Reaction to walnut

A fine tooth handsaw, like a tenon saw, will often give better results but it must be sharp. Running masking tape or Sellotape along the line of the saw cut before cutting is an old trick to reduce break-away.

I presume you are talking about the thin veneer strip with the heat sensitive adhesive that you iron on. Yes this works but the traditional method would be to glue a thin strip of wood about 3/8" thick, of appropriate width, along the edge. Usually you use a piece slightly wider and plane/sand till flush with the plywood surface.

However, I have often been impressed just how thin they can cut veneer these days. I have had ply where just a few strokes of the sandpaper, by hand, has seen the veneer vanish so be careful.

Reply to
Stuart
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Yes, drill holes for adjustable or removable shelving. Notch them so the shelves don't slide front and back. This makes them fit over the pins, hiding them, as an added benefit. I'd use 1/4 or 1/8 ply for the back.

Biscuit the verticals, leave a reveal top and bottom, make the shelves end 2" short of the back and drill 3" holes top and bottom for ventilation and cord access.

Alright. You're forgiven, but only if you turn the power off to it occasionally, so the 12:00 flashes constantly.

P.S: Use the proper colored wood so you don't have to smear RBS all over the poor dear. Waterlox is a clear, simple, durable finish. Prefinish by taping glueable areas with 1/2" tape.

P.P.S: By banding, he probably meant this:

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ultimate result of shielding men from folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Three big non-chain plywood warehouses within 15 minutes.

Reply to
-MIKE-

These work nicely, too.

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Reply to
krw

Your maximum unsupported span is 24", not 48".

Big difference.

The "banding" I referred to was a 3/4"x1-1/2" piece under both the front and back edges of a 48" long shelf.

Not your situation so not necessary.

Lay in a piece of 1/4" ply into top,bottom and side rabbets to prevent racking.

This creates another problem: Ventilation.

Easiest way is to make shelves 2"-3" shorter than sides and cut some ventilation holes in the rear ply.

Use shelf pins to support shelves and make them adjustable.

Rockler has a good gage. Ping Leon for the one he uses.

Get a couple of 10" flat bastard files and use them to trim excess veneer tape.

Less chance of damaging 3/4" ply cherry veneer.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Yes, if you use a 10 TPI Bosch blade and some masking tape.

Also, aluminum angle should be at least 1-1/2"x1-1/2"xx1/8"x96".

I use a 2x2x1/8x96.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

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All are interesting ideas. IIUC, They still seem to leave the "challenge" of flush-trimming to very thin veneers. Thank you for the lesson (s)!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

IIUC, That will definitely reinforce those upright pieces (in lieu of a dado cut). It seems like with all of that reinforcement, the omission of biscuit joinery can reasonably be omitted. It won't be a problem if I only finish the explosed sides, will it (I think if it were a simple piece of solid wood, there would be a concern)?

I have several pages of notes and I definitely learned a lot from this thread!

BTW, It seems like a few feet to stand on (8--2 near the end of each vertical), might help protect the unit from the "overzealous" vacuuming that occasionally occurs here. My inclination is they would need to be attached by several bolts going through the plywood (or a more sophisticated method). Please correct/advise concerning feet.

Thank you all again for the lesson (s)!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

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I tried that route (pun!) but for it's unnecessary and time consuming. The strength is in the glue. Unless you're stacking anvils on your shelves, you don't need that T&G.

I know those bits are supposed to help align perfectly, but they don't always. Besides, if you're going to have to make all those passes with the router, why not make two quicker passes with a pattern but and have perfect seems? It's so much easier to just cut the edge strips a little proud, glue them on without worrying about perfect alignment, and make a quick pass on each side.

You have even do the pattern bit cutting on edge on a router table by making a simple form to hold the shelves 90 perpendicular to the router table. I actually use my slot/tenon cutting jig from my table saw.

Reply to
-MIKE-

Yes, definitely omit the omission as you planned. Repeat after me: Bisquicks are good. Bisquicks are good. Bisquicks are good.

Heathen. Finish everything. It's good policy. It's also easier to dust and clean.

The above musings don't appear to confirm that, Wee Willy.

Double bottoms are common. It helps to lower the center of gravity and 1.5ish inches of meat to screw legs into. Double-ended lags are common for legs.

Jewelcome.

-- The ultimate result of shielding men from folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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>>>All are interesting ideas. IIUC, They still seem to leave the

2 tips: practice makes perfect, and don't buy super-thin veneers.

Oh, one more: file it flush if you have trouble routing it. Use a fine file and careful strokes toward the joint, always from the piece of veneer which overlaps the other. Filing works well for plastic laminate, too.

-- The ultimate result of shielding men from folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer

Reply to
Larry Jaques

To stiffen up that casework you posted a model of, capture your vertical dividers in dadoes instead of using butt joints with biscuits.

Also capture the ends of the top and floor in dadoes in the top and bottom of the end panels ... that will strengthen the casework further, as well as hide the ends of those components.

(When you really must stiffen this type of casework to withstand hard use, drill holes and glue in dowels into each of the joins, thusly):

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can a contrasting wood in an attractive pattern if need be, or the casework top can be an secondary wood, with the real top attached to it.

This method is an example of an old cabinetmaker's principle used to build casework that will not rack of sag that, paraphrased, goes like this:

"If a case part joins another at a corner, dovetail it; if one part meets along another's length, use multiple through tenons."

You can get much the same effect with dadoes and dowels, or use loose tenons, thusly:

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you're in the planning stages you may want to contemplate using a separate top of primary wood, and putting the unit on a frame base, perhaps slightly smaller than the actual casework foot print ... you will likely find that sitting the casework directly on the floor, as drawn, is going to be unsatisfactory in the long run.

Reply to
Swingman

When working with plywood and frameless casework, don't discount iron-on edge banding.

An iron, and two relatively inexpensive tools, will get you doing professional looking work in no time:

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?utm_medium=shopeng&utm_source=nextag&utm_term=VIRRC21ETip: It is best/more efficient to edge band component edges _before_ assembly/glue-up

A fine bastard file, or sandpaper, can be used, lightly, to dress up the edges after trimming.

Reply to
Swingman

On 10/26/2012 8:22 AM, Swingman wrote: > On 10/25/2012 10:12 PM, Bill wrote: >

Thank you for looking at my drawing!

Since I lack a biscuit jointer and a TS, I was considering Lew's idea of "fitting in" pieces of 1/4" plywood between vertical panels (attached to the top and bottom) and on the ends. That would be largely equivalent to biscuit joinery, wouldn't it? The top and bottom would also be "banded" at the ends (resting on or in a rebate, respectively).

Yes, that may be more attractive than just a band/rebate!

I see your point. I suppose I could use a hard wood like maple for the frame base. I wouldn't expect Cherry ply to possess "compression strength"; I think it might crumble. Of course, Cheery lumber would probably work very well (if I could locate some 4/4). Is this thinking correct?

Thank you for the thoughtful lesson!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

A matter of looks and taste ... doing it that way sort of speaks of a kludge to make up for lack of a tool and the skill to use it. If you have to take those kinds of shortcuts, you should try to do it in a manner that still makes the piece look like well made furniture.

Judging from your model, you can do all we've discussed with a router.

If you don't have one, a router, a complement of bits, and some jigs can do excellent service in lieu of many tools, including a table saw and plate jointer.

From looking at your model, a frameof 3/4" plywood would be more than sufficient for the job as a base, or stand.

Lots of ways to approach a frame to hold your casework, just a couple:

Like this:

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illustrating a separate _base_ upon which your casework sits ... you don't have to make it in "toekick" style, but could use it, and dimension and position it, more as a _stand_)

Or with solid wood, or banded plywood:

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as fancy as having a base with drawers in it:

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of ways to skin that cat, both with plywood and wood. Keep in mind that for most casework of the type in your model, including bases for same, plywood is usually a better choice for wood due to its dimensional stability ... IOW, you don't have to necessarily design your piece with hard to effect joinery that would be necessary to take into account wood movement, either from a lack of tools, or the fact that you're still developing the skills to use them.

Not to mention that most of that "solid wood", expensive "fine furniture" casework you see in furniture stores is often plywood with edge banding ... for reasons of dimensional stability, cost and ease of manufacture, but it still looks and performs like "fine furniture".

With a TV stand that's both a valid method, and an excellent goal to aim for. ;)

Reply to
Swingman

I sent a reply to this message a few hours ago, but I don't see it.

To be brief, I have said more than once, "Woodworking keeps taking me places I couldn't have anticipated...", and this is no exception. I'll have to look into those biscuit eaters, or something. No, not a green one! :)

Bill

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>> (for illustrating a separate _base_ upon which your casework sits ...

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>>
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>> Or as fancy as having a base with drawers in it:

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>> Lots of ways to skin that cat, both with plywood and wood. Keep in mind

Reply to
Bill

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I noticed your base had about a 45 degree (or less) bevel on top. Did you chest meet it with the reverse bevel, and is the purpose to help give it a "solid feel"? I enjoyed looking at the pictures.

I smiled a little when I asked myself how long it would take me to make one of those little drawers in the bottom of your chest! It doesn't look at though you cut any corners on your chest! Nice joinery throughout! : )

Bill

>
Reply to
Bill

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>>>>> I noticed your base had about a 45 degree (or less) bevel on top. Did

Thanks ... labor of love, for my youngest daughter, as a gift from her aunt (my SIL wrote a check for the material, I did the hard part ... (we all do what we do best)).

I don't recall the top of the base being beveled, although it's been a few years?

Reply to
Swingman

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>>> I noticed your base had about a 45 degree (or less) bevel on top. Did

I'm sorry, it is/was an "illusion". The light colored center panel looks higher than the edge of the panel even though it's not.

I was thinking of taking a picture of my "existing tv-configuration" so you could appreciate why my first drawing may have looked good to me. We're currently using a $25 Saulder (assemble-yourself) TV-stand that I purchased in 1985. You could almost buy buy 2 tanks of gas for $25 back then, but I can't complain about the value it has provided every day since it went into service. I *am* shooting for the "fine furniture" look now though, and I'm armed now with some new ideas while I contemplate my second sketch.

BTW, I noticed some 2" metal braces screwed into the corners of your base frame. Would such hardware make sense in plywood, afixed with drywall screws, or would that be a waste of time? It seems like even small blocks of wood, glued into the corners would be better than nothing for my purposes, especially in the absence of dowels. Gosh, the dowels may be a good idea to hold the base frame onto the base. I'll keep thinking about it (all)!

Cheers, Bill

Reply to
Bill

Those are braces for the adjustable levelers in the photo of the tansu cabinet:

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spanning that much distance on any floor it pays to have a built-in leveling system.

Reply to
Swingman

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