Building an oak cabinet with sliding glass doors -Phase 2

[Frank Pellow]

My friend Terry West and I started this cabinet on a long weekend last November. I will call the work that we did then Phase 1. Phase 1 is described in the thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27964

We tackled Phase 2 this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will continue the "picture essay" from where Phase 1 left off.

Again, this will be split into several post becuase our limit of 5 pictures per post.

(25) The shop has been tidied up a bit and the cabinet parts are laid out awaiting Terry’s arrival:

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(26) Lacking a narrow blade for my bandsaw, I made the cutout at the front of the base with a jig saw. It did an OK job and Terry easily cleaned up the cut with a sander. In the picture below Terry is sanding a curve with a rounded attachment on the Festool Linear sander.

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(27) The frames for the two sliding doors were made with notches for halflap joints at the four corners. Lacking a router table, I decided to cut the notches on my table saw.

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(follow-up comment: As discussed below in post #12 in this thread, there are many safer ways to do step 27. Were I to do this again, I would use my bandsaw.)

(28) The notches had to be cleaned up a little bit with a chisel, then Terry was able to glue and clamp the door frames.

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[Michael Ballent]

It's looking good, but picture 27 just about gives me the shivers YIKES. Maybe you could have used a tennoning jig? or a dado blade with the piece laying flat... Not sure I would be too comfortable with that cut...

[Frank Pellow]

(29) While all this was going on we were treated to (sequential) visits by my grandchildren. I set them to work augmenting the art on the shop walls.



(30) Terry decided it was high time to start studying articles about finishing methods with oak.

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(31) The plans called for biscuit joints at the front corners of the base, but I don’t have a biscuit joiner, so we resorted to the use of large Miller dowels after the corners had been glued up.

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[Frank Pellow]

(32) All the small clamps that I got for Christmas came in handy when gluing and screwing the cleats and braces to the base.

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(33) With a drill press, I drilled part holes into the doors for handles, wheels and sliders. In the photo below left, I am installing a wheel and in the photo to the right below, Terry is trying out the sliding doors.

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(34) Next we checked that the glass fit and that the mullion pieces fit approximately.

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(35) Half laps were cut into the mullion pieces.

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[Frank Pellow]

(36) Then the mullions were checked for exact fit.

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(37) Finally it is time to attach the base to the cabinet.

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The offset chuck on my Festool Drill proved to be useful.

(38) Meanwhile, Terry was experimenting with dyes.

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[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Frank: Obviously there is another "Pellow" CD in the works. Sign me up for the first batch! :D

All the best in 06, Tom

[Frank Pellow]

(39) Next, I screwed the cabinet to the top –using expansion slots with washers on the screws.

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(40) Terry finally bit the bullet and started to apply the dye of his choice to the cabinet.

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The bad news is that the colour looks somewhat different than the sample -the good news is that we like it even better than we liked the sample.

(41) Here we are with the cabinet just before it leaves my shop.

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(42) Here are the cabinet and unattached parts ready for the trip to Ottawa:

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Terry will finish up the job in Ottawa with dye on the small parts, then shellac and lacquer on everything. It is supposed to be ready for a party that Terry and Peggy throwing in early February. I plan to be there and will take a picture or two of the finished cabinet in its home.

That's all for now.

Followup note on Feb 13: Terry did complete the cabinet and the party was held on the 10th of February. Pictures of the finished cabinet can be found in the thread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31167.

[Richard Wolf]

Looks great Frank. What kind of hardware did you use for the sliding doors? I am just about to build something like that, but was concerned about how easy the doors would slide.

Richard

[Christian Aufreiter]

Nice project, Frank
Thanks for the detailed and excellently illustrated documentation.
As Michael already pointed out, the technique shown in picture 27 is probably not the safest way to accomplish halflap joints. Don’t you have a nice handsaw or a powerful bandsaw?

Regards,

Christian

[Karl Laustrup]

As usual Frank, you're tutorials are right on. Informative and educational.

Thanks. :)

Karl

[Frank Pellow]

Looks great Frank. What kind of hardware did you use for the sliding doors? I am just about to build something like that, but was concerned about how easy the doors would slide.

Richard
Thanks Richard. I used te hardware at the link: http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40162&cat=3,43614,43620

I have now used this hardware on three different sets of sliding doors. The hardware is quite easy to install and works great. And, it has a good amount of tollerance if the doors are not cut to the exact heght recommneded. For groves, all you need to do is to cut a couple of 1/8 inch saw kerfs.

[Frank Pellow]

It's looking good, but picture 27 just about gives me the shivers YIKES. Maybe you could have used a tennoning jig? or a dado blade with the piece laying flat... Not sure I would be too comfortable with that cut...



…
As Michael already pointed out, the technique shown in picture 27 is probably not the safest way to accomplish halflap joints. Don’t you have a nice handsaw or a powerful bandsaw?

Regards,

Christian

You guys are both correct to point out that there are safer ways to cut the notches at the end of boards. I should not have made the cuts the way that I did. :(

I don't have a dado blade and don't plan to get one, so that won't work for me.

I don't have a tennoning jig, but I do plan to make or to buy one, so that will be an option in the future.

I do have a bandsaw and I should have used it. My excuse (a rather lame one) is that I have only had the band saw for a little while having never had one before, so when I am planning how to do something, I seem to forget my bandsaw most the time. I trust that this discussion will help me to remember my bandsaw in the future.

[Karl Laustrup]

I do have a bandsaw and I should have used it. My excuse (a rather lame one) is that I have only had the band saw for a little while having never had one before, so when I am planning how to do something, I seem to forget my bandsaw most the time. I trust that this discussion will help me to remember my bandsaw in the future.

Right on the money Frank. Having never had a BS I do the same thing, although I am getting better. Once I figure out a way to do something, I then ask myself if I can do it on the BS easier or quicker.

Karl

[Michael Ballent]

You guys are both correct to point out that there are safer ways to cut the notches at the end of boards. I should not have made the cuts the way that I did. :(

I don't have a dado blade and don't plan to get one, so that won't work for me.

I don't have a tennoning jig, but I do plan to make or to buy one, so that will be an option in the future.

I do have a bandsaw and I should have used it. My excuse (a rather lame one) is that I have only had the band saw for a little while having never had one before, so when I am planning how to do something, I seem to forget my bandsaw most the time. I trust that this discussion will help me to remember my bandsaw in the future.

From one DBA to another :) I know that sometimes we do not like to change our ways ;) You know that you could also had made a fixture that would have strattled the fence, then with the De-Sta-Co type (toggle clamps) clampy thingies held the work in place. There are tons of plans out there for such a thing. The BS would have worked as well, but I think that you would have to do a lot of clean up, since the cut would not have been as clean.

I would also suggest getting the router table built/bought too... That will be a great help...

Any particular reason you do not want a dado blade? Just curious...

[Corey Hallagan]

Looking good Frank! Going to be a great cabinet!

Corey

[Frank Pellow]

...
Any particular reason you do not want a dado blade? Just curious...
I prefer cutting dados with a guided router (on my Festool Multi-Funtion Table).
I could also have used this settup to cut the half-laps but, at the time, the table was being used by for a glue-up of another project.

[Ron Fritz]

Frank; Very nice cabinet, great tutorial. Thanks for the pictures. It's almost like being there with you! Ron

[Frank Pellow]

Terry did complete the cabinet and the party was held on the 10th of February. Pictures of the finished cabinet can be found in the thread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31167.

[tim harris]

I agree with michael. I would want top use a tenon jig for this cut. I have plans for one on a portable table saw that i will post when I get it assembled.

Yikes!!