/shade, before oiling and finishing.
this may speed up the darkening process. The kick plate molding didn't darken by steaming alone, though I didn't expect it to, but I didn't anticipate the shades would be so different. The different shades don't look good and I don't want to tone the lacquer finish for the remaining parts.
IIRC cherry only gets so dark and then remains pretty much the same. Give it a few years and all should be right again. The two different shades will be unique for a relatively short while. I don't think I would try to fix it.
Hardly, Blum hinges are a high quality hinge with a life time warranty. Yes I have had to ask for free replacements but then again I have probably installed in excess of 500 of these hinges. Not to mention that they can be adjusted up and down, in and out, and left and right after installation.
Yeah, I don't like the frameless for myself but probably would if I was bui lding cabs for a living. Regarding pot metal, I am pretty sure if you buy t he cheapest woodraft brand you can get that, you do get what you pay for. I don't use them often enough to know what brands are best but the Blum reco mmendation seems like a safe one.
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