A liquor cabinet i built

[James Taglienti]

Here is a liquor cabinet I built for a customer in Chicago. Lots of machine work in this one, including the dovetailed case. Parts were cut to size by machine but fitted and surfaced with hand tools. Lots of biscuits and a couple sliding dovetails. It's all solid except for the back. I finished it with spray lacquer.

I think it came out nicely, some well hidden errors and a couple tiny design flaws but not bad for my first quasi-contemporary piece...

The customer is a mechanical engineer and he made me a very detailed drawing including some joinery requests. So I can't claim the design.

The MVP tool was by far my Stanley #62! There was tons of end grain planing to do and even with a chipped mouth it didnt stutter once. It did so well it makes me want to go and buy the LN version? isnt that weird?

Im most happy about how the drawer came out. That walnut crotch is very pretty.

Two regrets- the placement of the magnetic catches, and these are the only 3 pictures i have.

You can also get a look at the disaster that i call my build bench...

i for got to mention that the walnut was very special to him, it had been is his family for quite a while in rough form. It was an honor and a nervewrack to work ewith his ancestral lumber!

[Clarence Miller]

beautiful work, I am impressed by the goblet rack, nice feature

[James Baker SD]

Beautiful. I cannot quite estimate the size from the surroundings. What are the dimensions?

[James Taglienti]

@36" wide x 42" tall around there

[george wilson]

That looks nice,James. I have sometimes found that putting on a coat of linseed oil before finishing will make the walnut browner,and take away the grayish cast.

When we built the spinet harpsichord in my film,we used old church pews that were over 16" wide. Must have been well over 150 years old. It had the typical gray look,but the coat of linseed oil got rid of it,and even today,the spinet is a nice brown color.

[Joe A Faulkner]

James, I have to agree with you. I think the drawer turned out great. I love the grain pattern. Nice job in working that into the front of the cabinet.

[gary Zimmel]

Real nice work on the cabinet James.

[John A. Callaway]

Really nice work. That engineer came up with a nice design... and he picked a person capable of building it. Good stuff man. Nice wood too.

[Roy Lindberry]

You can also get a look at the disaster that i call my build bench...


It looks nice! The most inspiring part, though, is your bench. Not only does it look like it could tell a few stories, it reminds me that it isn't the tools that make the craftsman. I am so prone to think "if only I had a decent bench" or whatever particular tool, as if high quality work cannot come from "lesser" tools. I always need the reality check.

[Dave MacArthur]

Really nice, and I like the design also.

One thing I got thinking about, is this something that will stand on the floor, as it looks? Not sure I'd want to be bending down to floor level to get my Scotch and a glass? I'd like that piece placed on a counter probably. As you said, your customer gave you the design he wanted though.

I still like your execution and look, with the flat panels and clean framework allowing the wood to speak for itself. This is a piece I'd like myself, if I can figure out how to modify it to be accessible up near counter level.

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice work. You should print a few business cards to put in the drawer for the owner to give to people who ask where it came from.

jtk

[James Taglienti]

Thanks guys.

Good idea Jim!

[Marco Cecala]

Great execution. The thought of the heirloom lumber must have been a bother at times. You did the wood proud.

[Andrew Gibson]

if I can figure out how to modify it to be accessible up near counter level.

I have always been partial to chest on frame designs, I would think this would easily be modified to work well in that setting... It might need a bit of a redesign to suit that style however.

James, the cabinet is very nice. The lumber looks to be a very nice selection. I have been wanting to build some stuff out of walnut for a while now, but Walnut is surprisingly scarce down here.

[Johnny Kleso]

Very Nice Job

[James Taglienti]

James, the cabinet is very nice. The lumber looks to be a very nice selection. I have been wanting to build some stuff out of walnut for a while now, but Walnut is surprisingly scarce down here.

The walnut was really great to work... it planed like a dream, it was idiot proof! But it did dull my blades pretty quickly. Also i put a few BIG dents in it by mistake and they steamed right out and didnt show at all after finishing!

Sanding was a different story entirely. The dust was atrocious and colored my nostrils (and everything inside them) almost coal black. Yuck.

[Federico Mena Quintero]

Very nice piece! I hope to be able to build something like that one day.

Does it need a handle for the doors?

[Jake Rothermel]

James, that cabinet looks absolutely fabulous! I second the notion already brought up by someone else that a good CRAFTSMAN can do fantastic work without fantastic-looking workbench or shop. That bench looks to be one of the crustiest old sailors I've ever seen; and like most crusty old sailors, it helps you do the work just as well (if not better) than anything new, clean or shiny. Well done, indeed.

[Rick Erickson]

Excellent work James! Thanks for posting. Looks like air-dried Walnut if it has that color with only spray lacquer. That stuff is a dream to work with hand tools. From the pictures it looks like the finish came out really well. What spray did you use?

[Dan Andrews]

I'll drink to that fine cabinet and its maker.

[James Taglienti]

Excellent work James! Thanks for posting. Looks like air-dried Walnut if it has that color with only spray lacquer. That stuff is a dream to work with hand tools. From the pictures it looks like the finish came out really well. What spray did you use?

its got a coat of some very light minwax stain just to brown it a little, it was a bit purple at first... the lacquer is sprayed, sherwin williams sherwood medium hand rubbed effect.

as far as drinking to the cabinet, when we delivered it we helped the new owner populate it with bottles too many of whch were sampled in the process :D