Custom Built Cabinet bookcase - Woodworking Talk

43longtime · 06-30-2009, 01:07 AM

Ok,

I finally finished this project, for my mother in-law.

It is made out of oak and stained minwax red oak and has one coat of satin polyurethane.

It turned out really well for my first project of this size.

Please let me know what you think about it.

mrk5318 · 06-30-2009, 01:22 AM

Looks Great

ACP · 06-30-2009, 08:19 AM

I think it looks awesome! You should have made some points with your mother-in-law for sure. Did you hand rub the finish? It looks really good. Are you going to leave the doors open or add glass? Either way it looks great.

cabinetman · 06-30-2009, 09:33 AM

You asked what do we think. Well, I'll tell ya, you did a real nice job, workmanship is excellent. Color is very rich.

I'll repeat...since you asked what we think, I would offer suggestions that you might consider on your next project. This is constructive criticism, meant in a good way, and not to belittle this project one iota. I would have made the end panel on the base cabinet vertical grain, and maybe made a decorative fascia for the toe kick, something in good taste to go with the nice crown you picked out.

Allthumbs27 · 06-30-2009, 10:08 AM

Great job. It looks very nice.

43longtime · 06-30-2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabinetman

You asked what do we think. Well, I'll tell ya, you did a real nice job, workmanship is excellent. Color is very rich.

I'll repeat...since you asked what we think, I would offer suggestions that you might consider on your next project. This is constructive criticism, meant in a good way, and not to belittle this project one iota. I would have made the end panel on the base cabinet vertical grain, and maybe made a decorative fascia for the toe kick, something in good taste to go with the nice crown you picked out.

Yes I agree with you I should have made the grain vertical to match the top. I did not realize that it did not match.

Thanks for the kind words and tips.

43longtime · 06-30-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACP

I think it looks awesome! You should have made some points with your mother-in-law for sure. Did you hand rub the finish? It looks really good. Are you going to leave the doors open or add glass? Either way it looks great.

The doors are going to get glass shelf's and the middle top shelf with have glass shelf's as well as the bottom cabinet will have glass shelf's.

The stain is sprayed on with a $15 touch-up Air spray gun. then I wiped down the stain with a rag.

the Spray gun was this one.

rocklobster · 06-30-2009, 06:44 PM

That looks like a lot of work. Well done. That's one happy mother-in-law, I'll bet.

Rob

**Leo G** · 06-30-2009, 07:43 PM

Look nice. I might have done panels on the bottom instead of glass, make sure you use tempered glass on those lower doors. I agree with that end panel should be vertical.

You say you only used one coat of poly. How is the finish feel? Usually the minimum is 2 coats, the first one gets sanded. If you rubbed it out, that would be different.

43longtime · 06-30-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

Look nice. I might have done panels on the bottom instead of glass, make sure you use tempered glass on those lower doors. I agree with that end panel should be vertical.

You say you only used one coat of poly. How is the finish feel? Usually the minimum is 2 coats, the first one gets sanded. If you rubbed it out, that would be different.

I wanted to make the bottom doors wood but she wants to display stuff in the bottom, it had ajustable glass shelfs. So there for I could not have made them wood doors.
About the finish it really turned out nice after the first coat I felt like it did not need it, it's pritty smoth not rough.

The Everyman Show · 07-10-2009, 06:54 PM

Very nice cabinet. I like the proportions and the style. It fits in the space without being overpowering.

nblumert · 07-10-2009, 11:28 PM

Great looking cabinet. I hope the mother in law is happy with it.
Nick

firehawkmph · 07-10-2009, 11:39 PM

Nice job 43,
Most guys would never make something like that for their mother in law. But if you keep the MIL happy, it helps to keep the wifey poo happy. Good work,
Mike Hawkins

43longtime · 07-11-2009, 05:40 AM

Thank you all for the kind words, the Mother-in-law is happy.

jdixon · 07-11-2009, 12:28 PM

Looks very nice and I'm sure the MIL is thrilled. How much time do you figure you have in the project?

John

43longtime · 07-11-2009, 11:57 PM

Well, From start to finish I have about 8 months. But I didn't work on it the hole time. I would say it would take about 1 month or less to build it if I worked on it all the time. I could not work on it in the winter months it was too I didn't want the glue to freeze.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdixon

Looks very nice and I'm sure the MIL is thrilled. How much time do you figure you have in the project?

John

Streamwinner · 07-12-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43longtime

It turned out really well for my first project of this size.

If by "really well" you mean "perfect," sure.

43longtime · 07-13-2009, 01:49 AM

Thank you for those kind words It means a lot to me that people like what I make.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streamwinner

If by "really well" you mean "perfect," sure.

ohwoodeye · 09-09-2009, 03:22 PM

I realize that your plans were to have this piece fit tight into the corner, however, from experience, I would have narrowed the piece just enough to allow for crown molding on the left side of this piece. That way if it is ever moved to another wall or house for that matter, it will appear complete. This would mean some wasted wall space, but it makes the piece more flexible to be relocated. Just an suggestion since this happened to me when my wife decided that after 3 years, the custom built entertainment center would look nicer on the other wall. Other than that, very nice job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43longtime

Ok,

I finally finished this project, for my mother in-law.

It is made out of oak and stained minwax red oak and has one coat of satin polyurethane.

It turned out really well for my first project of this size.

Please let me know what you think about it.

**Leo G** · 09-09-2009, 04:18 PM

It seems the light switch is the limiting factor.