Entertainment Center

Several months Mom asked me for an entertainment center. Her TV was sitting on some plastic tables and really needed a better setup. So I got to work, in true lumberjock fashion, and drew up plans (not nearly detailed enough) and started. The final result is impressive, especially when you know how many little mistakes are hidden in it (I really need to be way more careful with the biscuit cutter) . The carcase is panels of cherry and cherry plywood. Legs are cherry, top is a lamination of three pieces of African Mahogany. Drawers are maple with faces of 1/4” cherry. Back is cherry ply. I was worried about the colors not working but I am really very happy now that it is finished. Top works very well with the case.

The finish is 1 coat sealcoat and four coats of wipe on satin poly. I will be delivering it on Friday and the wife has already suggested that a version with a cabinet instead of drawers would make a great sideboard in the dinning area. She wants it in Teak to match our table. Haven’t worked with it before anybody got any warnings? To tell you the truth I would love to have another crack at this so that I could do it with a lot less mistakes and refine some of the techniques I learned on the first one. The drawers by the way are on wooden runners and actually work. I really had my doubts but I would do it that way again. Very satisfying to not have metal runners. I am working on my handcut dovetails they are not yet ready for a project but getting much better. Maybe in the next one.

Tomorrow I will start two new SMALL projects. Tonight I am just enjoying being done with my big projects.

-- Ron, Aptos, CA