Thread: Blackwood Credenza

What did you mean by 'move away from the squareness of these panels - add a central divider'?
Do you mean, divide the case into two sections, not three?

Ideally, the doors would be rectangular rather than square, and with a vertical orientation. If you plan to keep the doors - I have no issues with this - then add a central style as a divider to each door. This will create two vertical rectangles alongside one another.

I prefer (in my designs) to add something that is not symmetrical ... yet has symmetry. Sounds tautological!

Here is an example in these two campaign chests ...



It is clearer up close that the there are two mirror-image chests ...



Try and imagine that all the drawers were the same widths (that is, each row has two equal-sized drawers). It would change the concept completely.

I like your cabinet with the doors, but would change how they present.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by rogerwilco

I can highly recommend going down to check them out. Really nice folks, and they're passionate about their product. Lots and lots of lovely stuff down there, and very reasonably priced I reckon.

I called in there today and the guy was most helpful and friendly even though I told him that I was just checking them out. I will return when I work out exactly what I need for the next project.

Originally Posted by rogerwilco

No, but we did it on a 24” Oliver jointer that had solid beds the size of an aircraft carrier.

I wouldn't mind one of those, although I expect it would take a rather large portion of my 2 car garage

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Ideally, the doors would be rectangular rather than square, and with a vertical orientation. If you plan to keep the doors - I have no issues with this - then add a central style as a divider to each door. This will create two vertical rectangles alongside one another.

I prefer (in my designs) to add something that is not symmetrical ... yet has symmetry. Sounds tautological!

Here is an example in these two campaign chests ...



It is clearer up close that the there are two mirror-image chests ...



Try and imagine that all the drawers were the same widths (that is, each row has two equal-sized drawers). It would change the concept completely.

I like your cabinet with the doors, but would change how they present.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Great, that all makes sense now. Thanks for the tips and advice.
Yes, intentional asymmetry often looks better, and your idea of dividing the doors is smart.

I think I'm gonna drop the doors though. The symmetry of them was bugging me. It's almost too neat. And there's also a functional aspect to consider. In Gochnour's version, both sides contain a shelf on adjustable pins. In my version, the left hand side will house a filing cabinet drawer (suspension file). I think it's finicky to have to slide a door, then pull a drawer. I will also loose a little bit of depth - admittedly not much - to accomodate the door and sliding track, plus clearance for the drawer pulls.

Having one hinged door on RHS creates a bit of visual interest and asymmetry. It is functionally better. And, it maximises the available depth (only 450) and allows more options for drawer pulls.

I think I'll look for a stunning bit of figured blackwood in my stash, and use that in vertical orientation inside a frame and panel door.

Derek,

I think you need to legally change your name to Djarrah. Saying that you love the stuff....is a gross understatement akin to saying Arnold Schwartzenegger likes his cigars.

Good stuff!

Siggy

Right, case glue-up is just around the corner. I've gotta decide which way to go with drawer and cabinet arrangement.

Here's the two options I'm considering. Both are reasonable resolved now, and will probably work okay.

Option 1 - drawers concealed behind sliding doors
Option 2 - exposed drawers with one door with inset hinge

I'm leaning toward option 2, because I think it's functionally better, I like how it introduces some asymmetry, it opens up other options for drawer pulls (no door clearance to worry about), and it's probably the most efficient with space (no setback required for doors). One concern is that it'll be hard to get the drawer heights to line up perfectly like that, since it's all based on the height of the file drawer which is somewhat unknown right now.

What do you think works best?

Option 2 for me, for the practicality and aesthetic. I like drawers and don't think 5 drawer fronts would look too busy.

Thanks Alkahestic. I agree.

I did the extra work to confirm the file-drawer setup, because this is something that requires a internal drawer dimensions that are quite specific.
Works nice I reckon. Happy with this design overall.

Here's a few renders that show some details.

Case mitres are cut, and cove profile roughed out on front edge.
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I've gotta work out what to use as backer panels in the back of the case. Two of them will never be seen (behind drawers) and one will be seen when the cabinet is open.

1. The easy option would blackwood veneer on 5mm MDF from Bord. But it's a wasteful and expensive option—only one small panel will be visible.
2. I should probably make my own shop sawn veneer, and press it onto MDF substrate. This way I can use the same wood. That's a bit of a faff. and it creates a new problem... I'd have two thicknesses of backer panel and they need to fit the same groove. I guess that could be solved by cutting the groove for the veneered piece, and shimming the others. Feels like a hack.
3. I can resaw some boards, thickness to whatever dimensions I want—probably 9 or 12mm—and glue up into solid panels. This is probably the most neat, sensible, and correct thing to do. I've got enough stock...

Any better ideas?

Use resawn boards but in a shiplap sryle? You could use 12mm stock and the groove in the carcass will constrain the shiplap boards, while at the same time the shiplap boards will allow for movement and be easier to both make and assemble than one large back panel. I don't always like the shiplap look when a lot of it is visible but I reckon it'd look pretty good in your credenza since you only have that rightmost section as a cabinet.

Originally Posted by Alkahestic

Use resawn boards but in a shiplap sryle? You could use 12mm stock and the groove in the carcass will constrain the shiplap boards, while at the same time the shiplap boards will allow for movement and be easier to both make and assemble than one large back panel. I don't always like the shiplap look when a lot of it is visible but I reckon it'd look pretty good in your credenza since you only have that rightmost section as a cabinet.

Yes, right on. This is similar to what I ended up doing. I made up 3 separate panels in 12mm finished thickness. I decided to go with a rebate at the back of the case to accept the panels, instead of a groove. This way I can glue up the case with dividers first, and put the panels in at the end—with brass screws into the rebate at top and bottom of the panels. I will probably do shiplap where the panels meet each other, behind the case dividers, to accomodate any crossgrain wood movement.

It should look great. I've got wide boards, so inside the case where the back is visible, it'll be two boards with book matched grain. Lovely.

I realise it's been a while since I've posted an update. Got busy with other distractions, like going back to work and launching a new business!

Anyway, there has been progress.

Case parts and glue up
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And the adjustable drawer runners in Euro Birch have come up pretty nice too
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For the last month or so, I've been acquiring the various paraphernalia for hand cut dovetails, and practice, practice, practice. Mostly sawing, as I've learned it's the most important step in the process.
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Just about ready to make up a full drawer!

Motoring along now. I'm back on this project spending a full day each week at Melbourne Guild. Bit of a race to see if I can get it done before end of November as we've another kiddo about to drop.

Drawer runners are all done and fitted.
Drawer parts for 5 drawers are milled, sized, and ready for dovetail joinery to commence.
Door frame parts dry fitted.
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Found a lovely bit of ash for the door panel. Resawing for the bookmatched panel worked out great.
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Tried my best to get some quarter sawn leg blanks out of a pretty janky chunk of wood. The blanks look great, but unfortunately slightly on the small side (proportionally), so I might not end up using these. It was fun to learn this is possible, and how to do it though. So it's a win.
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Last mile now!
Just need to attach the stand and cut the chamfer where the stand and case meet. Then it's basically sanding, finishing, and attaching the knobs and I'm done!

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Here's some progress pics. Dovetail drawer parts and construction

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Pivot hinge installation
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Making the Barsley joints for the stand

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