Over-ambitious?

[BigMac]

First time poster long time reader!

Currently contemplating my first project now I have a house with a workshop, and wondering if I can pass off the need for built in wardrobes as an opportunity to buy over-priced tools :twisted:

Problem is I quite like my wife... :lol:

So, is something like the photo below by jasonB feasible as a first project? Clearly I won't get it done as well or as fast, but will I get it done reasaonably well before SWMBO is driven to divorce?

If I was going to go for it, it is mostly sheet materials isn't it? In which case I would be looking at a decent circular saw, biscuiter(/Domino) and router (table) and a few hand tools (together with drill which I already have). Will I struggle doing face frames without a table saw? And is there a good reason not to do these with laminated MDF when I'm painting it?

Any other thoughts and advice? Answers to WiZeR's questions in the post would be good too!

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi BigMac

Welcome to the forum.

Here is Jason's Breakfront Wardrobe

<edit>

Cheers
Neil

 

[Dave S]

Here is Jason's Breakfast Wardrobe

Wot be one of they???? :lol:

Dave

 

[DomValente]

Welcome Bigmac, are you saying that you've not done any woodwork ?

Dom

 

[Slim]

Here is Jason's Breakfast Wardrobe

Wot be one of they???? :lol:

Dave

It's where you keep the Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. :wink:

 

[DomValente]

Aha, now I know where you hide 'em :twisted:

Dom

 

[Dave S]

Hi Bigmac

The first piece of furniture I built was a painted wardrobe. I decided to build a freestanding piece on the basis that if I made a bit of a Horlicks of it, I could at least move it / relegate it to a spare room / burn it as appropriate! Not so easy with a built-in.

Since then I have recently done built-ins in our bedroom, inspired by Jason's breakfront wardrobe. I'm glad I didn't attempt anything quite so ambitious as my first project. Whilst reasonably straightforward in principle, there are challenges for the amateur - the size/weight and the difficulty of chipfree cutting of MFC being two that immediately spring to mind.

Dave

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi BigMac,

Welcome to the forum.

I won't attempt to advise on building wardrobes (breakfast or breakfront :lol: ) because there are others on here far better qualified than me. What I would say, however, is think it all through first, before buying a load of tools and wood, and work out exactly how you are going to do it. It's very easy the get half-way through a big project like this and then find you've made a major cock-up because you didn't think it through.

There's lots of information on the web about detailed things like fitting hinges. Look at the Woodfit site which has quite a bit of technical information http://www.woodfit.com/index.php?cPath= ... nformation This sort of information is helpful when deciding on things like the thickness of the doors (18mm is better than 15mm if you are going for concealed hinges). You might also want to think of some less exotic tools like a drill stand, which is useful when drilling blind holes for concealed hinges. This is quite a good one http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.pl?p=DMS-26&a=i

Good luck :wink:

Paul

 

[BigMac]

Thanks all.

Welcome Bigmac, are you saying that you've not done any woodwork ?

Dom

Well, a little over a decade ago in school. Since then strictly odd bits of DIY and assembly of flat pack.

Kind of working on the assumption that with a decent CS and guide I should be able to get the panels to the right sizes. Then in terms of fixing glue and screw isn't any more difficult than flat pack.

Need to get a level base and sort the cornicing, but I don't think thats outside my competence.

Difficult bits set to be hinges, doors and other fixings, which again hoping I can do with a little work...

Am I missing much?

 

[Chris Knight]

Jason might well give you a few pointers himself - PM him if he doesn't stop by anyway.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

.... breakfast or breakfront .......

Thanks Paul.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Gary]

BigMac

Go for it and buy the kit. Think of the money it will save. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[BigMac]

BigMac

Go for it and buy the kit. Think of the money it will save. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Exactly, just like all the times SWMBO keeps saving £40 in the sales... :lol:

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Exactly, just like all the times SWMBO keeps saving £40 in the sales...

No, no, no. It's, at least, ten times that amount that SWMBO is saving every time she goes to the sales. :roll:

Cheers
Neil

 

[Gary]

Exactly, just like all the times SWMBO keeps saving £40 in the sales...

No, no, no. It's, at least, ten times that amount that SWMBO is saving every time she goes to the sales. :roll:

Cheers
Neil

Especially if you can get your kit in a sale or a few extras thrown in. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jasonB]

Hi Migmac

What a pitty you did not ask a week earlier as I have just done another run of wardrobes that I feel look even better than the breakfronts I posted earlier. I could have taked detail pics of all the construction which was actually simplified as the "faceframe" was all 22mm MR MDF rather than the 100x50 tulip wood on the others, they also have rather nice doors with 10 panes of glass above a single MDF panel. No pic yet as the client is doing the painting but will take some when I go back to fit the 40 mirrors into the doors and the handles.

The tools that you suggest: circ saw and straightedge, biscuit joiner and router will be more than adequate to produce something similar if you take your time.

By ensuring that you cut the boards from the back and have all the faces inside the wardrobe boxes chipping on the reverse side of the MFC will not be a problem. The only time it shows is on shelves and any vertical dividers but if you cut the boards 2-3mm oversize they can quickly be tiedied up with a router.

Off for my dinner now but feel free to ask any specific questions.

Jason

 

[BigMac]

Thanks Jason

I think the main question is in relation to hinges and how that interacts with a face frame, particularly your 22mm MDF ones.

Without a face frame I can just use the hinges (euro- somethings?) they do for flatpack. What do you use with a faceframe (which presumably overhangs)? Do you fix into the face frame or do you need to get hinges that wrap round the face frame?

Mac

 

[jasonB]

The usual style of door/hinge found on flatpack kitchens is refered to as a "lay-on" door in that it lays ontop of the carcase.

Face frame doors sit flush with and inside the frame so you need an inset hinge. which is what was used on both wardrobes but you may also need to use an 18mm projection mounting plate in conjunction with inset and "duel overlay" hinges. Welcome to the sometimes confusing world of consealed hinges :?

These fit in exactly the same way as any other consealed (kitchen/blum/what have you) hinge but the mounting plate is set back further from the front, usually the door thickness plus the standard 37mm.

You don't really need a drill press to drill the 35mm holes, either a 35mm hinge bit in the router or coardless will do with a simple jig to locate the hole or even say a 12.7mm bit in the router in conjunction with a template and guide bush.

Jason

 

[DomValente]

Okay didn't want to do this, but for the greater good and BigMac here is a picture of my first, well actually my second project, the first was, believe it or not a coffee table.

So if I could do that as a hobbyist, about 30 years ago, wife has just told me it was 27 years, then so can you.

 

[BigMac]

Cheers Jason, beginning to make some sense now. Think I'll have to re-visit and pester people once I convince SWMBO and have a better idea of materials (she's now advocating wood finish rather than paint, although I like Jason's idea of 6mm strips onto MDF to fake a rail and stile!).

Dom, thanks for that. Definitely keen to give it a go but just not sure if my better half will accept the mess and time having had her patience used up by the (still incomplete) building work...