Anything will look good in a picture!

[Todd Burch]

Just (almost) completed this project. I started it on 10/15 and will be finished today (2 weeks & 1 day). MDF and poplar for all the casework. Drawer boxes are 1/2" Baltic birch ply on 100% pullouts.

The corner cabs are each 2' wide, 2' deep and 94 3/4" tall with 3 adjustable shelves. The center drawer box is 27 1/2" tall, 2' deep and 28 1/4" wide. The hanging shelf unit is 62" wide and 45 3/4" tall and will support 2 adjustable shelves on each side. The countertop is 1/4" quartersawn red oak ply over 2 sheets of 3/4" MDF. Solid oak bullnose. The wall is 12' long. I made the pieces and installed them. To save some $$, the client painted them, in place, with a $150 airless sprayer. (Not the best paint job I've ever witnessed...)

I screwed up the middle small drawer fronts, so that's what I'm remaking this AM. Once those are installed, I get paid. (WOO-HOO!)

Thanks for looking. (Those are the 8 doors and 9 drawer boxes I made in 1 day last week. The bottom 3 drawers are all lateral files.)

(Sorry for the quality of pictures - I think the lens was fogged up. I'll retake today. And, the carpet doesn't get laid back until Thursday.)

[Brad Schafer]

beautiful work, todd. i've always hated MDF but you're turning out such nice stuff, i just might reconsider.

well done - nice profile on the crown,


b

[Jerry Todd]

Just (almost) completed this project. I started it on 10/15 and will be finished today (2 weeks & 1 day). MDF and poplar for all the casework. Drawer boxes are 1/2" Baltic birch ply on 100% pullouts.

The corner cabs are each 2' wide, 2' deep and 94 3/4" tall with 3 adjustable shelves. The center drawer box is 27 1/2" tall, 2' deep and 28 1/4" wide. The hanging shelf unit is 62" wide and 45 3/4" tall and will support 2 adjustable shelves on each side. The countertop is 1/4" quartersawn red oak ply over 2 sheets of 3/4" MDF. Solid oak bullnose. The wall is 12' long. I made the pieces and installed them. To save some $$, the client painted them, in place, with a $150 airless sprayer. (Not the best paint job I've ever witnessed...)

I screwed up the middle small drawer fronts, so that's what I'm remaking this AM. Once those are installed, I get paid. (WOO-HOO!)

Thanks for looking. (Those are the 8 doors and 9 drawer boxes I made in 1 day last week. The bottom 3 drawers are all lateral files.)

(Sorry for the quality of pictures - I think the lens was fogged up. I'll retake today. And, the carpet doesn't get laid back until Thursday.)
Hey Todd, I always enjoy looking at your work. I am struggling with some shop cabinets and you are an inspiration. Keep posting those pictures.
Jerry Todd

[Ed Marks]

Hi Todd,

I'm wih Brad on this one. I always felt MDF was for shop fixtures but I keep seeing the stuff you're churning out and wondering if it has other merits.

I take it this is some kind of computer workstation. I like the design Lots of room to work and storage to boot.

Ed

[Todd Burch]

Yes, Ed, this is their study. She sells Mary Kay and evey closet in the house has pink stuff in it. She wanted lots of storage for her inventory. Thus, the 2 tall, deep cases. They both work from the home quite a bit, and yes, the countertop will support 2 PCs and printer(s). You can't really see well in these photos, but 2 grommets (2½" each) were installed for wiring access to either kneespace.

Also (and this is kinda neat - my idea...), I formed a trough into the top back corner of the center drawer unit, so if they want to run wiring from one kneespace to the other, they can now do it under the counter instead of on top.

I gave them my suggestions for electric and network & phone wiring, and they had that completed before my install. They will add lights underneath the center hanging shelves. (Chinese cleat attached.)

[Ken Garlock]

Very nice work and finish. Anyone would be proud to have these units in their home.

I have to ask the question: What is a Chinese cleat? :confused:

[Dan McLaughlin]

Todd

I'm mixing posts but bear with me for a minute. I was of the same mind as Ed and Brad. The stuff you are doing with MDF looks great. In another post (relating to routing and plywood) you wrote "I route MDF all the time for profiles, and when properly prepped, you can't tell it's MDF." Please expand "when properly prepped" Thanks

[Todd Burch]

Hey Dan, I'll explain it, but I'll do a full "article" (w/pics) on it so that next time, I can simply refer. (Plus, in case I forget - I can refer to it myself!)

Todd.

[Don Farr]

Really, really nice Todd. Thanks for sharing it.

[Gene Collison]

Just (almost) completed this project. I started it on 10/15 and will be finished today (2 weeks & 1 day). MDF and poplar for all the casework. Drawer boxes are 1/2" Baltic birch ply on 100% pullouts.

Todd,

Really nice work!! I assume you are using poplar for the face frames and doors. How are you attaching the face frames to the mdf side panels? Tia


Gene

[Lars Thomas]

Hey Todd, as usual, some great looking work. I need to build some cabinets (also painted) that will fit into a 9' alcove. And I want to have a wood top- either wood or some type of sheet good. What did you use for the top of yours so that you did not have a seem on the top (or at least a noticable seem). Thanks. Lars

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Gene. Poplar was used for the face frames and the door frames. The raised door panels are MDF. I attached the face frames to the MDF sides with yellow glue and 2¾" 15 gauge wire clamps! (aka nails). Elmer's Carpenter's wood filler in the holes.

----------------------------------------------------

Lars, whether I'm working with hardwood, or MDF, I put a "cap" on top of my cases like this to provide a flat surface on top, whether simply for ease of dusting or for displaying items. In this case, I simply used ¾" MDF.

How I do it:

First, I start with the case dimensions. While these cases are 24" x 24", the face frame has an extra 1" on the wall side for scribing, so the case takes up 25" side to side. (No scribing needed on this job - the walls were plumb. As my Aunt says - "Faint and fall over!!")

The 4¼" crown that I use sticks out 2¾" from the top of the case when installed. So, I add 2¾" to the width and depth of the non-wall sides of the case. Then, I add another ¾" to these values for every non-wall side, and that gives me a ¾" overhang out past the crown.

I use a ¾" roundover router bit on the bottom of the exposed sides of the cap piece. That leaves a sharp point on the top edge, which I then remove with a 3/8" roundover.

I install the cap piece before the crown, as the cap piece gives me an additional surface for nailing to ease the crown installation, plus, I don't have to guess at the required crown height.

For painted pieces, caulk everywhere there is a joint.

For hardwood, I'll use matching hardwood ply for the field of the cap piece, but I'll put solid wood edgings, an inch or more wide, on the exposed edges of the cap piece. I'll miter the corners of the hardwood edging too. It really looks good and finished and takes the look of common crown to the next level up.

----------------------------------------------------
Ken, a Chinese cleat (I've also heard it referred to as a French cleat) is a method for hanging a cabinet or shelves that REALLY makes the job easy. I've drawn an image to explain the system. Basically, bevel rip a couple board or pieces of ply. You attach one to the wall and the other to the back of the case. The 45° cuts lock into each other. The back of the case should be recessed the thickness of the cleat (typically 3/4") and the sides should extend this extra amount so you can't see the hanging system once installed. By mounting the cleat on the wall first, you can easily level the cleat by yourself instead of having to try to level a heavy cabinet.



Todd.

[Howard Rosenberg]

Hi Todd - Glad to meet another person who appreciates a fine piece of MDF! Let usc know when your article is ready. Thank you for sharing. Howard

[Ken Garlock]

Had you said French cleat, I would have known at once. I just had never heard it called a Chinese cleat. So now I know YAN (yet another name.) :cool:

[Tom Sweeney]

Another fine piece of cabinetry from the MDF cabinet master :cool:
I hope you're starting to get a lot of clients - you should be with the quality of work you're putting out. Another great job!