Project: Buffet/Hutch - Completed

[Jim Becker]

In our home, we have a large, great-room with a story and a half lofted ceiling with barn beams and a walk-in fireplace in the middle of the long wall. One end of the room is a sitting area and the other is our "formal" dining area. A project that's been on "my list" for a very long time has been a tall, buffet/hutch that will take some space to the right of the fireplace on the dining end. Inspired by a tall antique buffet/hutch/breakfront that's in the local restaurant that I eat lunch at nearly daily, this project will fill that need.

This thread is to document the lower, buffet portion, of the project which is nearly done, but not quite. I'll edit things once the final steps are completed. {EDIT} This project is now complete and I've added more photos of the top hutch assembly as well as the completed unit

I'm using a really mixed combination of construction techniques for this piece. The material is solid poplar (off our property) for the most part with minimal plywood. The sides and floor are glued up flat slabs and the top rails are dovetailed into the top of the sides with half-blind joinery. Other joinery includes rebates and grooves for glue-strength. Face frames are applied and the corners are beaded. The top for this portion is made of solid cherry...a couple of wide boards I've had for a long time that were "looking for a project" make up most of that piece. The drawer boxes are cherry. Doors and drawer fronts are beaded, too. And with that description...it's time for the "journey"... :)

Clearly, the starting point...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6773_zpspsi7r2ik.jpg

With a little more refinement...flatten first...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6774_zpszqo0r0qp.jpg

And a bit of thicknessing...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6776_zps3hsgxvfo.jpg

And too much of this... :D ...several trips to the sawdust pile, for sure...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6775_zpsyjxf0gjk.jpg

Straight-line rip (which is also "edge jointing" with my setup...)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6777_zpsppzyyftf.jpg

In some cases, the best edge is NOT along the original edge line from the sawyer for a variety of reasons...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6779_zpssobfjjyy.jpg

Marking for width on the left end to match the fence setting on the right end while using my parallel ripping jig...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6780_zpshx4p7sww.jpg

And the parallel rip...yes, this might seem like more work than just running a board along a rip fence, but remember, I'm edge jointing at the same time and I want to be able to hold that board down absolutely flat on the slider wagon through the cut. This results in a perfectly perpendicular edge on the board from the face.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6781_zpsabkabx6c.jpg

Assembling the "candidate boards" for the carcass sides at the bench...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6782_zpsndeac5ni.jpg

....and gluing them up...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6783_zpsrlpey2so.jpg

And we have sides...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6816_zps11d2tfoy.jpg

[Jim Becker]

The carcass/case bottom is assembled in a similar fashion
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6817_zpsoaqqyjuz.jpg

Sometimes the traditional way is best to even things out...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6821_zpsciolbs7n.jpg

The case bottom has a number of things that need to be addressed. Here, a cutout is measured and marked
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6822_zpsgestslfx.jpg

And again, the "traditional way" is the easiest and fastest way to make these cutouts on such a large panel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6823_zpszgp4qme1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6824_zpsxzhddwkb.jpg

Nice!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6825_zpsnkyktyqq.jpg

The case bottom at the back received a rebate to provide support for the tongue and groove back panel that is planned. This was cut with my Festool OF1400 and an edge guide
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6826_zpsondlylzb.jpg

Laying out the various grooves and rebates necessary for carcass assembly on the inside of the two side panels
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6830_zpsezotnldd.jpg

Yes, "stop" is important on these particular grooves for appearance
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6831_zpsdmvar0oo.jpg

Additional cutouts done by hand
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6832_zpsunonqtoq.jpg

Another instance where "stop" is important...don't be afraid to mark your workpiece clearly!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6833_zps1dxacxoa.jpg

The two top rails, as mentioned, leverage half-blind dovetails to hold the sides together. The provides some structural benefits and good glue area.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6836_zpszxr3ubmh.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6837_zpsge86qhcd.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Of course, the side panels require matching half-bind dovetails...these get cut second so that they match their corresponding rails. (Be sure to carefully MARK everything... ;) )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6838_zpshf7avsrw.jpg

The corners of the dovetails were cut with a hand-saw, the excess removed with the router and then everything was cleaned up with chisels. Here's the router step completed for illustration.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6840_zpstby5s5v6.jpg

"Ooops" happens...glue fixes it. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6839_zps6l7zdnlw.jpg

Grooving was done with the router and rail to keep them straight. Because I needed to make two passes to get the correct width with the bit I was using, careful measurement was required before each pass. But by using the rail, the groove in the front of the case bottom and the one in the back were perfectly lined up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6841_zpsqr5mkirf.jpg

Resultant groove after cleaning up the end square with a chisel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6842_zpsgurmrues.jpg

A "dust frame" was required to support the face frame under the drawers as well as to stiffen the case. Simple assembly using pocket screws. (I told you I was using a variety of techniques... :) )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6889_zps9rljegod.jpg

Once all the grooves and rebates were cut, it was time to start assembly. Panels from solid stock are not necessarily cooperative with being perfectly flat, so to aid in assembly, I clamped the case bottom down while making a few adjustments and preparing to start building things up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6843_zpsr1uunwtc.jpg

The dust frame also required some cutouts to accomodate the stopped grooves
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6890_zpsnkd8fxow.jpg

Oh, and the sides needed some similar treatment for the "legs"...something I almost forgot to do before assembly...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6891_zpspjmbhj6u.jpg

The nature of this case and having only two hands made it clear that assembling it vertical would be easier for me to do. So I lowered the bench as far as it would go to allow for ceiling clearance. (Noden Adjust-a-Bench) One side was clamped down to the bench and then the base and dust frame were assembled to that end.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6892_zps44tpuwca.jpg

Another view of the same. I took care to try and insure squareness as much as possible. While the back panel and face frame would ultimately help pull things in, the less variance initially, the better.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6893_zpsoh148nc0.jpg

Once the same process was completed the next day for the other end, we have the basic case after adding the top rails to their dovetailed homes
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6899_zpsgpbzaqzy.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Another view from the back

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6900_zpseb5nr52k.jpg

Dividers added...they add strength and support both the face frame in the front as well as the future back panel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6953_zpscgfrhsdp.jpg

One thing I need to mention...while the general dimensions were determined on paper first, the sizing of many of these smaller components are determined directly from the casework. They do not get cut to length (and sometimes width) until an actual measurement can be taken. (and checked twice ;) ) There will always be some variances while building a project and taking measurements off directly makes for a better end-result.

The corner of the case will get beading so before committing to the face frame material, I ran a sample to be sure it was going to look exactly how I wanted it to be
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6954_zpsfrsqtuvh.jpg

And since it was exactly how I wanted it to be... :) ...I ran the two face frame sides accordingly
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6955_zpsx4x5hrmc.jpg

This is where the measuring I mentioned earlier comes into play for sure...making the face frame so it's EXACTLY sized to the front of the case. With the beaded corners, it cannot be left proud and then refined with a block plane. It has to be "right" the first time. So by laying things out on the case itself, I can measure for exactly lengths for every face frame component. The blue tape here is holding things together while I check carefully prior to doing the pocket screws to assemble that face frame permanently.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6956_zps3cxoluyk.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6957_zps2qke9qqp.jpg

Similarly, while it was taped together, I marked for the exact position for the joints
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6958_zpscwbrashs.jpg

Including on the case...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6959_zpslwoqtlcr.jpg

One final look and it's ready to go
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6960_zpsj5azxxce.jpg

And even more ready to go... :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6961_zpsqbq5vlbn.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Looks pretty nice at this point...glue and brads to fasten the face frame in place
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6962_zpsoewgr7sv.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6963_zpskcllabkv.jpg

The next operation was to create the panels that would hold the drawer slides. I'm using "traditional" wooden slide that mate with a groove in the sides of the drawers. I did use 1/2" plywood here because it was handy. (and yes, I was careful about wood movement)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6964_zpsi1eu4j7n.jpg

Drawer slide stock...3/8" thick by 3/4" width, rounded corners
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6965_zpsvqbklcqb.jpg

While doing all this, I added a toe-kick panel and laminated some feet with angled ends to mirror the case sides
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6967_zpsoo1hjnxm.jpg

At this point, the case is pretty much complete with just a few smaller operations that were going to be needed at some point before finishing up
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6968_zpstdqzseec.jpg

Detail of the beaded corner
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6969_zpsqgdyof2c.jpg

Off the bench for the remaining work...which means the back panel, drawers, drawer fronts and doors
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6974_zps8rh3uvse.jpg

As I mentioned in the introduction, the drawer fronts and doors would get the same beaded detail as the case corners. Here, I'm ripping off some beading from a scrap board to be used for the ends of the drawer fronts
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6975_zpsy5zuay9l.jpg

While it's easy to run the beads along the length of a board, you can't do the ends the same way and get that nice mitered corner. Here, I'm working out the setup for removing some material from the ends of the drawer fronts...enough to give clearance for the jig saw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6976_zpszeqmm8hp.jpg

Step one is to remove the straight portion
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6977_zpsfv3qmo5z.jpg

Step two is to cut the miter using a hand saw
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6978_zpsbphhrq3p.jpg

Leaving this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6979_zps07bnjb08.jpg

So you can end up with this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6980_zpsxxxug0aq.jpg

If this was not going to be a painted project, I would have had to slow down even more and be extra careful with this joinery for sure!

And it's a nice look
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6981_zpsbaufixkc.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Second drawer front is now done
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6982_zpsibodpyen.jpg

This is what the corners of the doors will need to look like. My original intention was to do lap miter joints, but I was not (extremely not) happy with the result I got due to fit issues, so I abandoned those doors to start over using a different method as detailed later in this thread
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_6986_zpsizjkdlo5.jpg

As mentioned, the drawers would be constructed from cherry (which will be left natural colored). Here the stock has been milled and to manage "investment" two narrower pieces were glued up for the drawer backs since they would not be visible.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7016_zps83c1h67g.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7023_zpsmt3tric6.jpg

Cutting the groove for the drawer bottom
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7024_zpsrgzivgur.jpg

The grooves for the drawer slides were cut next, also using the router table, but due to a major brain fart, the bit started to work itself loose, deepening the grooves. Fortunately, I caught it before the bit became a projectile flying through the room. Rather than start over, I fixed the issue by milling some stock to fill in the places that got too deep and then used a rabbit plane to bring things together.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7025_zpsux7k2opl.jpg

Visible now, but it will eventually disappear for the most part. It just wasn't worth starting over and fixing mistakes is a good learning process.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7027_zps5gq0gric.jpg

The drawer boxes were assembled using pocket screws for a clean look with the bottom panel only being held with some staples.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7049_zpssaqy8azx.jpg

Nice!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7052_zps5txsh4b2.jpg

Since the back of the case was open, it was super easy to install drawer stops so that they only could go to the "perfect" depth
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7053_zps4ttuaraz.jpg

Some adjustment was necessary to get smooth operation
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7055_zpsw5owuvhf.jpg

At this point, I chose to deal with getting the drawer fronts drilled and screwed prior to finishing so any adjustments could be done now. Once this was done, they were removed to prepare for finishing
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7057_zpsin0sfkuv.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7060_zpsh8h66aj9.jpg

[Jim Becker]

At this point, the drawers are all dealt with and my next step was to build the back panel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7061_zpsglif41et.jpg

The case back panel is made from 3/4" thick shop-made tongue and v-groove boards. We start by flattening the stock and then milling to thickness. It's my practice to reduce the length of the material I'm working to just a little over what the final length will be. Hence, the short boards. ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7062_zpsmwqb2skx.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7063_zpsbywopyzh.jpg

Again, straight-line rip the edge and then rip to width, this time using the fence since these are only 3 1/2" wide boards
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7064_zpsihkqzq41.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7065_zpsixkia4aq.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7066_zpstlho1wse.jpg

Yup...I believe I have enough there to do the job. :) (And I measured to be sure...go figure!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7068_zpsby112rs6.jpg

I'm using a "re-stackable" bit from Lee Valley for this operation to create the tongue and v-groove boards. The first operation includes the groove.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7073_zps9qlccc66.jpg

Without removing the bit from the router and without changing the height, the grooving cutter is removed and a spacer is inserted
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7074_zpsddevk0yg.jpg

The tongue side is then run on the other side of the board ...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7077_zpsthhrkjxw.jpg


...and you end up with this result using the fence setting I chose. I will mention that these are very tight and when I went to assemble the panel after painting it, I had to do a bit of work with a hand plane to carefully relieve the joint so things would go together completely and snugly without using a sledge hammer. :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7075_zpsp5ovsssu.jpg

Make a setup board for next time...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7078_zpsm2yr53fj.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Test fit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7082_zpsju8y0kdp.jpg


The panel goes together nicely and will have a classic look. Yea, it's on the inside, but you do sometimes open the doors to look at things in there!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7084_zps8nen6o1y.jpg


From the back
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7086_zpsdgq92vor.jpg


The inside of the buffet (and subsequent hutch) is also painted and for that, this nice shade of red was chosen. Matte finish on the inside for preference
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7087_zpskjlqr8mr.jpg


The T&G boards were pre-painted before assembling them to the case
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7088_zps37j6buvy.jpg


Once the back panel was installed, I used some spray-bomb primer on the back-back to be sure to get paint into the straight grooves...that would have been a thankless task with a brush
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7132_zpskjudqrv7.jpg


Which brings me to the doors. Remember the doors? Originally planned to use mitered half-laps, I just didn't get the result I wanted and it was pretty much impossible to fine tune the fit without buggering up the beading. So I punted and chose to use the same method I build out my tack trunks... 1/2" plywood with a 1/4" thick "veneer" overlay to create the panel effect and in this case, with applied, mitered beading. We start out by cutting the plywood panels to size after doing a bunch of math to account for the width of the beading that will be applied plus the intended spacing from the face frame when hinged. (I hate math, by the way...)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7136_zpse4dvwndg.jpg


Since the overlay is solid stock and will potentially experience some movement over time, just to be sure no "white wood" would appear, as unlikely as that might be, I marked the line and sprayed a little black paint along the area that potentially could have an issue someday. Yea, it looks ugly, but that will all disappear. Soon.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7137_zps2yf5yttt.jpg


The overlay material is sized directly from the panel. In this case, I'm using some scrap walnut left over from one of the tack trunk projects. It really doesn't matter what species I use for this since it will all be painted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7139_zpsrtrrssbs.jpg


And that is that...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7140_zps30mmhicc.jpg


Of course, to use applied beading, you have to make some beading to apply...milled at the router table and then ripped off at the saw
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7144_zpsiio8pej7.jpg



Again, measuring off the workpiece, I can get an approximate length for the "next" piece, cut at the miter saw and then gradually take off a little at a time (sometimes just a hair) to get to the perfect length
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7145_zpst9pwbb3g.jpg


The beading is applied with glue and 23 gage pins
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7146_zpsdzbwme3v.jpg


And this is more or less the end result. Again, if I were doing something that wasn't going to be painted to look like an antique, I'd have to take a LOT more care with this operation to avoid having to use fillers, etc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7148_zpsvhdzhdyu.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Another small thing is accommodating the need to have a drawer stop that prevents the drawers from being pulled all the way out during normal operation, but still allows them to be removed when necessary. This takes care of that...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7160_zpslmutwuoe.jpg

So at this point, we have everything built and it's time to start moving towards the finishing steps. Using the same spray-bomb primer I used on the case back, I catch the corner beads, drawers and doors. The reason I did this for the later two is to seal things up a little so I could deal with grain raise and smoothness. A little 320 or 400 after this dried gave me a perfectly smooth surface for the subsequent finishing steps.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7162_zpslcnldpfw.jpg

Ah, but then there's that cherry top. These are the boards that are going to fill that role...and I bought these in about 2001. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7163_zpsuuposh1v.jpg

This 13 1/2" wide beauty is the showpiece that will be at the front. Once again, it's straight-line one edge and then parallel rip the other edge
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7164_zpsydhoavun.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7165_zpsr8c4nbfj.jpg

And we're ready to glue...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7166_zpslusnviit.jpg

Yup...a few clamps were necessary for this one...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7167_zpsajtar9t6.jpg

And some cleanup
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7180_zpsyly2jvi6.jpg

This one place on the back board (which will actually end up narrower after final cutting) just was a pain in the butt, but I got it there
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7181_zpsuznlpybq.jpg

And yea, that's going to be really nice...the wide boards supporting the "antique" feel for sure...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7182_zps43xbnbs5.jpg

[Jim Becker]

The front edge got a little love from the low-angle block plane which leaves a much nicer surface than sanding for sure
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7184_zpsv59meo7x.jpg

I had Professor Dr. SWMBO help me lift the case up onto this low utility table so it would be comfortable to deal with the door hinges as well as the subsequent painting steps
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7185_zpszep3go84.jpg

After marking the case for the hinges, I marked the doors from there using a shim to hold it up
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7186_zpsxrpfzx1q.jpg

I'm using these "no mortise" hinges from Lee Valley, not because they are "no mortise", but rather because they are the color and style I wanted for the piece.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7187_zpskbu0ovzv.jpg

One hung...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7188_zpsp8wndhfe.jpg

Two hung...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7189_zps6shscnzi.jpg

And before moving on to paint, I routed some rebates for some "figure eight" connectors to help hold the cherry top down on the case. There will be a few other fasteners used from underneath, but this was the best way to secure things near the edge
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7190_zpsldlhblf3.jpg

Case with the primer coat brushed/rolled on
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7192_zpspyo4lnll.jpg

First coat of black. (Benjamin Moore Advance in satin sheen)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7193_zpssmtjf8sm.jpg

And with two coats of the black applied. While I was originally going to spray the finish, I decided that since this is emulating an antique, brushing made more sense. This paint lays down really smoothly, but if there are a few brushing indications, that's not an issue...most things like this may have been repainted multiple times over the years and they don't usually have "pristine" sprayed finishes. (This is still wet, so don't worry about the uneven sheen in the photo)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7198_zpsqcer1pjm.jpg

[Jebediah Eckert]

Wow, great project. Thanks for posting, soooooo much to see!

[Jim Becker]

Wow, great project. Thanks for posting, soooooo much to see!
My pleasure. Of course, my head is spinning right now from spending a couple hours doing that! LOL

[Mike Wilkins]

Fine woodworking indeed. I too utilize various joinery types in making case goods; both for convenience and speed. Traditional joinery (M & T, DT's) are nice for strength, but I am not above using a biscuit or pocket also. Thanks for the build photos.

[glenn bradley]

My pleasure. Of course, my head is spinning right now from spending a couple hours doing that! LOL

Well worth the effort and thanks for taking the time and trouble to do so. I am really enjoying the build. I like the combination of construction and joinery methods you're using. I do a lot of this myself when I build pieces for my home. When I build for others the more traditional methods are part of the perceived value of the piece whether it makes any difference or not so, that's what I do.

Will there be any Asian influenced pieces in the room where the piece will live? The color choices would fit in well in a room like that so I wanted to have some fun in trying to guess about the target location. :)

[Jim Becker]

Will there be any Asian influenced pieces in the room where the piece will live? The color choices would fit in well in a room like that so I wanted to have some fun in trying to guess about the target location.

There are some wood sculptures from China in the room...which is an interesting contrast to the barn-beams. LOL

[Jim Becker]

So I wish I would have left two more placeholder posts to cover today's activities, but alas, I did not. :o So I'll just start from here and remove the one remaining placeholder above. (that you'll not be able to see now 'cause it's gone. LOL)

Today's work focused on two things: 1) sizing and sanding the cherry buffet top and 2) creating the mechanisms for fastening the soon to be built upper hutch portion so that it would be absolutely secure and "one with the buffet" once installed in the house. While this isn't a terribly wide piece, it's going to be quite tall. (and yes, it will need to be fastened to the wall for safety once positioned so it cannot tip)

We begin by crosscutting the cherry panel to length. It's already been sanded smooth on top and one end trimmed relative to the front face. After measuring for length (52" in this case) the other end is crosscut indexing on the same face. That required flipping the panel over.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7204_zpswtg7udig.jpg

Similarly, the panel needs to be ripped to width (26" in this case) to get to final dimension
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7205_zpsgrmuhhhf.jpg

While the cuts are clean, it's a good practice to work the end-grain edge a little with a sharp block plane so that subsequent sanding is easier and the end result is close to "burnished"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7206_zpsxu5ydb4i.jpg

And we pause to admire things as they stand in the moment...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7207_zpswvgzjuyi.jpg

In addition to what I'm going to be showing you soon, I chose to equip this piece with some strong angle supports at the back. Perhaps it's overkill, but I'd rather have that than the alternative. Using a router, I countersunk a slot so that the brackets were flush with the carcass surface.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7208_zps4rcf3kss.jpg

A board temporarily clamped on helped to line up the brackets so that they would be flush with the back of the case. I drilled for and installed one screw in each to hold that position at this point.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7209_zpsmvmcbk56.jpg

The slight curve in the bracket requires relieving the bottom of the cherry top to insure the top will go back flush. Here, the position is marked...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7210_zpsqcrnkyfp.jpg

...and the deed is done...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7211_zpsgs7vyrqk.jpg

At this point, I fully installed the cherry panel and fastened it down for the next interesting exercise. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7212_zpsxkee5tqb.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Remember I mentioned doing take-offs on the actual project? We're going to get into that seriously at this point. The hutch portion that will sit on top of the buffet bottom needs to be able to be securely fastened as I mentioned in the previous post. Coincidentally, I also need to be able to build that hutch portion without the buffet being in the shop.

With the cherry panel all fastened down security, I began by laying out the exact positions where the hutch sides will engage the bottom piece. This design retains the overlap of the surface, so things can be drawn directly on the cherry panel as illustrated here...and in mirror on the other side. The side panel and face frame is self explanatory. The little piece with the angled end will be used to fasten the front edge of the hutch sides/face frame to the surface using a captive nut in the surface and a hex-key furniture bolt through that little piece.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7213_zpsvn2cljqb.jpg

Clearly, the spot for the captive nut is pretty important, so after the measurement and layout, a quick tap on a center punch provided "that spot" for the next few steps
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7214_zpsmvkamrwm.jpg

The captive nuts I'm using have a lip on top, so I very carefully used a 3/8" forstner bit to relieve the surface down so that those nuts end up flush or slightly below the surface.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7215_zpswrn1thfh.jpg

Using the same "spot" as reference, a 5/16" hole is drilled with a brad-point bit. There is a frame member just below the top at that point and I carried the hole through that piece so that the bolt would have clearance under the buffet top when everything was fastened down.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7216_zpsbs7dtsee.jpg

The captive nut is then installed using an Allen wrench and is quite snug in that hole.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7217_zpsuzfawpgq.jpg

Here's a clear view of the type of bolt that will hold things down. These are very flat and will not be all that visible...especially once I paint them black
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7218_zpspfhmwn77.jpg

I next created those blocks that will provide a surface for the bolt to hold things down. These will be fastened to the hutch side panels and face frame securely later. For now, I've tightened those bolts down, the reason for which you'll see shortly.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7219_zps4uezi2mh.jpg

I then created the piece that will be at the bottom of the hutch back to support the T&G panel at the rear. For whatever reason, I just happened to use a piece of scrap cherry for this. The rebate was made on the saw this time, rather than setting up the router table. Two cuts and some cleanup with a rabbit plane and it was time to measure length as illustrated here. Once again, that measuring is indexed to the layout on the cherry panel.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7221_zps4d8lwmu5.jpg

At this point, we have two little blocks of wood and that rebated lower back piece securely fastened to the cherry panel. What to do now? Well...I need to be sure that the hutch carcass EXACTLY matches the layout I drew on the surface...hmmmm....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7222_zps5lxigwmx.jpg

And the winner is... (it's Grammy night while I'm typing this...) ... make a temporary frame to hold those three components in exactly the same position they are fastened down and that will serve as the template for sizing and building the hutch. No glue here...just 23 gage pins and a couple staples with some scrap wood.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7223_zpsbwfwgfw6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7224_zpsavwl7m2z.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7225_zpsyochesfo.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7226_zps5mghs8zs.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Finally, attention is turned back to that nice cherry panel...with a lot of sanding from 100 through 320...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7227_zpsnrhba6su.jpg

And...it's been "Earled"...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7228_zpsbv0kr2l7.jpg

I absolutely love the silky feel of that panel about 15-20 minutes after the oil was applied and wiped down to remove excess.

The remaining steps for this portion of the project include some additional coats of paint on the drawer fronts and doors, getting shellac applied to the drawer boxes and spraying finish on that nice cherry panel. Once that's all done, it will be time to move it into the house and "final assemble" things. I'm going to do that inside simply because it will be easier to carry (less weight) without drawers, doors and cherry panel attached.

[Bruce Volden]

Really been enjoying this thread!!!!

I have to ask though, where did you get the "milk crates"?? I seen them holding up the carcass! You laid your soul bare about everything else but, where did you get the milks crates??

VERY fun to follow this project.

Bruce

[Jim Becker]

I have to ask though, where did you get the "milk crates"?? I seen them holding up the carcass! You laid your soul bare about everything else but, where did you get the milks crates??

I've had them for decades and couldn't tell you where they originally came from...I have no idea! They do come in handy for a variety of things. I was actually sitting on one while painting that carcass in this project. :) The other table surface the carcass was sitting on is one of two platforms I had quickly built for the guinea pigs that were pets in our home. Brisco, the last one, passed away two weeks ago, so I have re-purposed these nominal 2'x4'x18" or so high platforms for use in the shop. I'm still working out how to store them, but they will come in handy I'm sure.

[Jeff Monson]

Great write up Jim! Looking forward to more posts. Thanks for taking the time.

[Von Bickley]

Great project..... Looking forward to seeing more pictures.

A lot of people think of poplar as a secondary wood, but I love working with it.

[Jim Becker]

Great project..... Looking forward to seeing more pictures.

A lot of people think of poplar as a secondary wood, but I love working with it.

Yea, and for me, "the price is right". :) It was all cut and milled on our property.

[Lori Kleinberg]

Thank you for sharing, Jim. I am enjoying the build process.

[Jim Becker]

Today, while I was working on other things on the property (preparing for Professor Dr. SWMBO's bee-keeping setup), I got the finish sprayed on the cherry drawer boxes and the cherry buffet top. Two coats of de-waxed shellac went on first with light rubbing with 400 wet and dry between coats and then three coats of EM6000 with a white pad between coats. Silky smooth and nice!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7258_zpsq7lsbp3p.jpg

This is after the first coat of EM6000 was dry...what a nice looking top!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7259_zpsoxifi4ec.jpg

[Jim Becker]

I actually ended up doing six coats of the EM6000 on that top to get it where I liked it; three on Saturday and another three on Sunday while I was working on some landscape things. It's really, really nice...photos just don't do the job. Next step is another coat of the black on the doors and drawer fronts and I'm seriously considering another coat on the cabinetry...I'm not totally happy with it.

[EMMETT MOORE]

Great thread. It's nice to see the process and order of thoughts of other craftsmen. Enjoyed the pics. Good job.

[Jim Becker]

So today was the final day for this project to be in my shop. It "should" have been completed a week ago, but some other things intervened to take my time. The final activity was pretty much to do final fitting/hinging of the doors and install the hardware. That only took about 30-45 minutes or so with distractions. At that point, I got some assistance from Professor Dr. SWMBO to move the unit into the house and then I installed the top and drawers and put it in place where it will live going forward. I do need to shim up the front about 1/2" due to the uneven wide pine floor (originally barn wood) to get it level...no way do I want the tall hutch piece that comes next to be in any way tilting forward!!! In hindsight, perhaps adjustable feet would have been a good idea, but it is what it is!

At any rate, here are a few "final" pictures for this half of the total project...I'll post a new thread for the top hutch once I get on that piece, but I have a few smaller projects that need done first as well as some spring landscaping work.

Doors installed and drawer fronts just sitting in the openings so I could get a feel for the final look...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7332_zpsegdov9fq.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7334_zpspuav81tx.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7335_zpsqodlxgrs.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7333_zpskuxmddqn.jpg

And in the great room placed after getting the top attached and the drawer fronts installed on the drawer boxes...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7336_zps1w8exnwd.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7337_zpsmirpkm8b.jpg

And of course, getting Tosca's approval. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7340_zps4x4zd95u.jpg

[Will Boulware]

Please tell me that bird is named after the opera!

Nice piece of furniture, as well!

[Jim Becker]

Please tell me that bird is named after the opera!

Nice piece of furniture, as well!

Yup...Tosca is a 21 year old Senegal Parrot and considers us to be slaves.

And thanks!

[Jerry Olexa]

Jim, thanks for sharing your project..It was fun to see it develope!! Good attention to detail..Thank you for sharing.

[Jim Becker]

Returning to this great project, the upper hutch portion was finally completed and the unit installed in our great room where it will certainly anchor the dining area end of that big space. Here are some more build photos and at the end, the result.

Like the buffet portion, the sides/ends of the hutch are glued up solid stock...poplar off our property in this case
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8100_zpsnwrrgjnn.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8101_zps7lryaomy.jpg

After sizing, the grooves and rabits are laid out right on the material, presumably so things mirror each other. Subtle hint...measure twice...err three times...cut once. ;) DAMHIKT!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8102_zpsoiyxcmzd.jpg

The OF1400 felt like getting GROOVY, so I fed it some wood...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8103_zpspoywc6df.jpg

I used setup blocks to mark the exact spot for the rail for each cut
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8104_zpsza8b0dla.jpg

You might recall my mention of measuring? Indeed. Fortunately, this is a painted piece and filling followed by recutting meant no wasted material. (and yes, "bad words" were directed at...um...myself... ;) )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8105_zpse8f3twp5.jpg

All better... :D Pre-painting the inside components prior to assembly made for a project with less bodily contortion
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8119_zps4hocrjup.jpg

and crisp edges...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8152_zpsjbx6ddmc.jpg

I think I need a bigger bench for assembly of things like this LOL
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8153_zpsqm4dpphs.jpg

You may recall that during the construction of the lower buffet, I laid out the bottom back horizontal piece and the two front corner blocks for fastening the upper hutch to the lower buffet. These were locked together with scrap and 23 gage pins and this assembly was used to exactly size the hutch. Here, I've fastened these components to the glued up carcass. The scrap jig pieces get removed once glue is cured, leaving the pieces in exactly the places they need to be to line up with the pre-configured threaded nuts in the buffet top.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8154_zpsl4z0ldp3.jpg

[Jim Becker]

At this point it was time to start applying the beaded face frame to the carcass with glue and brads...and a few countersunk screws at key places that were later plugged
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8165_zpsbmuqlk8p.jpg

A double bead means careful attention to corners. Here you can see that the bead was cut back at 45º so that an applied bead on the inside of the stile would miter in properly
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8166_zpsxfbeeyxx.jpg

Resulting in this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8167_zpscdir4nzh.jpg

and this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8168_zpsdzq0oknf.jpg

And finally...this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8198_zpsznesbyp5.jpg

Painted piece. Plugs sanded flush, nail holes filled with spackle and ready to lightly sand smooth so we can move on to the next step
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8232_zpswg7ocn3k.jpg

And that would be the "crown" on the top of the piece which also features a double bead. Here's the profile
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8233_zpsxfoenb2h.jpg

The crown was built up (all at 45º for simplicity) using scrap blocks (not shown) and then the whole thing was capped and cleaned up. Why? Because the top of this unit will actually be visible from the loft-landing and it needed to not look like a hot-mess of miscellaneous pieces of wood glued together by a drunken chipmunk.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8235_zps5koqngnz.jpg

At that point, construction is almost complete for the upper hutch unit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8237_zpscnwd7tbs.jpg

Here, I'm fitting the basic 1/2" plywood panels that will be the core of the doors. The reason I did it this way is that sadly, the unit isn't perfectly square so each door had to be carefully sized to fit the space and the angles. In this initial step, I made the panels snug...material will be removed to account for both the thickness of the beading that will be wrapped around the doors as well as the desired 1/16" gap all around once hung on hinges. Rarely are we perfect in things, so the real challenge is to "make it work"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8247_zpss1ln4a7z.jpg

After the careful fitting and then cutting down the panels the proscribed amount, the 1/4" thick overlays were (lightly) glued and pinned to the plywood cores. I've used this technique for a few years to make faux frame and panel for my tack trunks and it works well here, too. As before, the tiny holes made by the pins, etc, are filled after initial sanding so that they disappear under the paint
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8248_zpskrcd9qcq.jpg

Two down...none to go.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8249_zpss2uycpfe.jpg

The final construction step for the doors is to apply the beading around the perimeter...here's what goes on with glue and pins, mitering the corners, of course
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8251_zpsqtad6uln.jpg

Giving you this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8253_zpsevasqpup.jpg

Looks good here, too, just dry fit with thin shims on the bottom prior to pre-installing hinges
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8256_zpsqamns8yb.jpg

[Jim Becker]

And the look with hinges prior to moving on to paint

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8257-2_zps3e5pptmn.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8257_zpsnmdwkvki.jpg

Priming is always a good idea on bare wood...this is just normal SW primer that I tinted gray given black paint was the target
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8315_zpshlgqkke6.jpg

I forgot to mention earlier that the back of the piece is recycled bead board that I got from a contractor friend. While I made the T&G for the lower unit myself, I decided to use this old stuff up top to heighten the desire for this to not appear as something "new"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8317_zps5qetffoo.jpg

The doors were also primed on both sides
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8318_zpsjulzlewg.jpg

Oooh...some color...this is BM Advance...brushed on. Again, I didn't want it to look "perfect" and "new"...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8326_zpsj5iccze4.jpg

Which brings us to that final moment...just after almost getting killed carrying this heavy thing. Yes, that's a 9' tall buffet hutch. It was inspired by a similar piece in the local restaurant that I have lunch at nearly daily and is a nice addition to this room.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/DSC_5042_zpspps7m1st.jpg

Did I happen to mention using some Lee Valley LED tape for some lighting? Nope...I forgot. I did.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8738_zpsvt7kd6ob.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8739_zpsnqvdhcsa.jpg

And...with doors...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/DSC_5035_zpsro4ltfpe.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/DSC_5037_zps1fl4wc59.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/DSC_5039_zpsq4zkowoj.jpg

Tosca approves!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_8741_zps6fs1huos.jpg

[Mike Wilkins]

Thanks for build thread. Looking good. Some nice construction tips also. Thanks.

[James Pallas]

Nice design. Work looks very well done. I like the finish very much. You can enjoy it all now. The build thread is excellent.
Jim

[glenn bradley]

She's a beauty Jim. If Tosca approves, need we say more?

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful work Jim. How tall are your ceilings?

[Mel Fulks]

Yeah to all above. Great detail on useful project.

[Guy Dotan]

Awesome work and it is so nice to be able to learn from a detailed build thread!

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful work Jim. How tall are your ceilings?

This is a Great Room with a cathedral ceiling, two stories tall. So at that wall, about 16' and much taller in the center of the room. That's why the piece needed some scale.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Nice job, Jim! Also a great job documenting with in depth pictures. That's an interesting beading detail on your doors and drawer fronts. I usually see the beading detail go on the face frames. I'm curious, have you seen those miters on the drawer fronts open up from expansion or did you allow for that somehow?

[Chris Hachet]

I love the finished product, Kudos on choosing a painted finish, looks great!

[Jim Becker]

I'm curious, have you seen those miters on the drawer fronts open up from expansion or did you allow for that somehow?

I don't anticipate much issue with wood movement given the small size of the drawers. I could have used plywood for the drawer fronts, like with the doors, but wanted to try the technique with just adding the mitered beading to the ends for learning purposes. If there ever is some minor gaps...it will be completely in character with the desire for this thang to look older than it really is. :) The paint was all brushed on for the same reason.

[Mike Ontko]

Jim, you do poplar proud!

And I like those Lee Valley hinges!

[Jim Becker]

Jim, you do poplar proud!

And I like those Lee Valley hinges!
Thanks, Mike. My only disappointment with these particular hinges is that they are pretty lightweight. I bought them for the look, but would have preferred something more substantial. It is what it is... ;)

[Dan Hahr]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7075_zpsp5ovsssu.jpg

Just a couple of questions about this joint: does the tongue actually bottom out in the groove, and if so, did you leave room for wood movement here some other way? I like the look here a lot better than shiplapped boards, but it looks like it could swell a good bit..
Dan

[Jim Becker]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/Woodworking/Furniture/Buffet-Hutch/IMG_7075_zpsp5ovsssu.jpg

Just a couple of questions about this joint: does the tongue actually bottom out in the groove, and if so, did you leave room for wood movement here some other way? I like the look here a lot better than shiplapped boards, but it looks like it could swell a good bit..
Dan

You ask a good question. If the assembled panel was glued in place, then wood movement would be an issue. But a back panel like this is assembled dry and held in place by a few brads top an bottom and/or a wooden channel. There's room to expand/contract. The reason the tongue is "bottomed out" is that I wanted the groove between the Vees to be there. It's a design choice.

[Don Bullock]

WOW!!! Jim, you continue to be an inspiration for my attempts at getting back into woodworking. This is a fantastic thread. Thanks so much for taking all the extra time and putting in a lot of effort into documenting your project.