Simple utility shelves

[wtnhighlander]

Occasionally, I remember when I was a new member of this forum, and overwhelmed by the outstanding 'fine' furniture projects that were constantly being posted. I wished, then, for a simpler project to appear, now and then, so I could learn something more in line with my experience.

To aid other newbies in the same situation, I am starting this journal. The project is a very basic, 4-shelf open cabinet. It's purpose is to house and organize my son's collection of video games and consoles. He requested a paint finish, so 'cabinet-grade' ply and poplar from the big box store are suitable and accessible materials to work with.

My design is guided by some dimensional constraints. Maximum height must be no more than the dresser it will sit next to. Interior width must be restrained to the minimum that allows the game console to fit with adequate clearance. Spacing of the two upper shelves is constrained to the height of the game console and computer, respectively, again with adequate clearance. The lower two shelves are spaced to hold his collection of game disks and video disks, in their boxes.  The upper shelves are open, front and back. Lowers are closed in back.  I am not mentioning measurements because they are meaningless to the reader. Use what works in your space, if you want to build a similar project.

The end result looks a bit like this:

In keeping with the theme of 'simplicity', I will be using basic half-laps, rabbets, and dadoes, all cut at the table saw. Aside from the circular saw used to break the plywood down to manageable size, I may be able to cut ALL the joinery at the table saw, and with just a standard combination blade

I will be sharing details of each machining step, in memory of a departed forum member called 'Particleboard'. A career cabinet builder, he could have built this project with one hand tied behind his back, and blind-folded. 

Please be patient - holiday activities and cold weather will often interrupt my shop schedule, so updates will be somewhat irregular. This should be considered an easy weekend project, but my circumstances are likely to drag it out for a few weeks...

 

[Mark J]

Looking forward to it.

[wtnhighlander]

It all starts with plywood parts cut to size.

Width of the sides, top, and shelves is equal. Cut enough strips to width before changing the fence setup.

Shown are two sides, and 4 shelves, at final dimension. The astute among you may notice the model requires four shelves AND a top. Because I'm an idiot, I need to reset and cut one more.  D'oh!

Joinery starts with the top. I'm using rabbets that set into the side panels by the depth as the shelf dados that come later. By rabbeting the sides and the top, the corners have lots of glue surface, and the overall dimensions are retained. I cut the shelf/top lengths short of the overall cabinet width by 1 thickness of plywood.

Using scraps from the same sheet, I adjusted my saw untill I could nibble away a rabbet equal to 1/2 the sheet thickness in both dimensions. Use a miter gauge, and make repeated passes, feeding the work toward the fence at each pass, until it stops. Follow with a few sideways "scoochie-scoochie" passes over the blade to remove ridges left by alternating bevel teeth, if you aren't using a flat top grind blade. Frankly, I find ATB teeth give me a cleaner result in this soft poplar plywood.

Cut rabbets in two scraps for testing the setup.

When the fit is right, the test cuts should mate perfectly.

Now cut these rabbets on both ends of the top, and both top ends of the sides. The result should fit like so.

Ignore the blue tap. I had already taped the sides together for a future step when I thought to snap a photo.

To be continued ...

[wtnhighlander]

A trick I first learned from Inspire Woodcraft on Youtube. Take two pieces of stock (or a longer piece that can be cut in half later). Since my scraps were square-ish sticks, I marked the top to keep them oriented properly.

Set the saw fence so that you can pass the pieces through and make them equal in width.

 

Now clamp one piece between the fence and blade. Don't move the fence!  I added a scrap on top to provide clamping surface.

Pass the second piece along the blade to shave off some width.

Attach a stop block to this second piece. It will become a "carrier" jig for sawing in the next step.

 

Remove the first piece from it's place against the fence, but do NOT move the fence. Place the "carrier jig" against the fence, and use it's stop block to push a piece through the saw. You can saw up the first piece for this step, as I did, or use other stock.

The strip that is removed will be EXACTLY as wide as the kerf cut by that blade. See how it fits this kerf in a scrap of MDF?

 

"So, what is the point of all that? " you might ask. Well, having a piece that matches your saw kerf exactly is very useful. Some applications I can think of:

• Spacers for off-setting the kerf while making grooves or dadoes (what I needed)
• Splines for mitered corners
• Loose "tongues" for T&G joints
• Racing Stripe Inlays
• Perfect fingers for Box Joint Jigs

The possibilities are pretty broad. This method works for ANY width of cutter, including dado stacks and (straight) router bits. Just label your strips so you can match them to the same cutter in later projects.

Anyone have other applications for a 'spline' that perfectly matches your cutter's kerf?

 

 

 

[wtnhighlander]

Slow start today, had to reset and cut the shelf I missed earlier. Avoid having to re-create an exact machine setup, it is almost impossible.

Back to joinery, I used a scrap from the same sheet, the a couple of the kerf shims I cut earlier, to define each wall of the dadoes for the shelves.

Theoretically, a single kerf shim should have been used, but slight inaccuracies in my saw setup or process produced shims slightly narrow. I think maybe I should have cleaned the blade first. Anyway, using two made the dado a touch narrow, but I'll address that later. Always test your setup with scraps!

Taping the sides together,with faces opposed, let me flip the stack to cut each opposing dado with the same setup, ensuring they were as uniform as I could make them. Turns out that 14" is about all my miter gage can feed. Also, I discovered a "sticky spot" in the left-side table slot, which made a bit of wobble. Not perfect, but will do. A wide sled and extra infeed support would help a lot.

Seen here, I chose not to spend all my time nibbling out the dadoes. A chisel was adequate for removing the remaining slivers, but I broke out the router plane (thanks, @RichardA!) to get a clean, flat bottom.

As I said, the dadoes are a touch narrow. I addressed this with a trick used by the old-time joiners to fit drawer bottoms. I planed a wide, shallow chamfer on the underside of each shelf edge to achieve a snug fit.

Watching the plys as I plane helps keep a uniform thickness.

BTW, I could have done as well with a belt sander (doesn't every shop have a belt sander?). Given the near non-existent nature of dust collection in my shop, I prefer shavings over dust, whenever possible.

All this brings me a dry fit of the carcase.

Hopefully, more tomorrow!

[wtnhighlander]

On to the face frame...

First, I cross cut a S4S poplar 1x6 to get the vertical stile length, then ripped it into 1-1/2" strips.

I like to use gauge blocks to set up my machines9, whenever practical.

The I attached a setup block to my fence as a spacer to reference cross-cuts to get the horizontal rails to length. The spacer leaves the off cut free from binding and causing kick-back.

A combination of scrap rail and kerf shim helped with nibbling out the lap joints as described earlier.

Layout of the lap joints along the vertical stiles was accomplishes with a square and scrap of rail stock.

And just as before, the router plane cleans of the ridges left by my ATB combination blade.

I forgot to snap a pic of the assembled rail, but I cut it too close on dimensions, anyway. The less-than-stellar plywood has some variation that causes the edges to not align properly over the entire length. I should have built the frame a bit more oversized, then flush-trimmed the frame edges after assembly. To componsate now, I plan to trim about 1/4" from the width of each shelf, making the carcase narrower so the frame overhangs. May be a few days before that happens, though...

[wtnhighlander]

Today, I trimmed the shelves to make up for the face frame being a shade too narrow. Using fence and miter gage together is usually a no-no for through cuts, because to waste piece can be pinched by the blade and shoot back at you. To manage this, I clamped a stop block at the near end of my fence, which blocked the line of fire, and also kept my miter gauge from dropping off the table.

The off-cut is just a 1/16" sliver. I wouldn't trust this rig for anything much larger.

After trimming, I sanded the interior faces to 220, did a couple dry runs to ensure squareness and clamp placement, and glued it together. Here is where it stands now.

The thing is 38" tall, and my longest clamps are 36", so I wound up joining pipes into a 72" length. Now I have to crawl under to access the far side. 

Maybe I'll have time to unclamp it later...

[Mark J]

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

my longest clamps are 36"

Something to consider with the next design?   Or did 48" clamps just get added to your wish list.  

[wtnhighlander]

I was graciously gifted a box full of 1/2" pipe clamp heads. I think a bunch of 2-foot threaded pipes and a few couplers would do the trick. I rarely need longer than 36", and they would be awkward to store in my small space.

[h3nry]

The beautiful thing about pipe-clamps is that if you need a longer clamp ... you can just buy a longer pipe. I have a couple of 6ft and 4ft pipes stored under my bench. They take almost no space with the heads removed (and the heads put onto 2ft pipes which are used much more often).

The pipe joiners are also a good option if you don't mind that the piece can't sit flush along the length of the clamp ... Then the length of the clamp becomes unlimited.

[roughsawn]

Good call on joining the pipes!

[Tom King]

I built a house with 64 foot long porches in 1991 when hidden fastener systems for deck floors had just come out.  I used three 20' 3/4" black iron pipe pieces and one of my shorter ones coupled together to pull one particular system together.  I've used similar on some 200 year old house floors and pulled a 28' wide 1798 house floor back together with them.  I keep the 20' black pipes up high in a shop here sitting on big nails in case I ever need them again.

I have more pipe clamps than any other kind, and they work just fine.

[Mark J]

For the benefit of the "audience", it's worth mentioning that the idea of joining two short clamps together to perform the occasional long clamping task is not limited to pipe clamps.  For example, it's possible to do it with parallel clamps and quick clamps, too.

[Mark J]

Actually, I remembered and found this old thread on the subject:

https://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/23730-two-short-clamps/#comment-284705

[wtnhighlander]

Today, I started by adding hardwood "banding" to cover the exposed plywood edge left by the stepped rabbet joint at the top. A reference line was struck across the top, slightly narrower than the strip of 1/8" oak found in my scrap bin.

I carefully aligned my trim router bit to the mark, and set this Bora saw guide against the baseplate as a fence. My combo square helped transfer the dustance to the other end of the cut, and later to the oppositeside of the top. Making this rabbet a touch narrower than the banding reduced the reliance on a perfect setup to the marked line, but the cut still needs to be straight and uniform. I also clamped a sacrificial strip flush to the outside of the cut (not pictured),to keep the router balanced.

The result is a nice clean rabbet for the banding. It is important to coat the surfaces completely with glue.

After these dried a bit, I broke out this flush trim bit that I was gifted for Christmas ... LAST Christmas.

First use, the bit performed flawlessly. Theend result looked like this.

I also glued up the face frame, using whatever came to hand to build a "squaring jig".

That's all for now.

 

[Von]

 Nice technique to clean up the corner.

[Mark J]

13 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Theend result looked like this.

Nice fit.  You flush trimmed the vertical side.  Did you also have to flush trim (or plane) the horizontal surface?

[wtnhighlander]

@Mark J, The horizontal face was pretty flush to the ply, because I use the banding to set the router cut depth. I took a few swipes with 220 on a block to get what you see.

I try to avoid any need for banding, but that little exposed plywood edge would have been fragile. The strip of white oak I added will make it much more durable, and let me ease the corner without the fuzzy splinters this poplar ply would have.

[wtnhighlander]

I started this morning with a little hand work to flush up the joints.

Nothing ever seems to come out perfectly square in my shop, so I did a couple of dry runs to ensure the case would align within the boundaries of the frame. The frame is intentionally a touch oversized, so I can trim it flush after glue-up.

Since plywood edges are about 50% edge grain, I applied a thin layer of glue and let it soak in a few minutes, then applied more.

The best glue spreaders are the ones Gid gives us, IMO. 

Now for the obligatory 'porcupine' shot of the thing all clamped to my bench. The bench top and heavy cauls help smash the box & frame sandwich into a monolithic piece.

I had to carefully wipe up the squeeze-out to avoid gluing the thing to my bench. Even after dry runs, it is still easy to forgst simple steps, like a layer of kraft paper to catch glue drips.

D'oh!  

[BillyJack]

Nice project..

[wtnhighlander]

Now that Christmas is past, I have a little more time for the shop.

I trimmed the plywood carcase sides to make room for poplar 'feet' across the ends. Plywood edges are not great for floor contact.

You might note my use of 'quick & dirty' jigs, like the saw guide pictured above. I am more in the habit of constructing temporary jigs, the cannabalizing the parts for something else, later. No space to store a bunch of rarely used jigs. This one is a keeper, though. Maybe I should 'pretty it up' a little...

Glue and screws attach the 'feet'. These tapered drills with adjustable counter sink are great for wood screws or drywall screws.

Another quick9 jig from a repurposed scrap of ply, hole present from prior use.

I had a spare fixed base for this bosch router, so this will be a permanent install. Had to add a hole in the base for proper attachment. Then I transferred the hole pattern to the ply, using as ice pick.

Drilling through the marked points with a 1/16" bit transferred the marks to tbe other side.

Now the point of a 1/4" brad-point can follow the hole to produce a counter bore for pan-head screws. After that, the correct size through hole completes the operation.

I used some #8-32 screws and nuts from my random hardware box to attach the router base so the bit protrudes through this existing hole. The I de-splintered the plywood with my ROS, now I have a nice large base that spans the shelf edges, so I can flush-trim the overhanging face frame without the router tipping.

That's a partially trimmed edge, for reference. I am using a 1/2", bearing guided, compression cut bit. Works wonderfully in this soft poplar, and leaves a huge mess.

I use 1/4" hard-board for the back. This quickie jig helps me locate screw holes while the backer is still hanging over the edge. A few screws hold in in place for trimming.

I also used the router trim rig to cut out the back of the two upper shelves, so equipment cables can pass right through.

A setup block made for equal spacing across the back, and indexing my square aganst the top row of screws let me transfer that same spacing down to each subsequent shelf.

Finally, I use a 1/4" radius round--over bit, set to just catch the beginning of the curvature, to relieve the edges of the backer, so nothing catches it when rubbed along the side or the top. 

Since this is a painted project, I did a sanding at 120, then applied wood filler to anything that looked even vaguely like a seam or gap. Once that dries, one more sanding should have it ready for paint.

 

[wtnhighlander]

Quick update: sanding is finished, painting has begun. Using General Finishes 'Milk Paint', to be followed by GF High Performance poly, satin.

This acrylic paint is excellent for furniture, as it dries quickly, and hard, unlike rubbery latex paints. Although acrylic, it has many characteristics of actual milk paint, especially that is can be applied thinly for a translucent appearance. I am using a bristle brush, but previous experience with a foam brush seemed to provide a smoother finish. It did require more coats than the bristle brush, though. Has anyone tried spraying this stuff?

[Coop]

Ross, recently I made a piece that required 4 identical legs tapered on one side. I made a 1/4 mdf pattern and used a spiral flush trim bit to try and copy the pattern. On two of the legs, the cut was against the grain and chipped the wood to a degree that I had to discontinue the operation. Would I have had better results using the flush trim bit you show above? 

[fcschoenthal]

On 12/28/2024 at 9:05 PM, Coop said:

On two of the legs, the cut was against the grain and chipped the wood to a degree that I had to discontinue the operation. Would I have had better results using the flush trim bit you show above? 

I've got a compression flush trim bit with bearings on top and bottom. You always want to go downhill with the grain, so I just raise the bit and flip the piece over. You could basically do the same thing with the bit you have by attaching the template to the other side of the leg.

[wtnhighlander]

3 hours ago, Coop said:

On two of the legs, the cut was against the grain and chipped the wood to a degree that I had to discontinue the operation. Would I have had better results using the flush trim bit you show above? 

Ken,I doubt the compression bit would make any difference. It just has the spiral flutes cut as 'up' from one end and 'down' from the other, so the chips migrate toward the center. Helps with fuzzy edges. Best thing I can suggest, aside from flipping the work like @fcschoenthal said, is to saw really close to the line before trimming with the router. Even that might fail on splintery species, like oak.