Pantry

[Glenn Vaughn]

In addition to the cabinets we are building my wife wants what she calls a "Mormon Pantry". It has to have pull out shelves and 4 of the shelves are for canned goods (slanted so the cans roll). This is what I came up with - not copmplete but getting close for the main part. The quality of the photos is not great because of the lighting. All wood except the back and shelf bottoms is Kentucky Coffeetree.

The pantry has concealed level;ers accessible throu holes that are drilled under the mounts for the bottom slides (not mounted yet). All assembly is with dowels using the DowelMax.

The doors will be raised panel - have not decided on the number of panels yet.

The pump on the floor next to the pantry in the 3rd photo is what we have used for testing load capicity of the shelves.

[David Thompson 27577]

.............. and 4 of the shelves are for canned goods (slanted so the cans roll). .........................


Just curious -- how did you accomodate that requirement? How did you slant the drawer bottom?

[Glenn Vaughn]

Just curious -- how did you accomodate that requirement? How did you slant the drawer bottom?

I cheated. Cut 3/4 X 7/8" strips the 32 1/2" long. Cut a 3 degree slope. Also cut a 1/2" X 3/4" strip with the same 3 degree bevel. Glued to 3/8" ply cut to fit the inside of the shelf. The 7/8" strip goaes at the back and the 1/2" strip approximately in the middle.This provides enough slope for the cans to roll. Also removable so she can decide which shelves have the slope.

I have not actually built the inserts yet - just did a trial using hardboard and it works fine.

[Prashun Patel]

I really like it. It also seems like it'd not be too hard to remove a middle shelf if you determine later that you have more cereal boxes than soup cans.

[Jacob Robinson]

Just curious -- how did you accomodate that requirement? How did you slant the drawer bottom?

well, I can't attest to Glenn's techniques, but i know the way I would achieve the slanted drawer bottoms. I would be to simply make the dado for the drawer bottom at an angle using a jig on either the table saw or router, and accommodate that with a slightly longer drawer bottom. Seeing as he is using drawer hardware that mounts on the sides of the drawers, that seems like it would do the trick nicely.


All that said, fantastic work Glenn! Seems like a far more functional pantry than the usual deep shelves where things can disappear to the back and return 10 years later as unlabeled mystery cans. Hope the wife loves it!

[Glenn Vaughn]

well, I can't attest to Glenn's techniques, but i know the way I would achieve the slanted drawer bottoms. I would be to simply make the dado for the drawer bottom at an angle using a jig on either the table saw or router, and accommodate that with a slightly longer drawer bottom. Seeing as he is using drawer hardware that mounts on the sides of the drawers, that seems like it would do the trick nicely.

Because They are actuall shelves, we did not use dadoes. The construction is butted using glue and dowels - 52 dowels per shelf. It is solid and I seriously doubt it will ever come apart. I did not realize how many dowels we were using until we ran out of 1" dowels - I had 1000 of them at the start of the project. So far 8 cabinets and the pantry. Have a table to build next (after the doors). The wife was complaining about the number of dowels I have purchased - but finally understands the reason for using more rather than less in the assembly. As of Monday I will have 2000 each of 1" and 1 1/2" dowels on hand.

The dowel jopintery is going better thaqn I imagined - everything is squaqre and very solid. any bowing in boards being glued up is gone. I was concerned on the pantry because the opening is 60 1/2" and was afraid there would be significant spread in the center (that is why the center brace is there). So far any shelf will fit in any position; the documentation on the slides says I have 1/32" play for each slide and was worried about that.

The whole project is the result of discussions with the wife and prototyping with Sketchup. I did not get plans for the cabinets or pantry or table. There are thing I would do differently if I were just starting but we are pleased with how it is going. The best part is all the neat tools I have been able to get.

If I don't count the tools the total cost of the project will be around $3000 for everything.

I have some photos of the progress so far at http://www.dawiz.net/yabba/index.php?album=Kitchen_Cabinet_Project%2F Page 3 has photos of a shelf before gluing.

[Joe A Faulkner]

I made a similar pantry that sits in an offset of a hallway between the kitchen and an adjoining room. This one goes floor to ceiling. It has a fixed shelf at 5' for those cereal boxes and taller items, and then rollout shelves spaced to accomodate a variety of dry goods. And then more storage above for that backup box of Cracklin Oatbran or the wife's stash of dark chocolate bars.

The pullout shelves are only 24.5" wide. I don't know why I didn't take pictures while it was in progress. I used knife hinges on the cabinet doors. Those were fun to install. The cabinet is 42" wide, 8' tall. There is broom closet to the right. I used drawer slides rated at 80 lbs. Popular for the drawer sides; 1/4" ply for the bottoms. Face frame and doors are maple and 3/4" cabinet grade, prefinished plywood for sides. It has been in service for six years and shows a little wear, but is holding up fairly well. A few projects like this go along way in covering costs for WW tools. :). I like your sloping shelf idea. These hold a ton of stuff and the pullout shelves are very convenient.

[Van Huskey]

Very cool and the "rolling cans" is a really neat idea!

[Glenn Vaughn]

The pantry is 69 ½” tall, 38” wide and 28” deep. The pull-outs are 34” X 23 ¾” X 4” deep (3 ¼” usable). It will fit under a pair of cabinets that are also 38” wide. The height is 1/16” less than the opening – we put levelers inside the bottom; the levelers use a 5mm hex wrench inserted in the end of the screw shaft to adjust. Holes are drilled in the bottom to provide access to the ends of the leveler screws. This arrangement will allow us to slide it into place then raise it up so it is flush with the cabinets above. Once the cabinet is leveled, the bottom shelf slides are installed and the holes are covered (hopefully this is a onetime adjustment).

The rolling cans concept was my wife’s. Most of the features are her desires. This whole project has been a progression of wants from her. It started out as her wanting a “bread making table” - so I did a Sketchup design of a tab le and found the wood I wanted to use. After I got the wood home she says “Before you do the table I need a Mormon Pantry”. It took several weeks of discussion and research to find out what she meant. I did a Sketchup design of the pantry – had to modify it a gazillion times – and, once she approved a design, got more wood so I could do it. Once again I heard the magic words “But wait!” – She informed me she needed cabinets before I could do the pantry. It was back to design and wood gathering.

We finally got the 8 cabinets built and installed (all except the doors – phase 2 project). Now the pantry is almost finished – down to sanding and finish then installation. Next is doors – not a fun part of the project. I know I can do them since I have done one already but the raised panel router bit makes me nervous.

Once the doors are done I can finally make the table that start this whole project. Well … Maybe I can – last night she informed me she was yet to decide what the table will look like – sigh . . .

The up side is I have managed to acquire an excellent table saw (SS contractor), a jointer, a new planer, the DowelMax, an air distribution system for the garage/shop, trim router, pinnacle router fence system and misc accessories – things like the Pinnacle saw gauge, Digital calipers and more.

I wanted to build a 21’ X 21’ extension on the shed in the back yard but she vetoed that idea so I converted the garage into a shop for the duration of this project. Now that she has to park her Escalade outside for the birds to use as a droppings collector, she is leaning toward me getting me back yard shop.

This whole project got so out-of-hand that I ended up hiring the son-in-law of her best friend to work with me on this. He works reasonable cheap ($10.00 an hour) and, for the most part, does excellent work. He has learned a lot in this process. The main issue I have with him is getting him to understand tht Coffeetree burns easily and he needs to use faster feed rates when sawing or routing. He get the dimensions spot on and everything is square – both great pluses. I get to spend more time planning and designing since he is now doing most of the tedious stuff (and getting better at it all the time).

[Joe A Faulkner]

I'll keep an eye out for progress on this project and the kitchen cabinets. Sounds as if you will be busy for a while.

[Glenn Vaughn]

We finally got to do the first fit in the kitchen. Only 3 shelves/drawers have been finished - the other 4 are ready for finish but we ran out of time today.

One thing I haven't figured out how to deal with is the fact that the ceiling slants down to the right (facing the wall) and the floor slants up. The 3rd photo shows the gap at the bottom when we get the pantry aligned with the cabinets above. I don't think the wife really cares about it but I would prefer to reduce it somehow.

[Chris Ambroson]

Shim it solid and make your own 3/4" quarter round trim. I think that'd look just fine.

[Glenn Vaughn]

It is solid - it is on levellers. 1/4 round might be a good fix.