It’s on the wall, loaded up and will probably be modified for a long time. I have a few things left to do but not sure how I want to do them. So for now it is done. I have a lot of tools to clean and sharpen now that they have a good home.
Time to rest a little and then go back and work on Shad after Christmas. Merry Christmas to all!
Yesterday I got the doors built and started working on the brackets to hold the tools before I gave out. Today I went back to work on the brackets and trying to figure out how to arrange the tools.
To make it easier on myself I spread the the cabinet pieces around the shop and started gathering all my tools. That way I could arrange them, then rearrange, look at them and arrange it another way. 🙂
Eventually I got to a point I could not come up with anything better so I started building brackets. Eventually I had to remove the tools and started to install the hinges.
Doors fit together fairly wall with no big surprises. Looks like I let one get a little out of square but it is a shop cabinet so I am sure not going let that nag at me.
Once the hinges were installed I stood it up and started installing tools and adding a few more brackets. I think this is all I am going to do for now. I can add more tool and brackets as I find the need. I am sure there are some tools hidden around the shop too. I didn’t bother to drag out all my planes but they will lay on their side in the shelves.
Tomorrow I will remove the tools, flip it over and install the cleat. Then I need to move some electrical outlets and install the cleat on the wall. Then I hang the cabinet and start filling it for real
Then I can get back to Shad which you can see in this photo if you look close.
Hate to waste all that work but I scraped the idea of making the cabinet from oak. I had the carcass finger jointed and ready to glue up yesterday but I started to realize that it was just a problem in making. The oak was heavy, it was warping and being solid wood I had to allow for expansion and contraction. The more I thought on it I decided ‘the look’ didn’t outweigh the problems and extra work I was creating. After all this is all about function, not looks.
I finally decided to save myself a lot of headaches so this morning I started over. I went to the building supply and picked up some birch plywood. It may not look as good but at least I know I will not have the problems I was going to have with the oak.
It’s also a heck of lot faster to build. I started this morning and it was glued together awhen I left the shop. I will start on the doors in the morning. I think I can finish them tomorrow. Then the slow stuff starts, deciding on how I want the tools arranged and building all the brackets and fixtures to hold them.
When I went to pick up the plywood I was surprised to be asked if I wanted the good plywood or imported stuff. One of things I really like about this supplier is they keep quality supplies, so this was a rather big surprise. But I was really glad to see that they were offering both.
Since this was just shop cabinet I went with the import after being warned it wasn’t very good. But it was $20 a sheet cheaper too. But you get what you pay for! I am not complaining, but compared to the what I have been getting this stuff is cheap! Lot of voids inside. poor quality surfaces, Not flat and I didn’t check but I don’t think the edges were square or straight. No way would I want my house cabinets made from this stuff!
Since I had expected to be finished with Shad about now I had decided to build a new wall cabinet to store my hand tools in. I have outgrown my bench storage and I am sick of the clutter on the bench.
After discovering the problems with Shad I went back and forth on which one to work on. I decided to build the tool cabinet so I can finish the shop rearrangement. It will make the repairs much easier and faster if I don’t have to hunt down tools and constantly having to clean off a space to work!
In case you didn’t know I build a little furniture every now and then as well as boats. But this project is not going to be furniture quality by any means. It’s just a little above quick and dirty.
I started by scowering my stash of oak. I am not a big fan of oak, except quarter sawn white oak, but my father-in-law gave me quite a bit. It was cut from tree’s in his yard a few years back. It wasn’t a great log and apparently who ever cut it really didn’t know what they were doing. It takes a lot of picking to find anything really good, but for a shop cabinet, I don’t mind flaws.
First thing was to run it through the planner since it is all rough cut. Sadie just can’t wait for the chips to pile up so she can sleep on them. Boy is she going to be disappointed when I get the dust collection installed!
About an hour and half later it’s all planned. Anyone know where Sadie went??
I kept looking at these bad sections of board. It appears to have been a crotch. There is some bark in there too. They are a little rough but I have decided to use them for the doors since they are book matched and there is 2 sets of them. I wouldn’t use them in anything that might ends up in the house, but I just hate to waste them. It will be a little different than just a plain door.
After handling all that wood I was beat. Oak is heavy! So I called it a day. Next I will start cutting box joints to make the sides and trimming and gluing the panels for the doors.