Buffet / sideboard

**custos** · 16th November 2008, 07:03 PM

Hi Guys. I haven't posted in a while but thought you might like to see my latest project just finished. SHMBO wanted a buffet for the dining room. The brief was 8 drawers (ugghh) and a cupboard for taller stuff. The result can be seen below.

I started out with a Tassie Oak carcase. I use Tas Oak from Bunnings because I like to choose the pieces myself. The sides and cupboard internals I made out using 19mm Tassie Oak floorboards from Bunnings. Why? Because it's actually cheaper than buying the same 19mm boards from the normal dressed timber, and the tongue and grooves help in gluing up the panels. Handy hint there.

All the major joinery I did using loose tenons. The mortices I made using the Mortice Pal jig from the US - a beautiful piece of kit, highly recommended for ease of use and precision. For the smaller joinery I used dowels, using a dowel jig. Okay, I like things easy.

The drawers were a bit of work as always. I have a Eurojig for doing half-blind dovetails which makes the going easier, but it's still a lot of sawdust. For drawer bases I used 6mm MDF veneered with Tassie Oak. Looks good and wears well. I use the same stuff for the back of the cabinet.

The cupboard doors have glass inserts (SHMBO's requirement) held in place with silicon and finished with 5mm Tas Oak quad at the back. The hinges are brass 65mm hinges fitted into recessed joints. The drawer pulls were chosen by the boss - but I liked her choice. Quite modern and clean looking.

Then there's the top. I went to Aussie Choice Timbers in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. I asked the (really helpful) guys there if they had any red gum with fiddleback grain. They said they occasionally got some in each pack of red gum, and that they would keep a look out for me. A couple of weeks later they supplied me with this beautiful timber (machined down to 19 mm, 250 grit, edges jointed and ready to glue up). The fiddleback is magnificent - photos don't do it justice. I glued the boards up using biscuits for alignment and polyurethane for strength. Scraped it level and then sanded down to 1200 grit before two coats of Danish oil (Organoil) over the lot and then waxed two weeks later. The top is so silky smooth I get slightly aroused just touching it.

**Harry72** · 16th November 2008, 08:46 PM

Better than a brought one, nice work

**DJ’s Timber** · 16th November 2008, 08:49 PM

Beautiful work

Love the way you've book matched the ends on the top, it looks real smick

**Tex79** · 17th November 2008, 05:52 PM

Beautiful work Custos, the red gum was worth the wait.

**Pops** · 17th November 2008, 08:37 PM

Hi Custos,

What everyone else said, beautiful.

Very cool.

I particularly like the Red Gum fiddleback as well, and the chamfered top front edge. am a fan of the Shark Nose on table tops etc.

Very well done. The top to base colour contrast also looks great.

Cheers
Pops

**custos** · 18th November 2008, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by DJ's Timber

Beautiful work

Love the way you've book matched the ends on the top, it looks real smick

Thanks, and well spotted. Easy really - the red gum is only 19 mm so when I trimmed of the ends I just "folded under" the trimmed bit and glued it underneath. The result is to double the apparent thickness of the top (without doubling the cost or weight) and a book matched end grain.

**Harry72** · 18th November 2008, 02:50 PM

I didnt notice that!
Good trick must remember that one

**DJ’s Timber** · 18th November 2008, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Harry72

I didnt notice that!

Ya slipping Harry

**patrickdt10** · 20th November 2008, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by custos

Then there's the top. I went to Aussie Choice Timbers in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. I asked the (really helpful) guys there if they had any red gum with fiddleback grain. They said they occasionally got some in each pack of red gum, and that they would keep a look out for me. A couple of weeks later they supplied me with this beautiful timber (machined down to 19 mm, 250 grit, edges jointed and ready to glue up). The fiddleback is magnificent - photos don't do it justice. I glued the boards up using biscuits for alignment and polyurethane for strength. Scraped it level and then sanded down to 1200 grit before two coats of Danish oil (Organoil) over the lot and then waxed two weeks later. The top is so silky smooth I get slightly aroused just touching it.

thats a right classy piece of work buddy! how long did it take to make? i want one now

**custos** · 22nd November 2008, 11:04 AM

Thanks for that. It took about a month, maybe six weeks, working on weekends and some evenings. The carcase was pretty quick -- making up all the drawers was time consuming but not too bad once I was all set up. Sanding and finishing took another weekend (and you have to leave the oil for two weeks to cure before a final wax). These pieces are actually not that difficult if you just take it one step at a time. I never work from plans, just a general idea in my head (and SHMBO's requirements) and build it as I go.

**patrickdt10** · 23rd November 2008, 03:43 AM

Originally Posted by custos

Thanks for that. It took about a month, maybe six weeks, working on weekends and some evenings. The carcase was pretty quick -- making up all the drawers was time consuming but not too bad once I was all set up. Sanding and finishing took another weekend (and you have to leave the oil for two weeks to cure before a final wax). These pieces are actually not that difficult if you just take it one step at a time. I never work from plans, just a general idea in my head (and SHMBO's requirements) and build it as I go.

it was worth the efoort anyway. ya i find as wel using plans for anything, that if you slip up on one part yoiu have to adjust every part to work with it, so its easier to work as you go along!

**Charleville** · 23rd November 2008, 09:07 AM

Stunning!

A lovely piece of work.

Well done!

**Whit68** · 23rd November 2008, 06:53 PM

Nice work mate, I like it.

Anthony

**artme** · 27th November 2008, 10:41 PM

G´day Custos. That is a beautiful piece.

Thread: Buffet / sideboard

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Buffet / sideboard

Similar Threads

Buffet or sideboard?

WIP Entry Sideboard

Sideboard

WIP Cedar Sideboard

Sideboard

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions