# Need help to pick design for microwave cart/pantry



## jim1959 (Feb 14, 2010)

Need help friends picking design for microwave cart lady wants just a 24 inch deep x 24 inch wide x 48 inch high stand with doors to put microwave on then shelves inside as a pantry type deal.
She wants me to glue up boards as she wants sold wood.
I suggested using 3/4 inch plywood then put 3/4×3/4 solid wood on plywood fronts.

I would think she wants wheels on it would 2-3 inch be right size am new to this so need all advice caan get.
I am not yet good with dado's so do you think using screws glue would be good to assemble with.
Need all hel;p l can get from my friends here.

Thanks

Jim


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

Sounds like a good starter project. I'd start by drawing it by hand with the dimensions, then zooming in on any joints that might be tricky.

You could make the top and bottom attached to the sides and have the shelves inside adjustable with the 1/4" pins. If you don't want to do any dadoes, try rabbets on the top and bottom of the sides to set the top and bottom boards into. This will help hold the frame together while the glue cures, and you won't have to worry about any screws showing. Using the hardwood to cover the plywood edges is standard practice and makes the panels much easier to build.

Harbor Freight has a nice selection of wheels.

You might want to build a plywood carcass, then cover that with a face frame that you build to fit, so little measuring is needed. I would then make the doors overlap the face frame, as inset doors are a bit trickier.

I hope this helps. Good luck, and keep us posted.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

This will essentially be a base cabinet on wheels and the biggest problem will be building it so that it doesn't try to rack as it's moved around. I would probably build it with 3/4" ply on the back and sides and a faceframe. I would use gussets internally to prevent racking.

It can have doors or drawers, and I would make them overlay so there aren't binding issues.

I wouldn't use wheels less than 3" diameter or you might have issues on some floor surfaces. The wheels can be hidden with some kind of skirt around the bottom.

How will you get power to the microwave?


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## hazbro (Mar 19, 2010)

dados and rabbets are easy. take a piece of plywood scrap with squared edges, and clamp a straight edge to it somewhere in the field. set your bit depth to 3/8ths or whatever and cut the groove. measure down from your marks at the straight edge to the top or bottom of the dado and this will give you the distance to set your straight edge on your workpiece for that size router bit and sub base.


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## jim1959 (Feb 14, 2010)

Hey CaptainSkully, Sawkerf, Hazbro thanks so much guys all great advice if l could only express how greatful l am for all your help will combine all advice l have a bunch or storem bought pine going to glue up this week make one to show her then she can have it or my wife will then make customer hers as she wishes.
I will practice as advised on scrap wood plenty of it thanks so much guys again your all the greatesst bunch of guys and gals here on LJ's.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

1/4" plywood for the back should be plenty to keep it from racking. It also would work better if fit into a dado that goes all the way around the back. Be careful so that the dado doesn't show through. You might need to stop the dado on two of the four sides, depending on how you design the cabinet.


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

Jim, I concur with the plywood. If you try for solid wood, you will have a lot of problems due to the humidity around your area. Rand


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