Thread: Trying to build a tv cabinet with crap tas oak!

Hi Shermo
I'm not sure what you're trying to do
edge join the Tassie Oak to make a wider board?

you might do better buying Tassie oak veneered chipboard and using Tassie oak strips to hide the edge

a sketch would really help

Thanks for the reply, I'll put my drawing up tomorrow.

I was trying to make a wider board as yo said about 450mm wide roughly

My old man suggested a veneered board, would prefer solid wood. Not sure where to get a veneered board from either,

I'll put that sketch up tomorrow, if you could tell me if its any good or a few pointers for it that'd be great.

Cheers again.

Looks like you might have found out the hard way that buying timber fully dressed could have cupping and warping. I know that from now on you know that buying timber you have to check it. If you buy timber in the raw and the supplier has the facilities to dress the timber (for and extra charge) could be worth doing.

As to your current situation of getting the timber you currently have square, either some here could put up their hand or you might have to do this yourself, by planing with a plane and checking with a square.

The other thing that could be done would be to purchase the machines that will allow you to square off timber. Really does depend how much you have on your budget.

If this is a recent purchase why not take it back, Bunnings do have a return policy. As always needs to be in the same condition that you purchased the item. I have a friend that does that easy enough, I have only had to take back one item. Got a store credit and went to get the one that I wanted, slight difference in price so they gave me the 5 cents back.

My design for a tv cabinet.

Hi all,

I'm lucky because I build rustic furniture and so I can get away with a fair bit.
However my thought for your problem is if you want to stick with Tas Oak, go for the T&G floorboards as they will line up pretty well and after you glue and clamp them, that is if you want to, just get stuck into the panel with a belt sander and I think you will be surprised at how neat the panels will come up. Just a few different ideas. And thanks to the guys for the heads up on the rules, many apologies, just thought it was the easiest way to show different method. No self promotion intended just a newchum at this!

Kind Regards...Jeff

There is nothing wrong with Tassie Oak. There is everything wrong with Bunnings dressed timber because like you, I haven't found too many boards there that can be used to make furniture without further work. I don't know why it is like that but we seem to be stuck with it.

Unfortunately, if you can't find perfect boards off the shelf at Bunnings, the only other options are to machine them further yourself or find a more reliable source of timber. To build good quality furniture, I couldn't do it without a jointer/thicknesser to machine the boards dead flat and square.

TP1 is right,

Tas Oak is a great timber to use and relatively cheap, however even I have been picked up on the facts of life lately. I went to my local hardware store to find some Tas Oak for an order and to my consternation found none of the timber in their racks was up to joinery. I exclaimed my disappointment to the shopkeeper and he bluntly suggested that if I was after furniture timber I should seek it from a furniture timber supplier. We only sell structural timber here he said! And of course he was right, I was in the wrong place. But even when you do go to the right place you have to choose carefully and do take a larger wallet.

Regards...Jeff

Thanks for the reply's TP1 and Jeff,

i dont think bunnings or most other big hardware stores realise that tassie oak or any other wood from tassie probably sits on the docks for months at a time before it is shipped to the mainland.

I like the idea of using T & G floorboards, would probably have to put some rails on the edges so the join isnt visible, could put a darker timber as the rails and it could look quite good!

I want to find a place up here in Newcastle that does sell good quality timber, but have had no luck yet! I will be bringing a lot of good timber back from Tas over christmas but cant wait until then!

What did you guys think of the design?

Oh decided that the Tassie oak that i bought is now being turned into a bookshelf! and i'll sort out the tv cabnet with some better qaulity timber!

Hi jsherman86,

I think your design is good, it allows for plenty of space for dvd's and other stuff in the drawers, the only ends you are going to see will be the top and I think if you finish your top underside as well as the top the breadboard ends will be fine if the Tas Oak has been dry for a long time otherwise nature may pull the top apart over time. I was commissioned to make a similar item for a customer some time ago she put a large heavy flat screen TV on it and it sagged about 3mm, she wasn't happy with that so I had to insert a full length 70mmx10mm steel rail in front just behind the front rail and the top. It solved the sagging but just to make sure I fitted two subtle black adjustable feet in the middle front and back. So by your pic it looks as though the item will be about 2000mm long and this is the length you start to have issues with sagging. Probably forget the steel rail and just go with the feet, keep the front one back in under a bit and you won't even see it.

Regards...Jeff

I have a heavy tv to 50" plasma, so yeah i will need extra support, I think i'm gonna give your idea a go using T & G boards for the top, middle, bottom and sides and then just normal bits of dressed tas oak for everything else.

In my drawing the sides are alot wider than the top, mainly because it looks better! any suggestions there?

Originally Posted by jsherman86

i dont think bunnings or most other big hardware stores realise that tassie oak or any other wood from tassie probably sits on the docks for months at a time before it is shipped to the mainland.

Just because it's called Tassie Oak, it doesn't mean it comes from Tasmania, it is a generic name for most structural/furniture hardwood that is sold everywhere, even if it was grown, milled in any of the states of Australia. Tassie Oak is usually cut from a few different species and is mostly a blonde/yellow coloured timber.

Some of the more common species it is cut from are Alpine Ash, Messmate, Manna Gum, Stringbark and quite a few more depending on where it is grown or sourced from.

And another thing to consider, Bunnings buy timber to a price, therefore they will usually get stuff that is at the bottom of the pile which is usually the stuff that has been rejected by those that will pay a bit more for the better quality.

If you cant get straight timber, why not make the cabinet up from panels. ie MDF, particleboard or plywood pre-veneered with Tassie Oak or any other timber.

Correctly constructed, they are very strong and will easily hold the weight of a heavy plasma TV. It is also the way most commercially available units are made ( either off the shelf or custom made). In fact I usually build furniture from solid timber, but with TV cabinets, our needs and likes seem to change way too often.

Hence the one I have just built is from made from Jarrah Veneer particleboard for a plasma TV that weighs 86 KG. Of course this weight is spread over the TV base and the cabinet top is well supported by vertical panels and solid jarrah rails. The whole structure is very rigid with the panels being joined by biscuits and dominoes, the solid rails and a particleboard back (jarrah veneer).

I did used iron on veneer edging for some rear facing edges and had such good results I would consider using this style of edging more in future.

Hi all,

DJ's Timber is no mug, I did some stuff for a guy years ago and he supplied the timber, I would say what kind of timber is this mate and he would say. Mate there are that many different species of hardwoods in Aus that look very much the same to the layman, all I have come to say is that it is, Gum! So many of the amazing things he built would be simply described as Gum! So your choice of timber is mainly dependent on grain structure or figure if you like, colour is no worries because you can use a good quality stain to achieve any kind of tone you require these days.
And finally about the legs on your unit, the style of joinery is something that is a combination of joinery equipment available and overall presentation required.
If you peruse the net with whatever keywords you might think appropriate, I think you will find much on the subject to give you all the pictorial info needed to complete your project. A picture tells a thousand words you know!

Kind regards...Jeff

Originally Posted by jsherman86

My design for a tv cabinet.

Personally for something like that I'd use
shelves -- veneer board with tassie oak lippings to strengthen the front and back edges
verticals -- ditto with lippings to hide the board edge -- use two boards at each end with the thick upright
drawers -- again veneer board with lippings for the sides and back, with solid Tassie Oak fronts (the tassie Oak boards you have, cut to shorter lengths, and edge probably suitable for this) -- support the drawers on edge slides
plus a middle foot !