The Enfield Cupboard, Updated
An iconic Shaker cabinet gets a face-lift
Modeled after a small cupboard originally made at a Shaker Colony in Enfield, Conn., this cabinet’s simple, clean lines give it a refined, country look. Matt Kenney modified the original design, making the face frames narrower and adding two interior drawers. Construction is straightforward, with a dovetailed case and a frame-and-panel door, but there are a few quirks to the design that make this project even more fun—tall sides that make dovetail layout a challenge, for one, and shopmade edge details and trim.
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An essential tool for drawing circles and curves accurately. Also good for layout.
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Printed and digital plans and a cutlist for this project are available in the Fine Woodworking store.
Comments
I am building one of these cupboards from Cherry. Just wondering if you glued all the shelves in or did the upper ones float? Thanks
They are all glued into the dados. No real reason to leave them floating, since the face frame is going to block your ability to take shelves out later anyways.
Thought so, but wanted to make sure. Thanks.
Thinking of a version built with red oak and some thin ash for the door panel. My version will be shorter and on top will have a shelf and hooks for hanging coffee cups and mugs.. Tough to describe in text I guess.
I think maybe I'll glue the shelves in but use only a dab of glue an inch or so long and limited to the center of the dado.
@bpiekney, you can certainly do that. The grain direction on the shelves and the case sides mean they will move in the same direction with seasonal changes so gluing them along the entire length of the dado would cause no problem.
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