# Oak Alcove Units



## BradNaylor (28 Feb 2009)

This is a job I've been on for the last couple of weeks. No photos of the workshop phase I'm afraid, but I thought I'd take some piccies of the fitting process so you can see how I go about things.

I started with two empty alcoves...







First step is to remove the skirting boards with the trusty Multimaster.






Then level up the right hand base unit using adjustable kitchen legs






Scribing the left hand base unit to the wall using my patented 'two biscuits and a bit of gaffer tape' system.






Jigsaw along the scribe line






There is always an electric socket to deal with. I cut a hole in the cabinet back a bit smaller than the socket cover






Then offer up the cabinet to the wall






Then unscrew the cover, flip it through the hole you've made, and re-attach it to the back box using longer screws. How neat is that?







I always use an end panel on the chimney breast side of an alcove






It makes for a neat finish and is really quick and simple.






The base units are then screwed to the wall with long screws and rawlplugs.






When fitting a top to an alcove unit, ALWAYS make a template. The best way is to use two pieces of hardboard or MDF and then screw them together where they overlap.






The top then simply slips into place. A few screws from underneath secures it.






Not a bad first day's work.








Day 2 starts with re-fixing skirting boards, installing plinths, and scribing the face frames of the shelf units into the alcoves






Domino slots were cut in the workshop for perfect location so all that is now needed is a line of adhesive, some Dominos and a rubber mallet. I really love my Domino!






Then bung in the adjustable shelves and fix the cornice...






Et Voila!
















Thanks for looking.

Cheers
Dan


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## superunknown (28 Feb 2009)

Very interesting and a lovely job. Keep 'em coming Dan.

I bet your client was very pleased.


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## PowerTool (28 Feb 2009)

Excellent work,Dan - and some great "top tips" as well  

Thanks for sharing.

Andrew


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## Woody Alan (28 Feb 2009)

Lovely job Dan, appreciate the time taken to show the process in the real world.

Alan


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## OPJ (28 Feb 2009)

This is an excellent walkthrough and nice work to go with it. Thanks for sharing.


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## Imperial (28 Feb 2009)

D'you make your own cornicing Dan? If yes what cutters do you use, SM I presume?


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## thomvic (28 Feb 2009)

Very good series of pics and a nice finished job.
I note that your "screwdriver" in pic 11 is remarkably like my hammer!

Richard


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## Jake (28 Feb 2009)

Interesting to see the approach, and a neat job as ever.

What you've done with the socket, unless you missed a step out in the photos is not compliant with the Wiring Regs, as I understand them (but probably common). 

The back-box is supposed to completely enclose the electrical connections (or rather, the connections are supposed to be completely enclosed in a non-combustible enclosure mounted to the building fabric - I can't recall the exact wording).

It's unlikely that any disaster will come of it, but your insurer will dump you if anything did. As the customer's insurers would be after you and your assets to recover their payout, it's a small or very small risk but of a potentially very painful outcome.


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## Ironballs (28 Feb 2009)

Good work as usual Dan, make it all look so simple. Just surprised you didn't make your own veneered socket cover :wink:


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## Oryxdesign (28 Feb 2009)

Nice job Dan, it's a big investment the Domino but I wouldn't be without mine.
Si


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## Doug B (28 Feb 2009)

Great work Dan, looks a treat.

To echo Jake`s comment on the socket, i`ve recently been pulled up on the exact same thing on a kitchen fit.
They wouldn`t even allow a surface mounted box & socket front inside a cupboard. To comply i had to just rout an access hole around the wall mounted socket, looked bloody awful. Luckily the customer didn`t mind.

Doug.


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## superunknown (28 Feb 2009)

Have you used standard concealed kitchen style hinges?


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## mailee (28 Feb 2009)

Great job as usual Dan. I was going to ask the same question as Nola about the hinges? I did wonder about those as yu have added the reveal piece to the fireplace side and these are in line with the doors, (or so it looks in the pics) I do like your method of scribing in the sides with the biscuits and tape, must try that one.


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## Paul Chapman (28 Feb 2009)

Very nice, Dan and some great tips. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## BradNaylor (1 Mar 2009)

The hinges were fully cranked concealed hinges.






Unless a client specifically requests butt hinges, I now use concealed hinges on everything as they are so easy and quick to fit and adjust. And I _hate_ fitting catches...

Customers are also now expecting a soft-close feature - even the ones wanting butt hinges ask for soft-close doors!

The cornice I make myself on the spindle moulder. It's too big a profile to cut with a standard block on a small machine like mine so I had a special set of cutters made that enables me to cut it from each side, meeting in the middle of the cove. Works a treat, and looks good on every job. Needless to say, every job gets the same cornice!

Thanks for the gen on the wiring regs, Jake. I'd been told by a sparky that this method was fine; in fact the guy who introduced me to to it was none other than that font of all wisdom Scrit, when I worked with him for a while.

Hmm.

I'll check it out on Monday. I might have to start using a surface mounted box instead. Pity, as this method doesn't involve disconnecting any wiring - or even turning the mains off if you're careful!

Cheers
Dan


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## woodbloke (1 Mar 2009)

Excellent Dan...I like the tip about the 13A socket with the longer screws, clever :wink: - Rob


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## Chris Knight (1 Mar 2009)

Dan,
That is a great how-to story. Two questions though. Your photo of scribing the upper section face frame for the alcove seems to show the frame already made and dry-fitted into the alcove. Had you already scribed it and were just checking for fit? Do you make up a template to do this?


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## BradNaylor (1 Mar 2009)

waterhead37":1vrr433p said:


> Dan,
> That is a great how-to story. Two questions though. Your photo of scribing the upper section face frame for the alcove seems to show the frame already made and dry-fitted into the alcove. Had you already scribed it and were just checking for fit? Do you make up a template to do this?



That photo was taken after I'd scribed it and was checking the fit. To be honest the walls were pretty square anyway and very little work was needed. 

I didn't template it as the face frame was seperate and could be offered up to the alcove easily. If it had been integral with the unit I would have used a template.

One of the great things about the Domino is being able to make strong but delicate face frames like this very quickly and accurately.


I'm glad people like the 'how to'.

On a job like this the planning and fitting is far more of a challange than the actually making, which is very basic stuff.

Cheers
Dan


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## filsgreen (1 Mar 2009)

Cracking job Dan. With the recent plagarism you suffered, have you not thought of putting a copyright on your pictures?

Phil


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## opener (1 Mar 2009)

> I'll check it out on Monday. I might have to start using a surface mounted box instead. Pity, as this method doesn't involve disconnecting any wiring - or even turning the mains off if you're careful!
> 
> Cheers
> Dan




Dan

Couldn't you cut a hole in the unit back slightly larger than the socket box and then trim round with a suitably sized rebated moulding to avoid touching any wiring and leaving a neat finish?

Cheers
Malcolm


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## promhandicam (1 Mar 2009)

Very nice work Dan - here is one I did recently - stained to match existing furniture in the room with edge detail and mouldings to match fire surround.






A couple of questions if you don't mind:

Do you use the the plastic clips to fix the plinths or do you fix them permanently with dominos and glue or screws? 

Which make of hinge do you use as I can't really tell from the photo. They don't look like standard kitchen cabinet hinges which I've thought about using on similar projects but think they look a bit industrial for something like an alcove cupboard.

Cheers, 

Steve


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## brianhabby (1 Mar 2009)

Excellent job Dan and nice thorough write-up

I like your screwdriver  

regards

Brian


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## BradNaylor (2 Mar 2009)

promhandicam":1q5e0m49 said:


> A couple of questions if you don't mind:
> 
> Do you use the the plastic clips to fix the plinths or do you fix them permanently with dominos and glue or screws?



I fix them permenantly with Gripfil and brads. One thing I've learned is always to mitre plinths and cornices in the workshop and glue them with Mitre Fast or similar _before finishing. _ Any slight discrepencies can then be dealt with at your leisure in a controlled environment.

Then all you need to do on site is trim the other ends to length and fit.



promhandicam":1q5e0m49 said:


> Which make of hinge do you use as I can't really tell from the photo. They don't look like standard kitchen cabinet hinges which I've thought about using on similar projects but think they look a bit industrial for something like an alcove cupboard.



They're just bog-standard cranked kitchen hinges from Hettich, designed for inset doors. I then fit one of their clip-on soft-close devices on each door.

I used to use brass butt hinges as a matter of course but have found that people actually prefer kitchen hinges; the soft-close feature is the clincher.

The difference to me is incredible. I might have spent half a day fitting and adjusting the doors and catches on a job like this using butt hinges. With kitchen hinges it took maybe 20 minutes.

To me it's a no-brainer!

Nice job by the way, Steve.

Cheers
Dan


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## promhandicam (2 Mar 2009)

Dan, 

Thanks for the replies. I've got a couple of alcove units in the order book so will see if I can persuade the customers to have kitchen type hinges. On the one I posted, the plinth was aligned with biscuits and then glued and pocket hole screwed from behind as the cupboard had to be removable. I agree that the more that can be done in the workshop the better - especially mitres which are far more accurate on the table saw.

Cheers, 

Steve


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## Mattty (2 Mar 2009)

Another cracker Dan. I especially like your coving. I'm looking forward to seeing your technique 8)


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## adzeman (4 Mar 2009)

Another inspiring project. Jake is correct about the socket, as soon as I saw it took a copy of the picture and showed it to my colleagues in Building Control (not your area so don't worry and I just showed the picture) You need a deeper back box?, the one thats there packed out? are there any extension pieces/rings available?
Noted Thomvic's comment. Where I come from we called this a Manchester Screwdriver but down South it's called a Birmingham Screwdriver.
What sets this job off is the proportions just right and to quote my old boss it looks as if it grew there.

Regards
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