| Open Display-Case -- Back-Panel Veneers |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-309 |
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With the elements for the sides, top and bottom complete, the next phase of the project is to create the back panel. For this piece, the back panel is covered with book-matched veneers made from quilted maple. After the panel has been created, rabbets to hold it are cut in the case, and holes are drilled for the adjustable shelves. Materials: Maple stock
Band saw
Jointer
Drum sander
Drill-press
Plunge-router; keyhole bit
Hand scraper
3/8-inch corner-chisel
Sanding block; 220-grit sandpaper
Yellow wood-glue
Blue carpenter's tape
Carpenter's pencil
Clamps
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc. Veneered Back-Panel - Using the band-saw, cut four thin slices of quilted-maple veneer. Quilted maple comes from California and the northwestern US. The quilted pattern is formed by genetic mutations. To make the panel, the four thin slices (figure A) will be book-matched and edge-glued together.
- Sand the four slices to uniform thickness of 3/32-inch using the drum sander.
- Joint the edges of the slices using the jointer (figure B).
- Make a carpenter's triangle on the slices (figure C) to help keep them in proper order.
- The four slices are first edge-glued into two separate panels. Apply woodworker's glue to the edges of the panels (figure D).
- When gluing and clamping the paired panels, use clamps and bricks to make sure that the panels bond flat (figure E).
- Once the glue dries, run each edge over the jointer (figure F).
- Then, make one large panel by gluing the two straight edges together (figure G), making sure to align the two halves of the triangle.
- Clamp the two halves together, and let the panel dry for a few hours (figure H).
- Once the panel has dried, remove any excess glue with a hand-scraper and fine sandpaper.
- The quilted maple sheet is glued to a substrate of 1/2-inch apple plywood. For balance, a sheet of straight-grain maple is glued to the back of the plywood. (Without the balance of the backside veneer, the whole panel could warp.)
- Apply a generous amount of glue evenly to the sheet of straight-grain maple using a roller (figure I).
- Apply glue in the same manner to one side of the substrate, and flip it onto the straight-grain veneer.
- Apply glue to the other side of the substrate, and to the quilted maple, and stack the whole "wood sandwich" together (figure J).
- Secure the stack with blue carpenter's tape to minimize movement of the veneers (figure K).
- Add wood cauls to the top and bottom of the stack, and place the whole stack into the vacuum press. When the air is removed (figure L), the bag will apply more than 1500 pounds per-square-inch of pressure to the wood surfaces, ensuring a strong bond. The assembly should be left in the vacuum press for about 3 hours.
Tip: When using a vacuum press, it's advisable to maintain the air temperature in your shop so that it is at least 70 degrees. If your shop is too cold, use an electric blanket to keep the assembly warm. - Once the panel has been removed from the press, and the wood has dried, use a block-plane to clean one of the edges.
- At the table saw, reference the newly planed edge of the panel against the fence, and trim the opposing edge to bring the panel to its exact dimension. Then use the cross-cut sled on the table-saw to cut the other two parallel sides. (figure M ).
- Using the exact thickness dimension of the finished panel (5/8-inch), cut the rabbets in the case pieces. At the router table, cut the rabbets into the side-stock using a 3/8-inch spiral carbide-bit (figure N). Make the cut in two passes.
- Next, cut the stop-rabbets in the top and bottom stock using stop-blocks to define the cuts (figure O). Again, make the rabbet cuts in two passes, bumping the fence over between cuts.
- Square the corners of the stop-rabbet using a 3/8-inch corner-chisel.
- Use a plunge-router with a keyhole bit to bore two slots on the back of the top piece (figure P). These holes will be used later for mounting the display case on the wall.
Layout for Adjustable Shelves The adjustable glass shelves inside the case will be suspended using shelf pins. To drill the holes in the sides for the shelf pins, create a jig from MDF with a stop on one end. The jig should be cut to the exact length of the side pieces. Ours was laid out so that the holes for the shelf-pins begin 5 inches from the bottom and the top. To make the shelves adjustable, the holes for the pins are drilled every two inches. - With the drill-jig attached parallel to the back rabbet, use the drill press and 1/4-inch bit to drill holes 3/8-inches deep (figure Q).
- Re-position the jig and make a parallel column of holes.
- Repeat the drilling process on the other side piece.
In the segment that follows, the display case is assembled and a wood finish is applied. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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