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lateral file with hutch|Forum|WOOD DESIGNER
November 8, 2013
Hi Kurt, thanks very much for the update and the pictures. It’s coming along really well. I agree, pocket screws are a great method to use. All the best, Stefan
Progress update…
I assembled the hutch and file cabinet shells using the doweling jig. That was a bit of work, but turned out okay. I then cut all the face frame pieces, and delayed quite a long time while deciding how to join the pieces together. After looking around, it seemed like pocket screws were the easiest. My local lumber store had the Kreg K4 jig master system. After a read through the manual and watching a couple demo videos online, I was off and running. It’s wild how quick and easy this is compared to dowels. I have the face frame on the hutch shelves and one of the file cabinets. I assembled the face frame for the other file cabinet, but ran out of screws before I could attach it to the shell. 🙂 Oh, I attached front strips on the adjustable shelves, as well.
Kurt
November 8, 2013
Glad to see things are moving forward. I’m interested to hear how the next stage goes. All the best, Stefan
Sigh… Six months later and I finally resumed this project. I beveled the edges of the file drawer cabinet tops and made rabbets in the back, inside edge of the cabinet sides to eventually receive the 1/4″ plywood back. I delayed deciding on the exact joining method until today. It was down to either bis-kits or dowel pins, and I settled on the latter. My bis-kit tool is a router attachment, which has no way to cut grooves into the face of a surface (i.e. a shelf edge joined to the middle of a cabinet side). So I ordered a dowel hole cutting jig. At my project pace, it should get here in plenty of time before my next bit of progress. 🙂
October 4, 2012
Hi Kurt,
Looking forwards to seeing the project progress!
Good luck for the building.
all the best,
Ness
November 8, 2013
Definite progress, Kurt !! Thanks very much for the pic and your kind comments as well. Looking forward to seeing all those pieces combined !
My thanks to Stefan for checking in on the project status. After I got over the initial embarrassment of lack of progress, I took a picture of the current state.
These are all the plywood pieces for the lateral file cabinets and file hutches (two of each, as I’m making a pair in one go). I bought all the lumber from the local lumberyard, and my Dad helped get it to my house in his trailer. My wife even provided a hand with the initial cuts of the 4’x8′ sheets.
Polyboard is awesome! It let me visualize and and adjust my project before making a single cut. The tutorials on wooddesigner.org guided me through the design, measurement and cut-out phases. Ness, Stefan and the community of woodworkers answered all my questions in the web site forum.
I look forward to assembling these pieces and finishing the project soon. My office could really use the finished product!
Kurt
October 4, 2012
Hi Kurt,
Your design looks fine, well done.
I don’t think you need and middle support.
For the drawer facades you’ll need to to add some play (slack) around the drawers I would suggest around 2mm.
I would also set the drawer fronts back into the frame a couple of millimeters. This makes it easier to set up the drawer fronts as you don’t have to make them perfectly flush.
All the best,
Ness
Ness,
Thanks for checking up. I’ve been mulling over the design some more, but believe I have settled on the final look. Here’s my updated project file with two versions of the piece. The one on the left is how I want it to actually look, but I had to do some awkward modifications to imitate the look of a face frame. Ignore the drawer design, as I was just filling those sections quickly. The one on the right is the actual design of the file cabinet carcase (lower section). I’ll attach a face frame (3″ at the bottom and 1.625″ on all remaining front edges. That will hide the heavy-duty slide rails for the file drawers. The carcase design mirrors the bookshelves I recently completed, with all weight supported by the base of the two sides that sit directly on the ground. Do you think I still need another vertical division from the middle of the bottom “shelf” and the floor? I don’t think that would actually bear any weight.
I added a plinth to the one on the left, originally on your suggestion. That gave the look of the bottom face frame I wanted. However, there wasn’t anything structural from it that I wanted or needed structurally. That’s why I kept it flush with the sides and front. The design on the right has no plinth.
The mix of 3/4″ materials in the file cabinet on the left was only to show distinction between components in 3D display mode. I’ll use as few different material types as possible in the actual project: birch-faced plywood and poplar, most likely.
I need to redo my original drawer design for the unit on the left. Once that is done, I’ll start writing up my cut list based on a combination of the two separate designs. Clumsy, but functional.
Kurt
October 4, 2012
Hi Kurt,
Your project is looking good.
In the lower element you have used 3 different materials of 19mm with the inner uprights and shelf in a different material than the surrounds, is there a reason for this?
How are you thinking of supporting the lower element?
If you only have it resting on the plinth you might consider adding a few extra parts to make a frame behind the plinth like we did on the plinths of Christopher’s bar.
This will make the plinth frame a separate element on which the lower cabinet will sit.
What so you think?
All the best,
Ness
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