YO!
Well i had another customer ask me to make an “inexpensive” cubbie unit.
i hate making these but since i do all their work i cant turn down one piece.
my question is what method do you use to make these pain in the azz things.
for construction it would be nice to use biscuits or dowels but it takes so long to do that its not cost efficient. dados mean i have to edgeband after its all assembled.
next is finishing. if i stain and clear before assembly i have to either sand the glue joint to get good bond or risk a weak joint. if i stain and clear after, it takes forever to get a good finish and the gun dosent fit in the cubbies. clear by hand takes hours.
i have had to make 3 of these in the last 2 months and i just got a call to make another. geez, i havent even installed the 3rd one yet.
i dont mind so much when there high end units, i can charge accordingly but when its a “cheap unit” for a garage i need to find the most efficient way so i dont lose or charge
how do youz guyz do it?
Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
Replies
If you use stopped dadoes, you can band ahead of time and use prefinished materials. You can cut the stops by setting your jointer to the depth and just cutting in 3/4" or so. Set up a router with a fence for cutting the top and bottom dadoes on the ends, the same thing works well for rabbets for backs.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
T maxxx ,
Whenever possible I create the cubbys by making adjustable shelves .
Solves the tight compartment finishing problems and eliminates much time and machine work .
dusty
Inexpensive means lesser quality. That means lesser quality joints, lesser quality finish... etc. I'd prefinish the pieces using masking tape where I don't want the finish to go. Then glue it up, deliver/insall it, and move on. Inexpensive is just a polite way of saying cheap, and it shouldn't be built to measure up with better quality work.
--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.net
See some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
a few good ideas guys. thanks. some will not work cause of colour or wood choice but it gives me more options. i like ted's theory. i sometimes have to remind myself weather the project has to be a 10 or a 2. i just dont like building 2 s.Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
Build enough 2s and that's what you'll be known for.
Morning Ted W .
While it's true inexpensive sounds pretty much like cheap , that does not mean the piece is low quality .
After about 30 years making a living off of my woodwork I have learned several things for sure , what is surprising is the bottom line , yes profit er , the part that is left after expenses .
Believe it or not when I knock out say unfinished or paint grade cabinets with little fancy frou frou or detail for that matter I often end up with more for doing less , so to speak .
I build the boxes the same , it's just that the materials are different and it takes a tad less time with less details , but to survive in business in todays market you have to be versatile and adaptable while keeping your wallet open and the saws running .
dusty
Point well taken, dusty.
Truth be told, I actually enjoy doing budget projects as long as the budget isn't coming out of my pocket. There's something to be said for cranking something out quicker, a more forgiving design, less attention to detail and more attention to durability and simplicity.
I built some baltic birch plywood shelving for a kids room which I left the plywood edges exposed, dados and all. It's what the customer wanted. Finished it with 3 heavy coats of satin polyurethane and it actully looked pretty good in a utility sort of way. I built three units in a short day, put a reasonable profit in my pocket, and everyone was happy.
They were cheap cabinets, but in a good way. :)--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
You could make the sides from 3/8 or 1/2 sheet goods and screw the shelves on from both sides. Put them side by side and cover the mating edge with a molding. If an end shows cover with a sheet of 1/8 or 1/4 material.
Or send them to IKEA. ;-)
I'd use prefinished ply, use through dados for joints, and apply a face frame (hardwood, glued and nailed). IME, a face frame is faster & more durable than banding.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Edit: But I'm not set up for edge banding, so YMMV.
Edited 2/27/2008 7:03 am ET by MikeHennessy
Dear T,
As suggested, I have used prefinished ply with good results. The other thing that I have done is making the shelves adjustable (As per "Dusty's" suggestion). This eliminates a lot of joinery as I only have to glue up the carcase, really. A few years ago, I invested (reluctantly) in a Delta line bore (http://www.tools-plus.com/delta-32-325.html) I say reluctantly because I don't have a very high opinion of Delta tools. In this case, however, they seem to have struck a good balance between economy and performance. It is not perfect, but it does its job very well. I opted for the foot pedal which frees up ones hands. It takes what used to be a TEDIOUS procedure and almost makes it a breeze. Whenever asked to make cubbies, I always suggest that they can have them with adjustable shelves (at no extra cost). They will really look no different than fixed shelves, once everything is installed and in particular once people start filling them up with "stuff". It is an easier build without the extra joinery. It is an easier ship, and install without the weight and physical presence of the shelves in the way, and you customer isn't "married" to any one layout. even if they never change the shelves, it makes good sense to able to move the shelves. Even without the line bore, it is a nice option, but with the line bore, it will really eliminate quite a bit of work.
Best,
John
Edited 2/27/2008 9:55 am ET by Jmartinsky
Edited 2/27/2008 9:55 am ET by Jmartinsky
OK.. SO here I get in trouble AGAIN!
i hate making these but since i do all their work i cant turn down one piece.
.. My first thought when seeing your post was.. I thought all woodworking was fun?
Except for the custom doors I use to make on occasion, all of my work is for materials only without profit. bad mistake by me but.. I never made a living doing it and sometimes lost a 'bit'.. Just me.. I was OK with that.. And you are right if you think I'm nuts! I tell myself that often.
I for one would base your decision on the quality of what you give your customer should be based partly on profit you have made doing 'high' end work for them before.
I would do the work 'as well as any job I do'.. But! tell them up-front!!
Cheap materials will not look/last/be happy with, as you are accustomed with from me!.. AS in... I value your business and this is a special favor for your past support of my work. "I do not do this for everybody"..
Sorry, Just how I think... :>)
Don't edgeband..... it's for a garage.
Smooth cut plywood sanded and finished looks great inside the house also.... depending one one's aesthetic, of course.
I'v got the simplest way. I've done it where we edge banded the substrate and had strips which we cut into horizontals and short cubby dividers. Simple butt joints with no dado, slots etc. We had a line boring construction machine which did dowels on 32 mm spacing. Once you figured the logistics you could crank as fast as you could feed the pieces. We even did it with prefinished sheet goods.
I also helped a friend set up a simple low tech thing in a very similar style but set up an aluminum bar with hardened guide bushings perpendicular to a fence with stops like a miter saw. Also the aluminum dowel plate coud be mounted on a different table for the short cubby dividers. Sower but essentially the same principal as the construction boring machine.
Edited 2/27/2008 2:35 pm ET by RickL
To my way of thinking, an "inexpensive" cubbie unit would be edgebanded melamine. I think that what you describe: stain, clear finish, etc. sounds a whole lot more like better cabinets or built-ins. Just my .02.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled