European Oak Wardrobes

[BradNaylor]

We've been busy this week making a pair of oak wardrobes for a regular client. 4 days in the workshop and a full day today for Phil and I assembling them. (Karl was having a very well deserved day off!)

First in is the plinth on adjustable feet for levelling.

The carcasses are simply boxes of veneered MDF

The end panels with wrap-round face frames are then attached

The cornice is ready made in the workshop and slid into position

The doors are fitted with concealed hinges and we're finished

The customer was delighted and and confirmed that they want us to build them a new bling kitchen in the new year.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Chems]

Lovely! You make it look so easy!

 

[TheTiddles]

Fitted onto carpet? Is that a preference or just the way it happened?

Aidan

 

[ByronBlack]

Nice work brad - are the doors solid?

 

[BradNaylor]

Fitted onto carpet? Is that a preference or just the way it happened?

Aidan

They're not fitted. They're free-standing wardrobes which can be disassembled and relocated.

The clients have just received planning permission to build a new house in their back garden, which is where they intend living. The existing house will be sold.

These wardrobes, and any other furniture we make for the current master bedroom, will move with them to the new house. We've already got the nod on the kitchen for the new house, and obviously are hoping to get a lot more work besides.

And yes Colin, the doors are solid oak.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Alex]

Nice clean looking cupboards. 8)
How did you raise the panels, was it SM or router and what cutter? I've been looking at some spindle tooling for this and it's making my head spin. :?

 

[Ironballs]

Nice job as usual, any pics of the hinges used?

 

[BradNaylor]

They're just bog standard kitchen door hinges - cranked inset ones on the outside doors and ordinary overlay ones on the inside doors.

 

[superunknown]

Is this just a standard PU lacquer? Looks a lovely finish.

 

[frugal]

First in is the plinth on adjustable feet for levelling.

If the feet are used for leveling how do you stop their being a gap under one end if the floor is not level?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Nice, Brad, as usual.
Tell me, what's the advantage of having a separate end panel? Why not just add the fake face-frame piece to the side of the carcase?
Cheers
Steve

 

[Russ]

First in is the plinth on adjustable feet for levelling.

If the feet are used for leveling how do you stop their being a gap under one end if the floor is not level?

Seems pretty level to me, spouse its experience!

 

[BradNaylor]

Tell me, what's the advantage of having a separate end panel? Why not just add the fake face-frame piece to the side of the carcase?

Speed - and ease of assembly on site.

We have found that this construction method saves us hours in the workshop making separate face frames. The integrated end panel and frame cheek is very quick to glue up but gives the impression of traditional face frame construction. We now use this system as a matter of course in virtually all our furniture, even though it uses a little more veneered board. The extra material cost is more than balanced by the time savings.

It also makes assembly a lot more straightforward. It is a particularly good system for fitted furniture such as an alcove unit or wardrobe where the carcass extends forward of a chimney breast.

Scribing the panel to the face of the chimney breast is made very simple - it is almost silly person-proof!

This system also facilitates the use of 35mm concealed hinges without having to use packers behind the face frame as the inside of the cabinet is flush with the door opening.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Steve Maskery]

Great, thank you very much. Duly filed away!
S

 

[mailee]

Sorry Brad for being a bit thick here but I am not quite sure what you mean by the seperate end panel and it being much easier to scribe in? Can you elaborate a bit for my old worn out brain cells? :?

 

[petermillard]

We have found that this construction method saves us hours in the workshop making separate face frames... It is a particularly good system for fitted furniture such as an alcove unit or wardrobe where the carcass extends forward of a chimney breast... This system also facilitates the use of 35mm concealed hinges without having to use packers behind the face frame as the inside of the cabinet is flush with the door opening.

Cheers
Brad

Cheers to you too Brad - very, very neat couple of tricks there, and as Steve M says, duly filed away for future reference

Cheers, Pete

 

[BradNaylor]

Sorry Brad for being a bit thick here but I am not quite sure what you mean by the seperate end panel and it being much easier to scribe in? Can you elaborate a bit for my old worn out brain cells? :?

This may help. Alan.

The end panel is scribed to the face of the chimney breast, instead of a filler piece having to be scribed to the side wall of the alcove. Believe me, it's much simpler, neater, and most importantly quicker!

The frame cheek on the left hand side of the unit in the plan above I would fix to the carcass in the workshop and scribe to the wall on site. Any small gap between the carcass and the side of the chimney breast is swallowed up by the thickness of the end panel.

Cheers
Brad

 

[mailee]

Ah yes, much clearer now Brad! Many thanks for that. :wink: