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Built-in audio shelves/cabinet? (Page 2)
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sek929
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Feb 7, 2013, 02:40 PM
 
I could just be envisioning this all wrong, but not having the sides be one continuous piece is a huge no-no. The more butt joints the more points of failure. You can make the slots I mentioned earlier using a circular saw and a sharp chisel. Either that or make cleats that the shelves can sit on that are attached to the sides. Of course, like I said, I could just be misinterpreting you.
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 7, 2013, 03:58 PM
 
Well the size of the nook is artificially determined, right? It's already a three-sided space with 23-inch wide drywall "sides"; I could just put the shelves in at that full width, and then use cleats underneath them, glued/screwed to the drywall.

So all I'm doing is making those cleats run the full height of the cabinet, directly down to the shelf below it. That creates a 3/4" border around the sides of the cabinet, to which I can attach the vertical 1.5" maple strips. So, I'm basically narrowing the width of the cabinet slightly by putting pine on over the existing drywall sides of the cabinet.

Alternately, I could simply use a full sheet of 21" deep by 70" high sheet of pine on each side, with the slots cut out. But if this is all fastened to the side of a wall anyway, I don't see how it would be any less secure if I simply cut the pine up into the height of each shelf...?
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sek929
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Feb 7, 2013, 04:19 PM
 
I understand now. I was picturing it being assembled as a unti prior to installation, whereas you'll be treating it more like putting shelves in a closet, only using full height 'cleats.'

My only reservation remaining is the nook then. Is it perfectly square and level? If it's been plastered I bet you a million dollars the inside and outside corners are going to throw of the measurements (always thicker at the corners with plaster). When you build something on the bench from start to finish you can make it slightly smaller than the smallest dimension of the 'nook' and use the maple facing to account for any variations. I'd also wager a million dollars if you simply apply the shelves directly in the nook each shelf will be a slightly different size, unless you aren't incredibly picky about gaps like I am.

My professional opinion is to always try and do as much work as you can on the 'bench' rather than building something directly in place. It may seem like my example of shelving takes a long time, but my methods are developed for the exact opposite reason. If you were just slapping some plywood shelves in a linen closet then I wouldn't pry so much, but you're buying curly maple and seem to have a certain 'cabinetry' aesthetic in mind.

Assemble it as a unit, leaving space for installation in the nook. You can shim it square + level and attach it thoroughly so once the maple facing is applied it looks like it grew there....which is a saying I stole from my father. You'll have a lot less cuts to make, and they will all be determined by hard measurements. Just set a circular saw to 1/8" deep, use a clamped straightedge and make a few slices where the slots will go and finish off with a chisel. You are right by saying neither method is any more or less strong, but my method is far more efficient in the long run, trust me.
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 8, 2013, 08:42 AM
 
You're right about the nook - it definitely will not be square and level (it's drywall on one wall only, while the other two are lath/plaster). It's possible the walls are not exactly 90 degrees as well. That's something I've been thinking about how to deal with as well.

I didn't seriously consider building it beforehand, though - one of the reasons being that, if the nook isn't really square, I thought I might end up in the situation where I've got a completed cabinet that fits really loose on the top or back, and is too tight to fit in on the bottom (or middle, or front, etc.). So if I just made it fairly loose all around, then I was worried about being able to secure it in place - glue would be out without tight contact with the wall, right? Also, I hadn't planned on making a back for it - I was going to keep it open, to access wall plates etc. In that case, I thought it might be too difficult to keep it square, you know? Any advice on how you'd attack the squaring issue? I suppose I could make cross-braces for the "front" of the cabinet and then take them off once it's installed and not an issue...?
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ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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May 23, 2014, 12:10 PM
 
Just to resurrect this zombie thread:

Well, it ended up being painted white, which was a wise executive decision by my better half and matches the classic look of the house. The sides ended up being 3/4" pine "cleats", each the height of the particular shelf. I started from the bottom, made an obvious Drake joke, and then nailed/glued in each shelf progressively - the side cleats, then the next shelf on top, then more cleats, etc. Each shelf has two half-circle cutouts in the back to run wires.

The middle shelf was for the turntable, so I sourced two heavy-duty white rollers for a pull-out shelf that allows maintenance, easily changing records, etc. The sides were not square so it was a painful process of chiselling out horizontal channels on each side cleat to inset the rollers a certain amount. The shelf works very well and seems not to vibrate at all; I originally was thinking of some kind of locking system for it to keep it firmly in place when the turntable is on, but I've tried a few listening tests with people or items bracing the shelf and we can't seem to notice any difference in the sound I'm getting, so will leave it for now.

I left about a 1" gap from the front of the nook for the cleats and the shelves, and then finished around the front perimeter with a 3/4" oak border (since oak is a little harder and less prone to dent). As you can see I had to also had to do a half-circle cutout on the border to allow the rollers to slide out, which doubles as a little decorative touch that sort of matches the big curved crown mouldings.

I have the massive surge protector hung from underneath the bottom shelf, so you can see a few wires hanging down - from standing height that's not really visible, but there's not much else I can do with it considering the nasty amount of cabling back there.

So, yeah. Simple and took way too long, but life got in the way a lot.

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Laminar
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May 23, 2014, 02:09 PM
 
That looks awesome.
     
andi*pandi
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May 23, 2014, 02:38 PM
 
Looks really good, and clever with the record player slideout too.
     
subego
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May 23, 2014, 02:42 PM
 
That's pretty smokin'.

Also, I dig your Paul Bunyan grappling hook.
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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May 23, 2014, 07:25 PM
 
Haha it's a killick! Made of cast iron though - I dug it out of a grown-over field in an old fishing village. Weighs about 80 or 90 pounds so would be perfect for Bunyan...
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ebuddy
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May 26, 2014, 08:33 AM
 
Damn, that really does look sharp. You were concerned it would look amateurish, but that's about as professional-looking as one could hope. Minimalist, fits perfectly into the scheme around it... nicely done.
ebuddy
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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May 27, 2014, 10:25 AM
 
Thanks, it seems to fit well with the house (built early 1900s but not busy and ornate - open and modern/clean/smooth lines, which is more to our natural taste). Also, I wasn't sure about my idea to have it end above the floor, exposing the wood inlay symbol at the bottom - which was previously covered by an old cabinet that we ripped out. But it looks sharp and not awkward, and it's a crime to cover up the inlay of course.
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ebuddy
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May 27, 2014, 12:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
Thanks, it seems to fit well with the house (built early 1900s but not busy and ornate - open and modern/clean/smooth lines, which is more to our natural taste). Also, I wasn't sure about my idea to have it end above the floor, exposing the wood inlay symbol at the bottom - which was previously covered by an old cabinet that we ripped out. But it looks sharp and not awkward, and it's a crime to cover up the inlay of course.
I felt your pain with plaster-and-lath walls as my house was built in 1929. The other problem with older homes like ours of course is very little has remained "square" which means "measure twice, cut once" usually ends up - measure thrice, cut once wrong, do over, and then fudge a little until it looks good.

When I first saw the gap between the bottom of the shelving and the floor, I wondered why, but upon closer look saw that inlay and immediately understood.

Any significance to that inlay? It's interesting that you removed an old cabinet to reveal the inlay and it looks like it might be initials or something. Previous home owner? Memorial to a loved one? Illuminati?
ebuddy
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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May 27, 2014, 03:54 PM
 
Hah, there's a (cherry?) border running around the perimeter of each room, with these symbols inlaid on each corner of the living/dining room. Seems likely to be a nod to strong Irish roots in this area, but nothing that I recognize.

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ebuddy
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May 27, 2014, 04:10 PM
 
^ Ahh... that makes sense.
ebuddy
     
 
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