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  • Wine Serving Station
  • Customize a perfect party center.
    From "Wasted Spaces"
    episode DWSP-312


    PHOTO

    This cutting board hides a handy ice bucket.
    Eric and Megan are well on their way to creating the gathering place of their dreams, with help from host Karl Champley. They've already resized pre-fab cabinets to go with their wine fridge. Now, they trick out one cabinet with a custom ice bucket holder, then finish up the wine serving station.

    These wine aficionados also need a place to store their extensive collection. Once the base of their wine serving station is complete, Karl will help them create a massive custom wine rack that will keep dozens of bottles at arm's reach.

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    Ice Bucket Drawer

    Tools:

    measuring tape
    nail gun
    safety glasses
    pencil
    circular saw
    finish blade
    jigsaw
    pry bar

    Materials:

    3/4" birch plywood
    nails
    screws
    wood glue
    pre-fab cabinet
    drawer slides & hardware
    ice bucket
    cutting board


    PHOTO

    Figure A
    PHOTO

    Figure B
    PHOTO

    Figure C

    • Prepare the drawer. Remove the front from the drawer that will hold the ice bucket. Use a table saw to cut a horizontal slot in the back of the drawer front, level with the drawer slides and sized to hold a piece of 3/4" plywood. Use a prybar to pry out the cut section.

      Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses and use caution when working with a power saw or other power tools.

    • Cut ice bucket holder. Flip the ice bucket upside down and trace onto a piece of 3/4" plywood (figure A). Set the bucket aside, drill a pilot hole and use a jigsaw to cut out a circular hole slightly smaller than the traced line. Test-fit the ice bucket in the hole to make sure it doesn't fall all the way through (figure B).

    • Finish the ice bucket holder. Use a router with a round-over bit to round out the edges of the circular hole in the plywood. Cut the plywood to fit inside the drawer space, making sure to keep the hole centered from left to right. Use wood glue to secure the panel inside the slot in the back of the drawer front. Install drawer slides along the sides of the plywood.

    • Make cutting board top. Trace the hole in the ice bucket holder ontl a cutting board the same size as the holder. Using this line as a guide, use wood glue and screws to secure the circle cut from the plywood to the bottom of the cutting board. Dry-fit the cutting board on top of the ice bucket panel (figure C).

    • Replace drawer. Remove the ice bucket and store elsewhere in the cabinet until needed. Fit the cutting board over the ice bucket holder and slide into the cabinet like any other drawer.

    Finish the Wine Serving Station

    Tools:

    measuring tape
    level
    screw gun
    safety glasses
    stud finder
    pencil
    paint rollers, brushes, tray

    Materials:

    customized cabinets
    screws
    primer and paint
    latex adhesive
    granite countertop


    PHOTO

    A granite counter completes the swanky serving station.

    • Sand the cabinets. Remove doors, drawers and hardware and sand all outside surfaces of the cabinets. If the cabinets are pre-finished, make sure to "rough up" the entire surface so the primer will adhere properly.

      Tip: Don't reattach the doors, drawers and hardware until the serving station is assembled. The paint job will be easier with everything taken apart, and doors and drawers won't get in the way of installation.

    • Drill for a power cord. Check to see if the wall outlet is positioned behind the fridge's final location. If it's not, use a drill with a Forstner bit to drill into the bottoms of the cabinets, as needed, to allow the power cord to pass through.

    • Prime and paint. Prime and paint the cabinets as desired.

    • Dry-fit the wine serving station. Place the cabinets and wine fridge in position, adjusting as needed. Dry-fit the countertop on top of the unit and make sure everything fits properly.

    • Install the cabinets. Use shims to level the cabinets, then use screws to attach them securely to the wall studs.

    • Install the countertop. Use latex adhesive to install the new countertop on top of the cabinets and fridge.

      Warning: Countertops like the granite one used in this project are heavy, hard to handle and expensive. It's a good idea to have the countertop supplier help with installation.

    • Finish up the installation. Reinstall the doors, drawers and hardware on the cabinets.

    With the base of the serving station complete, Karl and the homeowners move on to build their massive wine rack.

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