Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

On Sunday, 4 April 2021 at 13:51:03 UTC+1, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

Kitchen cupboards will be too high to sit at to work unless you have an office chair that will rise to the appropriate height. Melamine which forms the outer surface of most kitchen cupboards is not good to paint on, easily rubs off.

Richard

Would he not put a worktop over that though?
I guess it depends on what the look he was going for was. I'm sure I've
seen cupboard units that are shorter out there as flatpacks, but as you say
if its going to be painted, the surfaces might not take the paint well.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Tricky Dicky" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, 4 April 2021 at 13:51:03 UTC+1, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like
this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between
buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making
them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be
painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what
thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

Kitchen cupboards will be too high to sit at to work unless you have an
office chair that will rise to the appropriate height. Melamine which forms
the outer surface of most kitchen cupboards is not good to paint on, easily
rubs off.

Richard

In article , Tricky
Dicky wrote:
On Sunday, 4 April 2021 at 13:51:03 UTC+1, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit
like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between
buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and
making them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It
will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation,
time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what
thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

Kitchen cupboards will be too high to sit at to work unless you have an
office chair that will rise to the appropriate height. Melamine which
forms the outer surface of most kitchen cupboards is not good to paint
on, easily rubs off.

You will also need room for your knees.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 05:51:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

Ah, 'fancy', I'm out. ;-)

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what thickness?

As a utilitarian and sharing my life with a practical friend and not
someone who 'should be obeyed', we love the flexibility you get from
slotted uprights and shelves (for the shelving facet anyway).

If I was fitting out a study type room for me (so not considering what
anyone other than us would think of it), I'd start with floor to
ceiling slotted uprights anywhere it would be likely to have shelves
or a worktop etc.

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads or
tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued together for wider
shelves and with the tongues cut off the front shelf (and glued in the
rear groove IYCBA) are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance, no matter how
rough you treat them.

Need to fit something a different size, add a shelf or take one away,
you can, along with being able to move them up or down. ;-)

Any 'fitted' cupboards I've often just used Contiboard again and even
fitted the slotted shelving system inside. This solution has taken
both shelves or hanging rails.

Not sure any of the above would be acceptable in the show houses of
today though. The houses where people exist and not live. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 04/04/2021 15:57, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 05:51:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads or
tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued together for wider
shelves and with the tongues cut off the front shelf (and glued in the
rear groove IYCBA) are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance, no matter how
rough you treat them.

Also worth checking softwood window boards - readily available from most
builders merchants etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...ardShelves.jpg

Having said that, for most applications I find 3/4" ply with a softwood
lipping is usually pretty good at not sagging so long as the shelf is
10" deep or so.


Need to fit something a different size, add a shelf or take one away,
you can, along with being able to move them up or down. ;-)

Any 'fitted' cupboards I've often just used Contiboard again and even
fitted the slotted shelving system inside. This solution has taken
both shelves or hanging rails.

Not sure any of the above would be acceptable in the show houses of
today though. The houses where people exist and not live. ;-)

You can get much the same adjustment versatility using those
brass/silver inset shelf support strips:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/images/f/f...vesGoingIn.jpg

Which look a bit less industrial when included in furniture.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 17:10:03 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 04/04/2021 15:57, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 05:51:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads or
tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued together for wider
shelves and with the tongues cut off the front shelf (and glued in the
rear groove IYCBA) are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance, no matter how
rough you treat them.

Also worth checking softwood window boards - readily available from most
builders merchants etc:

Any idea how they compare on price though john. Being 'only'
floorboards they seemed to be much cheaper /sq/m than buying the same
for any other role. Like buying anything for golf, fishing or
disability / medical where they seem to ramp the prices up.

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...ardShelves.jpg

Having said that, for most applications I find 3/4" ply with a softwood
lipping is usually pretty good at not sagging so long as the shelf is
10" deep or so.

Sure, but that's (the nosing) probably a step too far for most people.

When the horrible (inherited) chipboard cubbyhole unit fell off the
wall of my mates PC shop and de-assembled itself on the floor, he
called me to help me put it back together and up on the wall again. I
refused and long short, we fitted slotted shelving instead and before
long we had done the entire shop. He's since retired but the shelving
is still there and has taken all sorts of things it was never designed
for. ;-)

snip


Not sure any of the above would be acceptable in the show houses of
today though. The houses where people exist and not live. ;-)

You can get much the same adjustment versatility using those
brass/silver inset shelf support strips:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/images/f/f...vesGoingIn.jpg

Which look a bit less industrial when included in furniture.

Well, true, but assumes you have / want a 'unit' to fit them in?

Funnily though, I have a 90cm wide x 140cm high space over a
post-formed-edged worktop (on battens on the three sides) that is over
the WM and (currently) supporting the TD.

We have a mini freezer ready to replace the TD and want to make use
of the extra space above the freezer but ... it has to be easily
removable to give access to the roofspace above.

So, given there is some electrical trunking one side and pipes at the
other, I was thinking of just using some slotted shelving either side,
some of the shortest shelf brackets carrying a couple of battens (per
level, like your inserts) and then I could use T+G floorboard
screwed to the battens. Easy to cut / make, very flexible,
dismountable, strong and cheap.

I would prefer to used some post formed edge worktop but it would be a
bit more to handle, cut and fit, especially when doing it all in the
kitchen / utility area (as it's bound to be raining every time I try
to do it in the back garden).

Cheers, T i m

On 04/04/2021 19:29, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 17:10:03 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 04/04/2021 15:57, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 05:51:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads or
tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued together for wider
shelves and with the tongues cut off the front shelf (and glued in the
rear groove IYCBA) are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance, no matter how
rough you treat them.

Also worth checking softwood window boards - readily available from most
builders merchants etc:

Any idea how they compare on price though john. Being 'only'
floorboards they seemed to be much cheaper /sq/m than buying the same
for any other role.

If you want the the extra thickness and depth you get with a windows
board (they are usually a nominal 9x1" before planing) then they are not
dissimilar in price per unit volume when compared to floorboards.

(scaffold boards can also be another good cheap source of "heavy" timber)

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...ardShelves.jpg

Having said that, for most applications I find 3/4" ply with a softwood
lipping is usually pretty good at not sagging so long as the shelf is
10" deep or so.

Sure, but that's (the nosing) probably a step too far for most people.

Depends on how much you like the visible edge of ply... If painting you
could probably cover it. The win with nosing is that it can then be
routed for a more attractive edge, and also can be made deeper than the
shelf if going for a heavier looking shelf.

The "worktop" on this is only 19mm MDF - but the nosing is deeper, and
also wide enough to allow the 50mm radius on the corners.

It's not difficult to buy a strip of software trim to glue on (or in my
case I rip a bit off a wider board, glue and pin and then router flush
and profile)

When the horrible (inherited) chipboard cubbyhole unit fell off the
wall of my mates PC shop and de-assembled itself on the floor, he
called me to help me put it back together and up on the wall again. I
refused and long short, we fitted slotted shelving instead and before
long we had done the entire shop. He's since retired but the shelving
is still there and has taken all sorts of things it was never designed
for. ;-)

Yup the spur clone stuff is very sturdy and I quite like it for some
applications. I would not usually use it in furniture though.


Not sure any of the above would be acceptable in the show houses of
today though. The houses where people exist and not live. ;-)

You can get much the same adjustment versatility using those
brass/silver inset shelf support strips:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/images/f/f...vesGoingIn.jpg

Which look a bit less industrial when included in furniture.

Well, true, but assumes you have / want a 'unit' to fit them in?

Well it is what the OP was suggesting...

Funnily though, I have a 90cm wide x 140cm high space over a
post-formed-edged worktop (on battens on the three sides) that is over
the WM and (currently) supporting the TD.

We have a mini freezer ready to replace the TD and want to make use
of the extra space above the freezer but ... it has to be easily
removable to give access to the roofspace above.

So, given there is some electrical trunking one side and pipes at the
other, I was thinking of just using some slotted shelving either side,
some of the shortest shelf brackets carrying a couple of battens (per
level, like your inserts) and then I could use T+G floorboard
screwed to the battens. Easy to cut / make, very flexible,
dismountable, strong and cheap.

I would prefer to used some post formed edge worktop but it would be a
bit more to handle, cut and fit, especially when doing it all in the
kitchen / utility area (as it's bound to be raining every time I try
to do it in the back garden).

Cheers, T i m



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 4 Apr 2021 at 17:10:03 BST, "John Rumm"
wrote:

On 04/04/2021 15:57, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2021 05:51:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads or
tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued together for wider
shelves and with the tongues cut off the front shelf (and glued in the
rear groove IYCBA) are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance, no matter how
rough you treat them.

Also worth checking softwood window boards - readily available from most
builders merchants etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...ardShelves.jpg

Having said that, for most applications I find 3/4" ply with a softwood
lipping is usually pretty good at not sagging so long as the shelf is
10" deep or so.



I've used 100x20cm timberboard in alcoves, support only at the edges, from
Wickes for bookshelves. Been up several years and no signs of sagging.


--
Cheers, Rob

RJH wrote:
I've used 100x20cm timberboard in alcoves, support only at the edges, from
Wickes for bookshelves. Been up several years and no signs of sagging.

I've got some 400mm pineboard (aka timberboard) on a Spur knockoff (it was
from Farnell, Italian but can't remember the name) for heavyweight shelving.
Only been up about 6 months but fine so far.

https://www.laveronline.co.uk/sheet-...ine-board-c158

Theo

T i m wrote
wrote

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design
that has some cupboards/ chest of drawers at the
bottom with shelving above - a bit like this
https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

Ah, 'fancy', I'm out. ;-)

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but
am toying between buying kitchen cupboard type units
for the cupboards/ drawers and making them myself
out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will
all be painted so I guess it is a balance between
aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

I'm not sure you will. ;-)

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what
thickness?

As a utilitarian and sharing my life with a practical friend and not
someone who 'should be obeyed', we love the flexibility you get
from slotted uprights and shelves (for the shelving facet anyway).

Me too. And its trivial to have drawers at the floor level with that
approach.

If I was fitting out a study type room for me (so not considering
what anyone other than us would think of it), I'd start with floor
to ceiling slotted uprights anywhere it would be likely to have
shelves or a worktop etc.

And the pantry shelving too.

I prefer to weld up a rectangular frame of the slotted
dexion 25mm black tubing and dynabolt those to the
block walls. I but up aluminium flat strap into suitable
lengths and put a notch in the bottom edge at each
end with a jigsaw. Those drop into the vertical slots
in the dexion tubing and the shelves sit on top of those.

The notches keep the aluminium flats in place.

For the shelves, straight Contiboard for light loads

I use that for heavy loads too with the verticals
more closely spaced in the pantry and bookshelves
etc. No sag even when fully loaded with the beer
brewing extract cans which are a couple of kg each
and 4 cans deep in my pantry. I often have dozens.

I prefer melamine faced particle board for stuff like
the pantry. You don't see the edges and the front
edge is melamine faced too.

or tongue-n-groove floorboards that can be glued
together for wider shelves and with the tongues cut
off the front shelf (and glued in the rear groove IYCBA)
are very very strong (no sag) and when sanded and
not painted, need little in the way of maintenance,
no matter how rough you treat them.

Need to fit something a different size, add a shelf or take one away,
you can, along with being able to move them up or down. ;-)

Yeah, much more flexible than the fixed shelves in the pic.

Any 'fitted' cupboards I've often just used Contiboard
again and even fitted the slotted shelving system inside.
This solution has taken both shelves or hanging rails.

Not sure any of the above would be acceptable in the show houses
of today though. The houses where people exist and not live. ;-)

On 04/04/2021 13:51, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit
like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

That's ok, although the shelves look a little "heavy" (visually)
compared to the rest. The shaker style is also about the easiest thing
you can make, while being solid with clean lines.

I did a few doors like that for our utility room - made from 3x1
softwood and 9mm MDF:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...oorOutside.jpg

Very quick to make on a table saw or on a router table.

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying
between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers
and making them myself out of the same material I use for the
shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between
aggravation, time and cost.

To be fair I have done both...

From scratch:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...e_and_cupboard
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...n_media_centre

Both those were basically just boxes built from sheet materials and made
pretty with a face frame. The raised panel doors and drawer fronts being
around 19 - 22mm thick

This one was similar, but going a bit more light weight (about as light
as you can go really for the size). Here the same thickness frames, but
only 6mm ply for the panels.

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...fice_furniture

I have also tried the "cheat" approach with ikea chests of drawers as a
base:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Bedroom_study_unit

The latter is certainly quicker, although you don't get as much control
over the look of the end result.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

What tooling, space have to got available to build in?

Once things I found with big projects like those, is its easy enough the
make the bits, but test assembly and fit can be difficult if workshop
space is at a premium.

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what
thickness?

I have found 1/2" ply for drawer boxes and unit backs is fine. 3/4" ply
or MDF for cabinet sides, Softwood "structural" ply is nice to work, but
lacks the flatness of traditional WBP ply. MDF raised panels are ok, and
dimensionally stable, although take more effort to prime and paint if
you want them to look good.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote
wrote

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above -
a bit like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

That's ok, although the shelves look a little
"heavy" (visually) compared to the rest.

I hate the very dark result.

The shaker style is also about the easiest thing
you can make, while being solid with clean lines.

I did a few doors like that for our utility room -
made from 3x1 softwood and 9mm MDF:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...oorOutside.jpg

Very quick to make on a table saw or on a router table.

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying
between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers
and making them myself out of the same material I use for the
shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between
aggravation, time and cost.

To be fair I have done both...

From scratch:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...e_and_cupboard
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...n_media_centre

Both those were basically just boxes built from sheet materials and made
pretty with a face frame. The raised panel doors and drawer fronts being
around 19 - 22mm thick

This one was similar, but going a bit more light weight (about as light
as you can go really for the size). Here the same thickness frames, but
only 6mm ply for the panels.

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...fice_furniture

I have also tried the "cheat" approach with ikea chests of drawers as a
base:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Bedroom_study_unit

The latter is certainly quicker, although you don't get as much control
over the look of the end result.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

What tooling, space have to got available to build in?

Once things I found with big projects like those, is its easy enough the
make the bits, but test assembly and fit can be difficult if workshop
space is at a premium.

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what
thickness?

I have found 1/2" ply for drawer boxes and unit backs is fine. 3/4" ply
or MDF for cabinet sides, Softwood "structural" ply is nice to work, but
lacks the flatness of traditional WBP ply. MDF raised panels are ok, and
dimensionally stable, although take more effort to prime and paint if
you want them to look good.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 04/04/2021 13:51, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

I built my kitchen unit and cupboard doors which look a little like
those in the picture, 9mm MDF with 9mm for the "frame" just glued on. I
mostly used "off the shelf" base units but had to build a few units to
fit the space neatly. I used 18 mm plywood for that, biscuit jointed.
One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling. You need a reasonable blade on your circular
saw. I only have a cheap biscuit cutter, if I'd known how useful it
would be I would probably have bought a more expensive one but I'm
managing fine.

While MDF is fine for doors, I prefer plywood for more structural stuff
although I do have a fitted bookcase which is all 18mm MDF (but designed
for paperbacks, so relatively shallow shelves, and not too much distance
between "uprights).

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:

On 04/04/2021 13:51, wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like
this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between
buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making
them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all be
painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the matter

Also, what would be the best material to make it out of and what thickness?

Thanks

Lee.

snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.

--
Cheers, Rob

Thanks very much all. Unfortunately in the Google groups UI I can't reply to individual threads so thought I would consolidate my reply to all the points made together - hope this is readable.

1. Regarding kitchen cupboards being too high. I believe the standard carcass is 720mm so was thinking of putting it on say a 2" x 2" on the floor to give a small "plinth"

2. Thanks re comments on painting on melamine. We have done this successfully once before but it didn't get much wear so might not be a good reflection.

On Mon, 5 Apr 2021 01:30:40 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

snip

5. John - you mention "It's not difficult to buy a strip of software trim to glue on". Assume the word software is a typo? What trim are you referring to?

'SoftWOOD'. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 05/04/2021 09:30, wrote:

3. Thanks John for your various links - I can only hope mine are half
as good as these . Couple of questions if I may a. Did you create
the shaker doors by using 3" x 1" to make the surround and then
router a groove in the back to then put the 9mm MDF?

That would work, but it s not actually how I did those particular ones.

I did those on the table saw as a "cope and stick" construction using a
dado blade (a stack of two ordinary blades and a pass from each side
would also work well). That put the panel in the middle of the door, set
back from both sides:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...DoorInside.jpg

I cut all the edge timbers to approximate length, then put a 9mm centred
slot down one side of all of them - basically wide enough to take the panel.

Then I cut the rails to be final length + 2 x Depth of slot, and cut a
full width tenon on the end (few passes over the blade with the cross
cut guide in the table slot) - just the right size to fit the slot.

The whole door could then be assembled. Since the panel was MDF and all
the lengths were long grain, the whole thing could be glued.

If going for a real wood panel, then I would cut that a little under
full width, and leave it floating - with just the rails and stiles
glued[1]. Looking at the top of the door you can get a glimpse of the
construction, like on this real wood version:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/images/5/5...ornerDoor2.png

[1] note that unlike traditional doors with a much more substantial M&T
joint at the corners, this is not as strong - but usually plenty good
enough for a cupboard door.

I was thinking of using (say) 18mm ply for the door and then pin/
glue some thin ply/ MDF to the front to make the shaker surround.
Did this for a bath surround but would appreciate thoughts on this
for doors. Any top tips newshound (e.g. finishing the edges so you
don't see the 2 pieces) as seems like you have done a similar thing
although my "add on" bits were more like 3mm

The really simple way is as you say a panel the size of the door, and
then "planted on" rails and stiles. All from MDF.

The youtube master of the MDF door must be Peter Millard. He has loads
of videos on these done using a number of techniques. e.g.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwGvYsvdCg4

The drawers on the media centre look amazing. Not sure my skills are
good enough for this and I don't have the tools. Any simpler methods to
make them?

Well the fronts can be any panel assembly method you like - including
planted on rails and stiles.

The boxes are in most cases not that critical. I used finger joints
since I can do lots of drawers in a single operation, and they are very
strong) 90 odd CDs are quite heavy! Having said that, there are plenty
of easy ways that work just fine. Simple gluing and screwing but joints
at the 4 corners of the boxes will be fine. You can then plant on a
base, glued and pinned, or better still just route a rebate round the
whole of the bottom of the drawer box, and drop the draw base into it -
that looks better and adds more resistance to "racking" in the base.

Another option that works well are the drawer mitre lock router bits:

https://www.rutlands.com/sp+routing-...tlands+m_tr245

you use the same bit to cut both ends of the joint, and it makes for a
quick and easy to glue up drawer box.

The slide out section for the AV gear is inspired

It was "ok" in the form you see there. In reality I went back and
changed it a bit (must do so extra photos for it). Later I fitted a much
heavier AV amp (15kg), and found I needed to add a third drawer runner
under the middle of the base. I also realised that when seated you could
not actually see the top of the box much beyond the leading edge. I was
also always a bit annoyed by the slight variation in margin around the
edges caused by an earlier "out of square" cutting error. So I modified
the box to fix the "square issue" and also remove the entire top of the
thing apart from a 6" deep strip at the front. That made access for
wiring up *much* better. I also made a slotted vertical divider to go in
the front - that allowed me better control of the margin spacing, and
looked a bit more appealing.

4. In terms of tools I have.... - Track saw (i.e. one of those
circular saws that run on a metal track for doing straight cuts) -
Router (although haven't managed to get it to do anything useful
yet) - A table gadget which enables you to make a table saw/ router
by fixing a normal router/ circular saw to it. Not very professional
but seems to work (ish) - Regular circular saw - Chop saw - Drills -
air compressor and nail gun - biscuit cutter although never used it!
- good selection of hand tools etc.

In which case you already have more than enough kit to go about these in
a number of ways :-)


5. John - you mention "It's not difficult to buy a strip of software
trim to glue on". Assume the word software is a typo? What trim are
you referring to?

Yup, sorry my bad - softwood!

Most DIY shops have a stock of all kinds of beads and profiles including
dowels, coves, quarter rounds etc, but also usually just plain old
strips of something rectangular you can trim to length and stick on.

However given the tools you have at your disposal, simply ripping strips
of the side of a suitable thickness of plank will give you plenty of
shelf or door edge lipping material.




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.

Ah -
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446

--
Cheers, Rob

On 05/04/2021 12:45, RJH wrote:
On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.

Ah -
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446

That's only a saw guide though, and only metric 4 feet long. The cutting
line is offset from the edge of the guide. A sawboard is like this, but
with a "base-plate", when you make it you make this over-size and then
trim it, with your circular saw, so that it exactly matches the saw. So,
to use it you mark out the *exact* position where you want the cut on
your work. And you clamp the sawboard on the required material, not on
the offcut. So you get a straight cut exactly where you need it. The
baseplate also helps to prevent splitting/delamination of plywood on the
emerging side of the cut. Oh, and when making a sawboard use one of the
as-sawn edges for your saw guide, that way the final cut will be dead
straight. If you are working with full 8x4 sheets you really need an 8
foot board as well. (On the rare occasions when you are making a
diagonal cut more than 8 feet long I have always found you can still get
a near-perfect result by cutting twice with a repositioned board).

On 5 Apr 2021 at 13:32:10 BST, "newshound"
wrote:

On 05/04/2021 12:45, RJH wrote:
On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.

Ah -

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446

That's only a saw guide though, and only metric 4 feet long. The cutting
line is offset from the edge of the guide. A sawboard is like this, but
with a "base-plate", when you make it you make this over-size and then
trim it, with your circular saw, so that it exactly matches the saw. So,
to use it you mark out the *exact* position where you want the cut on
your work. And you clamp the sawboard on the required material, not on
the offcut. So you get a straight cut exactly where you need it. The
baseplate also helps to prevent splitting/delamination of plywood on the
emerging side of the cut. Oh, and when making a sawboard use one of the
as-sawn edges for your saw guide, that way the final cut will be dead
straight. If you are working with full 8x4 sheets you really need an 8
foot board as well. (On the rare occasions when you are making a
diagonal cut more than 8 feet long I have always found you can still get
a near-perfect result by cutting twice with a repositioned board).

Thanks, yes, I did make one, but had an incursion accident and ruined it. For
my purposes/skill level keeping the blade away from the guide/board is the way
to go . . .

Nowadays I just use a 2m length of timber for longer cuts and clamp it to
whatever I'm cutting. Trimmed 2mm off a door recently - perfect cut.

I take your points on the limitations of the Lidl guide. All I can say is it's
done me fine. If it was my livelihood I'd invest in a proper track/saw
arrangement.

--
Cheers, Rob

On Monday, 5 April 2021 at 12:45:47 UTC+1, RJH wrote:
On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.
Ah -
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446

--
Cheers, Rob
Hi Rob,

Haven't see those before but look very handy. The track saw I have is one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143637562...12011000008005

The table thing which allows you to attach a normal circular saw/ router to and make it like a table saw is one of these

https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/i/W-iNk...ular-saw-table

thanks

Lee.

On 05/04/2021 13:32, wrote:
On Monday, 5 April 2021 at 12:45:47 UTC+1, RJH wrote:
On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.
Ah -
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446

--
Cheers, Rob
Hi Rob,

Haven't see those before but look very handy. The track saw I have is one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143637562...12011000008005


OK that looks as though the saw cuts right to the edge of the table.

On 5 Apr 2021 at 13:32:30 BST, "
wrote:

On Monday, 5 April 2021 at 12:45:47 UTC+1, RJH wrote:
On 5 Apr 2021 at 07:47:18 BST, "RJH" wrote:

On 4 Apr 2021 at 20:57:40 BST, "newshound"
wrote:




snip

One thing you *must* make first if you are building from sheet is a
sawboard, or even better a pair of them, 4 foot and 8 foot. I made mine
from 9mm plywood. These save an unbelievable amount of time because you
can cut everything straight to size with accuracy better than 1mm. Next
to no post-cut fettling.

+1. I've got a 1m aluminium clamping sawboard from Aldi, and use it a lot
with
a circular saw. A straight edge clamped does me for longer lengths.
Ah -

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...de-rail/p41446


--
Cheers, Rob
Hi Rob,

Haven't see those before but look very handy. The track saw I have is one of
these


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143637562...12011000008005

The table thing which allows you to attach a normal circular saw/ router to
and make it like a table saw is one of these


That pic seems to have gone - but the saw/track idea looks to be a better
solution all round.


--
Cheers, Rob

wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to fit out our study and have a design that has some
cupboards/ chest of drawers at the bottom with shelving above - a bit like
this https://www.nevillejohnson.co.uk/luxury-blue-lounge/

I am planning on making the shelving bits myself but am toying between
buying kitchen cupboard type units for the cupboards/ drawers and making
them myself out of the same material I use for the shelves. It will all
be painted so I guess it is a balance between aggravation, time and cost.

Have you thought about starting with the various 'system' units from Ikea
and similar? They might be more suitable for living room use than kitchen
units. I have no experience with them, but their kitchen systems are
usually well made. You could then customise them yourself.

This sort of thing:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/stora...systems-46052/

Theo