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
left, the bottom panel is shown as the molded edge is being cut by a shaper cutter set up in the drill press
The open lid of this chest needs no support. It can be placed at the end of the bed or against a wall. The undercut lid molding provides this very desirable feature
Feet for chest are made of two scrolled members reinforced by cleat. They are screwed to bottom
Here the top edge of the assembled case is planed so corners are perfectly smooth
Feet for the chest come next. Each foot is made of two members joined together and reinforced with a cleat as shown in the sketch. Eight pieces of 3/4″ stock, 4 1/2″ wide and 5″ long will be required for the feet. Cleats measure 3/4″ × 3/4″ × 4 1/2″. A full-size pattern of the foot can be drawn on graph squares and cut to shape on the band saw or jig saw. A wood file should be used to finish the cut edges. The straight edge of each foot member is mitered at an angle of 45 degrees. This cut can be made on the bench saw by tilting the saw table or arbor. The pieces are fastened together with glue and brads; the cleat is fastened with glue and 1 1/4″ No. 8 flat head screws. The completed feet are attached to the underside of the chest with 1″ No. 8 and 1 1/2″ No. 8 flat head screws. Holes to take these screws-must be bored and counterbored in each foot member as indicated on the drawing.
Top photo shows how a rabbet plane is used to start the molding around the top panel. Second photo shows a block plane being used to round off the edge
The top panel is made of a piece of 3/4″ stock, 19″ wide and 43 1/2″ long. The edge is molded as shown in the drawing. Since this is too large for the average shaper it will have to be done by hand The photographs show the first and second steps of cutting this molding. A rabbet plane is used to produce the rabbet, and a block plane is used to round off the ends and edges. Two battens measuring 3/4″ × 3 1/2″ × 15″ are fastened to the underside of the top to prevent warping. They are held in place with glue and 1 1/4″ No. 10 flat head screws. The top is hinged to the back with 3″ brass butts. The two handles and lock escutcheon plate are fastened in place.
The chest is finished with a coat of boiled linseed oil and turpentine mixed together in equal parts. This application is given a day or two to dry. A coat of pine stain is applied next. Three coats of white shellac follow the stain, and several applications of wax complete the work.
Rod AND Gun CABINET
THE SPORTSMAN CAN MAKE
This compact cabinet of modern design holds shells and many small accessories in one side and fishing rods in the other while guns are proudly displayed behind glass in the center
SPORTING equipment deserves a place where it can be kept intact when it is not in use, and more than that, it should be well displayed. Construction of this modern cabinet accomplished both objectives.
Work on the cabinet starts with the floor. This piece is made of 3/4″ stock, the size of which is listed in the bill of materials. The shape of this piece is shown in one of the detail drawings, but before it is cut as shown, the two dado grooves that are to take the sides should be laid out and cut. These dadoes are located 5 3/8″ in from each end and are 3/4″ wide and 3/8″ deep. This leaves a space between them of 11 1/2″. A dado head set up in the saw table should be used to make these cuts, or they may be made by hand with a back saw and a chisel or a hand router. When this has been done, the piece should be laid out to the correct shape. The width of each section that forms the floor of the side compartments measures 7 3/4″. After the lines have been drawn, the stock may be cut on a band saw or jig saw and then finished smooth with a wood file and sandpaper.
The tops of the center and side cabinets are cut to the sizes given in the bill of materials. On the back edge a 1/4″ × 3/8″ rabbet is cut to take the plywood back. The sides of the small compartments are made of 3/4″ stock. These pieces are rabbeted on the back edge, 3/4″ × 3/8″, the same as the top members, to take the back. The upper and lower ends of the side pieces are rabbeted to take the top and bottom. These rabbets are 3/4″ wide and 3/8″ deep and should be cut so that the top and bottom members will fit flush with the ends. The sides of the center compartments are cut to size and the upper ends are rabbeted in the same manner as the sides of the small compartments.
The next thing that must be done is to establish the point, 4″ from the top of the center section, where the side compartments are to be joined to the center section. Locate and bore the holes for the 1 1/4″ No. 7 screws that are used to fasten these members together. The holes should be counterbored to a depth of 3/8″ to take wood plugs. These plugs should be cut and applied after the units have been assembled. The back edge of the center compartment sides should be rabbeted to take the back. One of the photographs shows how a continuous rabbet is formed. The rabbet that extends the full length of the side can be cut on the circular saw without any difficulty. Downward from a point 4 3/8″ from the top, the back of this piece is finished free from any projecting wood. Most of this cutting can be done on the circular saw but the corner is finished with hand tools.
One of the compartments should be provided with shelves. These shelves should be movable in order to obtain as much room as possible for storage. The shelf support brackets as shown in the detail drawing may be obtained in any hardware store It is advisable to obtain these before attempting to bore the holes in the sides of the cabinet. While the support shown in the detail calls for a pin of 5/16″ diameter, a 1/4″ pin will be just as satisfactory, provided holes of the corresponding size are bored to take it. The holes to take the rear set of supports are located 1 1/2″ in from the back and 6 1/2″ from the back for the forward set. The holes are started 6″ from the top and then every 2″ thereafter. The last set of holes may be from 4″ to 6″ from the bottom. When boring the holes, it is not necessary to go beyond 3/8″ as this is all that is required to take the pin.
Here, sketch and photo show the cabinet floor dadoed for sides of center section.
The other compartment is designed to hold fishing rods; therefore it will not be necessary to supply shelves for it but if the builder so desires, he may lay out and bore holes for shelf supports if he has no intention of keeping rods in the case.
The various members that are now completed should be sandpapered thoroughly in order to prepare the work for assembling. The center section is assembled first. This is done by gluing and fastening the sides to the bottom with 1 1/2″ brads. The top is then glued in place between the sides and held temporarily with clamps. The side compartments may now be assembled to the center section. The side pieces are fastened to the bottom with glue and brads. Use a nail net on all brads. The tops of the compartments are attached to the center compartment with 1 1/4″ No. 7 screws. The wooden plugs are cut and glued in the counterbored holes to cover the heads of the screws. After the glue that was used to fasten the plugs in place has set, the plugs should be trimmed off flush with the side by means of a sharp chisel and smoothed with sandpaper.
The sides at the top of the center section and the side compartments should be rounded off at a radius of 3/8″. The back is made of 1/4″ plywood and should be cut to the shape of the cabinet. When laying out this panel, it is most important that the corners be kept square as this is the part of the