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Looking for suggestions -

2K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  jerkylips 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've been away for a long time, haven't posted in a couple years but still read the posts periodically. Lots of changes going on that have taken me away from woodworking. I have a project I'd like to start and am looking for some suggestions.

I recently moved & want to build an entertainment center. I found one on amazon that I like & want to replicate (pic attached) with some changes. Originally I was going to do something very rustic, like finding some barn board on craigslist, or maybe pallet wood.

I have some limitations - with my move into an apartment, I have SOME of my stuff in my parents' garage but will be building with limited tools. I have my table saw, miter saw, drill, hand tools, but that's it.

My thought was that I'd rather make something that's supposed to look rustic than to try to make really clean joints, etc, & have it look sloppy. BUT, I'm open to any suggestions.

Plan is to build a plywood box with drawers, wrap it in something do the same with the top, then use angle iron (finished/painted in some way) to connect the two sections. I found 6" steel wheels at northern tool for a reasonable price, will probably mask the outside & paint the center sections.

They want $728 for this on amazon!
Wheel Furniture Tire Wood Rectangle
 

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#3 ·
jl, when you say …
Plan is to build a plywood box with drawers, wrap it in something ….

How do you mean ? Like what ?

- Yonak
that's where I'm looking for suggestions. I was thinking possibly barn boards, pallet wood, or something along those lines - something rustic. I even saw some 5" wide rustic red oak hardwood flooring (unfinished) at lumber liquidators that i was thinking could work, to distress & finish.
 
#4 ·
Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, or any architectural salvage companies nearby?
Used flooring would already be distressed. Craigslist would be another source.
 
#7 ·
My only suggestion is to do a little audio video homework. The enclosure should be vented if you are putting equipment inside it. I also do not recommend placing speakers inside an enclosure. It effects are like singing in the shower. Not so good.
 
#9 ·
I would skip the plywood part and just make it from solid wood. Wrapping plywood w/ solid wood will lead to more headaches and be a lot more trouble than using solid wood.

- bondogaposis
Unfortunately, I think the combination of my lack of skills, lack of time, lack of available equipment isn't going to allow that for this project. I had to talk myself into finding/making the time to build something at all vs just buying one.
 
#10 ·
My only suggestion is to do a little audio video homework. The enclosure should be vented if you are putting equipment inside it. I also do not recommend placing speakers inside an enclosure. It effects are like singing in the shower. Not so good.

- timbertailor
drawers are primarily going to be for dvd's, etc. I have a sound bar that will sit on top, in front of the tv. the open shelf will just be blu ray, roku box
 
#12 ·
For my $.02, when I look at that, I immediately think plain old 2X4s. Rip some in half and laminate for the top and cap the ends to hide the end grain (angle iron will hide the end grain of the caps). Same for the top and bottom of the drawer box but just edge glue 'em. cut a 2X6 to length for the drawer dividers and the side walls. Just the way I'd lean, especially if I were going to distress/paint it. You could do it all with TS, CMS and a few clamps for glue ups. Hand plane would be helpful getting the top nice and flat though you could probably get it "good enough" with a careful glue-up.
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
I would skip the plywood part and just make it from solid wood.
- bondogaposis

Unfortunately, I think the combination of my lack of skills, lack of time, lack of available equipment isn't going to allow that for this project. I had to talk myself into finding/making the time to build something at all vs just buying one.
- jerkylips
It just seems to me there would be more work trying to fashion a "skin" over the plywood than building completely using real wood. ..Strictly my 2¢. I don't know your full plan.
 
#14 ·
So, I've been thinking of this & had another idea - but I'm not sure if this is reasonable or not. Rather than building with plywood & then covering it, would it be possible to just distress the plywood itself? I'm posting a link below to a technique that I thought would give me the look I'm after.

I was thinking that once I cut the panels to size, i could make some shallow cuts to give the illusion of individual boards, then finish by distressing it. Does this sound like it would work?

I'm not doing blue, but other than the color this is pretty much the look I was going after -

http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2013/01/distressing-boards-to-look-like-barn.html
 
#15 ·
It's hard to say. Get some scrap that's the same as you're going to use for the build and give it a whirl.

The biggest issue I see with your plan is end grain. Plywood end grain looks like plywood unless you edge band it or prep it with drywall mud or something similar. If you're not going to edge the plywood, you're not going to be able to hide all the edges. If you cut the shallow kerfs to give the appearance of separate boards, it's going to be obvious that they're not separate boards on the ends. Even with cutting the kerfs, it's not really going to look like separate boards because you're going to have matching grain. I'd be afraid it's just gonna look like plywood with kerfs cut in it. If you do decide to go that route, you might consider ripping the ply into 4-6" strips and "mixing" them up to break up the grain pattern. I think that would give a much more convincing look than the kerfs. You'll still have to live with the end grain though.
 
#16 ·
It s hard to say. Get some scrap that s the same as you re going to use for the build and give it a whirl.

The biggest issue I see with your plan is end grain. Plywood end grain looks like plywood unless you edge band it or prep it with drywall mud or something similar. If you re not going to edge the plywood, you re not going to be able to hide all the edges. If you cut the shallow kerfs to give the appearance of separate boards, it s going to be obvious that they re not separate boards on the ends. Even with cutting the kerfs, it s not really going to look like separate boards because you re going to have matching grain. I d be afraid it s just gonna look like plywood with kerfs cut in it. If you do decide to go that route, you might consider ripping the ply into 4-6" strips and "mixing" them up to break up the grain pattern. I think that would give a much more convincing look than the kerfs. You ll still have to live with the end grain though.

- HokieKen
I was thinking about the end grain issue too…I could miter it, but…yeah, not sure.
 
#17 ·
You can "age" nice pine 1×6 with steel wood soaked in vinegar over night and old coffee grounds or tea bags in some water, or make fresh 'tea' soaking in fresh water overnignt. The next day: coat the boards with the vinegar/steel wool mix. Let dry and then coat with the coffee or tea. Apply second coats if you want it darker or rub on a little oak minwax stain. When it was all dry I 'blended' it a bit with steel wool.
 
#18 ·
OK, follow up question for the experts. I went walking around Menard's at lunch today to look for some inspiration.. I found some 1×4 fir porch flooring that I think is exactly the grain/look that I'm looking for. I kind of wanted to stay away from pine, only because I'm not a huge fan of the grain, and what i want to do is definitely going to accentuate the wood grain.

So, these fir boards are definitely the right look, but because it's flooring it's T&G. If I do a glue up for the top, sides, etc, will it be as strong as if i was gluing flat edges to each other?
 
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