Retrofit cabinets

Fat Guy by Cabinet

No fat guy

I just completed a built in for some friends that are a newlywed couple.  They are remodeling their first house.  I had to stay ahead of the painter, a good friend from church.  She told me that she would be ready for the room I was in in about a week.  So I have been cranking this week.  I built the top unit and side unit, and retrofit it in the wall unit.  I also filled in many of the cracks with molding that I made.  I used the drawer fronts on the old piece.  Inside those fronts are solid maple drawers, with 3/4" sides and 1/4" bottom set in a groove all around the drawers.  The case is made from 3/4" maple plywood.  The piece is finished with shellac and with a water based poly on both the inside of drawers, cabinet above the window seat and the shelves.  They may paint the outside white, unsure at this time.  Shellac will accept paint very well, not sure about the poly shelves and no need to paint the inside that is polyurethane.  I may post a picture after they are painted.  Most of the construction is with pocket screws, I broke from my traditional mortise and tenon, with dados.  Pocket screws will create just as sturdy of a piece and reduced the labor... by a little.  The drawers are about 22" long on slides, so they work fairly easy, need to pull on both knobs because of the size, can create a size bind... but it is not too bad.  After the couple realizes how easy these drawers are to slide they will want to install slides and new drawers in their whole house... but I am sure that is a ways off.  Have fun. 

As completed without the Fat Guy

The Wilson Bell

The Wilson Bell

When Grandmother Wilson (Sandy's Grandmother) the family all split up the possessions.  So we got the farm bell.  We have been moving with that bell for at least 30 years.  So I finally decided to display it in the yard.  It was a feat to get it on the pole.  The pole is out of cypress, hollow with a square post at the bottom.