Walnut and Maple Medicine Cabinet


marist

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This is a medicine cabinet I made for family. There are quite a few "firsts" on this project. It's the first time I've used curves - and the first time I've made anything using a template (maple drawer fronts). It's also the biggest mistake and best fix I've ever done. I spent a whole night mortising the "lip" of the cabinet for the hinges. I'm not real crazy about them but they were the only thing I could find that would allow the picture frame door front to completely cover the lip of the cabinet. When I was done mortising the edge of the cabinet, I drilled the holes in the door frame to mount the hinges, and then realized I put the bottom hinge right where the maple drawers go!!!! I used the router table to remove the lip on the right side, cut and fit a new lip, plugged and re-drilled the holes in the door frame, and made a small piece of walnut veneer to cover all of the screw holes that were inside the cabinet. I wish I had before and after pics of the repair - I'm really pleased with the way it came out.

I'm interested to hear what all of you have to say about this, so don't hold back. Thanks!

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It is looking very good. I like the tiger maple dividers and the maple drawer fronts. Where do you get the tiger maple. Where I live, to find something like tiger maple, it's better to look for chicken teeth.

The front frame also look nice. But if I had to do it, I would use the darker wood (walnut???) for the frame and the tiger maple (if you had enough stock) for the frames.

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Very pritty i like the curved drawer but in my art classes a piece has to be balanced and this is not. The shelves balance out the color but the curved drawers contrast the top which is all strait lines. If you have any of the maple left over maybe you can repeat the curve on drawers but in reverse so that it tapers close. Just take the section that you cut off from drawers and place them in top corners. That way you can balance out the lines of piece and close up the curves by creating the feeling that the curved drawers are still a square to match the outside square frame

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It is looking very good. I like the tiger maple dividers and the maple drawer fronts. Where do you get the tiger maple. Where I live, to find something like tiger maple, it's better to look for chicken teeth.

The front frame also look nice. But if I had to do it, I would use the darker wood (walnut???) for the frame and the tiger maple (if you had enough stock) for the frames.

Thanks Johan. Are you reffering to the door when you say use darker wood? I agree completely. I went with white paint so the picture frame door would match the white mirror and vanity (sorry, I should have posted a wider shot so you could see the whole set-up) I'm not real happy with the white on the inside. If I were to do this again I think I would put walnut veneer on the back side of the door.

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Very pritty i like the curved drawer but in my art classes a piece has to be balanced and this is not. The shelves balance out the color but the curved drawers contrast the top which is all strait lines. If you have any of the maple left over maybe you can repeat the curve on drawers but in reverse so that it tapers close. Just take the section that you cut off from drawers and place them in top corners. That way you can balance out the lines of piece and close up the curves by creating the feeling that the curved drawers are still a square to match the outside square frame

Thanks duckkisser. I see what you mean - that would look really cool! I just went down to the shop to see if I still had those cut-offs and I was too late! My kids like to glue all of my scraps together to make "sculptures" ;)

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Thanks duckkisser. I see what you mean - that would look really cool! I just went down to the shop to see if I still had those cut-offs and I was too late! My kids like to glue all of my scraps together to make "sculptures" ;)

stinking kids i teach a class room full of them and they are always frustraiting me on how they know how to work wood better then me and they dont know what a table saw is. oh well if its something you ever want to do at least you can easily reproduce the curves by stealing the shape off the drawers.

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How did you made the dovetails? They are very neat to say the least. And my wife catch a glimpse of your picks. Oh Boy!!!!! Now she wants one exactly like yours. :D And I think that say's a lot!!! There are something magical about Tiger Maple I can't explain. It just look stunning.

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How did you made the dovetails? They are very neat to say the least. And my wife catch a glimpse of your picks. Oh Boy!!!!! Now she wants one exactly like yours. :D And I think that say's a lot!!! There are something magical about Tiger Maple I can't explain. It just look stunning.

Thanks for the kind words Johan! The dovetails are hand cut. I've only done a few but I think they turned out fine. There is one small gap, but it faces the hinge side of the cabinet, so I don't think anyone will see it :rolleyes:

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