Cabinets, Bookcases and Wall Shelves - Hot to Build All Types of Cabinets, Shelving and Storage Facilities for the Modern Home - 77 Designs with Compl. Milton Gunerman
of the cupboard is started with the sides. It will be necessary to glue up two pieces of 3/4″ stock to obtain a panel which can be finished to a width of 17″. The pieces should be doweled together. After the panels have been made up they are finished to the correct size, 17″ × 32 1/4″. A 1/4″ × 3/8″ rabbet is cut along the back edge, on the inside face of these members, to take the back. The location of the bottom, shelf and drawer support frame should be established on the inside face of these side members. The bottom and shelf panels are made up by doweling together two pieces of 3/4″ stock 8″ and 10″ wide. The bottom is finished to a width of l6 3/4″ and a length of 28 1/2″, while the shelf should measure 16″ × 28 1/2″. These members are fastened to the sides with 8-penny finishing nails. The bottom should be flush with the outside edge of the side members, while the shelf should set back 3/4″ from this edge. The drawer support frame is made of 3/4″ × 3″ stock which is assembled by means of dowel joints. After the frame has been glued it is fastened in place in the same manner as the shelf and bottom.
The top panel is glued up of two pieces to an overall size of 17 3/4″ × 31 1/2″. A 1/4″ × 3/8″ stopped rabbet is cut on the under face of the back edge to take the back panel. The rabbets stop within 7/8″ of each end. The greater part of the rabbet can be cut on the bench saw, but the trimming of the corners must be done by hand with a chisel. The back panel is fastened in place with 1 1/4″ brads at this time to keep the case square. The stiles on each side of the door are cut to size and fastened in place with 2″ brads. The top is set in place and fastened to the sides with 8-penny finishing nails. The plinth is made up of 3/4″ × 3 1/2″ stock cut to the lengths shown in the drawing. The butting ends are mitered, then the members are fastened to the case with 1 1/2″ brads. The door is made up of two pieces glued together. Hinges and latch are fastened in place last.
The drawer sides and back are made of 1/2″ stock, while the front is 3/4″. Two pieces 4 1/2″ wide and 16 1/2″ long will be required for the sides. The front requires a piece 4 1/2″ wide and 28 1/2″ long. These three pieces must have a 1/4″ groove, 1/4″ deep, cut on the inside face 1/4″ above the lower edge to take the bottom. The ends of the front member are rabbeted 1/2″ × 1/2″ on the inside face. The two side members have a 1/2″ dado, 1/4″ deep, cut across the inside face, 3/4″ from the end, to take the back drawer member. The back is a piece of stock 4″ × 28″. The bottom is a piece of 1/4″ plywood 16 1/4″ × 28″. All members are assembled with glue and brads. The drawer pulls may be turned, or ordinary wooden door stops may be cut down and used as shown in the main photograph.
The sides, top and shelves of the hanging portion of this unit are made of 3/4″ stock, while the back is made of 1/2″ material. The molding used under the top is a piece of 3/4″ × 1 3/4″ bed molding. A full-size pattern of the scrolled sides should be enlarged on 1″ graph squares. The pattern is traced on the stock, 8 1/2″ × 37 1/2″, and the scroll is cut on the jig saw or band saw and finished smooth with file and sandpaper.
The location of the three shelves should be established on the inside face of the side members according to dimensions given in the front view. The back edge of the side members has a 1/2″ × 1/2″ rabbet cut along the inside face to take the back paneling. This rabbet starts at the top and extends down as far as the bottom of the lower shelf.
The three shelves may now be cut to size. The top shelf is 7″ wide, the center shelf 7 1/2″ wide and the bottom shelf 7 3/4″ wide. All three shelves measure 28 1/2″ long. The apron is made of a piece of stock finished to a width of 3 1/2″ and a length of 30″. The shelves are fastened in place with glue and 2 1/2″ brads or 8-penny finishing nails with heads set below the surface of the side member. The apron is set in place and fastened to the side members with 1 3/4″ brads.
MOLDING FITS RABBETED TOP
The top is made of a piece of stock 8 3/4″ wide and 32 1/2″ long. A 1/2″ × 1 1/4″ rabbet is cut on the front edge and two ends as shown in the detail sketch. Along the back edge a 1/2″ × 1/2″ rabbet is cut to take the back paneling. The top is fastened to the sides and apron with 1 3/4″ brads driven through the top and into these members. The bed molding is set in the rabbet of the top as shown in the drawing and photograph. The molding is cut to fit in place and mitered at the ends which form the corners, but left square at the cabinet back. It is fastened in position with 1 1/4″ brads.
The back is made of random widths of 1/2″ stock 30 3/4″ long. These pieces should have tongue-and-groove edges. The exposed face of the stock may have the edges finished as a V-joint or they may be beaded. The back is nailed in place by driving 1 1/2″ brads through the back and into the shelves and top. The work should be sandpapered thoroughly with No. 1 sandpaper and finished with No. 00. All nail holes should be filled and if necessary sandpapered again.
The completed cabinet and shelves should be given a coat of stain. This is followed with at least two coats of shellac which should be rubbed down with steel wool. The work should be dusted thoroughly to remove all particles of steel wool before paste wax is applied. Several coats are required, and from time to time additional coats should be added to retain a protective coat.
Old COLONIAL Pine Chest
Easy to Make and Costs Very Little Holds Blankets or Toys
EVERY household can find a place for this versatile chest. In the bedroom it will serve for storage of blankets, in the dining room it can be used to hold linens, and in the youngster’s room it will make an ideal chest for toys. Made in traditional Colonial style it is simple enough for home workshop construction and yet fashionable among other furniture copied from the Colonial period.
The chest should be made of kilndried clear white pine. If possible the materials should be obtained in the required widths of 17″ and 20″; otherwise it will be necessary to glue up several pieces of narrow stock to obtain the panels. Front and back members of the chest are made of two pieces of 3/4″ stock finished to a width of 16″ and a length of 41 1/2″. A rabbet, 1/2″ × 3/4″, is cut along each end to take the end members. The end members are made of two pieces of 3/4″ stock finished to an overall size of 16″ × 16 1/2″. Inside faces should be sandpapered before assembly. Front and back members are fastened to the end members with glue and 8-penny finishing nails. The nails are set, then clamps are applied. The assembled case must be checked with a try square to make certain that the corners are square. If it should be out of square, the case should be forced into its proper position and held there by temporary diagonal braces fastened at two corners. This should all be done before the glue has had time to set and prevent later adjustment.
The bottom of the chest measures 3/4″ × 18 1/4″ × 42 3/4″. The edge is molded as shown in the drawing. It can be cut by a standard cutter. The photograph shows this operation on the drill press. If such a cutter is not available, the molding may be cut by a series of saw cuts made on the bench saw and shaped with gouge and plane. The molding should be sandpapered by a block having the same contour. Before the bottom is assembled to the case, the outer surfaces of the case should be sandpapered and all tool marks and blemishes removed. The bottom is fastened to the case with 1 1/2″ No. 8 flat head screws. Holes for the screws should be bored and countersunk in the underside of the bottom at this time.