(Triumphant sound of music in the background . . . . )
The garage cabinets are finally done. Last night we cut the 2×4 we used for the french cleat on the back of the cabinets and the rail on the wall. That was a kind of terrifying experience . . . getting that much board through the Shopsmith at a 30 degree angle. I had my feather board on and pushing sticks—all the safety measures I could think of. The operation made a ton of saw dust that blanketed us . . . because I forgot to turn on the dust collector and hook it up. Sigh Cleaning up the mess was not very pleasant either, as I absently grabbed the Shopvac to attack it and Peggy noted it looked like as much was going in was going right back (Cough / Hack) out.
As you can see, the white board will be very handy. I’m a big proponent of white boards . . . I’ve designed many computer programs, database diagrams, and systems all on white boards, so our garage/workshop area should be just as organized.
Yea! A place (soon) for everything, and hopefully everything in it’s place! I just had to stick a few things in it to give it a lived in appearance. ;-)
The cleat system was THE way to go . . . hanging the cabinets was just easy, in fact scary easy. Peggy was quite amazed at how well that went. I had my doubts at first . . . I started the concrete drilling for the fasteners and wasn’t for sure I’d ever get through it. I wasn’t using a hammer drill, just my old Black and Decker 3/8” drill. That old drill has been the best tool ever . . . I used it to drive screws in the back deck, and everything in between. It’s quite amazing how well it’s held up. All that we had to do was put a board on the bottom of the cabinet to space them out from the wall, and then just hung them up. Very slick.
It’s slowly coming together!
-- Bradley Miller, Blue Springs, MO - http://myoldgarage.blogspot.com
8 comments so far
Scott Bryan
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27262 posts in 1993 days
#1 posted 1493 days ago
Nice job on the cabinets. I have never worked with whiteboard before but may have to look into it. I agree with the french cleat idea. All of my wall cabinets in the shop and upper garage are hung this way. It is slick and they go up easily enough. The only problem I have ever experienced was in hanging one cabinet in the upper garage. As I lifted it over my head to hang it on the cleat I missed cleat and ended up dropping the cabinet. I should have waited for help since it was a fairly heavy cabinet but, being a macho kind of guy, I was sure I would be able to do it by myself. :)
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
robbinscabin
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306 posts in 1659 days
#2 posted 1493 days ago
Great Idea using whiteboard! I’m just not sure in my shop how long they would stay white! LOL. Great cabinets.
-- Robbinscabin, www.facebook.com/northcountryrustics
bensaw
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50 posts in 1631 days
#3 posted 1493 days ago
Pocket screws! yay!
Looks great. You are well on your way to a space many can only dream of.
Can I ask if you have come up with a reliable method of clamping those pesky boards together while driving the pocket screw? Getting the right angles to stay flush is kind of tricky.
Thanks!
MyOldGarage
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93 posts in 1598 days
#4 posted 1493 days ago
We didn’t have too many problems on the right angles once we figured out which way to turn things. I finally ended up with the top/shelves being held up and the side board laying down. We just held them in place, but I would imagine next time a small stop screwed in might be good, or maybe using a triangle perhaps with some sandpaper to keep the wood from scooting. Hmm.
-- Bradley Miller, Blue Springs, MO - http://myoldgarage.blogspot.com
Chris
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338 posts in 1528 days
#5 posted 1493 days ago
Great post, thanks! Do you really have two shopsmiths? ;-]
-- Chris
MyOldGarage
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93 posts in 1598 days
#6 posted 1493 days ago
Yep—here’s a pic after a little cleanup after last night’s project finishing:
The nearest is a 510 I got off Craigslist with a bevy of goodies, and the other one (at right) is my grandfather’s 500 that my dad gave me. He moved to a 520. :-)
-- Bradley Miller, Blue Springs, MO - http://myoldgarage.blogspot.com
bensaw
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50 posts in 1631 days
#7 posted 1493 days ago
As for the clamping, I found these a couple of months ago…I ordered some but have yet to really try to play with them.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10113&filter=clamp%20it
Gary
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3554 posts in 1604 days
#8 posted 1492 days ago
I’m really uncomfortable with the drawing of the shop. Not enough clutter for me. I go into shock if the shop is too clean
-- Gary, DeKalb Texas only 4 miles from the mill
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