wood working hobbyist? come on in

[68C15]

I am getting ready to make a few wood projects and need to pick your brains

[ERASER5]

You Zombie!

[old Rusty C10]

I am far from an expert but i do mess around with the table saw,scroll saw, router etc.. ive made some wishing wells, easter statues, and a small cabinet if that helps

[68 SHORT-STEP'N]

I've made a few things

[Leinie]

I do custom woodwork for a living. Ask away and I'll try to help out.

[big blue 72]

I specialize in sawdust, toothpicks and splinters, myself!

[CG]

Ive always been from the school of measure twice and cut once ... Then I go to Lowes and pick up more two by fours and measure three times and cut once.

[Sillyoldman]

I goof with wood too. Carving decoys, basic benches & chairs, couple boats & general buiding ect. I'm no finish carpenter though.

[jhwkns]

Life long pro woodworker here. This is my latest hobby type project. It's an amplifier that I built a new cabinet for recently. The old box was pretty ratty.


I decided to re-incarnate it as a 2X10 twin.

Dovetailed pine box, just like Leo used to make. I opted for a secured baffle board to add some structural integrity.

Ready to cover. I've owned many black amps. This one will be white.

[KShortell]

How about a gun cart for NRA High Power Rifle competition?

It seems like there's an artistic/sculpting nature to my recent projects- rifle cleaning station, gun cart, headboard, etc. It's fun!

[NateK4340]

Thats what I do for a living, custom cabinets and finish carpentry! I've been in wood working for the past 9 years. Its great to have a job that I truly enjoy! I am no expert and learn something new everyday. Any questions you have, just ask.

Heres a couple of projects I have done in the past.

[LONGHAIR]

Pro cabinet maker here too. It seems that there are quite a few woodworkers in the forum, more than I was aware of anyway.
What do you need?

[Chevypoor]

Carpenter and cabinet maker here as well. Done a little of everything from rough framing to building furniture. I have even had a little experience with bending wood in a steam box. I have also worked with teak brightwork on an older boat. I am impressed at the amount of wood workers on this forum... some nice pieces in those pics. What can we do to help?

[68C15]

you guys have some pretty sweet projects there. I hope mine turns out decent enough to show.
a buddy of mine has an 87 E350 4x4 conversion van. I gutted the whole inside and he wants me to make some custom built cabinets in the back door area, a fishing rod holder on driver side rear, and lockable/concealed storage on pass. rear for long and short guns. but first I need to insulate and re-panel the walls along with the floor.
I will most likely start a new thread when work begins. right now I am asking for ideas on cabinet making procedures and joinery. me past work involved glue and nails or staples. I am thinking of getting the Kreg kit ($150) and doing exposed frame with dadoed panels. this will most likely be maple or poplar with light stain so all fasteners need to be hidden and wood putty is a big no-no.

come to think of it, I am taking on a big project here. I really hope i don't screw this up

[Chevypoor]

Sounds like a cool project. Of the two woods listed maple gets my vote. It does not work as easily as popular but it will hold up to use and abuse better as well take the stain/ clear finish better in my opinion. The frame and panel system sounds like good idea and the Kreg jig is a nice investment. You will find uses for it that you had never thought of before once you have one.

[LockDoc]

-
I do mostly clocks and small stuff. Here is one of my web pages with some of my projects. I don't like the kits so I draw up most of my own plans.

http://members.zumatel.net/leon429/woodwork.html

Here is an old post with the only cabinet work I have ever done.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=356010

LockDoc

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

I usually cut it twice and it's still too short.

[68C15]

Originally Posted by Chevypoor

Sounds like a cool project. Of the two woods listed maple gets my vote. It does not work as easily as popular but it will hold up to use and abuse better as well take the stain/ clear finish better in my opinion. The frame and panel system sounds like good idea and the Kreg jig is a nice investment. You will find uses for it that you had never thought of before once you have one.

what if I do maple frame with poplar panels? the panels would likely be edge joined (kreg again) and sit flush with the frame. or should I bevel the sides and dado them into the frame?
he wants it to be a 2 layer cabinet. 2 doors on top and 3 on bottom, all accessible from rear. the top half will have 2 doors on front as well. should i make the door faces maple only or carry the 2 tone look into them as well?

[LONGHAIR]

The big thing to pay attention to with solid wood panels is "wood movement". You have to be careful whenever you have a "cross-grain" connection with your parts. Solid wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. This movement is really only across the width of the grain. Think of it like an accordian. Of course the wider the panel is to start with the more growth/shrinkage you will have.

All of that is to say, "don't glue your panels with-in the frames". They can swell enough to break the frame's corner joints, or at least force a twist into the doors.
The opposite is that they can shrink enough to cause a split in the panel itself, if it is glued in place. The panels need to be "free" to float in the frames, with enough clearence to swell w/o pushing against the frame.

This is important enough inside buildings, but it's even worse in a vehicle where the humidity can make wider swings.

Since we are all showing off our wares:

[Leinie]

I would definitely not use solid wood for cabinet panels in a vehicle.
Solid wood for face frames and door frames only. Everything else from matching plywood. Their is just way to much temperature and humidity change to deal with.

If you are making slab doors, use plywood with a narrow solid edge,

If you are doing stick and rail doors, use flat plywood panels, not solid raised panels.

Keep it simple, make it beefy. Bumpy rides are hard on cabinetry.

[68C15]

thanks guys. definately good info to have.
how about select pine for the panels and keep them flat? I could make the door frames from maple.

[Leinie]

I'd say definetly not, to the pine.

If any of your panel material is going to be visible from the outside, use the same species as the frames and doors or it will look half a$$ed.

Like I said in my previous post- Plywood is your best option

[Bishops Trucks]

Carpenter by trade. I've made a few pieces of furniture in my time.

[68C15]

Originally Posted by Leinie

I'd say definetly not, to the pine.

If any of your panel material is going to be visible from the outside, use the same species as the frames and doors or it will look half a$$ed.

Like I said in my previous post- Plywood is your best option

don't I have to worry about plywood separating/splitting from the screws? will it peel at ends of panels after a while? I want the panels flush with frame which would leave the edges kind of open

[68C15]

change of plans. exposed frame dado'd for 1/4" birch plywood panels. I am thinking of having the dadoes 1/4" back from face. should the frames be maple, poplar, or select pine? I am stuck with birch ply for panels so it goes with the walls and ceiling of van. the doors and drawers will have same construction but with routered edges (ogee maybe) instead of simple square edges.
is 1/16" gap between panels and frame enough?