After 10 years, I finally made a sandpaper cabinet

[Todd Burch]

Yes, I'm ashamed that I've put it off for so long. But, over the last few evenings, I cobbled one together.

It's birdseye pine and 1/2" baltic birch plywood (and 1/4" birch ply for the back). I started with a 1/2" ply box and then applied the pine. I used ply for the inside carcase to handle the slide out shelves that I used. The shelves are simply scrap 1/4" plywood that slide in and out on 5/16" wide dados. I added a "U" shaped 1" tall "wall" (1/2" birch) on some of the shelves to keep paper confined to the center of the tray.

The sides are 3/4" pine. I made some thin mouldings on the tablesaw (moulding head) to transition to the flat panel of the birch ply. I painted the ply a dark blue after I added the pine frames and before I added the mouldings.

Several coats of amber shellac, sprayed on - even over the water based paint. I have not steel wooled it or waxed it, and probably won't since it is just for the shop. Same color scheme as other cabinets in the shop. It's about 51" tall, 13½" wide and 15¼" deep.

To the bottom right you can see the shelves waiting to be reinstalled after I hang it. Now I just need to find some wall space to mount it on...

Todd

[Martin Shupe]

Todd,

If that is a sandpaper cabinet, you have way too much time on your hands!

Seriously, I thought you were kidding until I saw the pic with the door open.

Next time, make the inside just a little nicer, call it a chimney cupboard, and sell it for $$$!

Really nice job, Todd. Once again, my super slow neophyte efforts pale in comparison to the master's.

Harlingen by mornin', home tomorrow. Yippee!

[Jim Becker]

Outstanding, Todd! I really do like that birdseye pine...and it looks even better in person.

Martin, this cabinet actually matches his other shop cabinets...which are very sharp looking. There is no harm in making nice looking shop cabinets. For those of us who are amatures, it's a great way to practice. For pros like Todd...it makes for good business sense if a customer happens to stop by. They will see quality work even in the shop. That's a good thing.

[Bob Marino]

Outstanding, Todd! I really do like that birdseye pine...and it looks even better in person.

Martin, this cabinet actually matches his other shop cabinets...which are very sharp looking. There is no harm in making nice looking shop cabinets. For those of us who are amatures, it's a great way to practice. For pros like Todd...it makes for good business sense if a customer happens to stop by. They will see quality work even in the shop. That's a good thing.

Todd,

Beautiful work, as usual. My firts thought was also too nice for a cabinet in the shop, but Jim's point is right on the money about being a good advertisement for your work and practice for we amatuers.

Bob

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Nice cabinet Todd. My sandpaper is jealous!

[Dan Bussiere]

Todd,
It's about time you got around to it! From all the projects you've been posting you had plenty of time to get this done sooner. Wait a minute, I don't have one built yet either! Geesh, if I had that in my kitchen I would be proud. How does that fit in with your color scheme?
Dan

[Alan Turner]

Hey Todd,
Want to stop by my shop and do a bit of cobbling? Frank Klauss sells his work from a meeting at his workbench, which shows off his talents just a bit. I use my bench, and old/restored tool cabinet, in a similar, hopefully subtle, way. Good work, of course, and nice marketing toy.
Alan

[Chris DiCiaccio]

Todd,
Now that's the way to handle sandpaper! I'm sure you will enjoy using that for a long time. Great workmanship as always.

[John Weber]

Todd,

Holy S@#t, that belongs in the house. Very nice I love all the shelves, you did it right. I agree nice touch making it to match your other cabinets. What do you think Jesse James' (West Coast Choppers)customers would say if he rode a Honda? Best to do as you do for others.

John

[Robert Goodwin]

I had to chuckle when I read the remark “I have not steel wooled it or waxed it, and probably won't since it is just for the shop.”. You have raised panel doors, custom molding etc. and are stopping shy of the wool wax :)

Anyway, Beautiful Cabinet. I like the dark painted panels. I may do that on my shaker’ish workbench I am building. I have often gotten flack from people asking why I am putting so much time into my shop furniture (Granted they do not look as good as this piece). I love to work in the shop and get a lot of satisfaction having nice cabinets and such. It’s a personal preference.

Keep up the good work!!!!!!

[Jim Stastny]

Todd,

Beautiful cabinet. Just one question. I have stumbled onto bird's eye pine before. Where did you manage to find some? I would like to know of a supplier. Thanks

[Todd Burch]

Jim, I have about 2500+ board feet of it. Home Depot!! Few and far between - I have about an 8 year collection buying a board here and there. I'll still buy them when I see them, but today they have to be REALLY good boards.

(My wife would say "accumulation")

[Jim Stastny]

Todd,

Yep, HD is where I've run into it. I've even found some in their "cull cart" for fifty-cents :) I used it as drawer fronts on two shaker stlyle end tables. Every one who sees it swears the wood must be bird's eye maple. However, I haven't found any for awhile :( So, if you discover that your supply has suddenly and drastically dimminished don't look my way :D

[Kent Cori]

Todd,

I thought about building something that nice but I'm afraid my sandpaper would become too spoiled and never want to leave their classy home to work and get all full of sawdust. ;)

[Jeff Skory]

Wow!.....Wow!......Just how much sandpaper do you have Todd? :D

I could store all of my handtools in there and my sandpaper and still have 2/3 of it empty.

Very nice.

[Pat Salter]

I can NOT let my wife see this. It's nicer than most of our house furniture and as far as the shop.....we won't go there.

Awesome is all I've got to say.

[Todd Burch]

Pat, when I was at my clients house a couple weeks ago working on the study, the wife leaned over and whispered to me that the inside of the cabinets I had already finished were nicer than her furniture... I took it as a compliment!

[Tom Sweeney]

I'm shaking my thinking what the stuff in my shop looks like - after admiring this masterpiece.
Beautiful!

[Stan Smith]

Sorry to say that my sandpaper cabinet is low tech--a plastic file folder box with hanging file folders, but I don't feel too bad now since I've never waxed mine either.

Stan

[Greg Tatum]

[QUOTE=Todd Burch]Yes, I'm ashamed that I've put it off for so long. But, over the last few evenings, I cobbled one together.

Boy, I wish I could "cobble" as well as you.....anything I cobble together usually has a screw poking through it and some blood on it somewhere ;)

I'm inspired when I see your work...truely nice work.

Regards,
Greg

[Waymon Campbell]

Wow - Its beautiful, Todd. Matches your other cabinets. Having seen your other work first hand, I am not surprised in the least. Thanks for posting.

[Howard Rosenberg]

after I looked at the photos of your shop cabinets!
Thank you for posting these photos.
Beautiful work!
Howard

[Fred Voorhees]

SANDPAPER CABINET??????????? Man, I can see that thing being one heckuva stereo electronic cabinet. SANDPAPER of all things! Sheez! LOL Nice job dude!