Sideboard Design

[humanfish]

Hi all
Some friends of my parents are in the market for a sideboard and have asked my brother and myself to come up with a design. This is my design, i have two configurations to put forward one with more drawers than the other;

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/b ... eboard.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/b ... sFront.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/b ... rawers.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/b ... dFront.jpg

I have tried to keep it simple looking as well as hopefully quite simple to make because it's big, a 2300 long. There are quite alot of dovetails in the contruction so i was weighing up the idea of buying a woodrat to quicken things up.

One thing i am thinking about is the doors. I don't have the facilities to veneer mdf boards and i would rather not use the iron on veneer lipping on pre-veneered boards. I was thinking of using 20mm thick solid boards but this would need a batten on the back would it not to prevent any cupping or adverse movement. I would rather keep it as clean as possible in the sense of nothing making it look cluttered like a batten on the back.

thanks for any views
bh

 

[jasonB]

You could always solid lip MDF then put the veneering out to a specialist.

Another way would be frame & panel doors but have the panel flush with the frame with just a small shadow gap all round to allow for movement, by cutting a rebate all round. This would have the advantage of all solid construction so there will be no problems matching veneer & solid timber colour/grain

Any specific reason to not use Iron On edging, ive used it an several sideboard doors and not had any durability problems.

Jason

 

[Nick W]

I really think it needs a top. Chests without tops always look worng IMO.

 

[CYC]

Here are my thoughts:

I agree with Nick, it would look a lot better with a top. It would balance with the plinth. I mean the plinth comes out an inch or so but the top doesn't.
Alternatively, if you want a more modern style, then revisit the footing.

Also, I think the dovetails are lost on such a long top. This could be the drawing not giving a good picture (sorry for that pun). May be you should have less dovetails accross the width. Larger dovetails may look more in proportion with the size of the sideboard.

 

[garywayne]

Hi bh.

I agree with CYC on this one. Bigger dovetails, definitely.

I don't know what, but to my eyes there is something not quite right about the plinth.

 

[Roger]

I'd second the Top suggestion, 'loose' all the external Dovetails and redesign the plinth. At the moment, it looks too high, too plain and out of proportion.

As to materials. There's nothing particularly wrong with edging, although I do prefer to go with solid where possible. I think you'll find 20mm solid a little OTT to be honest. Go with Jason's suggestion or similar Panel construction.

there are quite a lot of dovetails in the construction so i was weighing up the idea of buying a woodrat to quicken things up.

That's a very expensive way to speed things up by the way! WoodRat + Router + Bits + Plunge Bars + + = a LOT of money. Unless you've used one before, the learning curve alone will certainly not 'speed things up' for you!

 

[humanfish]

thanks for the input guys

i'd quite like to keep the dovetails so i'll have a tinker enlarging the size and such on sketchup to see how they look larger. I'll also have a look at the plinth whilst im at it and see if i can make something more complimentary.

The frame and panel door suggestion is something i hadn't considered jason, that'll be worth me looking into and making a mock up on sketchup.

In terms of the veneer edging, is there a noticeable glue line and is it hardy.Does it not tend pull/splinter up over time, i guess it depends how well you veneer it on really.

cheers
bh

 

[Roger]

The veneer edging shouldn't leave a glue line if applied properly. It will be finished presumably after construction and unless you leave a very rough edge, there's little chance of it pulling or splintering. It will stay as long as any other veneer does.

 

[jasonB]

The only time you may get a small glue line is if using a dark wood as the adhesive is light in colour but it is almost invisible once finish is applied. The MDF has a better glue surface than chipboard so it will stick well.

Re the plinth, you could make it smaller than the sideboard for a more contempory look a bit like this or raise the whole thing off the ground and have an overhanging top like this Both with veneered MDF panels BTW

Jason