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This thing has been a pain in my butt since day 1. I know some of you know that too. First I built the sides and they cupped to much in the center. So after getting good advise from this site, I did them over and they still cupped alittle, but not as bad. I wanted to build this thing with no screws, just dowels and biscuits. I since have learned that I need new clamps. They're called deep throat clamps. Without those I couldnt draw the sides in close enough to the shelves when I was assembling this with glue. Dry fit, it was perfect. So I then built a frame for each shelf mounted underneath and used screws. Didn't work either. Guess the glue was already drying. So then I drilled a hole in one side and screwed it in from the outside. That didn't work either. Now the hole has a plug in it that really isn't noticable, but I know it's there. So my two long shelves have a tiny 1/16" gap in the center of the shelves that nobody is gonna see, but I know it's there. It's not gonna fall apart with screws and dowels, but it made me so mad I wanted to burn it and start all over. And no I really don't have a bad temper. Then for some stupid reason, I made the top too short. So I cut it down shorter and ran a board long ways on both ends. And then it still turned out to short if I wanted to put crown molding on it. By this time I hated it. It wasnt turning out like I had in mind at all. This is what happens when you start something without a plan. I really wasnt sure what I wanted it to look like. I just knew I wanted it to look good for a cabin. Anyway, with all the good advise on this site I did learn how to make the raised panel doors on the table saw. Thank you everyone for that. I also did get a new Orbital sander for this project. Never had one before now and I love it! Thanks Jim! Now I need more clamps if I'm gonna build anything this wide again. Thanks for looking.

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IT LOOK ' S GREAT !

if it was your 6th one , maybe burn ,
but not the first .
if you burn the first of everything ,

you would still get cold in the winter ,
and you would never have anything to show for your life ,
but the flue !

it sure looks better than mine ,

it's just a bracket bolted to the wall .
with an old table from the dump under it .
 

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Janice you did a great job it looks very nice and you finally made those raised panels that is good, I like the finish also, thanks for posting.
 

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Janice, I just came in from my shop, leaving an ill conceived dadgum cutting board, of all things, and just very well ready to have a tool sale and take up watching the evening news again. Yours is the first project I came to and it is beautifully done. You have every right to be proud of it. Your story is similar to mine and many others. I loved it. You'll grow to enjoy the story too. And now I can think about approaching that cutting board again, but maybe not tonight. Thanks for sharing.
 

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Well, since I'm a nice guy, and you hate it that bad, just ship it down here to me and I will be proud to use it. Funny thing about us woodworkers, just knowing that there is some little, bitty, teeninny, something not quite right and we think it is awful, but we someone else see's it, they say something like I'm going to say to you. It looks great, man (or guess I should say, LADY) you sure do have a lot of talent, must make you feel real good to be able to create something so nice. And then they say, I wish I could do that, it must have took you weeks to build that, I could never do anything like that, do you go to school to learn to do that, wish I had a talent like yours.
So, maybe, just maybe, you're beating yourself up when you should be patting yourself on the back. Plus, you can take comfort in the fact that any little mistake you might have made, is probably not as bad as you thought and the best part is that you will never make that mistake again.
I am in the process of training some folks to build furniture and when they make a mistake I always tell them. I am so glad you screwed that up because now I know you won't ever do it again.
If we didn't make mistakes, we wouldn't be learning anything and how boring would that be!!!
I really think it looks nice myself and would be happy to use it at my house.
 

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Never have so many wanted to burn so much after so little…
Never never never give up.
 

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Looks good to me! I'll tell you that being a relative new woodworker myself, I bury so many flaws in my work. I'm still learning too much, and if I kept redoing pieces everytime I cut an extra dado, I'd never finish the project and spend all my money on firewood… as long as you know what you did wrong and can learn from it, no one has to be the wiser.

Keep going!
 

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You see the flaws. We see the wonderful entertainment center you created.
 

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The trick is learning to keep all those mistakes to yourself - nobody notices them until you point them out! It looks great and I am sure it will last for years. Eventually you will forget what all the fuss was about.
 

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I forgot to mention. David, did you notice I have a little mexican thing going on in the center where the cable box is? Couldnt help but think of you after I did that.
Skylark53, I know the feeling. Wanted to sell everything a few times.
Built to last… It did take me weeks, but only because I hated it. It should have never taken me this long. It usually doesnt. Still have to finish that sideboard. Starting two projects at the same time was stupid, but I wanted raised panel doors on both and wanted to make them at the same time, since this was something new for me. And yes you might be a nice guy, but I like it now, so no you can't have it. : )
Thanks GMman for all your encouragement. There is something about running wood across the table saw horizontally that scares me. I never knew you could do it that way.
I won't lie. I cut all the stiles, rails and the panel, but my husband did the rest. Just like when he changes the blade for me, I say, you try it first. Now that I've seen it done, I know how to do it, safely. But since then we've learned more on how to do this. I hope to try the other way next to see how that turns out.
 

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Well, I didn't give up Larry. Thanks.
 

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Steve, you are so right. I'm not telling my friends that see it in person anything.
 

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janice i did notice it ,
but i tried to enlarge it ,
no luck .
but it looks like a guy fishing in a little boat ,
with two square rigged ships in the back ground ?
 

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No silly David. I meant the cut out I did where the cable box is. It's Mexican looking, to me. I think about you everytime I look at it. The drawer pull is a guy fishing out of a boat with trees on both side…. Oh that was the other thing. The drawer…. I first bought a center guide drawer thing. It wobbled too much, didnt like it. It was also cutting into the face frame. Took that back and bought the side mounts. Well something was out of square in there, not the front, but something inside. Maybe the drawer? Who knows. Anyway, took those back. Bought another wooden center guide this time. Perfect fit! Another thing I did new with this project was the door hinges. They are recessed in. Had to drill a hole in my doors, a big hole. First I bought the wrong ones, had to take them back too. Too many trips to the hardware store for this. But I got them on without screwing the doors up.
 

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ok now i got it ,
yes it does .

one thing i always had a problem with ,
was telling all my clients all about woodworking and the techniques ,
well some where alone the job ,
just as i was having a hard time or made a mistake ,
they would show up and asked me why i didn't do it ' that way ' .
my mistake was that i thought they understood and cared ,
turns out they wanted fast and cheap .
i'm learning to keep my mouth shut .

here on LJ's , sharing success and mistake is different ,
maybe someone has a different way ,
maybe someone can learn something new .
and all of us know that mistakes are part of the journey .

but if you get frustrated , make a drawing and think it through ,
it can help to get an idea of what is coming up .

you can always adapt as you go .
 

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Janice:
I can appreciate your feelings about your project. I feel that way about everything I build. I keep building in hopes that one day I will be able to craft something that looks like it did in my mind's eye. I have gotten many compliments on my projects but until they measure up to my expectations, they are just another project done.
Keep on keeping on. Your project looks fine to us.
Take care.
 

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I look at projects the way I look at my children, Janice. I have good boys but when I miss them, I think of their quirks, the things that make them unique. My projects may be flawed but the flaws are the proof that I interacted with the wood and made it my own. They are my signature. I don't seek to remove them completely, just reduce the size so it is not a John Hancock, but a more meek and tiny "David Craig built this." :)

Your cabinet is beautiful. You challenged yourself and gained much experience out of this project. You modified the design as needed, which shows a great deal of adaptability.

I am glad you stuck it out, kept it out of the bonfire, and made the piece part of your living room. I can tell by the pictures, it belongs there.

Pat yourself on the back and do not judge yourself more harshly than you would others. If truth be told, if one of us posted the same project, you would be heaping on the praise.

Congratulations are in order, watch the TV with pride!

David
 

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Looks great Janice. The biggest critic is the person building it. I will get a good review on something I built, but in my own mind I think I could have done something different or better. I think we always are our own harshest critics. You did a very nice job.
 

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I think we've all had projects that went this way, Janice. I'm glad you stuck it out because the final result is excellent. What flaws there may be would be known only to the maker (unless she blabbed it all over the internet…lol).

By the way, that cabin is starting to look more and more like a palace.
 

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I like your way of thinking David. I did adapt as I went along. Had no other choice, well one, but I won't go there again.
Gary, thanks, you feel alot like I do alot.
And Wayne, thank you.
David Craig. I don't even watch TV out there. My husband does. I like my music. He wants a big screen on the wall. I hate waking up in the morning and hearing that stupid TV.
 

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Ah Janice, that looks great! Too bad you had so much trouble with it, but you didn't let it beat you, and it really is a nice piece of furniture! We all see the flaws long after we've built something. Now I'm anxious to see your sideboard, too. Good work!
 
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