Knockdown armoire?

[John Erhardt]

I'm thinking about building an armoire for my bedroom--my wife currently gets the whole closet, and I know I'll eventually get sick of walking to the office to get dressed. So fine, she can have it, and I'll get the handmade cherry armoire with curly maple raised panel doors. I can take one for the team.

Anyway, I've taken a few measurements, and it would require a violation of the laws of physics to get an armoire (at my minimum final required dimensions) out of my basement shop, up my two sets of stairs and down the hallway to the bedroom. I'm wondering if a solution can involve making a psudo-knockdown armoire with something like bedrail fasteners attaching the front to the sides:

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40444&cat=3,40842,41269&ap=1

I don't know. This isn't going to be nearly as load-bearing as a bed would be, and won't be subjected to the same...stresses. I'm not seeing an obvious structural reason that this wouldn't work.

I'm really just thinking out loud here, and so rather than think out loud by myself, I'd like to turn to you all about this. Anyone have any experience building something using similar hardware, or successfully building something not typically thought of as a knockdown piece?

Thanks in advance,

J

[Frank Drew]

John,

This is done all the time, particularly in Europe where freestanding is more common than built-in.

Among other suppliers, Häfele, the hardware specialists, make a great variety of very good KU/KD (knock up/knock down) fittings that would be more suitable, IMO, than those bed rail fasteners. I think they mostly sell to the trade but you should be able to find their product from a re-seller, or maybe a friendly cabinet shop.

[Jeff Dickie]

I saw an example of this in an Ohio antique store once. It had the four sides held together with tounge and groove edges (no glue) and 3 hook and eye fasteners at each mating side (12 total). The sides were also held by a tray type base that the sides fit into and capped by a top tray with cove moulding.

It was quite well done, you have just reminded me to start this project...Thanks.

[Rod Wolfy]

John,

I was reading a past issue of a Fine Woodworking Publication and one of the guys had a huge armoire that was a knockdown. I thought that it was a great idea, as it was way too big to move up stairs or through a door.

Rod

[Joe Cunningham]

Very interesting. My old house has a narrow, steep staircase and as with most old houses, closets are few and far between.

I was thinking of building a modular armoire, with the upper part (w/ the doors) being a single case and the bottom case (with drawers) separate, and maybe a cleat of some kind to mate the two--similar idea to a barrister bookcases plan I have from an old Woodsmith.

But this knockdown idea has me intrigued. Maybe I ought to pony up the FWW online $$$ and take a look for that article...

[Ted Jay]

John, you just have her read the article Bob Moyers posted in this thread:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=89093

Then you can have all the closet space you want after she moves out:p

Ted

[Rod Wolfy]

Unfortunately, I don't recall which FWW publication it was in. The author lived on the east coast and was making 3 different armoires (3 styles), if I recall. Unfortunately, I read a lot of FWW books at the local library and I think it was in one of them. I recall that it was a very simply constructed case, like the panels fit into the grooves, etc...

Rod

[Ted Jay]

John,
How about making the armoire in sections? might be easier connecting them all together upstairs
A base box with drawers. A left side and a right side box that have dowels to keep them aligned into and with the base. a top cap that can slide over the boxes to tie the tops together, and add the doors.

[Rod Wolfy]

John,

I found the publication at the Library today. It was first published in FWW issue #132 by Chris Gouchnor. It was titled something like Post and Beam knock down armoire. Basically, he puts together a 4'x8' armoire by connecting the posts and beams together with knock out pins. The posts and beams hold raised panels. Very slick design....

Rod

[Jim Holman]

No hardware required. I have built several using dovetailed keys. Would you like some pictures??

[Kevin Arceneaux]

There is a style of that here in Louisiana. It knocks down to about 7 pieces. My cousin has one and I looked at it, it is done with wedges. Unfortunately I haven't been over there in a long time and cannot give many details.

His is based on one that the Governor of Louisiana, Murphy (1900) had. IIRC, the original is in a museum in Baton Rouge.

[Joe Cunningham]

No hardware required. I have built several using dovetailed keys. Would you like some pictures??

Absolutely. :D

And Rod thanks for the issue number ... heading to FWW now.

[edit] Ack, issue 132 is sold-out in the back issues section.

[Jim Becker]

Knockdown can be very interesting. For something that results in a larger case, I'd probably do multiple smaller boxes that could be stacked on a base and then "hang" the sides to bring it all together. This is somewhat related to how Tansu works are assembled from multiple pieces, although it adds the element of a single unit once the sides and doors are in place.

[Rod Wolfy]

John,

I actually found the article in one of the FWW books. Most of the content of their books comes from the magazine... However, I didn't write down the book title. If you get the FWW last 100 issues Cd, I think it will have the content. I have one around here somewhere...Send me a PM and I'll see what I can do.

Rod

[Jim Holman]

Pictures as promised.

These are build in 5 major pieces. The drawer case, the right side with door, the left side with door, the back and the top or plinth.

The left and right side are attached to the drawer case with dovetailed keys. The top is attached to the left and right side with dovetailed keys (shown). The back is made up of loose shiplapped boards.