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Thread: Entertainment Center layout help

  1. #1
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    Entertainment Center layout help

    Howdy folks. My next project is the TV Stand/ Entertainment Center for the living room. My main material is Peruvian walnut/ nogal. I've pretty much decided that the sides are going to be cope and stick with the raised panels made of mahogany. As always, I have questions... joinery of the base, how to do the feet, what type of finish, etc. But first and foremost, I could use some help with the layout.

    The entertainment center can only be 54" wide, because that's how long the nogal is.

    I have a moose of a center channel speaker (Paradigm, just like Matt Meiser's). Much as I'd love to get a newer, smaller one, I don't think I could slide that by the wife right now. So I'm struggling to design around the center channel hole in the cabinet. Aesthetically, the center channel needs to go in the cabinet, not sitting on top of the unit.

    I've scratched out two layouts in sketchup. Would love your thoughts on which looks better, or, if you have different ideas, please let me know.

    Thanks in advance,
    John
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  2. #2
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    As i was thinking about it, the area under the center channel in the second drawing could just as easily be two cabinet doors spanning the entire width of the center channel. That would probably look better than what I originally posted.

  3. #3
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    I like the first layout the best. But make sure that with your doors, hinges, stops, etch that the spaces are wide enough. 18.5" doesn't sound like enough. That middle could be split into two drawers.


  4. #4
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    Not sure how often you swap out equipment, but every center I've ever had has tripped me up at some point when I added/replaced equipment.

    I'd be tempted to work out some kind of "tinker toy" system that would let you change around the insides if things change in the future.

    Of course that's easy to type

  5. #5
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    Here's another configuration of unit 2. In this layout, there will be cabinet doors right next to cabinet doors, so would need to create a couple inches of separation with the face frame. I expanded the width of the stereo cubby to 20". My CD carousel is about 18" wide, so I figured that would give a bit of cushion.

    I'm not sold on either layout, but I think this one is more workable than the original one I posted.

    John
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  6. #6
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    I like the first design best. One other thought is to make certain that you have adequate ventilation for such things as the receiver. You need enough room around it and some air movement. I recently built a desk and had a slide out drawer for the mid sized tower case. I had to go back and put in cabinet cooling fans to prevent overheating. Luckily, my computer automatically slows down the cpu as the temperatures go up and will shut down before damage. I do not think that receivers have the same type of protection.

  7. #7
    I like the 2nd sketch with the asymmetrical layout. the components are square and boxy enough that keeping everything all lined up and even is too much for the eyes.

    the last few media units i built i increased the depth about 4" to allow room for the cabling. i use 1/4" ply for the back of the main cabinet and cut out a giant oval, leaving about 4" on the edges and radiused corners, to allow for adequate ventilation. i make the interior shelving unit separate from the main cabinet so that i can slide it out, load it up with components and hook up the cables and than slide it back in. this also allows for the addition of pocket doors which are essential for a media unit.
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  8. #8
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    You'll get lots of varying opinions on SMC. Sean likes the 2nd sketch because of the assymetry. I like the first because of the symmetry. I guess I'm a symmetrical kinda guy.

  9. #9
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    Ok, I did the best I could to draft up the layout with face frames. I think I like #1 better, but I can't figure out what to do with the center cabinet. I guess it would either have to be a vertical drawer (meh) or one of those magnetized cabinet doors that you depress slightly to click it to open.

    #2 looks far more typical/traditional to me, which is a pro and a con.

    Any additional thoughts?

    Never having made cabinets before, I'm struggling to visualize how the doors will seat. I'm also thinking about how wide the face frame trim needs to be, etc.

    I made the stiles and rails for the cabinet doors 1.5 inches. No particular reason. They are small doors, so that looked somewhat proportional. Maybe they should be bigger, I dunno. Would like for the wood of the doors not to cover up the electronics.
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  10. #10
    the 2nd drawing is my favorite for asymmetrical reasons.

    im not sure what your question is regarding the center door on the first drawing and why you would use a vert drawer. please explain.

    are you going for face frames with overlay or inset doors?

    dont worry about not having made any cabinets before. its easy if you just think of them as 5 sided boxes and im sure you can build a box, right?
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  11. #11
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    Great questions. Regarding the type of door, I have some real space constraints in the piece. I'm thinking an overlay door might give a little more room to work with?

    For example, two of my components are 18" wide. As Matt pointed out earlier, if I add doors and hinges, will that make it impossible to get the components in the space? Does one type of door/hinge offer advantages in this?

    For most TV stand/Entertainment centers, is one particular type of door used? Or is it just an aesthetic choice?

    On the center cabinet, I guess I'm just worried about having three swinging doors butting up right next to each other. That's not an informed fear, since I've never tried something like this. It's more of a, "hmmm, am I asking for problems trying to do it this way?"

    John

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by John Loftis View Post
    Great questions. Regarding the type of door, I have some real space constraints in the piece. I'm thinking an overlay door might give a little more room to work with?

    For example, two of my components are 18" wide. As Matt pointed out earlier, if I add doors and hinges, will that make it impossible to get the components in the space? Does one type of door/hinge offer advantages in this?

    when you are talking about doors and cabinet styles think of it in terms of which style has the least interference with the opening. for example, an 18"i.d. cabinet with a frameless box and overlay door and 95 degree cup hinge will leave you the full 18" to access the cabinet. on the other hand that same cabinet with a face frame will only give you 16" of clearance.





    For most TV stand/Entertainment centers, is one particular type of door used? Or is it just an aesthetic choice?

    faceframe cabinets versus framless( or euro cabinets) are the two basic choices when it comes to cabinet style choices. faceframes are more traditional wheras frameless is more contemporary and has more hardware options.

    On the center cabinet, I guess I'm just worried about having three swinging doors butting up right next to each other. That's not an informed fear, since I've never tried something like this. It's more of a, "hmmm, am I asking for problems trying to do it this way?"
    as long as you select the proper hinge and base plate there is no problem with having three doors lined up on a cabinet front
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  13. #13
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    Sean, I looked online to make sure I had the terminology right. Not sure why this is so confusing to me. I believe I'm looking for 'inset' doors and drawers.

    There will be wood moulding all over the front of piece, which will cover plywood edges, cover nogal side-grain from the cabinet sides, etc. In some cases, the wood moulding will 'hang into space' a bit. It will cover what it needs to cover... and then some (hope that makes sense). I'd lke the cabinets and drawers to be flush with that moulding.

    Assuming what I'm saying makes sense, what types of hinges and drawer slides would you recommend? I'd like to be able to fit an 18" wide component in a 19 or 19.5" cabinet without doing major surgery.

    Since this thing isn't requiring much hardware, I'm ok with getting good stuff.

    Best,
    John

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by John Loftis View Post
    Sean, I looked online to make sure I had the terminology right. Not sure why this is so confusing to me. I believe I'm looking for 'inset' doors and drawers.

    There will be wood moulding all over the front of piece, which will cover plywood edges, cover nogal side-grain from the cabinet sides, etc. In some cases, the wood moulding will 'hang into space' a bit. It will cover what it needs to cover... and then some (hope that makes sense). I'd lke the cabinets and drawers to be flush with that moulding.


    Assuming what I'm saying makes sense, what types of hinges and drawer slides would you recommend? I'd like to be able to fit an 18" wide component in a 19 or 19.5" cabinet without doing major surgery.

    inset doors with a "zero protrusion" hinge will allow full access to the full width of the cabinet interior.

    side mount slides require .5" per side and undermounts - 1/4"

    Since this thing isn't requiring much hardware, I'm ok with getting good stuff.

    Best,
    John
    Blum makes a nice hinge and Accuride makes good slides.
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  15. #15
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    Here is my advice as someone into home theater. 20" is a good width for the equipment shelves. How deep are you going to make it? This might seem like overkill but make it have an inside dimension of 19.5". I bought a "high end" av stand and it is 19.5" deep. Both my preamplifier and amplifier use all of that depth. You need to plan for your next receiver not this one! All of the cables stick out a few inches as well and if you upgrade the cables they are often bulkier and stiffer.

    I am going to bold the next sentence so you know how strongly I feel about it. This goes for anybody making an entertainment center, make sure the back panel is completely removable. I have wired too many cabinets from the front and it is not worth the aggravation. This a purpose built piece of furniture...build it like one. Event if you put giant vent holes make sure the back panel is completely removable. Trust me on this.

    When the DirectTv guy or cable person shows up you don't want to have to be climbing inside your gorgeous hand made cabinet from the front. simply slide it out from the wall remove the back panel and swap out that box.

    You have a Paradigm center which means you like good gear and you will be upgrading again and not just the center! Try and plan for the future best you can.

    Sorry for the rant. I like your latest design the best.

    Donald

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