TV Stand Progress

[Igor Petrenko]

I'll try to maintain my progress in this thread so maybe I could get some hints and pointers. I am starting from this crude drawing from my previous thread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=118722
I've decided to go with variant #4 where center will be open with adjastable shelf and sides will have drawers.
The goal is to try to make it without plywood.

[Igor Petrenko]

Main frame I am making with mortize and tenons, everything else - glue and pocket screws.
Mortizes I've made on basic benchtop router table, tenons on table saw slowly adjusting blade height to make them fit into mortizes.

[Igor Petrenko]

Side frames are done. Panels were made from 4/4 rough stock by resawing it and planing, so it ended up being around 3/8.

[John Loftis]

looks great so far. Fun to see that we're doing different versions of the same build at the same time.

John

[Igor Petrenko]

LOL yeah, nice competition we got going on here!
I thought about making it like you with raised panels but I have no bits for that and my router table is too tiny for that.

[Igor Petrenko]

Main carcass is ready. It ended up being way larger then I expected,
TV will look so tiny on top of it :(

[John Keeton]

Main carcass is ready. It ended up being way larger then I expected,
TV will look so tiny on top of it :(
Easy fix!! Buy a bigger TV - the economy needs your help, anyway!

The cabinet/stand is looking great. Seems like all projects of mine turn out larger than I had visioned them - probably better than the other way;)

[John Thompson]

Nice going so far... that is turning out to be the "super-sized" version from the looks. :)

[Igor Petrenko]

Now I have vertical panels in. They are supported at the top with dado and at the bottom it will be squeezed between middle bottom panel and drawer support rails. Not sure about front and back, probably will glue some thin holding strips to protect it from bowind.

[Igor Petrenko]

Middle bottom panel is in. I decided to make it with support rail in between of two parts so it could hold heavier weight. Back support rail with dado for back panel is not completely at the back of case so there will be little space for cables and maybe small USP. Those two sub panels are just laying down in their space, not glued in to the case.

[Igor Petrenko]

No pictures today.
Things done:
- Got all support for drawers ready.
- Routed rabbet thingy for the back panels on drawer sections and got panels ready. Have no clue how to attach them. Router bit makes about 3/8 space and I made panel slightly smaller so it overlaps on about 1/4. It's not enough for even smallest screw. I am thinking about getting some very tiny nails and nailing them with some angle but not sure how that will work out.
- got stock ready for drawers. I resawed 4/4 red oak (it was actually around 1-1/8 thick) and ended up after planer with 7/16 width.

[Igor Petrenko]

Large bottom drawers are ready.

[Igor Petrenko]

more pics:

[John Loftis]

slow down, you're making me look bad! :p

[Igor Petrenko]

slow down, you're making me look bad! :p
I just have more free time because I don't have any of those little ones like you have on your avatar :)

[Igor Petrenko]

Got smaller drawers done. Was harder to make front panel to fit parallel. Any unevenness in drawer sider and drawer support makes front panel rotated a bit resulting in uneven margins around it. It was way easier for large drawers because of a larger horizontal size. Lesson learned: no more inset drawers with hight close to width.

[Igor Petrenko]

Desided not to do full blown legs. Stand is so much larger and bulkier then I wanted it to be. Lifting it higher will make it look larger so I went with thin separation support going with 0.5" indent.
Also to have pressure points for felt to be attached (to make it hardwood floor safe) I glued in 8 pieces of 1"x1"x3/8"

[Igor Petrenko]

Here are some questions I have to figure out:
1. How to finish it? I was thinking about clear shellac plus arm-r-seal
But I also read advices about BLO before shellac. Will that enchance grain? I though it makes things more yellow and become more yellow with time, not sure I like that.
2. Should I tint it somehow? Walnut is supposed to get lighter in color - will that makes it to have dark area where tv will be standing? I am afraind that top will develop differently colored areas with time. Maybe some light brown stain will help with that?
3. How do I finish drawers in the area where dovetails are? I was planning to use shellac for everything and then cover it with topcoat in front, but what about those areas where tails and front panel meet?
4. How far should I sand it before shellac? Will 200 be enough? Any advantages of going higher?
5. Do I need to raise the grain with water? Or will lite sending after shallac do that?
6. Wedge or metal pulls?
7. How far should table top overlap frame?

Any ideas or advices will be highly appreciated!

[Igor Petrenko]

Got 2x 8/4 boards resawn for the top. Was such a pain to glue up with pipe clamps...
I am glad I didn't try to glue them up all at the same time, splitting it into 3 stages made it manageable.
Also started to smooth out the surface. Learning how to sharpen blade has finally paid off. For the first time using hand plane was fun and not painful.

[Igor Petrenko]

Everything is sanded and ready for finishing. On this pic everything is in assembled state with all drawers in. Tabletop is not attached yet, it is just laying on top. There also middle shelf not in, glue was not dry yet to get it ready.
I have tried BLO and shellac on some scrap pieces. BLO makes wood darken quite well but the grain becomes kind of muddy, it looks better from far but no from close distance. And that holographic effect is getting somewhat lost comparing with just shellac. So shellac it is.

[Igor Petrenko]

Made wendge pulls, applying finish now:

[Igor Petrenko]

Done with finishing of main parts, waiting the top to harden well.

[Jon Stinson]

It looks great and the dovetails came out beautifully.

I can't wait to build my new house to start building new furniture for it...

[Igor Petrenko]

Finished! Was afraid about too large size but now I thing it's good - less likely for puppy to knock tv down.

[Jon Stinson]

looks great in place

do you have a computer in it also?

[Igor Petrenko]

looks great in place

do you have a computer in it also?
Yes, I've got media case and moved my old computer inner things to it. That's why I made the stand so deep so full atx case will fit. Also got cheap bluray drive for it and signed up for blueray netflix exchange.
All set for the winter now!

[Igor Petrenko]

I can't wait to build my new house to start building new furniture for it...
That's what I have now, the only furniture in my family and living rooms are crapy couch and cofee table from my apparment, they also have to be replaced.

[glenn bradley]

I enjoy just clear shellac on walnut. It does enough to pop the figure a bit. Your piece is looking great.