RobertMP Sideboard [Beginner] Final Submission [Complete]

[White House Workshop]

I have 2 experiences of interest w.r.t breadboard ends...

1. A l-o-n-g time ago I made a breadboard end and glued it up solid. I sealed the whole top with about 5 coats of varnish, sanding between each coat, and the top was totally stable - until I stored it in an unheated storage area one winter. The finished top was 2' wide and 5' long. The wood managed to absorb moisture through all those layers of varnish and expanded enough to break the joints. By the time it had finished, the ends were almost 1" narrower than the long boards. I ripped the ends off and made new ones - fastened with a single dowel at the centre!

2. I made a large table for a friend - 2.3 metres long by 1.2 metres wide - and used air dried oak. This time I did proper breadboard ends! After 6 months in it's final location (the friend's kitchen) the long boards had shrunk enough to leave the breadboard ends overhanging by almost 3/4" on each corner.

Just shows how much it can move.

 

[RobertMP]

Shows it is worth listening to those that know what they are talking about

Glad I did now!

 

[RobertMP]

I've made my grooves, cut up my 8 x 4 of veneered mdf and having got to a stage where I could dry fit enough bits together to see what it will look like i couldn't resist

I've already realised the glue up will need some careful planning - I don't have enough hands or clamps to try it in one!

Stood the drawer faces in place and clamped the doors as near as they would go without trimming, and laid the top on. The top was made a while ago now and has sanding sealer on it so looks different.

Pleased to say i like it!

Plenty more to do before it is completed - plinth, top and bottom drawers etc. but it is still encouraging to see some real progress

 

[RogerM]

It's great when you dry fit stuff and the project starts to come to life isn't it. This is beginning to look like a really nice piece - you should feel very pleased with it!

 

[Paul Chapman]

That's looking nice, Robert.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Robert,

Not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, please excuse me if I appear to do so:

With regard to using quarter-sawn stock. That's good if you can get it of course, but some timber merchants will allow you to select a 'centre' or 'heart' board, from a through and through cut log. This amounts to the same thing as quarter-sawn, (You get the short ring pattern) but the boards are usually wider and still show the same figure.

Even then, if you join planks together, the ring pattern should go in opposing directions for each alternating board. (I.e. flip each alternate plank end for end!) That's about as best you can get to avoid warping.

Good luck with the project

John

 

[Dave S]

Pleased to say i like it!

I like it too.

Dave

 

[RobertMP]

Robert,

Not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, please excuse me if I appear to do so:

Good luck with the project

John

I know as much about egg sucking as I do about woodwork

All advice taken on board. Never assume I know anything :lol:

 

[RobertMP]

I've now made the sides of the 3 drawer boxes. The easy part of the dovetails was done on the router with a dovetail shaped cutter.

Didn't take pictures at the time but I just held the cut piece on top of the edge and marked with a pencil all the material to be kept. Like this....

I then scribed the depth to cut down to and made all the angle cuts with a hacksaw! 18 tpi and it cuts thin straight and easy. I did try a tenon saw but felt clumsy.
Then I needed to get the scrap removed. I was all set to get going with the chisel when this idea occurred to me and it worked well (picture recreated after the event - also shows the groove for the drawer base panel)
All I had left to do then was chisel out the little triangles that were left

Bit of cleaning up and the joints go together quite well

Lots of sanding and assembly to do next. I hate sanding

 

[RobertMP]

Drawer boxes are put together now. Quite pleased with the joints on those.

Carcase is glued up now too and I've fitted the drawer runners since the picture was taken.

Doors are glued and sanded now too.

Main things still to do are the plinth drawer and the plinth sides.

Making progress

 

[ByronBlack]

Looking good. I like the approach to dovetails, they look very neat. Your progress however is frightening! I don't think i'll get my entry finished in the deadline.

 

[Dave S]

Making progress

Good progress, I'd say. Looking good

Dave

 

[RobertMP]

Well I've made the big drawer in similar style to the other 3 and mounted it in the plinth. After all the clever ideas I had for mechanisms and such like for opening it without a handle I've decided it does not need any. It opens easily and a small finger grip groove in the top edge of the face will be all that is required. (not done the groove yet)

So having done the plinth end pieces the only major thing left to make is the shelf. Small change of plan there too. We need full height in one cupboard so the shelf will span 2 not all 3. I've made a frame into which will be inset another panel of the beech veneered mdf. Only just done the frame so it is just pushed together at present. Panel still to be cut.

Interface of plinth to plinth drawer. Wasn't sure about the height change where the bottom of the drawer is raised up for ground clearance but it does not look too bad.

Overview. Top is just resting there. Need to cut some slots in the frame top and knock up some toggle things to attach the top. Plinth end bit this end is wedged in position for the photo. Other end is laying on the table next to the sideboard.

Still more sanding to do and a lot of finishing. I'm away for the middle of September so not sure if I'll manage to complete it before I go.

 

[DaveL]

Robert,

This is looking very nice.

I can't wait to see it finished. :roll:

 

[ByronBlack]

I really like this piece. I think the design is very clean, modern by without looking bland soul-less like an Ikea piece.

Was it your own design, or did you have some plans?

What are you going to use for a finish?

 

[RobertMP]

The design story is all in my thread in the design section

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16780

There is a link to the sketchup file towards the end.

Finish is going to be a satin polyurethane. I'm using sanding sealer to get the surfaces smooth first and I'm planning on taking my time over it before going near it with the polyurethane.

My work was designing and developing sheet metal work for commercial lighting. Custom products all made to order. Designing in wood is new to be but the process is similar. Quite amusing to think I have designed some huge shopping center feature in a day or two and had it manufactured and delivered within the week.... and this has taken me months :lol:

 

[Bean]

Looks very good, nice clean lines

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Quite amusing to think I have designed some huge shopping center feature in a day or two and had it manufactured and delivered within the week.... and this has taken me months :lol:

Ah! but your side board will last more than one lifetime, it's sure to become an heirloom, it looks quite stunning now, I can't wait to see it with finish on it. =D>

 

[Escudo]

Excellent work Rob, looks just great.

A valuable addition to your home furnishings, and just think of all those nice drinks you could keep in it.

Cheers, Esc

 

[RobertMP]

Thanks for the comments.

Escudo - nothing so interesting going inside it. Plan is to for it to take the less used stuff from the kitchen cupboards and make them easier to use by being less cluttered.

All the removable bits have now had sanding sealer and been final sanded. The main body currently has its slots for top fixing toggles and the sealer is currently drying.

I've put a first coat of the satin poly. on the back of a drawer face and will give it rub down and a second coat later just to check it looks right before committing to it.