Huge Breakfast bar panel

[Steve Clardy]

Doing another set of kitchens cabs and have been working on this breakfast bar panel for two days. Finally got the first coat of stain and lacquer on it.
Weights a ton. I have to have help to move it around in the shop.
Size is 3/4x36-1/2x143", made out of Red Oak. Check out that 9 1/2" wide board on top side.
I'm about halfway through this set. All the lowers are done, counter tops are built, putting on laminate now. All four vanitys are done, 1-4', 2-3', and 1 6'.
Planning on moving them to the job monday or tuesday to make some room in shop so I can get started on the uppers. Then it's on to the staircase in the same house.
Steve

[Jim Ketron]

Looking good!
Hope you have a big truck to haul-um!
Nice shop Steve looks like you have plenty of clamps.
Do you use a shaper to make your panels?

[Jim Cunningham]

Looks beautiful, and I'm anxious to see more pics.


Now the question; When making those raised panels, did you use solid material and do glue ups for the panels. I'm going to make my own cabs and I hate the idea of all that sanding on the glue ups. I've made a ton of raised panels on other furniture, but never had to face 20 plus doors! and I don't have a wide belt sander.

Thanks, Jim

[Steve Clardy]

Looking good!
Hope you have a big truck to haul-um!
Nice shop Steve looks like you have plenty of clamps.
Do you use a shaper to make your panels?
Jim. I present;y have a 16" flatbed trailer with 4' sides to haul cabs. Been looking for a decent priced enclosed trailer, but they are high.
Yep. I use a 3-hp shaper for panels.
Steve

[Steve Clardy]

Looks beautiful, and I'm anxious to see more pics.


Now the question; When making those raised panels, did you use solid material and do glue ups for the panels. I'm going to make my own cabs and I hate the idea of all that sanding on the glue ups. I've made a ton of raised panels on other furniture, but never had to face 20 plus doors! and I don't have a wide belt sander.

Thanks, Jim
Solid material Jim. The trick on not having to sand them even is to glue them up thicker than 3/4".
I use rough material surfaced to 15/16" when gluing up raised panels.
When glue is set, run them through your surface planer to 3/4. Makes panels nice and tidy, and the sanding is just finish sanding then.;)
You need a fairly wide planer to do this though. Mine is 20".
Steve

[Tyler Howell]

Steve you're a machine with a heart. You just keep pumping out the top quality product.

[John Miliunas]

Lookin' real good, Steve! I've said it before, your work is exceptional! BUT, do you *ever* make anything small??? :rolleyes: Seems like you must be getting all the BIG jobs in your area! I don't think my shop is big enough to handle something that size and I certainly don't think I've got enough ooomph left to handle huge panels that size, either! You done good, Steve. Real good! :cool:

[Mike Palmer]

Looks great Steve. Shaper definitely got a good workout on this job.

When you glue up for your panels, what is your average strip width (2-3")? Also, for your kitchen jobs do you use Pre-cat lacquer or regular nitrocellulose?

[John Miliunas]

Hey Steve, in looking at the size of that thing, another question occurred to me: What are you using for glue! That's an awfully BIG area and I would think that your plain, old "vanilla" Titebond II or equivalent, wouldn't give you enough open time. :cool:

[Rob Littleton]

Steve you're a machine with a heart. You just keep pumping out the top quality product.

Tyler Tyler Tyler...........is that you?............

No, the hat has to come back..........

That aint you without the floppy hat. Sorry

[John Miliunas]

Tyler Tyler Tyler...........is that you?............

No, the hat has to come back..........

That aint you without the floppy hat. Sorry

ROB! :eek: Stop it! :eek: It's taken us a long time to get him to change his avatar to something a bit more current and now he HAS! I recognize him just fine. ('Course, I had the privilege of meeting him personally, but still....) :cool:

[Bob Marino]

Nice work Steve and you make it look easy, though I know it's not. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Bob

[Jim Becker]

Great project, Steve. 'Can't wait to see the final, installed details.

And Tyler, I think the new avitar is just perfect...we can see the gleam in your eyes better. (Which reminds us to warn your lady friends...:p )

[Steve Clardy]

Looks great Steve. Shaper definitely got a good workout on this job.

When you glue up for your panels, what is your average strip width (2-3")? Also, for your kitchen jobs do you use Pre-cat lacquer or regular nitrocellulose? I used to rip panel glueup stock into 3-4 inches, but found that it's not really necessary unless the board in hand is cupped, say a 8-12" board, then I rip it up. If I pull a board thats 8 1/2, and need a 8" panel, and it's flat, it goes into the panel as is. If I need a 15" panel, which what is in the bar panel, and have two boards that will make that width that are flat, I glue them up. Once you get it in the rail and stile, it isn't going anywhere, cupping, etc.
But when doing this. if you cannot work the panel up soon and get it in the rail and stiles, clamp it down to a flat surface or to another batch of panels till you get ready to assemble them, as they can warp. That makes it tough when shaping them if they are cupped.
I use pre-cat lacquer.
Steve

[Steve Clardy]

Hey Steve, in looking at the size of that thing, another question occurred to me: What are you using for glue! That's an awfully BIG area and I would think that your plain, old "vanilla" Titebond II or equivalent, wouldn't give you enough open time. :cool:
I use regular old titebond. About 10 minutes set time depending on temp.
On these big glueups, patience is the key. I start with one rail, in this case, the 9 inch rail, start gluing in the stiles one at at time, add a panel, another stile, on down the line. By the time I get to the end, wait 10-15 minutes, unclamp, start gluing all of the exposed stiles and add the second rail. Thats where it can get you in trouble if not prepared. Make sure all clamps are ready, everthing fits etc, then go for it. If you do get in trouble, which I have, knock the rail back off, take a brush with water and wash the glue down, let dry, then go again.
On the building small stuff, its been a while. All my projects have been huge lately. Seems no one wants a simple kitchen anymore.
This job has 4 vanities, two linen closets. Kitchen layout is u-shaped.
Breakfast bar is 12', going to a lazy susan, then a run of 16' of cabs, another lazy susan, and then another run of 12' cabinets, with a 36" pantry in there.
I'll try to post some install pics next week as I am going to deliver these, so I can get some breathing room in the shop. You'd think somebody with a 40x64 shop could build and store a whole kitchen in here, but with all the machinery and plunder, and my future 78 F150 stepside resto job, there's not much room.
Steve

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Steve, whenever I view the photos of your work, I drool and turn green with envy. You are truly a craftsman and artist! Keep it up and keep up your posts. I learn from every one of them! :D

Ken