the model train cabinet that sort of happened

**fletty** · 30th July 2012, 04:52 PM

A few months ago I enrolled in the Sturt School for their 10 week part time course to improve (gain?) my handtool skills. I started with the obligatory mallet, then hand cut dovetail drawers for my Chinese coffee table restoration and then…..
“we have a pre-cut kit of timbers to make a tool cabinet… do you want to make that?”
I already have an adequate tool cabinet and so I decided to modify the tool cabinet for which there were detailed drawings and make a display cabinet for model trains for which there is absolutely no concept nor design!
I have promised such a cabinet to an old friend of mine and so coincidence took over from common sense. My first dovetail joints weren’t good enough for a display cabinet and so they were cut off, I changed the dovetails to finger joints so that I could finger joint the shelves as well … and the bad ones were cut off … the timber was rapidly shrinking and, if I didn’t improve my joints, I would end up with only enough timber left to make a medicine cabinet.
Well eventually it all worked out and, a few weeks ago, I delivered it to my mate for him to do the electrics. The ‘electrics’ are concealed LV wiring for LED strip lights and to electrify some of the shelves so that carriage lights can be turned on. The wires are hidden behind the huon pine strips which are notched to support the shelves and I used the brass hinges to get power to the opening front cabinet portions.
The following pic shows how it was done…….
Attachment 217660
Last Saturday the cabinet was installed. I insisted to my friends that the cabinet isn’t “furniture grade” and that I wouldn’t be offended if it was installed in the garage near the HUGE model train layout but NO, it is installed inside the house in a very prominent position. Suddenly every mistake and blemish seemed to jump out at me … but not thankfully to anyone else…
Attachment 217661
Attachment 217662
Attachment 217663

Track will be fixed to each shelf and one switch turns on the lights, the other delivers 12v to selected shelves. The Orient Express dining car has LED lamps on every table .. it will look spectacular lit up in a darkened cabinet.
Once again another piece of furniture comes out of the shed but, this time, without a concept being decided until it was virtually finished.

fletty

**burraboy** · 30th July 2012, 04:59 PM

Nice!

**Ruddy** · 30th July 2012, 05:13 PM

Very nice indeed....

**wheelinround** · 30th July 2012, 05:16 PM

Excellent Fletty looks brilliant right where it is. He may however move it when he gets tired of walking back and forth to the track for trians.

It'll soon fill up I bet

**ClintO** · 30th July 2012, 08:05 PM

Very nice but wouldnt it be better if it was a lot wider, you are going to get very bored with the trains just moving back and forth a few inches and shunting will be very difficult

**Handyjack** · 30th July 2012, 08:11 PM

I might need to order one from you. My trains have been sitting in the cupboard for 20 years. I have 'N' gauge so you would have plenty of scope to cut off your errors.

Looks great and a good chance to improve your skills.

**crowie** · 31st July 2012, 11:43 AM

Beautiful cabinet "fletty".
Love the lighting & the double shelving feather.
One issue, only 2 trains on the shelves....lol.
Cheers, crowie

**bj383ss** · 31st July 2012, 11:53 AM

Fletty,

This looks awesome! What a fantastic Idea! This could be used for model cars, die cast or anything else collectable. Could even put a lock on it for to keep the boys out.

Bret

**Christos** · 31st July 2012, 07:12 PM

Lovely work.

**wun4us** · 31st July 2012, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Fletty,

This looks awesome! What a fantastic Idea! This could be used for model cars, die cast or anything else collectable. Could even put a lock on it for to keep the boys out.

Bret

Ah yes! The model cars....my number 2 son has left me a legacy of his childhood model Matchbox vintage and yesteryear collection; stored in nthe roof space, they bhaven't been opened for many years. Must be at least a couple of hundred altogether, and that cabinet would house (at least) some of them beautifully.

Love the lighting toooo! Great work Fletty

**wheelinround** · 1st August 2012, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by wun4us

Ah yes! The model cars....my number 2 son has left me a legacy of his childhood model Matchbox vintage and yesteryear collection; stored in nthe roof space, they bhaven't been opened for many years. Must be at least a couple of hundred altogether, and that cabinet would house (at least) some of them beautifully.

Love the lighting toooo! Great work Fletty

Have some of the Yesteryear collection myself just not

the Coke one which instantly rocketed to a 4 figure sum due to manufacture irregularities.

**fletty** · 1st August 2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Handyjack

I might need to order one from you. My trains have been sitting in the cupboard for 20 years. I have 'N' gauge so you would have plenty of scope to cut off your errors.

Looks great and a good chance to improve your skills.

Hi Jack, yes you could store and display A LOT of N gauge in a cabinet this size.

I've not shown it on the forum before but my third daughter (very occassionally on the forum as little flett) made the coffee table below for her HSC a few years ago. It takes pride of place (that is ALL of the space...) in my lounge room and includes a working N gauge train set.

Attachment 217931

I will be in trouble for not tidying the loungeroom before taking the pic but it was a sneaky way to show off the painting I got for my birthday....

Attachment 217932

I've already had a number of tentative requests for a similar display cabinet for trains, model cars, cameras ..... and teapots, but the problem would be, as always, the cost. There is $300 of glass alone, I would need to sell for about $1500!!
The LED lights are on a continuous, self adhesive, strip that you simply cut to length ... just amazing!

fletty

**wheelinround** · 1st August 2012, 11:30 AM

Now thats a nice table Little Fletty well done.

Fletty beautiful painting lounge room not so bad in comparison.

Hum Cedar now there's an idea.

**wun4us** · 1st August 2012, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Have some of the Yesteryear collection myself just not

the Coke one which instantly rocketed to a 4 figure sum due to manufacture irregularities.

Havew to check that one out... these go back to 1974 at least. Don't know much about nthem myself, but LOML knows a bit..I'll see if I can pump it out!

Maybe my lottery win for the new saw might have come

**ClintO** · 1st August 2012, 11:45 AM

I love the coffee table design, what a brilliant idea

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