Thread: Another Tas Blackwood buffet and bigger

Hey Wongo,

It would make the buffet a lot heavier, but why couldn't you run a piece of flat steel along the inside of the rail moriced into the leg.

Not sure how wide your rail is but there is not much give in a piece of 75 x 5 standing on it's edge.

Wongo, be interested to see what your solution is to stop sagging - I've got a similar problem down here and so far my answer is a middle leg but set back so you can't see it from the front.

Good looking unit Wongo.

I'd go with a setback middle leg.

Love the shirt.

Originally Posted by Howdya do that

Hey Wongo,

It would make the buffet a lot heavier, but why couldn't you run a piece of flat steel along the inside of the rail moriced into the leg.

Not sure how wide your rail is but there is not much give in a piece of 75 x 5 standing on it's edge.

Howdy,

I don’t think there was a solution for it. The cabinet is just too long. Whatever you do, it will sag. It is just simple Physics. Believe me the bottom rail and the steel bar are very strong. I can sit on it and it is won’t sag too much.

1 to 2 mm sagging along 2 m isn’t too much. A lot cabinet makers would probably just ignore it but not me.

Hi Scott,

I have a similar worry.

I am making an entertainment unit, and have had a late design change forced on me. Old LCD set had stands on either end, so sat close to the legs, while new (larger, heavier) replacement has centre stand, so my unsupported design was sure to sag.

I have beefed up the carcass to make it stiffer, but what I am looking at doing is to incorporate a 50mm "torsion box beam" into the underside of the top, under where the TV will sit. My recent router table top, (thickness ~ 50mm, out of 6mm MDF) was a torsion box, and stiff as.

I seem to remember you had some success with torsion box shelfs some time ago?

regards

Scott a X brace in the centre from front to rear would have been a possible strengthener
It stops doors saging

Ray

Hi Wongo, wondered where you have been. Interesting problem you have there and I hope you work it out. If a full sheet of ply in the back could have been incorporated in your design do you think that might have solved it? Perhaps a diagonal brace across each panel at the back, ala bridge or gantry construction might also help. Don't know how you would brace the front though. Perhaps you could hide a leg under it.

Cheers
Michael

Hi Wongo,

If you do not mind using metal in the cabinet, (and I guess this is the case with the 40mm tube in there already) then I would consider what Howdya said, he is is pretty much spot on.

You do not need 5mm thick though. If you turf the 40mm tube and glue and screw, a piece of 1.6mm x 75mm flat steel, (use Gal if it is OK with the glue you are using) to the back of the front and back rails. (You don't need too many screws though, mainly middle top and bottom and ends top and bottom). Trust me, this will be much stronger than the 40mm tube, much stronger!

I intended to solve a similar dilema to this for a TV unit, only I was going to recess / sandwich the 1.6mm flat stock between two pieces of timber to conceal it and screw from the back face of course.

This is just my solution to the support problem, or wanting to not have a centre leg problem. There may be other issues with this that I have not foreseen but was going to give it a go. I have used this method for stiffening up a roof support beam, using 200mm x 5mm thick steel plate. The engineer certified it.

Beautiful work by the way, of course. Love that book matched panel.

Cheers
Pops

Some nice wood and a nice design Wongo. When are you giving up your day job

Coming along nicely Scott. Watching your problem with much interest. Good luck.

Nice work Wongo sorry to hear about your little sag problem, Like Alastair I was also thinking of some sort of torsion box for the bottom section shelf, I am sure that you will work it out, Keep up the great work mate.

Hi Wongo,

I am working on a similar buffet at the moment, with a similar style to yours, but not as long (will be around 1700 long finished). I'm not as far along as you are so have a couple of questions...

How did you approach the glue-up of the frame - all in one go or in stages?
What sort of joinery have you used?

Looking forward to seeing yours continue!

Will

Scott

appart from inserting a metal bar as already sugested, a curved bottom rail would help disguise any sag in this and similar units

but
to my mind, the legs look too small
at 2m long and fully loaded, the point loading from those legs would have me concerned.
can you add 1 or 3 additional legs under the rear bottom rail?
to stiffen up the internal web frames?



ian

Originally Posted by Peter36

Some nice wood and a nice design Wongo. When are you giving up your day job

2028

Originally Posted by Willard

Hi Wongo,

I am working on a similar buffet at the moment, with a similar style to yours, but not as long (will be around 1700 long finished). I'm not as far along as you are so have a couple of questions...

How did you approach the glue-up of the frame - all in one go or in stages?
What sort of joinery have you used?

Looking forward to seeing yours continue!

Will

Will,


The frame was glued together in 3 stages.
Stage 1 was the bottom panel, middle panel and the vertical panels. The unit was clamp to the back panel so I could keep things square
Stage 2 added the top panel and the drawer dividers
Stage 3 added the 2 side panels

I did a test run first for each time.

The glue I used was Titebond liquid hide glue. It has a longer working time. Dimonos are used for the entire project.

Good luck with your project mate.

Originally Posted by ian

Scott

appart from inserting a metal bar as already sugested, a curved bottom rail would help disguise any sag in this and similar units

but
to my mind, the legs look too small
at 2m long and fully loaded, the point loading from those legs would have me concerned.
can you add 1 or 3 additional legs under the rear bottom rail?
to stiffen up the internal web frames?



ian

I was too naive to believe that the steel bar would be strong enough. Unless I make the bottom rail 10cm or 15cm wide, there isn't a way to do it. I am working on a adjustable leg to put in the middle behind the bottom rail, hopefully it is not so noticeable.

I don’t agree that the legs are too small but it is a matter of taste.