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Thread: Corner TV unit

  1. #1
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    Default Corner TV unit

    Over the past year or so my nephew has asked me to make him a bunch of furniture. An entertainment unit, two coffee/occasional tables, two bedside tables and a 7 drawer chest of drawers have been delivered. Now he wants a corner TV unit for the second TV.

    He wants to continue the theme set with the earlier pieces. All have tapered legs, none are on bases.

    There are several designs for a corner unit. The two most common are in the sketch below. We chose the left hand design because it allowed us to use square tapered legs to match the pieces already delivered. It also made the build easier for me, but that was a secondary consideration.

    Picture1.jpg

    The next pic shows the two sides made up. The one on the left is the inside and shows the timber fixed to allow attachment to the web frames. The component on the right shows the outside of the panel. The timber used is NG Rosewood. The centre section is 2mm veneers over 16 mm MDF, so the panel is 20 mm thick. All joinery is floating tenons.

    IMG20220718163832.jpg

    The only person I know who is as likely to over-engineer things as I am is my nephew. This cabinet will have three web frames and all will be tenoned to the sides. His chest of drawers had seven drawers and eight web frames. I told him that if the removalists dropped it down a flight of stairs he should bring it back to me. We would sand it off, fill any dings and respray the cabinet and it would be as good as new. It is certainly very unlikely to come apart.

    My nephew likes lipped and veneered MDF panels for several reasons. One is that he likes the bookleaf effect we can get with veneers. Another is that the sides and doors of his cabinets can be made close to identical. The third is their dimensional stability, which allows the web frames to be tenoned and glued into a strong component which then has several tenons used on each edge to attach the web frames to the cabinet.

    So, this "build it strong" theme will be continued at the client's request.

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  3. #2
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    Default

    Would love to see progress as you go so hoping you plan to post back here often!

  4. #3
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    OK ...

    I think a formal complaint to Selleys is called for.

    In 2001 I bought some tools, built a shed and started woodworking. I settled on Selley's Tradesman's Choice Aquadhere as a PVA glue. It's now called Selley's Exterior Aquadhere. I bought a 4 litre bottle and a 500 ml bottle which was routinely refilled from the bigger bottle.

    This worked just fine until yesterday when the 500 ml bottle cracked in the middle. After only 21 years it gave up the ghost requiring me to buy another.

    Bitch moan whinge complain whine ... they don't make things the way they used to any more ...

  5. #4
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    First lot of web frames made up. Two can be seen in the pic.


    IMG20220720144835.jpg

    The frame standing on its end is the top web frame.

    The other two web frames are also shelves. Made them about an inch too narrow. Then a 3mm MDF panel was glued to the web frame. I make them like this when I am trying to keep good strength but want to reduce weight. Then, so the edge of the MDF cannot be seen, a strip of timber is glued and clamped anong the front edge. Once the glue is dry I'll play with my assembly options and make a choice.

    Provided the unsupported span of 3mm MDF is less than 200 mm it will have no problems holding even quite heavy items.

  6. #5
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    This is my first corner unit, so I was a bit unsure about some aspects, like how to build the web frames.

    Decided to build them in two stages. The rectangular front sections first, and then add on the rear section. Pleased to report that it worked. here is a pic of one of the web frames with the rear section added.

    IMG20220721162948.jpg

    All the components were cut on my drop saw, which is a delight when you want a bunch of components all the same size. It makes cutting components for things like web frames a breeze. Three identical rear sections, six identical mitred sections and nine identical short braces.

    All joinery is floating tenons. The frames almost fell together. Most mortices cut nice and snug. However, for the mortices on the 45 degree cuts the Domino was set to make wider mortices so I could wiggle the mitred sections into place. Turned out to be easy.

    Mitre Saw Station Open.jpg

    The unit is on wheels. The arms drop down by it's side for storage. It's a delight to use. I have never regretted the time taken to build it.

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    John dear John Id like to pirate another of your ideas. The mitre saw unit is what I want, so any wip please
    I would love to grow my own food, but I can not find bacon seeds

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    The drop saw station is a bottler, Tony.

    I'm pretty sure this link is the plan I used as an outline. I used none of the dimensions ... just the general concept. It worked like a charm. How to Build a Mobile Miter Saw Station with Plans | FixThisBuildThat

    Here are the photos I have, including the last which shows my dust collection set-up. I removed the timber fence and put the original alloy fence back on.

    Mitre Saw Station Folded.jpgIMAG0120.jpgIMAG0122.jpgIMAG0056.jpg

    There are a couple of shots in this thread too ... Making 150mm DC ports for workshop machines

    Give me a yell if I can be of any further assistance.

  9. #8
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    After dry assembly worked, unit was glued up and assembled. Pic taken from rear.

    IMG20220724124152.jpg

    Next step will be legs to the rear of the unit. Then some bracing under bottom shelf is in order.

  10. #9
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    Rear legs on and bracing under lower shelf in position. Legs were glued and screwed, and then 10 mm dowels were added.

    IMG20220724164140.jpg

    I stood on the lower shelf as a test. It is rock solid. The client is more anal about strength than am I.

    The client has had a change of heart. Originally the unit was to have two framed glass doors (red glass so remotes work through it). He now wants three doors, just like the larger entertainment unit I built him. The outer doors will be veneers over lipped MDF. The door veneers will match the sides of the cabinet. The middle door will be framed red glass.

    Here is the other unit for reference, along with the sketch of the new front to the cabinet:
    Finished.jpg

    IMG20220724202300.jpg

  11. #10
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    Here are the two MDF panels for the outside doors, lipped with NG Rosewood, ready for veneers to be glued on.

    IMG20220728164509.jpg

    When I was learning veneering somebody referred to 2 mm veneers over lipped panels as "the gold standard" for veneering. I think he was right. They are about four times as thick as commercial veneers, and are much easier to repair if damaged. The day after I moved a new piece into the TV room my grandson picked up a stone coaster and gave the top a good flogging. It went back to the shop, about a millimetre was sanded off to remove the dings and it was then relacquered. As good as new. Most of us have seen the edges of veneered panels badly chipped. That does not happen with lipped panels. Finally, doors made this way are inherently stable. I have never had one twist or warp, not even long doors.

    I should add that I use Titebond PU glue exclusively for veneering. It has 20-30 minute open time and a one hour clamp time, so I get plenty of time to get the panels glued up and into the vacuum bag. I have never had a veneer fail, bubble or peel off in service.

  12. #11
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    Doors veneered and trimmed to size, as noted in pic. Centre door (red glass) is next.

    IMG20220729124227.jpg

    A vacuum press is used for veneering. They are cheap and simple to make and easy to use.

    As can be seen in the next pic, the veneers used for the doors match those used for the sides of the cabinets.
    IMG20220729132636.jpg

  13. #12
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    Started making the frame for the centre door ... but I wanted to try to make the joints a bit stronger because the frame would be carrying the weight of glass. It has never been a problem in the past, but I wanted to investigate making stronger joints.

    With the Domino cutter I cut the widest mortice for a 6 mm tenon. It measured about 28 mm wide. I then trimmed down a couple of dominos so they would fit into the mortice with about one mm of wriggle room, as noted in pic.

    IMG20220729150416.jpg

    As all woodies know, joint strength is about the glue area (long grain to long grain) provided a nice snug fit is achieved. The approach seen in the pic increased the glue area of the flat sides of the tenons by over 60%. That is significant. Whether the joint I made with timber that is 22 mm thick and 55 mm wide is actually stronger is a different question, because the timber may have split and failed with only a standard tenon in place, meaning the additional glue area might be nice, but does not increase force necessary to induce failure. One day I might make up some test pieces and test them to failure. For now, I am happy with the result.

    Here you can see all three doors, wedged into place. They will be swung tomorrow.
    IMG20220729171043.jpg

  14. #13
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    Nearly finished.


    Doors swung. Push to open catches fitted. Two coats of sanding sealer followed by three coats of lacquer. Red glass fitted.


    All that remains is to wait a day or two for the lacquer to harden so the top can be sanded to remove the dust pimples and then polished. Then we can have delivery.

    IMG20220802153620.jpg

  15. #14
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    In its final resting place.

    IMG_20220804_184347.jpg

    There was one epilogue. When my nephew decided to use three doors instead of two I told him the doors would be smallish, only about 333 mm wide, and if he had a big electronic box to go into the cabinet it might be necessary to remove the back to get it in. This would be easy to do, because the back is screwed on with self tappers.

    Just as well it was easy, because his box was a huge old dinosaur. It took all of three or four minutes to remove the screws, insert the box through the back and then to refasten the back.

    These units are interesting. I've made two for my daughter who has four kids ... one upstairs and one downstairs. Both are about 1.5 M long. Both have drawers as well as some shelf space. Both units are chockers. This unit is in a home where one man lives with his only child. I opened the old cabinet before starting the new one. It contained one electronic box, a blood pressure monitor and a few old cables ... and a lot of empty space. So I suggested we keep this one simple and less expensive to make ... no drawers ... a single centre shelf. He agreed. There is no right way. It depends on the client's needs. This very simple cabinet meets the client's needs.

  16. #15
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    Thought there might be a couple of items of interest to some members, swinging doors and fitting latches.

    I tried a number of ways to swing doors until I developed an approach that glues them in place. I now use no other method. I use hirline or non-mortice hinges exclusively.

    The doors are made a tad (1 to 2 mm) oversized and then trimmed to match the cabinet opening using the linisher. Then the hinges are screwed to the doors so that the pin will sit over and rest against the cabinet when the door is dropped into place. Then I open the hinge and stick two layers of masking tape to the leaf screwed to the door, making sure to cover the full width of the edge of the door and an inch or so higher and lower than the hinge. A tiny dab of PU glue is applied to the leaf that must attach to the cabinet. The cabinet is rolled onto its back and the door is dropped into place and held there by wedges, as noted in the pic below. The wedges not only hold the door in place, but also press the glued leaf of the hinge against the cabinet.

    IMG20220730120203.jpg

    Once the glue has gone off, the door is carefully opened and the hinges are screwed to the cabinet. Originally I used epoxy glue, but have switched to PU to make the subsequent clean-up of the hinge area easier. I use the Titebond PU that I use in veneering because it is low foaming and less messy. Glues like the Tarzan's Grip PU are great when you want a fast cure, but they foam a lot more and produce more mess.

    Press to open catches are easy to attach. Remove the top (if it is on) and clamp the catch into position on the web frame (or similar) lightly (with the striker plate attached to the magnet). Tap the catch around until the position is spot on, then tighten the clamp. Now screws are used to fasten the catch to the cabinet. Finally I press the door against the catch until the striker plate leaves marks on the door that tell us where it belongs. A dab of glue and a single screw later and the job is done.

    When you are swinging doors in a house, you build the opening (jambs and architraves) to match the door. In cabinetmaking I do the opposite. I shape the door to match the opening, using the linisher.

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