# Oak Sideboard build



## Aled Dafis (12 Aug 2009)

Hi i'm about to start building an oak sideboard for a mate of mine as a wedding gift (I was one of the best men). He's been married just over a year, and I'm making good progress, the drawings are just about done. :roll: 

This project started out with my wife offering them a coffee table as a gift, which they were very pleased with, and they'd have a think about the style - this was a few months before they were due to get married so I thought that I'd have plenty of time to get it done. Months passed, and I asked them if they'd thought about the coffee table, they had, and came to the conclusion that they didn't have enough room in the middle of the lounge for a coffee table, but they had a small alcove that would take a sideboard. :shock: :shock: I couldn't really say NO could I? So I took a deep breath and agreed with a smile on my face and a though going through my head of "what the hell have let myself in for?" 

Here's a pic of the 3D model so far, I can't get my head around sketchup, so this is produced in Autodesk Inventor. 







I used to use Inventor a few years ago when I was an engineer, and I've finally managed to get a free 20 seat licence for school, it really is a fantastic CAD package that's easy to learn and very powerful in what it can do. 

And here's the orthographic drawing. 






Cheers

Aled


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## PeterBassett (12 Aug 2009)

Looks nice. Good luck, remember, plenty of pictures!


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## RobertMP (12 Aug 2009)

I used AutoCad every day at work for many years and moving to sketchup for home use was a struggle. Once you learn the sketchup way of doing things - which can be very different to a CAD approach it gets easier and easier. Now sketchup is my choice for woodwork design.

Good luck with the project. Hope you are quicker at things than I am 

keep the pictures flowing.


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## Aled Dafis (12 Aug 2009)

Thanks Guys.

I forgot to mention in the OP that I bought a Festool Domino last December with the intention of starting this job in the new year. I've used the Domino for a few small jobs, but this will be it's first outing "in anger". I've decided that most, if not all joints will be assembled using the Domino to see whether it really is as good as everybody makes it out to be. I'm sure I won't be dissapointed.

Does anybody on here make doors using the Domino? I seem to recall Kevin Ley making doors in F+C once, but I don't think I've seen anybody else do it. What do you think?

Cheers

Aled


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## Paul Chapman (12 Aug 2009)

Aled Dafis":1x506vtj said:


> Does anybody on here make doors using the Domino? I seem to recall Kevin Ley making doors in F+C once, but I don't think I've seen anybody else do it. What do you think?



Not tried it on doors yet, Olly, but I see no reason why it would not work. After all, the Domino machine cuts, in effect, a mortice, and the Domino is, in effect, a loose tenon.

It comes down to size - if the Dominos are an appropriate size for the door you are making, it should be OK.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## clewlowm (12 Aug 2009)

Aled. I use the domino for joining doors. no problems with any joints yet. just make sure to use the biggest domino you can.

regards mike


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## Aled Dafis (12 Aug 2009)

I've just been out to try the Domino on the size of rail that I intend to use (70mm wide) and found that when I use the stop dogs, the mortice is quite a way from the edge of the rail, but not quite far away in order to place another Domino closer to the edge. Pics would help here, but my battery's flat, I'll try and post pics tomorrow night.

What I'd really like is to be able to place two Dominoes in each rail/stile joint, but still use the inbuilt accuracy of the stop dogs to reference from the edge of the workpiece. Has anybody managed to do this? If so, how?

I hope that this is one of the final stumbling blocks that I encounter before actually cutting material, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Aled

Edit: I've just modelled the situation so that you can see what's going on.

Here's what the stop dogs produce






And here's what I'd like it to produce.


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## clewlowm (12 Aug 2009)

Dont bother with the stop dog thingys! Just cut your 1st 2 dominos tight. then alter the settng for the width of cut. rRealy easy mate

regards mike.


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## Aled Dafis (12 Aug 2009)

Thanks Mike.

I had considered doing it your way, but was worried about accuracy. I find that the Machine skates about a little when plunging. It might be that I'm being too anal, or that I need to improve my technique.

I'll have a go tomorrow night to see how I get on.

Cheers

Aled


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## clewlowm (12 Aug 2009)

Aled. its a simple machine to master, practice is the best thing. i use mine for all sorts of joints. windows. doors . furniture. it does take some getting used to the uses of the machine. your very skilled in your trade and you will master it.


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## Paul Chapman (13 Aug 2009)

Aled Dafis":2wz1kut4 said:


> I find that the Machine skates about a little when plunging. It might be that I'm being too anal, or that I need to improve my technique.



I think you are just being a little timid with it, Olly. Once you get used to it you'll find that it doesn't skate about at all.

One accessory you might want to consider getting is the one designed specifically for cutting mortices in the ends of narrow pieces of wood. The part number is 493 487. It fits onto the fence and the wood is clamped into it, so that nothing can move as you plunge the cutter in. I think there's a demo on the DVD that comes with the machine.

Unfortunately, for the particular job you want to do, it takes pieces from 22mm to 70mm wide, which would mean that you wouldn't be able to cut two slots. However, I would have thought that for the job you want to do it should be possible to clamp a piece of wood to the bench so that you can butt the workpiece up against it, and another piece to butt the side of the machine against, so that you could accurately cut the slots.

If you use the tight setting for the two slots, I think I'd be inclined to make a saw cut along the length of the Dominos so that there's plenty of room for excess glue to escape.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Karl (13 Aug 2009)

Paul Chapman":1e21pyc7 said:


> I think you are just being a little timid with it, Olly.



Have you took you pills today Paul - it's Aled's thread...... :lol: 

Cheers

Karl


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## Paul Chapman (13 Aug 2009)

Karl":335n2ow8 said:


> Have you took you pills today Paul - it's Aled's thread...... :lol:



Obviously not   I'll go and take them now...... :lol: 

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Imperial (13 Aug 2009)

Here's one I made earlier, as the saying goes, pic is of the back of the door, the front was flush. Not glued up or finished. 
Made quite a few more doors and most other things with the domino, what a great but expensive tool :roll:


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## Aled Dafis (13 Aug 2009)

Thanks Bloonose, that's exactly what I hope to achieve. How wide are your rails/stiles?

By the way, which is the rail and which is the stile, i'm never sure.

Cheers

Aled


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## Imperial (14 Aug 2009)

These were 60mm wide 18mm thick, but have gone down to 38mm x 18mm and just rebated the back to fit a mirror then bead to hold it in.

Glad to be of help, more pics below of the dry fit and the lipped panel which went inside.


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## OPJ (14 Aug 2009)

Aled Dafis":h1mq29lc said:


> By the way, which is the rail and which is the stile, i'm never sure.



Aled, stiles run vertically while rails are horizontal. :wink:


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## Aled Dafis (18 Aug 2009)

I had the day to myself yesterday, so a little progress was made with the sideboard.

Firstly I sorted out the double Domino issue. I had previously used the domino without actually clamping the wood to the bench, and in hindsight, it was inevitable that the work would shift a little whilst cutting the mortice. Yesterday I clamped the work between the dogs in the bench, and everything stayed exactly where i wanted them to stay Hurray!!! Below is a pic of the double domino, one is set with a tight mortice for registration and the other is cut using the next setting to allow a little play. Thanks for your advice guys. 

I hadn't cut the groove for the veneered MDF panels at that time by the way.






And here's a complete door.






In fact I got quite a bit done yesterday. All the jointing is done. I just need to cut the panels and think about the finishing. Do you thing I should pre finish all parts or just the panels before assembly? 






The Domino is just brilliant! I know it was expensive, but my workshop time is pretty limited, so it's going to allow me to make things *much* quicker than if I had to cut mortice and tennon joints.

My little shortcut is that all the parts except for the legs are made from Oak floorboards. Using floorboards is in fact a very efficient and quite economic way of working if you just need 20mm boards. These boards were kept back from when I fitted the Oak floor in the house, so I picked out the good boards, but I'm sure that your local flooring supplier would let you pick and choose if you slipped him a few beer tokens. I worked it out that these boards cost me nearly exactly the same as if I had bough 1" rough sawn, the difference being that all the machining was done for me and there's very little waste, in fact the total ammount of wasted wood is just a bucket full of small offcuts and bits of tongue/groove.

Cheers

Aled


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## Imperial (19 Aug 2009)

Another good thing about using the domino is not having to add on extra for tenons so mistakes are easier to avoid when laying out and cutting etc.
Keep posting the pic's :wink:


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## Aled Dafis (18 Nov 2009)

It's been a while, but the sideboard is now almost complete. I just need to fix the top to the cabinet, turn a couple of handles for the doors, and give it one final light coat of Osmo. All the sub assemblies were oiled before gluing, but the final coat will ensure that it all looks nice and uniform.






Cheers

Aled

Edit : I just remembered that I haven't made the shelves to fit in the centre section and cupboards yet.


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## Paul Chapman (18 Nov 2009)

Very nice, Aled.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## wizer (18 Nov 2009)

I was going to ask how I missed this one, but it's been so long I'd probaly forgotten! :lol: 

Just kidding, it looks fantastic. Just the sort of thing my missus keeps bending my ear about. What are your rates? :lol:


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## Aled Dafis (18 Nov 2009)

At the rate I manage to complete projects, you'd be far better off buying a Domino and making your own :wink: :wink: 

Cheers

Aled


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## BradNaylor (18 Nov 2009)

Aled Dafis":26glna0r said:


> ...skates about a little when plunging. It might be that I'm being too anal, or that I need to improve my technique.



Am I on the right forum?

Fnarr Fnarr!


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## Aled Dafis (18 Nov 2009)

BradNaylor":3qpzuo4x said:


> Aled Dafis":3qpzuo4x said:
> 
> 
> > ...skates about a little when plunging. It might be that I'm being too anal, or that I need to improve my technique.
> ...



Mmm hadn't noticed that one.

It's not the mouth it comes out from, but the mind it goes into.:wink: 

Made me laugh though =D>   =D> 

Cheers

Aled


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## TrimTheKing (19 Nov 2009)

BradNaylor":cte7bbqf said:


> Aled Dafis":cte7bbqf said:
> 
> 
> > ...skates about a little when plunging. It might be that I'm being too anal, or that I need to improve my technique.
> ...


By the look of your new avatar, probably not!

Apparently matched.com is 'oversubscribed with hot guys' at the moment (according to their TV ad's), so you might want to try it over there...


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## jedmc571 (19 Nov 2009)

Here you go Aled :wink: perhaps a little late






I always remember it as a crossing Stile in a field, first you go up, and then down to cross.
So the Woodwork stile, is the UP & Down bit  

Great project BTW turned out well..............Hmmm Domino eh =P~ 

Cheers

Jed


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## jedmc571 (19 Nov 2009)

Hey Brad, Hello Sailor :lol: 

Just seen your new Avatar :shock: something you want to tell us :lol: 

You're not thinking of changing batting sides are you :lol: :lol: 

Jed


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## woodbloke (19 Nov 2009)

Aled Dafis":2htc0yef said:


> Cheers
> 
> Aled


Aled - nice sideboard...not sure about the Dom 8-[ :wink: but placing timber on that saw bench when I haven't got one is just going *too* far...a surreptitious drive by gloat of Wakaensian proportions

Just kidding! :lol: - Rob


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## Aled Dafis (19 Nov 2009)

Nice eh?   

I don't want to start another tablesaw war, but IMHO, it's got to be the best tablesaw for the small workshop out there. Nice sliding table, great build quality, good capacity, solid rip fence etc. etc.

I've just had a look at the Axminster site to see what the current price is (I wont tell you how much I paid, I'll just say that it was heavily discounted   ) but it seems that it's no longer available. Anybody now anything further?

Cheers

Aled


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## wizer (19 Nov 2009)

Do you have the sliding table Aled? I do miss that saw, despite my small niggle with the sliding table.


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## Aled Dafis (19 Nov 2009)

What was your niggle with the sliding table Tom?

Yes it took quite a bit of setting up, but once it's done I find it to be excellent. All the parts on the sideboard were crosscut on the sliding table, and they came out bang on.

Cheers

Aled


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## wizer (19 Nov 2009)

I just felt it wasn't a proper sliding table and it bugged me that you had to unscrew the mitre gauge each time you wanted to rip. If you're going back and forth between modes it got terrible annoying. Plus I didn't find that the stops were good enough to guarantee it was dead on each time it went back on. I tried to make up a sled with a positive fixed fence but it didn't really solve the problem much. The fact that the sliding table was very slightly raised also annoyed me a bit. I found that you could get some chip out where the offcut dropped, even tho it was only a couple of mm. I'd have liked a left hand mitre slot too, but I understand why there wasn't one.

These were only tiny problems, I admit and they certainly was not the reason I got rid of it. But I'd not buy another one knowing what I do now.


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## OPJ (19 Nov 2009)

Unfortunately, Tom. most 'dimension' or 'panel' saws are built like this; you have to remove the cross cutting fence from the sliding table in order to get enough clearance to the left of the blade. Sometimes, if you're only ripping a narrow piece, you might be able to leave it in place. I guess you'll next be looking for a saw without a sliding table then?! :wink: It's also important that these tables can be locked in place while you rip otherwise, they'll get dragged along with the timber and just p**s you off.

Actually, that's something I would need to check on that-green-saw-you-don't-like...  It isn't clear on any website I've seen whether or not the sliding beam can be locked off.

You know why sliding tables are generally set 1mm higher than the main table; for clearance and to prevent the work piece from 'binding'. You could always try adding a thin sheet of laminate or similar to the other side of the blade, if it really bothered you. Or, if there's a slot to the right of the blade, make a sled to fit that (something else I don't like about the Record, actually - only one T-slot and its in the beam). Whether or not it is of standard cross-section shouldn't matter - you are a woodworker with a router table, after all! :wink:


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## wizer (19 Nov 2009)

The SIP, Sheppach style of sliding table is not like this. You remove the whole sliding table, which keeps the settings locked down. The sliding table on the TS200\Kity 419 also slides all the way off for storage (but I've removed mine completely). There is another style, but I can't remember which saw it is. That one pivots down to the left when you need to rip.

I hadn't considered the fact that you'd have to remove the mitre gauge on the record ts200c for ripping, that's another negative for me. 

All the saws I've ever seen with sliding tables are lockable. I'm not sure if the old startrites, etc have that.

I did realise that the sliding table on the Jet was raised to prevent binding. To b honest I just think I couldn't get on with sliding tables in general. I see no use for them in the work that I do\intend to do. 

So yes, I am looking for a saw without a sliding table. 

Seeing as you didn't ask, it's between the SIP or an old startrite\wadkin. I'm just waiting for the 'right' deal to pop up.


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## OPJ (20 Nov 2009)

Fair enough.  I'd be very surprised if the older saws don't allow you to lock the table in place... I was actually concerned this might be an issue with some of the cheaper saws available today but, I guess the CE regs. might have had something to do with it.

The one that folds down is off one of the Scheppach saws, isn't it?


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## wizer (20 Nov 2009)

No there's one that that has an arm that follows it along for support and when you want to rip you lift the table up a bit, fold the arm in and then the table pivots down out of the way. I might be the Sedgewick TA315 but i'm sure I've seen it on a lower priced saw.


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## Mattty (20 Nov 2009)

wizer":1jlk0iot said:


> No there's one that that has an arm that follows it along for support and when you want to rip you lift the table up a bit, fold the arm in and then the table pivots down out of the way. I might be the Sedgewick TA315 but i'm sure I've seen it on a lower priced saw.



You'll be dissapointed Tom. Trust me i know. However if you want to buy a lovely 315..


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## wizer (20 Nov 2009)

Disappointed with the sedgewick? It's far too big for me and, again no mitre slots. I've seen it in the flesh a few times and it's a beast. One went on eBay today for £900 with the sliding table and all the extensions. Someone got a bargain.


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## OPJ (20 Nov 2009)

wizer":3bzyxi5u said:


> No there's one that that has an arm that follows it along for support and when you want to rip you lift the table up a bit, fold the arm in and then the table pivots down out of the way. I might be the Sedgewick TA315 but i'm sure I've seen it on a lower priced saw.



Well, I can't find that one. But, I did find this Charnwood!


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## wizer (20 Nov 2009)

I've not seen that before, I think it's a clone of the Jet JTS10 isn't it? Originally designed by Fisher Price... :lol:


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## houtslager (21 Nov 2009)

Wizer - keep your eyes open for a STARTRITE TA 275 WITH sliding table, imho the best thing since sliced bread or if your feeling rich, an old ULMIA saw bwnch, these were the bees knees in the 70's and 0's in Europe for small workshops.

hs


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