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  1. #1
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    Default Cabinet commission — design

    A mate wants me to build him a storage cabinet. Some design features include:
    • Two-drawer base
    • separable top cabinet with drawers and adjustable shelves
    • hanging space in cabinet door
    • lockable


    I'd be grateful for any comments on the design. The bottom two drawers are locked by a rod that slides through the carcass and the drawer fronts. The bottom of the door has a slot to accommodate the locking rod, so it won't be possible to open the drawers unless the top door is open and the rod removed. The top door will have its own lock.

    The door is frame and raised panels. The primary wood could be Blackwood with secondary wood being tassie oak or pine.

    Some questions:
    How much will the timber cost?
    Can the locking arrangements be improved without adding too much complexity?
    any suggestions for other timbers?
    any suggestions for general design improvements?
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    Those are my principles, and if you don't like them . . . well, I have others.

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  3. #2
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    Jun 2007
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    Hi Zenwood. Good to see you back on the forum. Haven't seen you around for a long time.

    I think the cabinet would look great in blackwood. Depending on the end use of the cabinet, and the client's overall budget, I'd be using veneered ply for the side panels.

    The door of the top cabinet looks quite deep. Is it going to house anything heavy?

    It's an interesting locking mechanism for the bottom drawers. If security is a big issue, I'd probably want to fit a proper lock to the drawers.

    Cheers,

    ajw

  4. #3
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    Thanks ajw. Yes it's been a while, distracted by work relocations, divorce, new house, etc., but finally set up the new shed and getting back into woodworking.

    Good idea about the veneer. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

    The door is deep to allow long objects to be hung there. I don't theink they'd be that heavy.

    The locking arrangement is to avoid having to manage multiple keys. Is it possible to have the drawer locks and the door lock to use the same key?
    Those are my principles, and if you don't like them . . . well, I have others.

  5. #4
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    A couple of thoughts on the drawer locking idea:

    If you hinged the front top panel of the drawer cabinet, as a lid/leaf say with concealed hinges, you could hide the pin that locks the drawers rather than have it poking through the top as it appears is the idea in your drawing, where it'd have to be raised or have some other way of grabbing it to remove it. The hinged top panel could have a recess under it to allow for that means of lifting the pin or the pin could be fitted to the hinged lid/leaf so that when raised it frees the drawer and when closed it locks the drawer.

    Another idea may be, rather than have to run the pin all the way through to the second drawer, (though perhaps a bit difficult to explain) may be to fit a length of pin/dowell to the second drawer with a spring in such a way that when you drop the pin in to the top drawer, or close the lid, it depresses the pin to lock the bottom drawer, but when the lid is raised the spring releases it.

    Does all of that make sense or would a sketch be clearer?

  6. #5
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    Hi, you could use a Wellington chest type of locking arrangement, only one key locks all the drawers.

  7. #6
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    Thanks Larks. Interesting idea about a hinged panel incorporating a lock. I'm just not sure how it would work to lock both of those bottom drawers.

    Mark David, I've been googling Wellington chests and campaign furniture. Just not sure where to source drawer locks that would have the same key.
    Those are my principles, and if you don't like them . . . well, I have others.

  8. #7
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    Hi, you only need one lock attached to a higed stile, which secures all the drawers in one go

    Quote Originally Posted by zenwood View Post
    Thanks Larks. Interesting idea about a hinged panel incorporating a lock. I'm just not sure how it would work to lock both of those bottom drawers.

    Mark David, I've been googling Wellington chests and campaign furniture. Just not sure where to source drawer locks that would have the same key.

  9. #8
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    back in Alberta for a while
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    Quote Originally Posted by zenwood View Post
    A mate wants me to build him a storage cabinet. Some design features include:
    • Two-drawer base
    • separable top cabinet with drawers and adjustable shelves
    • hanging space in cabinet door
    • lockable


    I'd be grateful for any comments on the design. The bottom two drawers are locked by a rod that slides through the carcass and the drawer fronts. The bottom of the door has a slot to accommodate the locking rod, so it won't be possible to open the drawers unless the top door is open and the rod removed. The top door will have its own lock.

    The door is frame and raised panels. The primary wood could be Blackwood with secondary wood being tassie oak or pine.

    Some questions:
    How much will the timber cost? How many lineal metres of 150 x 25 Blackwood would you need?

    Can the locking arrangements be improved without adding too much complexity? Perhaps use three standard drawer locks that are keyed for the same key.

    any suggestions for other timbers? Can I suggest you use solid lipped veneered board. This material is much better suited to that sort of design. If you can't get board with blackwood veneer, you could always veneer 16mm MDF using sawn veneers.

    any suggestions for general design improvements?
    The handle on the door should be vertical.
    Think about how the drawers will be attached to the carcass -- full extension slides ? -- before you build them.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  10. #9
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    Thanks Ian. Those all all excellent points to think about. I definitely like the idea of a vertical door handle.
    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    any suggestions for other timbers? Can I suggest you use solid lipped veneered board. This material is much better suited to that sort of design. If you can't get board with blackwood veneer, you could always veneer 16mm MDF using sawn veneers.
    I haven't any experience with making stuff from veneered panels, except bare MDF for jigs etc. would seem to be worth looking into.
    Those are my principles, and if you don't like them . . . well, I have others.

  11. #10
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    I'm making a Chest of Drawers from Blackwood at the moment, using a mix of solid timber and veneered MDF. I've attached some shots to show how it looks. The MDF has veneer on both faces.

    I'm also using the full-extension metal drawer runners that I buy online from elraco.com.au, which might suit your needs. You can get them in lengths from about 300 mm all the way up to 700 mm

    The veneered panel sits inside a rebate to hide the mdf core.

    There are a few advantages to using it, from my perspective.

    • it doesn't expand or contract like natural wood
    • it's dead flat
    • it has real timber, so it finishes nicely
    • it's quick
    • it's cheaper than solid timber


    Hope this helps.

    Cheers,

    ajw

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  12. #11
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    Geelong
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    Quote Originally Posted by ajw View Post
    I'm making a Chest of Drawers from Blackwood at the moment, using a mix of solid timber and veneered MDF. I've attached some shots to show how it looks. The MDF has veneer on both faces.
    Your project looks great. Where do you source the veneered MDF? or did you do you own veneering?

    Cheers
    Mat

  13. #12
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    I bought it from a guy on the forum! Normally, I'd get it through Mr Ply & Wood.

    i think you can order it at Bunnings at the Special Orders desk too.

    cheers,

    ajw

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