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2x4 Cabinet

Project by SPalm posted 220 days ago 1272 views 3 times favorited 37 comments Add to Favorites
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SPalm

702 posts in 333 days


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2x4 cabinet

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2x4 Cabinet 2x4 Cabinet 2x4 Cabinet Click the pictures to enlarge them

Well this has been fun. I had not used my jointer, planer, or bandsaw for over 15 years. It was great to be back in the shop building something that was neither a home improvement nor another machine. I had never done any resawing before, and really came to like it.

I wanted to build the largest piece of furniture that I could design out of a 2×4. I chose a cabinet on legs to make it look bigger. I tried to include several design elements to enhance this thought; use frame and panel to maximize wood usage, hold the legs away from the cabinet, splay out the legs at the top, use a wider piece for the horizontal rails to add heft, and sweep these rails up. I used dovetails for flair and strength. It is finished with an oil/poly blend.

The entire piece is 43” tall. The cabinet is about 10” wide, because that is the width of three 2×4s. I made it about 16” high to keep to the golden ratio (1:1.6). The depth is around 7”, or two 2×4s. I made the legs from what was left over. They about 30”. The square stiles are 5/8” thick, which is the max I could obtain after removing the bandsaw marks. These pieces became quite delicate with dovetails at each end and dados on two sides to hold the panels.

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon


37 comments so far

View robfrommaine's profile

robfrommaine

4 posts in 221 days


posted 220 days ago

Very impressive, creative piece. Guess the skill and talent doesn’t go away after a 15 year lay off, eh?

-- Rob, Maine

View Popintraining's profile

Popintraining

109 posts in 289 days


posted 220 days ago

Nice piece
This contest is really bringing out some awesome designs.

-- Illegitimis nil carborundum - Don't let the bastards grind you down http://woodworkingtipsfrompop.com

View scottb's profile

scottb

2876 posts in 778 days


posted 220 days ago

You certainly succeeded on going as big as possible. Nice design, way to stretch out that stud!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

View mot's profile

mot

4839 posts in 487 days


posted 220 days ago

That’s great, Steve!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

8577 posts in 273 days


posted 220 days ago

Like I have said before I will never look at a 2×4 in the same vein ever again. It is simply amazing what is lying beneath the surface of common construction lumber. I love the elegance and design of your piece. Holding the legs out from the cabinet and using dovetails was highly imaginative.

But leaving the tools sitting idle for 15 years? I am surprised that the tools even worked anymore. We need to find a way to get you some more shop time. Hopefully this project has rekindled the woodworking fire.

Thanks for sharing.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Paul's profile

Paul

589 posts in 543 days


posted 220 days ago

Great job . . . another wonderful entry!

-- Paul, Texas

View Jimthecarver's profile

Jimthecarver

199 posts in 236 days


posted 220 days ago

And to think that was a 2X4. I will be very interested in seeing who wins. From what I have seen made from a 2X4 in the last few weeks, I think your all winners! Awesome job.
Nice dovetail work, and the knots in the wood add just the right look.

-- A duck that brags on his own pond, soon swims alone.

View Marge's profile

Marge

129 posts in 404 days


posted 220 days ago

Nice work – imagine this from a 2X4

-- Marge, Colorado

View Alin Dobra's profile

Alin Dobra

316 posts in 339 days


posted 220 days ago

Steve,

I was watching your blog and wondering how the project would look like when done. I really like the design you came up with (a little Chinese influence for the shape of the legs, if I’m not mistaken).

Alin

-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida

View Les Hastings's profile

Les Hastings

417 posts in 224 days


posted 220 days ago

I looked at a 2×4 today,,,,funny I didn’t see that in there. Nice work, perfect design!

-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

702 posts in 333 days


posted 220 days ago

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I have been building some things over the last years, but just not anything that required jointing or planing. I like this a lot, and I just became an empty nester, so I hope to continue it.

Alan, I like to think some Oriental influence too. Thanks for noticing. I recently have fallen in love with Thos Moser’s American Bungalow collection and hope to replicate a piece or two in the near future. Arts and Crafts with an Oriental influence.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

3987 posts in 669 days


posted 220 days ago

Not bad for a rusty old woodworker. <g>

Fantastic job, Steve. I just don’t think HD sells those kind of 2×4’s down here in my neck of the woods.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View DocK16's profile

DocK16

408 posts in 538 days


posted 220 days ago

Extremely inovative, I love the joinery.

-- DocK, WV

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

702 posts in 333 days


posted 220 days ago

Charlie, That’s why I bought it at Lowes :)

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1811 posts in 537 days


posted 220 days ago

Nice work steve…the dovetails look great and I love the design.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View Douglas Bordner's profile (online now)

Douglas Bordner

2467 posts in 514 days


posted 220 days ago

Damn fine piece of work, Steve. Very shapely and oriental. Way more than any 2×4 would deserve, even a Lowe’s board. My hat is off to you.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5352 posts in 517 days


posted 220 days ago

I’m going to Lowes first thing in the morning to get me a couple of those Furniture 2×4s. Who would have known that they held such beauty.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Karson's profile

Karson

12736 posts in 851 days


posted 220 days ago

Steve: A great job. Nice Krenov chest. A real beauty. Congratulations on finishing.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

View Blake's profile

Blake

1876 posts in 325 days


posted 220 days ago

Beautiful design! A lot of thought must have gone in to planning it out to fit the 2×4. Well done.

-- Dust collectors suck.

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

7197 posts in 325 days


posted 219 days ago

Very, very impressive.

-- Maplewood, MN

View Russel's profile

Russel

1214 posts in 390 days


posted 219 days ago

Very nice cabinet and from a 2×4 no less. Good work. I like the way the legs attach and the dovetail joinery. Both add just enough flair to a clean design.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

11646 posts in 611 days


posted 219 days ago

Goal achieved.
challenge met
project outstanding!!
can’t get any better than that.

It’s gorgeous. Love those legs

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View mrtrim's profile

mrtrim

1524 posts in 331 days


posted 219 days ago

oh yea , i love this piece ! great design , nice work steve

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

625 posts in 352 days


posted 219 days ago

Your cabinet is a work of art Steve. We like it a lot. (Mrs YS is taking as much interest in this competition as I am).. Good move to turn the possible door into a shelf. It works well.

A million miles away from a hunk of construction timber!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

702 posts in 333 days


posted 219 days ago

Thanks everyone. It was a blast. I was jealous of other peoples 2×4s without any knots, but in the end, they look alright.

Stewart: My Mrs also has also kept a keen interest. It is fun to work together. And agreed, the shelf works.

Karson: Did you notice the toaster tong in pic #1? You inspired it. I cut it with my CNC from solid cherry.

Also in that picture is a sliding dovetailed box.

The pottery was done by a good friend of ours. It shows well.

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

2914 posts in 765 days


posted 219 days ago

View gene's profile

gene

2132 posts in 334 days


posted 219 days ago

Hay! Steve
A great looking job.
God bless

-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

3244 posts in 413 days


posted 219 days ago

Good work, Steve.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

View Zuki's profile

Zuki

823 posts in 528 days


posted 219 days ago

I really like the dovetails and how they attach the legs.

Good job steve

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

View cheller's profile

cheller

227 posts in 560 days


posted 218 days ago

Very nice. The proportions are wonderful.

-- Chelle http://artsgranddaughter.blogspot.com

View shaun's profile

shaun

360 posts in 356 days


posted 217 days ago

great job Steve. very creative design. Love the oriental look.

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

View WoodJack49's profile

WoodJack49

189 posts in 213 days


posted 212 days ago

Great project. Do you plan to make one from a hardwood?

-- Jack - Mission Viejo, Calif

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

702 posts in 333 days


posted 211 days ago

Well again, thanks everyone for the nice comments.

Woodjack, I do plan on making some pieces using some of the concepts I played with on this. But not repeat this exact design. I really like the concept of holding the legs away from the cabinet, to give it an airy look. I hope to find some time this spring to really get going. But time is so hard to find.

And thanks everyone for voting for this in the 2×4 contest. I won the largest number of 5th place votes! Yea!

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Bruce's profile

Bruce

61 posts in 226 days


posted 210 days ago

Gee, around every corner I learn something new on Lumberjocks. I once built a table out of 2 X 4’s to use as a TV stand wen I got out of college. My friends laughed at me and we often joked about it. But now that I have been here and seen some of the things you guys are making out of pPINE, I realize its just another type of wood. Nice design.

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

2596 posts in 430 days


posted 67 days ago

Hi Steve;

This is great!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View Mark DeCou's profile

Mark DeCou

1271 posts in 856 days


posted 62 days ago

I was walking through some of the old projects and found this one. I missed it when it was posted. Great design and use of a 2×4, and just wanted to tell you so.

M

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan

View Dusty56's profile

Dusty56

1024 posts in 139 days


posted 46 days ago

this is a fantastic piece that just came up on the dice roll here …Great job to say the least …I’ll never look at a 2×4 the same way again . thank you

-- Dusty56@comcast.net

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