Design input reqested

[Chris Fougere]

Hi,

I have been a lurker here for quite some time, but as a newb I haven't really contributed, just gathered plenty of intel to help make some projects for my family and not injure myself

Since this is my first post, a brief into: I am a SW engineer and have 2 small children so shop time is rare. That being said, I take pride in DIY rather than paying what amounts to usually less money for inferior product and design. I enjoy browsing the forums - especially the projects and design forums for ideas, and hope to be able to get some help, and perhaps contribute when appropriate.

That being said, I'm in a little bit of a quandry for my latest project:

I'd like to build this entertainment center that's in Woodsmith 169.

http://www.plansnow.com/dn1152c.html

Except I plan on using QSWO and doing it in a mission style, and covering up the shelving etc. I really like the look of this piece but I am a little stumped on one aspect.

http://www.missionoakdesigns.com/slide.html?itemsku=LR0014&imagenum=1

The Legs run the whole face of the cabinet which seems to create a faux panel on the side. I am wondering how this was done?? All I can come up with is the legs are part of the base assembly and are rabbeted to accept the carcass. This would leave the 3/4 reveal on the front and side, and then a 3/4 face frame on the carcass makes for a flat look on the front of the cabinet.

Am I reading this correctly? I'm sorry it's hard to explain without a diagram. Opinions please.

Thanks!
Chris

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm confused. Are you trying to build the Plansnow design, or the missionoakdesigns design?

From your question, it seems that perhaps you're aiming at the Plansnow one. If that's the case, why not just buy the plans that the site offers? That would give you a definitive answer to your question, and probably many others too.

[Chris Fougere]

I'm confused. Are you trying to build the Plansnow design, or the missionoakdesigns design?

From your question, it seems that perhaps you're aiming at the Plansnow one. If that's the case, why not just buy the plans that the site offers? That would give you a definitive answer to your question, and probably many others too.

Sorry for the ambiguity, I am building the plansnow one found in woodsmith 169. I have that plan.

I am making mods to it tho so it looks like the missionoaksdesign plan. I am making it longer a little higher, with 3 drawers, and a more boxier heavier look. That's where the legs and frame question comes in.

Thanks!

[Jamie Buxton]

So your question is how the missionoaks piece is built? I don't understand what you mean about the base and the carcass. The plansnow piece might be built with a separate base with a box sitting on top. But the missionoaks piece is one whole.

Here's how I see the missionoaks piece.. The legs are solid lumber, and run from floor to the underside of the top. The panel on the side is plywood. The rail at the bottom of the side is probably solid lumber. The rail and the plywood are probably housed in a dado in the leg. The rail at the bottom of the front face is solid lumber, as is the rail at the top of the front. The rails are likely mortise&tenoned into the legs. Probably the shelf at the bottom behind the glass doors is plywood, and runs the full width of the piece. It looks to me like it is edgebanded along the front with a thin strip of oak, and it sits on top of the bottom rail. There is likely a similar bottom rail in the back, but that can't be seen in the pic. The interior walls are plywood, edgebanded in front. There might be a plywood sub-top behind the upper rail; that would be an easy way to build the piece.

The construction probably begins in the middle, joining together the interior walls, the sub-top, and the lower shelf, with the top and bottom rails already glued on to the sub-top and the lower shelf. The end subassemblies (legs, panel, and bottom rail) are glued up separately, and then glued on to the ends of the previous big assembly.

[Chris Fougere]

So your question is how the missionoaks piece is built? I don't understand what you mean about the base and the carcass. The plansnow piece might be built with a separate base with a box sitting on top. But the missionoaks piece is one whole.

Here's how I see the missionoaks piece.. The legs are solid lumber, and run from floor to the underside of the top. The panel on the side is plywood. The rail at the bottom of the side is probably solid lumber. The rail and the plywood are probably housed in a dado in the leg. The rail at the bottom of the front face is solid lumber, as is the rail at the top of the front. The rails are likely mortise&tenoned into the legs. Probably the shelf at the bottom behind the glass doors is plywood, and runs the full width of the piece. It looks to me like it is edgebanded along the front with a thin strip of oak, and it sits on top of the bottom rail. There is likely a similar bottom rail in the back, but that can't be seen in the pic. The interior walls are plywood, edgebanded in front. There might be a plywood sub-top behind the upper rail; that would be an easy way to build the piece.

The construction probably begins in the middle, joining together the interior walls, the sub-top, and the lower shelf, with the top and bottom rails already glued on to the sub-top and the lower shelf. The end subassemblies (legs, panel, and bottom rail) are glued up separately, and then glued on to the ends of the previous big assembly.

I think I mostly agree with this... the question I have is the top rails are probably either 2 cleats on their side to support the top, or a full plywood top edgebanded like the bottom which sits on the base.

[Jamie Buxton]

I think I mostly agree with this... the question I have is the top rails are probably either 2 cleats on their side to support the top, or a full plywood top edgebanded like the bottom which sits on the base.

It could be either. The advantage of the full sub-top is that it gives an easy place to anchor the tops of the interior walls. It also gives an easy way to fasten the real top: you just run screws up through the sub-top. (The ones at the rear are oval to allow movement.)

[Chris Fougere]

It could be either. The advantage of the full sub-top is that it gives an easy place to anchor the tops of the interior walls. It also gives an easy way to fasten the real top: you just run screws up through the sub-top. (The ones at the rear are oval to allow movement.)

So we agree then that the best top "rail" is a full ply sub-top edgebanded?

[Buck Williams]

Or the "sub-top" could also be easily made by making an open frame, the side that faces the front of the cabinet would be oak, while the other 3 sides could be (for example) 3/4 x 2-1/2" pieces of a secondary wood, pine, poplar, what have you. This web-frame could be rabbetted into the cabinet sides, and assembled with either pocket screws, stub tenon or biscuit joinery. Pretty common approach to cabinet construction, hidden much more than you'd expect, very difficult to see in a finished cabinet, unless you were really trying.

[Chris Fougere]

Or the "sub-top" could also be easily made by making an open frame, the side that faces the front of the cabinet would be oak, while the other 3 sides could be (for example) 3/4 x 2-1/2" pieces of a secondary wood, pine, poplar, what have you. This web-frame could be rabbetted into the cabinet sides, and assembled with either pocket screws, stub tenon or biscuit joinery. Pretty common approach to cabinet construction, hidden much more than you'd expect, very difficult to see in a finished cabinet, unless you were really trying.

Except with an open frame you'd see when you opened those front doors and looked up.

I think I am going to build the missionoaks piece. The question is should I build a case and then drop it in a base/long legs assembly, or build the sides separate as suggested above?

[Chris Fougere]

I have done some sketchup models and have gotten the legs milled and glued up using the veneer method. I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

For the side panels - My supplier doesn't have any 5/4 QSWO so I need to use 4/4. My question is assuming my panels are 3/4 QSWO ply (I have enough ply exactly for the case, dividers and panels already) which method would you recommend to set the panels assuming the dimensions below:

Leg is 2 1/2" square, rail is 3/4", panel is 3/4" ply

I am thinking about laminating another 3/4" stock for the rails, routing a dado and dropping the 3/4 ply in there.