Craft Room Cabinets - Complete

[Lars Thomas]

Hey all, This evening I finished the cabinets for my wife's craft room (scrap booking). This was my first project sketched in Sketch-Up (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=414182&postcount=14). It looks something like the original drawing. They are cherry flat panel. The tops are 13" deep to accommodate the 12"x12" paper she uses. The top is a shop made laminate (Formica Labrador Granite 3692-46) with cherry trim - no back splash. All drawers are on full extension slides. Doors are hinged with 170 degree clip-ons.

Thanks for looking. Lars

[glenn bradley]

That is one beautiful setup. I've got to close this window quick before the LOML sees that!

[Jim Becker]

Lars, they look GREAT!! That'a really comfortable looking space to work in, too. Wonderful!

[frank shic]

Lars, nice job! Did you deaden off the corner or is one of those cabinets a blind cabinet?

[Dave Hale]

Very nice job. I have to close this before LOML sees it too.
Wait........
Maybe I can talk her into the SawStop now.......
No, can't show this, she'll want a room in my shop, not in the house....;)

[Jason Tuinstra]

Lars, the cabinets look really, really nice. I'd love to have a set of those in my kitchen! What a great craft area for your wife. I'm sure she'll get a lot of work done in there. Congrats on a great project.

[Ted Miller]

Lars, Nice job looks great...

[Lars Thomas]

First, thanks to all for you kind comments. It means a lot coming from y'all.

Frank, the cabinet under the window is blind, almost all the way back into the corner. Why not all the way back, you ask? Well, the widest piece of ply I had at the time was about 46" wide. So the cabinet stops about 8" from the wall. I know it's a PITB to get back in the corner. But I solved part of the problem by sticking one of those LED lighting pucks in the cabinet so you could at least see back there. Now you'll be able to see what you can't reach. Nice touch, ah?

I received another question via PM, I'll respond here in case anyone else has an interest. The question revolved around how the counters were made with the cherry banding. The sub-straight for these counters is Birch ply (although MDF or particle board is a good option). I went with the ply this time because my borg was clearing in out and was only a buck or two more than the particle board - which I don't like to work with. I know I could go to a real lumber yard and get 10' ply to cover the long run, but I went with traditional 8' sheet goods to save a trip.

The left hand corner (under the monitor) has two funny angles. I made a cardboard template for that first. Once the sub-straight was cut, I did a test fit. After I was satisfied with the fit, I added the edge banding, keeping flush with the top of the ply (proud if anything- not below). It is held in place with a few brads and glue. To make sure the banding was flush with the ply, I used my hand plane to flush them up. I taped off the face of the banding so it didn't get covered with contact cement. Note, there is also cherry banding in the slot over the trash can that was handled in the same way. I used a 1/4" nap roller to apply the water based contact cement (CC). After the CC dried, I applied the Formica and used a J-Roller to provide pressure to the laminate. With a flush trim bit, I trimmed the laminate to size including routing out the 4 grommets and the trash slot. Using a 45 degree chamfer, I then routed the cherry banding and laminate on the front - stopping short of the corner where the two different pieces of laminate meet. This intersection was routed once the pieces were in place and flush with each other.

I have heard of folks having trouble with the water based CC, but I can vouch that the laminate is good and tight even in the typical problem areas like corners. Lars

[Laurie Brown]

I'd love to see a close-up of the counter edge, especially in the corner, so I can see what you're describing there. Where did you buy your laminate?

[Lars Thomas]

Laurie, The laminate was purchased at Lowes - Special order. Funny thing is I ordered two sheets (both 30" wide x different lengths). They sent me 2 of each. I will take a close-up tonight and post later this evening. Lars

[Laurie Brown]

What kind of adhesive did you use to glue the laminate to the substrate? I want to use something that doesn't produce a lot of fumes, preferably water-based, to do my counter.

[Lars Thomas]

Laurie, I used http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx?product_id=37. There was virtually no odor at all. Lars

[Jay Kilpatrick]

Lars,
From one scrap booking refugee to another... that's the cleanest you'll ever see that counter-top again; unless you move to another house! It's really nice though.
~Jay

[Jerry Olexa]

Lars, EXCELLENT WORK!!! Like the clean look of the cabinet faces and of course, beautiful Cherry....great job!!

[Dick Bringhurst]

Looks really good. Nice and clean. The drawer layout is very inovative. Dick B.

[Ralph Okonieski]

Beautiful cabinets. Love the color and style !

[Howie French]

Lars,

very nice indeed !, I am sure your wife is very happy. I know mine would be.

great job,

Howie

[Lars Thomas]

Jerry, that cherry should look familar to you . . .it's from Steve's Elgin lumber run this summer.

Laurie, following is a close up of the laminate edge on the 24 degree turn into the wall.

I just noticed in the first picture (above), you can see the snow drift outside the window. Welcome to winter in Chicago!

[Rennie Heuer]

Very nicely done. Love the drawer!

[Jerry Olexa]

[quote=Lars Thomas]Jerry, that cherry should look familar to you . . .it's from Steve's Elgin lumber run this summer.


Lars, I told LOML last night that was probably the same wood. She is also a crafter (stamping)and I have built her a work area next to my basement shop. In any case, great job Lars!! Looks good...

[Dan McGuire]

Lars,

Great job!! What is the construction of the cab doors??

Dan

[Neil Lamens]

Lars:

Really nice work.........shows alot of skills with tools, materials, and construction techniques.

Unless I missed reading it,....what's the finish on the cherry???

[Rob Bodenschatz]

WOW! That is great Lars! Beautiful! The color, the lighting, the countertop, the doors, all supurb.

My wife & kids' craft room is probably going to be my next project so I'll definitely be bookmarking this. The drawer is awesome. Did you customize any other drawers? If so, please show.

Very very nice.

[Lars Thomas]

Lars,

What is the construction of the cab doors??


Dan, the door construction is all tongue and groove made on the table saw with dado insert. The panels are resawn flat panel cherry. I went that route thinking it was cheaper and easier. It was neither as it turned out. My current set of cabinets (small kitchen) will be raised panel (with the raised portion on the inside) – much easier.



Unless I missed reading it,....what's the finish on the cherry???


Neil, the finish is 5-6 coats of General Finish’s Arm-R-Seal wet sanded to 800



The drawer is awesome. Did you customize any other drawers?


Rob, the large drawer at the far right is set up for hanging file folders, The knee-hole drawer has a few simple friction-fit dividers for pens and such. The middle drawer on the left (beneath the pictured drawer) has the laptop and holds the wireless keyboard and mouse - nothing really worthy of a picture. Although, one comment on the drawers. I usually make ½” drawers. However, my planner broke when the material was at 5/8”. So rather then stop to fix the planner, I just went with 5/8” stock for the drawers. I actually prefer the ‘hefty’ look of the heaver drawers.

[Dan Larson]

Great job, Lars... I'm sure your wife will smile every time she sits down in her craft room!

Dan