A new project...

[Zach Dillinger]

Well, I'm finally ready to get back into my woodshop after a summer of car restoration.

I've been thinking about building this little hanging cabinet for a long time. It is basically the hood of a tall case clock but with a divided light sash door in place of the single piece of glass.




So, I played a bit with Sketchup the other night (not my usual method but I wanted to get the unusual facade proportions as close as possible to the original). Here is my working model. What do you all think? Any interest in following along with a build of this thing? I'm aiming to have it ready to display with SAPFM at the Detroit Institute of Arts in March.

[Chris Griggs]

I always have interest in your builds Zach! Nice work with the sketchup model. I use the program pretty frequently but often do a more quick and sloppy job than that. I would enjoy seeing how you do the sash work and molding/carving on the front in particular.

[David Weaver]

I think it needs exposed half blinds on the case and some long through tenons through the door stiles.

[Adam Maxwell]

I'd definitely be interested in how you build it; it'll probably be a 2-3 day project for you, right? The proportions of the piece are intriguing (in some cases, odd, to my eye). Are the muntins, rails, and stiles all about the same width? Was it originally a standalone piece just like this? I need a new bookcase at home, but sized more like a breakfront .

[Jack Curtis]

The muntins in the photo seem too heavy relative to the rails and stiles and case size; whereas the sketchup drawing seems to have better proportions.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Love to see any WIP on this guy, but particularly how you tackle the curved moldings. Love to see any of how this happens.

[John Powers]

the size of the cabinet doesn't seem to justify the top. not sure it's proportion. like putting Lincoln's stovepipe on a dwarf. I lack the rhetorical gifts to really express what I mean. It seems to shout, hey, I'm a little cabinet with a big top. might need a clock under it.

[Mel Fulks]

It's an unusual piece,may be unique. Many unique forms are country pieces and that is the charm. I don't think he's wants
to improve the design, just copy it. I will certainly follow the build.

[Zach Dillinger]

Yup the proportions are a little funky, but that is part of what attracts me to it. I will for sure write it up as I go. I saw this piece in an antiques dealer's ad and I have never seen another like it. The original is in spanish cedar according to the dealer, so I will be using that to copy it. Should make the carving pretty easy. Hopefully I will be getting started this weekend. Will take plenty of pics.

[Federico Mena Quintero]

I'd love to see how Zach builds this.

The bonnet seems excessive... but could you put a little ornate pigeonhole in it, to hold a fat little dictionary or something? Like how Studley's chest has an ornate hole for a Stanley #1?

[Christopher Charles]

I'll follow along. Am curious about the dimensions--the shelves look smaller than standard book size; a unique piece that would be perfect for the right spot in a house, or that would be really "obvious" if not well placed. Very cool!

C

[Zach Dillinger]

This question came up on another forum. Yes, I will do the molding and carving on the goosenecks, I just have no idea how to make it look right in Sketchup! And I had to make one dimensional change to the design. I forgot the correct overall depth and made it too shallow. I corrected the model and it is now 11 3/4" deep as it should be.

[Zach Dillinger]

I made another couple of modifications. I think this is how I will actually build this piece.



I added a secret document drawer that pulls out from the right side of the top. The molding will actually be the drawer front. It could easily be done so that it opens from either side to suit your home.



The top will be permanently fixed, but this shows you how it works. The drawer itself will be locked with a sliding bar secret lock accessed by opening the door, then inserting a dowel into a small hole drilled into the top of the case, which will push a spring lock of my own design. I will have a more detailed drawing of that soon, maybe today.

[George Bokros]

I want to follow your build, it is an interesting piece. For my taste the case needs to be a bit taller in the body with that tall of a pediment on top. Just my taste and thoughts.

[Zach Dillinger]

Your tastes match my own, I'm just intrigued by the original. Gotta make it the way it was made, at least as far as overall looks are concerned!