LCD TV Bench Completed

[Jim Becker]

I got the final coats of finish on the LCD TV Bench on Sunday and finally got it "installed" after work at the real job piddled out at the end of the day today. The height, width and depth worked out perfectly for the area it needed to go as well as for the components it needed to house.

This project was made from 8/4 walnut that was milled on the property back in 2000 and sat waiting for the right project to come along. It's very sturdy and can become a "people" bench someday should other arrangments come about for the electronics. The lower shelf was purposely made with slats for air movement from below. Finish is BLO, shellac and Target Coatings WB Oxford lacquer. (first coats are PSL and the final coat is the new USL that replaced the former)

Pics:

1) What it actually looks like; taken during the finishing process. This picture has been posted before.
2) With everything installed, cabled up and working. The walnut blends well with the barn-wood interior of our great room as well as the wide pumpkin pine floors.
3) What it looks like with the lights out and HDef "in play"...:p

[Michael Ballent]

Very nice work Jim!!! I like the way the tennons are visible. Thanks for sharing... Looks like the jointer got some work on that project :D

-Michael

[Dick Parr]

Very nice Jim, I love walnut!

[Mark Singer]

Really nice work and great design!!!

[Jim Becker]

I like the way the tennons are visible.
Thanks, but "they be fake" through tenons...just end-grain inlays in the right spots. I was not willing to take the time to deal with hand-cutting large, angled mortises for this particular project. The legs sit in dados and are glued and screwed into the top. The screws are hidden by the faux tenons that show on the top. The shelf was assembled with pocket screws and glue and actually "built in place" through that method.

I posted a few pictures of the assembly process a couple of weeks ago that you should be able to find via the search somehow.

Yes, the J/P got a bit 'o work from this project.

[Tyler Howell]

Excellent work Mr B. I.m ready for the house tour now. You've been teasing with shop and kitchen. It's time.

[Bob Marino]

Nice Jim, very nice.

Bob

[Fred Voorhees]

I, of course, have been fortunate enough to get the actual real live tour and it is a beautiful old home with lots of character.

[Howard Rosenberg]

I love the Craftsman influence you incorporated. The through tenons are a great touch. Your electronics is a perfect fit. Sturdy enough for people? Wow! Thanks for sharing. Howard

[John Miliunas]

Yup, I think it blends very nicely in its environment. Very thoughtful design...Not gawdy or over-powering. Very well executed and detailed. 'Course, I'm biased: A) I inherently love Walnut. B) I've come to expect nothing less outta' you! :cool:

[Adan Madrid]

Jim,

Nice work! The tenons give it a nice appeal.

[Michael Ballent]

Well U dun good my friend with the fake tennons :D I was going to ask you exactly how a Normite would accomplish through tennons at an angle no less right in the middle like that, but you blew the sails out of that question ;) Beautiful work!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Tony Falotico]

Real Nice Jim, simple, yet elegant & functional. Fine attention to detail. Very well executed and finished.

.....beautiful old home with lots of character Is the Edsel part of the character?

Thanks for posting the pics, look forward to seeing more of your fine work.

[Jim Becker]

.....beautiful old home with lots of character Is the Edsel part of the character?

Naa...only Toyotas and Kubotas around here. That was just whatever was on INHD-2 at the moment the "shutter" picked up the electrons...

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments. This was a fun project and despite stupid mistakes, it turned out just right for the application.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Jim, great job and sweet TV. I like the angled sides and the use of thru-tenons. Very nice touch.

[Robert Goodwin]

Thanks, but "they be fake" through tenons...just end-grain inlays in the right spots. I was not willing to take the time to deal with hand-cutting large, angled mortises for this particular project. The legs sit in dados and are glued and screwed into the top. The screws are hidden by the faux tenons that show on the top. The shelf was assembled with pocket screws and glue and actually "built in place" through that method.

I posted a few pictures of the assembly process a couple of weeks ago that you should be able to find via the search somehow.

Yes, the J/P got a bit 'o work from this project.


Beutiful work as always! I was wondering how you did the supports in the dados with the angled tennons and through mortices :)

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Nice work Jim! I like the wood in your house. I dream of a day when I can have more wood inside (since I detest sheetrock). Nice TV too!!:D

[Ken Garlock]

Very nice bench, Jim.

Now you need at DLP receiver to get theatre quality pictures.

[Chris Padilla]

Jim,

Very, very cool. I don't know the satisfaction of having taken that project through ALL STEPS: felled tree, cut logs, dried lumber, milled lumber, built project. Perhaps someday I will have some land where I can do such a thing...it would be just too cool! Nice job.

[John Weber]

Jim,

Nice project as always, the TV stand came out unique and cool. I'm not sure I like the TV stand/speaker? Makes the TV look sort of top heavy. But your stand is really cool and functional.

John

[Jim Becker]

Now you need at DLP receiver to get theatre quality pictures.

We get "theater quality" now via Digital HD Cable...top box on the right side. There are 7 channels of high-def "now", including the four networks (ABC.CBS.NBC.Fox) plus PBS and two INHD selections. That is in addtion to the approximately 125 channels on the standard cable offering. We cannot get good off-air broadcast here so cable is the only way. But our "plan" is inexpensive since we do not subscribe to any premium channels, nor would we watch them. Sound is 5.1 format via optical cable from the digital HD cable box on those high-def channels, too.

I just wish more DVDs took advantage of/offered the 720i and 1080i format. They look great in 480i wide screen, but are spectacular in the hi-def formats when available on the disk.

[Ken Garlock]

OK OK, Jim. I just had to rattle you cage a little :) I am sure that your configuration is very very good, but being a retired Texas Instruments employee, I had to put in a plug for their DLP technology ;)

When my 50" Sony finally turns casters-up, I will start looking for a replacement. In the interim, I will stick with the digital satellite for my viewing.

Enjoy your new toy....

[Jim Becker]

but being a retired Texas Instruments employee, I had to put in a plug for their DLP technology

Ache...I missed the reference completely. Sorry. Unfortunately, there is no wall space, even in this huge 22' x 25' room, sufficient to leverage what can be done with the most excellent DLP projectors available today. The psudo-post and beam design is part of the problem and having the large, walk-in fireplace smack in the middle of the long end wall limits flexibility in that respect, too. But honestly, even this smaller 30" 16:9 format looks huge at the correct viewing distance! Intimacy works here...:p