Starting with a birch countertop, the DiRestas add a custom base with 18 storage bins and cubbies. Other features in this custom kitchen island include a slide-out butcher's block, a recessed bowl and a steel pot rack. Below is a summary of the basic steps as seen in this Hammered project, as well as a list of tools and materials.
Materials:
two cherry 3-3/4x35-1/4" english country style double-square legs
two beech 73-1/4x25-5/8" butcher blocks
three 4x8sheets of 3/4" birch plywood
three 4x8 sheets of 1/2" birch plywood
21 feet of 1-inch diameter hollow steel piping (not threaded)
30 feet 1/2-inch square steel rods
1 foot of 1-inch angle iron
4 industrial wheels with metal plates
1 18-inch diameter stainless steel mixing bowl
four to six 3/4-inch 8x8 oak planks
one can of black, high-heat spray paint
one gallon of polyurethane
Tools:
table saw
chop saw
band saw
metal cutting saw
jigsaw
wood glue
nail gun/nails
drill/screws/set screws
router
stand-up sander
sandpaper
hammers for shaping metal
anvil
torch
arc welder/gloves/welder’s mask
paper/pencil
measuring tape
brushes
Steps:
1. Cut three sheets of 4x8, 3/4-inch birch plywood using a table saw into 73-inch by 64-inch width for breaking it up into the cubby exterior (figure A). The cubby interior is 30-inches high and there will be a 4-inch open compartment at the top to accept the sliding butcher block.2. Cross-cut the birch plywood using a chop saw into 18 cubby holes that are 10x8x12-inches, and follow the measurements appropriately as above (figure B). Attach using wood glue and a nail gun.
3. Cut a 73-1/4 inch by 25-5/8 inch beech butcher block into an 11-inch width and 3-foot length to act as a sliding cutting board within the top compartment. It will add 20 inches of counter space.
4. Using a jigsaw, cut more of the plywood into a 3x3-inch L-shape to sit at the end of the top to accept the butcher block (figure C). Two L-shapes will go respectively on the very sides of the top compartment. Using plywood, cut out two 3-1/2x5-inch blocks to act as stoppers for the sliding butcher block. Glue and nail them into place right behind the rails against either side, leaving a 1/2-inch gap between the top of the stopper and the top of the island. 5. With a table saw, cut some 3/4-inch oak planks into 1/4-inch strips to fit, as edges of the cubby holes. Glue and nail them into place.
6. Using a jigsaw, cut a circle in the final 73-1/4 by 25-5/8 inch beech butcher block that is about 1/2-inch less than the diameter of the stainless steel measuring bowl, and is 9 inches from one side of the top. Use the router to carve a 1/2-inch lip within the hole to accept the bowl. Sanding is required.
7. To create the cover for the hole, rub a pencil on a piece of paper across the hole to get an accurate diameter. Use that paper circle as a template to trace to butcher block. Cut out the circle, and use a stand-up sander to fit. For a tighter fit, router a 1/2-inch lip into the circle so it fits snugly in the inner hole.
8. Cut two cherry 3-3/4 by 35-1/4 inch English country legs with double-square ends to fit between 3/4-inch below the bottom of the island and the very top of the island using a chop saw.
9. To create leg supports, use a chop saw and table saw to cut oak planks that are 4-1/2 inches wide and 23-inches long. They will stick out from the bottom on either end of the island. Pre-drill supports and set screws in preparation for the legs. Screw the legs into the supports.
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2007/12/18/hbros209_1ca_Potrack_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2007/12/18/hbros209_1fa_BirchPlywood_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2007/12/18/hbros209_1fb_BasketHoles_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2007/12/18/hbros209_1fc_CuttingBoard_e.jpg",350,450))
