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
These cabinets point the way toward replacing your out-moded portieres and gracefully filling their place
CONSTRUCTION of these twin cabinets should be started with the back frame. Each one consists of two uprights or stiles made of 1/2″ stock, 1 1/8″ wide and 51″ long. A groove is cut on the inside edges of these pieces 3/16″ wide and 1/4″ deep. The location of this groove is shown on the detail of the intermediate rail and shelf assembly as 5/32″ in from the outer face. The intermediate rails are made of stock of the same thickness, 1″ wide and 6 1/2″ long. Both edges of each piece are grooved in the same manner as the stiles. The top rail is made of 1/2″ stock, 3 1/4″ × 8 1/2″ while the bottom rail is the same thickness but 4 1/4″ wide and 6 1/2″ long. Both the top and bottom rails are grooved to take the back panels. The upper ends of the stiles, as well as both ends of the intermediate and bottom rails, have tongues 1/4″ long cut to fit into the grooves of their adjoining member.
The top rail is pierced as shown in the photograph and the drawing. Make a pattern on graph squares and trace onto the stock. Drill a small hole in each section that is to be removed and insert a fine jig saw blade. The edges of the pierced work should be finished with a file and sandpaper.
The panels which form the back of the cabinets are made of 1/4″ plywood, 6 1/2″ wide and 9″ long. Each of these is pierced on the jig saw. There are two different patterns required as shown in the drawing. For both cabinets, four panels of one design and six of the other are required to complete the back assembly. Patterns of both will have to be laid out with the aid of the graph square drawing. It will not be necessary to draw the pattern of each complete panel as a pattern of one-quarter of the entire panel is sufficient and far more accurate than a complete one. Use a sheet of wrapping paper 3 1/4″ × 4 1/2″ laid out with 1/2″ graph squares for each of the patterns. In order to trace the complete pattern on the stock, the latter should have two center lines drawn on the face, one going with the grain and the other across the grain. This divides the stock in quarters, which will be the exact size of the quarter pattern.
Bill of Materials
The lathe and the jig saw combine on this piece of work to turn out these handsome twin pier cabinets. Above, the outside stiles and the upper rail are being assembled with the jigsawed panels and intermediate rails. At right, a spacer turning is made
A great deal of time will be saved, both in tracing the patterns and piercing the work on the jig saw, if two pieces are done at the same time. In order to handle the work in this manner, the two pieces that are to be cut are held together with a few 1/2″ brads driven through the stock on the edges that are to be rabbeted. With the brads placed in this manner, the holes left by them will not be seen as the edges of the panels set into the grooves that were cut in the framework of the back. Each section of the back panels that requires piercing should have a small hole bored in it in order that the jig saw blade may be passed through. After completing the piercing, the sawed edges of the panels should be finished with a file and sandpaper.
The edge of each panel should be rabbeted, as shown in the drawing. These rabbets are 1/4″ wide and 1/16″ deep leaving 3/16″ of stock to fit in the grooves that were cut in the back frame. The rabbets may best be cut on the bench saw, although the spindle shaper may be used with a 1/4″ straight face cutter.
The various members that go to make up the back should be sandpapered and made ready for assembling. It is optional with the builder as to the type of glue that is to be used when assembling the work. Starting with one of the stiles, the bottom rail is glued to it first, after which the bottom panel is inserted. This is followed by the first narrow rail then continued with the panels and rails until all five panels are in place. If the work has been done properly the top of the last panel should come flush with the top of the tongue on the stile. The second stile is now glued in place to the assembled panels and rails. The last piece to be put in place is the top rail. All excess glue should be cleaned off with a damp cloth. Failure to do this will allow the glue to harden on the wood and make its removal extremely difficult. The work should be clamped and then set aside.
The shelves are made of 1/2″ stock, 6 3/4″ wide and 8″ long. Near each of the forward corners a 3/8″ hole is located to take the pins on the end of each turning. These holes are placed 6 3/16″ from the back of the shelf and 9/16″ in from the ends. The holes in the top and bottom shelf are bored to a depth of 3/8″ while those in the intermediate shelves are bored through.
Each base is made of three pieces of stock, the sides being 1/2″ × 3 1/2″ × 6 1/4″ while the front is 1/4″ × 3 1/2″ × 7 3/4″. These members are cut to the shape shown in the drawing. A pattern of them should be laid out on a piece of paper, then traced on the stock. The front piece is fastened to the sides with glue and brads which must be set and filled. The bottom shelf is attached to the base with brads or by the use of screws driven from inside the base at an angle through the sides and into the bottom shelf. This assembled unit is attached to the back with wood screws.
The top shelf has two ledges as shown in the drawing. The exact size and shape of these pieces may be determined from the graph square drawing of the top rail. The pieces are cut to shape from 3/4″ × 1 1/4″ × 6 1/2″ stock and attached to the shelf with 1″ No. 6 flat head screws.
The turned columns are made of 1″ square stock, 10 1/2″ long. Ten pieces are required for each cabinet. With the exception of the two bottom turnings, the other eight are made with a 3/8″ pin at one end, 1 1/8″ long. The bottom turnings will require the 1 1/8″ pin at the upper end and also a 3/8″ × 3/8″ pin at the lower end. The top turnings, although made with the long pins, may have these pins cut down to 3/8″ in length later. The lower end of the turnings will require a 3/8″ hole bored in them to a depth of 5/8″ as shown in the detail. When assembling the turnings and shelves, the two lower turnings are glued in place first.
A deep rich red, which can be obtained with Bismarck brown, either oil or penetrating, will give a good finish. A semi-French polish can be obtained by applying two coats of diluted shellac with a brush and sanding each coat before applying a polish with shellac and oil by the French polish method.
A Breakfast CUPBOARD
Dishes and glassware should be handsomely closeted on the wall of the breakfast nook
WALL cupboards are usually too large for the breakfast nook or the kitchen, but this one is made to order. It will prove to be very practical because of its compact size, and it will be welcome for its decorative value. Simplicity of construction is its main feature, and the effect of leaded glass windows adds an unusual touch that will be well worth the work involved.
It consists mainly of three frames—two for the sides and one which becomes the door. The material for each of these frames is 3/4″ × 1 3/4″ stock, with the exception of the forward stiles of the side frames which are 2″ wide, cut to the lengths shown in the drawing. A rabbet 1/4″ × 1/2″ is cut on the inside edge of each piece to take the glass. The ends of each member that make up the three frames are cut at an angle of 45 degrees from the miter joint.
The frames are now ready to assemble with glue and 1 1/2″ brads, in the same manner as a picture frame would be put together. If the builder desires a more permanent and substantial job, these joints may be doweled or splined. If nails are used be sure to set them deeply, especially in the side frames, as the edges of stiles have to be beveled at an angle of 72 degrees. The center shelf is held in place with four short 1/4″ dowels. The holes for these are located and bored