Still alive - just tackling a HUGE DIY

[fuzzy2133]

Well, this is what I get when I make assumptions! I figured Blum just automated their existing drawer hardware (which I researched a fair amount). Of course, just a brief glance at their automated stuff just now showed me how wrong I was! Ah well, it was an idea, if not a great (or even possible) one.

I know nothing how of the product you are both talking about however your idea makes sense to me.

The force to push the drawer out/closed is not transmitted to the cabinet base, just what the motor is mounted to. Build every thing on one assembly and it will just stay in place thanks to friction from its own weight.
What about a linear actuator? Might need to change the drawer size so everything will fit in the space. Only down side is I do not know if they make something that is touch activated.

 

[Jester369]

OIC. I still think it's a good idea. That is, with discussed considerations.

Is that an interwebz OIC or an army OIC? Big difference! Hahaha!! I suppose either work, though

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I spent all day browsing through this thread and I'm incredibly impressed...for numerous reasons.

I'm doing a small project at home, demoing everything and re-building it all on a second floor. I took a week and a half off to do the demo, frame, and electric, and it was super stressful. But now I realize how minute my project was.

Bravo, and keep up the good work! I love that dome.

 

[Jester369]

Busy weekend making big piles of sawdust

 

[Jester369]

Test fit the first set last night

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

Is the toe kick part of the carcass?

When I redo my kitchen I gotta put in one those folding step ladders for my short wife

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Is the toe kick part of the carcass?

When I redo my kitchen I gotta put in one those folding step ladders for my short wife

As I mentioned earlier, I have done one version and seen two others. If the issue is in one specific spot, you can do a toe-kick "drawer" that once pulled out rises to a comfortable 7" height and locks. Alternatively, you can mount a two-step stool on the sink base cabinet door (easiest) or in a toe-kick drawer of spice-rack-width pull-out.

 

[Jester369]

Is the toe kick part of the carcass?

No, I decided to make the base (the toe kick) and the carcasses separately. I have some leg levelers inside the bases that let me get it perfectly leveled, and then the cabinets get fastened to the base. In addition to the easier installation, not having to cut a notch into the corner of each cabinet side made fabrication very straightforward. I was able to pretty much set the fence on the table saw and rip away.

 

[Jester369]

Some more progress - temporarily mounted the upper cabinets so that I can construct and fit the fridge cabinetry that goes to the right of it. Threw some MDF on top of the bottom cabs for a temp countertop, too!

 

[MaxStout]

I just discovered this thread. I killed an hour and a half going through it this morning. Very impressive!

 

[NickTheGreat]

Just leave the MDF and save yourself a few G's

 

[Jester369]

Just leave the MDF and save yourself a few G's

I little tough to scrub clean - maybe a bit of 220 grit?

 

[Jester369]

Got the fridge cabinet built this week. The fridge is going to be a flush mounted counter depth unit, so I had to make a pretty precise structure for it.

Here is a cross section of one of the side panels showing how I built up the thickness and mounting cleats

Had to get some special 2" edge banding for this one. It was a little fussy getting it to cover the curve nicely, but not too bad.

Inside face of the finished side panel

Outside face

Assembled (That's a temporary brace at the bottom)

Stood it up - was a bit surprised how big it looked by itself!

And finally, in place. Looks much more 'to scale' next to the other cabinets.

Damn thing was pretty heavy for one guy to move - fortunately it didn't have to go too far!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I little tough to scrub clean - maybe a bit of 220 grit?

Two coats polyurethane, fully cured, is food safe so long as you don't cut on it.

 

[The_Dog_42]

MDF wouldn't absorb more poly than a normal piece of plywood? Seems surprising, but I've never tried it.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

MDF wouldn't absorb more poly than a normal piece of plywood? Seems surprising, but I've never tried it.

I may be guilty of laying down more of a winter coat than a windbreaker ...

 

[The_Dog_42]

I may be guilty of laying down more of a winter coat than a windbreaker ...

Ah. All is right in the world again and I'm not going insane. Just talking to imaginary people in a fictitious place...wait, what?

 

[Jester369]

Some more progress over the weekend.

Got the transition from the cabinets to the stove completed

Finished the last base cabinet carcass

The full lineup on that wall

And finally, I popped a recessed fixture in above the fridge cabinet (I had left wiring in place in the ceiling for it, but didn't want to set it till the cabinet was in place and I could decide on the depth)

I've avoided it as long as I could, but it's time to get back to fabricating the island cabinetry.

 

[MaxStout]

Good idea allowing more space for the fridge. Our kitchen was built with only enough space for the old standard 32" wide refrigerator. When we bought new appliances 2 years ago, we were limited in choices as many units were 36" wide.

 

[Jester369]

Good idea allowing more space for the fridge.

Well, that fridge in the photo is only temporary - the one I will be installing actually fills that opening exactly. It will be a flush mount, with panels that match the cabinets.

 

[Jester369]

I'm doing the final design for the range hood, and I'm curious to know which of the three people most prefer. There are no panels like the right two versions anywhere else in the kitchen, but I am not sure if the big slab of wood on the left version is just too plain.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I'm doing the final design for the range hood, and I'm curious to know which of the three people most prefer. There are no panels like the right two versions anywhere else in the kitchen, but I am not sure if the big slab of wood on the left version is just too plain.

The size of first one panelized like the third but with the proportions and angles of the second.

(perspective view screws with all of them, I think)

 

[Huaco]

I like how the middle example breaks the panel up a bit. The example on the right seems too busy.

 

[twistr25]

Agree with Huaco, out of the three, the middle

 

[orangehero]

How about the paneling just at top?

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

I'd say middle too

 

[DrunkleJon]

I am boring and like things plain so I would go with the one on the left. The middle comes in second for me. The one on the right just seems a little too busy for me (and would require more hassle in cleaning and dusting).

 

[brettwasbtd]

Another middle vote

 

[Mdsutton]

DrunkleJon made me reconsider, I go for Middle.

 

[rmarshall100]

Love raised panel... The one on the right all the way for me, but since you are apparently not doing raised panel throughout, I would have to join the majority and go with the middle or even the one on the left with a big carved eagle or still life of some kind hanging in that big open space.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

I'm industrial. I like the stainless steel

 

[rockinmarty]

I'm doing the final design for the range hood, and I'm curious to know which of the three people most prefer. There are no panels like the right two versions anywhere else in the kitchen, but I am not sure if the big slab of wood on the left version is just too plain.

What! No curves. I prefer #3

 

[fuzzy2133]

I'm industrial. I like the stainless steel

I agree and it is easy to clean!
But if it has to be wood #2 do not need a fancy hood out doing the cabinets.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

The hood in the middle is what I like best.

 

[Jaybird]

Yeah I like the center one too. Simple yet classy!

Cheers
Jay

 

[the_bird]

I'm doing the final design for the range hood, and I'm curious to know which of the three people most prefer. There are no panels like the right two versions anywhere else in the kitchen, but I am not sure if the big slab of wood on the left version is just too plain.

#2. I think your instincts on #1 being too plain are correct, and #3 looks needlessly busy.

 

[Jester369]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone - it is very appreciated!

Made some more progress on the kitchen island this weekend - it's almost there. I have been dragging my feet on tackling the round elements of it, but ran out of procrastination projects. Here is the 2" radius blank I turned on my makeshift "lathe"

Made a rip sled to hold it

First cut

Finished corners

Installed

Added the 90* return piece

And the filler piece behind it

 

[Jester369]

Then I went to work on the 4" radius parts

Split

Notching

And compete

I then decided that working with the cabinet on top of my workbench was no longer feasible. Unfortunately, I am pretty much always working alone, and even if someone else was there, it still probably wouldn't be enough - I'd guess it would take 4 people to horse this thing to the ground. So what is a solo woodworker to do? Cargo strap it to the ceiling and lift it off the table

Drag the table out of the way

And lower it to the ground!

Here is the lift plate I attached to the top to accomplish the move

 

[Jester369]

Time to install the eating counter

First corner installed

Second corner and attaching face

Front riser attached

3/4" cherry ply back panel attached

And it's almost an island!

I still have some detail work to do - I have to finish up the steel supports that are the real structural support for the eating counter, and those corner transitions that look nice in the photos need some filler and sanding to be ready for the cherry veneering that will be applied. Then the whole thing gets disassembled, both to move it upstairs, but also to do the front cherry edge banding that I forgot to apply when I built the actual cabinets - oops!

 

[Stillraining]

Question..Is there a cook top going in this? Just wondering if you gave yourself enough rear lip to get backslash in and still set in the stove top. Nice work regardless.