# Custom Dishwasher Panel Progress



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*Design Phase. Getting off my ....*

*The Quest*
The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.

Anyway, near the top of the list of 100 thinks to do around the house…. Build custom dishwasher panel.










The dishwasher I bought has a harness. Build a panel. Screw to harness. Attach harness to dishwasher and voila… Custom panel.









Here is a shot of the waiting bay for the dishwasher.

*Murky water*
The dishwasher comes with following "relevant" diagrams of panel dimensions.

























*Design*








Something like this anyway. Basic door like my cabinet doors, but taller.

I decided to simplify the beadboard this time by putting slots on both edges and then milling splines to fit rather than tongue and groove. This cuts down the router runs by 2. I am also only v-grooving one face. Cutting down on one more extra set up. (though I have to mill splines.










*Planning*
I spent some time planning out cutlists and procedures.
Dishpanel Cutlist




Name



Number



Thickness



Width



Length



Bottom
Rail



1



3/4



2



23 5/8



Top
Rail



2



3/4



1 1/2



23 5/8



Filler



2



7/8



4



34 1/2



Bead
Board



7



3/4



3 3/8



27



baseboard



1



3/4



3 1/2



23 5/8



Spline



8



1/4



1/2



27



Procedure
1. Mill rail, filler and beadbaord stock
2. Beadboard
a. Cut slots ¼ x ½ on router table or table saw.
b. Cut edge "half" v-groove on router table
c. Cut middle v-groove on router table
3. Mill Splines to fit
4. "Domino" beadboard into rails.
5. Sand to 220
6. Glue up
7. Mill filler and baseboard stock
8. Finish
a. 2 coats red mahogany gel stain
b. dewaxed shellac
c. 3 coats wipe on poly

*Motivate*
I need to get going on this. Since work started again I have been very tired and not super motivated. But the list of 100 things to do must happen. So I am going out this afternoon to look for some stock in the pile.

Wish me luck.


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Design Phase. Getting off my ....*
> 
> *The Quest*
> The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.
> ...


That looks like a really cool project. I admire your thoroughness in planning it out before starting any of the milling, etc. I usally do it the other way around, and end up regretting it. Looking forward to seeing the completed result!


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## Treefarmer (Mar 19, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Design Phase. Getting off my ....*
> 
> *The Quest*
> The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.
> ...


Looks good John. Can't wait to see this all finished.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Design Phase. Getting off my ....*
> 
> *The Quest*
> The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.
> ...


I wondered how they put the panel on the metal door.

Now I know. at least one way.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Design Phase. Getting off my ....*
> 
> *The Quest*
> The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.
> ...


The drawings on these things are always a little ding-dongy ( probably lost in the translation) but I think you will get through it just fine. You have a plan.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Design Phase. Getting off my ....*
> 
> *The Quest*
> The kitchen is somewhat functional but waiting for its doors and drawers and pullouts. Allright.. it's not that functional.
> ...


I always wondered, as well.

MOTIVATION.. MOTIVATION… MOTIVATION… 
I hope that helped


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*Stocking Up.*

*Motivation*
Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.

Good advice actually. I was dead tired after some yard work, but I went into the shop Sunday afternoon on Kristin's advice.

*Board Selection*
I made some changes to the cutlist to reflect a few new measurements. Also I did not have enough wide boards and wanted to avoid having to slice up any more beams.









Revised cut list

So I culled through my pile of old fir and pulled out some prime specimens.









I finished up Sunday by rough cutting my boards.

















Shop buddy supervising









The rough length boards. The large stack of mostly vertical grain will become the beadboard field. The bottom two boards will become the rails. They are plain sawn with more prominent grain.

*Milling*
Tonight I set out for an hour to mill up the stock to finished dimensions.

I had already planed the boards when I cut up the beams a few weeks back, but I gave them a pass or two on the jointer and then thicknessed them to a little under 3/4".

One technique I always use on the jointer is to pencil mark the edge or face so I can guage progress as I work. You can hear it too, but I like the visual of the dissappearing pencil lines.

















I finished up on the table and mitre saws and set then set out my pile of finished stock. I cut one too short, but had set aside an extra for such an occasion.









Milled and ready for joinery. I stack 'em for air circulation. Not sure how necessary this is.

Tomorrow I will route the grooves, splines, and v's.


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## Don (Dec 18, 2006)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


Nice work, and you won't have to do this tomorrow. LOL


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


John, I do the same thing when jointing and planing. It's reassuring to see the pencil lines get milled off. There's something pleasurable about milling lumber, isn't there? I love being able to take a crusty, rough board and expose the beauty inside.

Looking forward to seeing the next stages of your project!


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


So, is this fir left over from your cabinet project?

Do we get to watch more glue dry?

Is that a Festool?

Do you plan on this panel matching the cabinets?

I'm looking forward to another great project.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


Me too


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


Thanks for the comments gentlemen.

Sawdust: Some of it is left over and I acquired some more beams including taking some from a construction project on a nearby home with permission.

Festool! = birthday present from wifel. Awesome little thing.

This panel will match the cabinets yes, but larger than the doors.

Maybe I will let you watch poly dry this time.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


Either I forgot to hit the right button or someone removed my earlier post.

In response to "Awesome little thing" I asked if it was the Festool or Kristen.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Stocking Up.*
> 
> *Motivation*
> Wife: Just get out there and start working on it.
> ...


c. all of the above.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*New Beadboard Style*

*New Joinery Option*









In my cabinet project I milled up stacks of tongue and groove beadboard. I never even thought about making it with grooves on both sides and milling splines until I read an article on Finehomebuilding.com (which I highly recommend; get a subscription to their online content).

Cutting only grooves simplifies the joinery and set-up time by a huge amount.









Beadboard calls for just 2 bits, though you could run the grooves on the tablesaw and dispense with the slot cutter. This is a 1/4" slot cutter set to 1/2" depth.









Setting the height: I mark a line and eyeball it.









After a test cut, I needed to raise the bit.









Groovin. I run three passes. One lite pass away from the bearing. One against the bearing, and one on the opposite face to center.









A finished board.









The grooved boards in their layout.









Side view

Next time: Splines


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *New Beadboard Style*
> 
> *New Joinery Option*
> 
> ...


Hi, John, OK


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## Don (Dec 18, 2006)

gizmodyne said:


> *New Beadboard Style*
> 
> *New Joinery Option*
> 
> ...


The only way, Mate!


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## Treefarmer (Mar 19, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *New Beadboard Style*
> 
> *New Joinery Option*
> 
> ...


Looking good John. I agree Fine Homebuilding, like Fine Woodworking is a must have for me. The online versions of both are amazing resources.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *New Beadboard Style*
> 
> *New Joinery Option*
> 
> ...


You also don't have to have the height perfect if you keep the same side of the boards down. Close is good enough. A lot quicker than tongue and groove.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *New Beadboard Style*
> 
> *New Joinery Option*
> 
> ...


I thought about that, but I like to keep my options open by having the freedom to use either face up later on.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*V's and Splines and a little advice needed*

*V-groove*
I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.









Setting the v-bit

I used a set-up block saved from a prior project to get the v-bit set. The edge groove is simple enough. Just set the bit height to 1/8 and then bury it halfway behind the fence. I climb cut first to get a smooth cut on the fir. The bit is barely exposed so it is a pretty safe operation though I use paddles too.









Beadboard detail

Running the center groove is a bit more complicated. To get the bit in the center I draw a line on one board and use that to set the fence.

The challenge with running a v-down the middle of a board is to not have it kick away from the fence. Otherwise you will draw a squiggly v-groove. (Ask me how I know). So I set up a secondary fence to trap the workpiece and prevent it from kicking back. I learned this technique from the CMT window sash directions.









Running the center "v" with two fences.









Another view









Success!

*Splines*
I resawed some fir down to a bit over 1/4" then tested/planed/tested/planed…until I got a nice fit.








Spline test









I ripped the splines down to a hair under 1"









The splines installed. I cut them under the length of the b-board so I wouldn't have to monkey with them during assembly.









The beadboard panel dry fit.

*Weigh in*
To attach the top and bottom rails on my doors I used a very time consuming method of stop-slotting the rails
and running tongues on the beadboard.








the old method_

This time I was going to use my domino to attach the rails. Sticking a domino in each beadboard end. Gluing the 2 on the end of each rail, and letting the middles ones float.

I also though about just pocket screwing it from the back since the back is completely hidden.

Any other ideas. Or am I on the wrong track altogether?

Thanks,

John


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


Why not just make the end of the panel one long tenon and then make one long mortise with the router table stopping it a half inch from the end of the cross board(bread board?). You could make the mortise 1/4 inch longer than the tenon for expansion and glue it in the center and put in screws from the back to hold it on. If I remember correctly this is a panel to go on the front of the dishwasher and no one can see the back.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


That is how I did it before. I did not plan for the etra 1" of material to accomadate that tenon. I wanted to try something new.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


Well, in that case maybe the Domino is the answer. But I think you would want to attach it solid in the middle and let it expand outward. Or if you could arrange some slack in the middle, say an 1/8, you could attach it solid on the ends. Or just glue it soild and see what happens. Our new dishwasher seems to put out a lot of heat and moisture under the counter. A dishwasher was part of the new kitchen I am building for Carleen. I've never had a dishwasher so don't know much about them. Just how to put them in. We also put in a garbage deposal. I asked Carleen what she and ol' Moondog were going to do now that their primary jobs had been automated? I guess it gives her more time to supervise my activities.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


A new way to play Dominos.

If you've got an awesome little thing you ought to play with it.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


Thos.: Thanks for all the thought. I did leave a bit of room on the the splines, which I have not decided: should I glue those in on one side? I do want to direct the movement towards the center since I am trying to get a tight fit. Hallaleuia Automation. We have not had either for years.

Lee: True. I mainly got it for an upcoming window project, but used it for some screens already and it is fast (the domino).


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## shaun (Sep 16, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


One of the things I admire is someone who can update an older house without losing the look of the older house, you've certainly got that one nailed.

I've got a question about the dishwasher. Where does it vent to? It's tough to tell from the pictures. Pretty much every dishwsher I've seen vents the steam from the hot water out the front of the unit which probably wouldn't be good for the panel. But you've obviously got a pretty fancy dishwasher there, I can't even find the cotrols never mind the vent.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *V's and Splines and a little advice needed*
> 
> *V-groove*
> I had a break from work yesterday before Back to School Night so I headed out again to finish the beadboard field.
> ...


Shaun. Thanks. Missed this comment.

It vents internally. And the controls are along the top of the door.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*Domino-ed breadboards*

*Domino*
This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.










I set the domino for exact width cuts (8×50mm dominos) on the outer mortises and wide on the rest. All of the beadboard pieces received exact cut mortises. It took less than 20 minutes (lots of being cautious) to cut all 32 mortises.










I glued only the outer tenons. The rest will float (my attempt to account for future wood movement).










*Assembly*
No problem. Just a little mallet persuasion. 

















Testing on the machine.









And for Lee.. A little Glue up.

Next time: Sanding, fitting, staining, Yawn.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


Good job John, really looks nice.


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


The domino looks like a great tool. 20 minutes for 32 mortices … really quick.

Nicely thought out project. Looking forward to seeing it istalled.


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## Don (Dec 18, 2006)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


It's a great tool. I've long been impressed with it. Certainly, if I was renovating a house, I think I could justify the cost. However….

Nice work, John.


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


John, thanks for sharing this series. I liked reading about your experiences with the Domino. Does the Domino do tenons small enough to replicate the function of a biscuit joiner? I also wondered how expensive the tenons are. I guess I can research these things myself if I'm not too lazy .

Nice work on the dishwasher facade. Looking forward to the next post!

Regards,

Robb


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## shaun (Sep 16, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


I posted this in part 4 and meant to put it here…

One of the things I admire is someone who can update an older house without losing the look of the older house, you've certainly got that one nailed.

I've got a question about the dishwasher. Where does it vent to? It's tough to tell from the pictures. Pretty much every dishwsher I've seen vents the steam from the hot water out the front of the unit which probably wouldn't be good for the panel. But you've obviously got a pretty fancy dishwasher there, I can't even find the cotrols never mind the vent.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


IMHO, a kittlebit of offset gives the piece some class. It proves that it is not manufactured by some big CNC machine.

Another nice job.

Can't wait for the poly!


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


Don: I do have to say re: the cost: the tool is 10 or more times nicer than any other companie's product I have owned.(Aside from ny Starret combi-square) .Plus it was a gift from my wife and her parents for my birthday. I think portable tenon makers are going to be everywhere soon, especially if knock offs start to appear. The are brilliant tools.

It actually feels like cheating a little, though I feel that I have done enough tenons by router/ drill press/ hand that I can move on. It compares to using a jig vs. cutting dovetails by hand. Ahh.now i wax poetic to the Domino.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


I am going to be building 9 windows for my house and am going to use them for the loose tenons. But I am trying to work up to that with some simple projects.

Shaun: You can toss the biscuit jointer pretty much. Though I have not yet. The tenons rough out to about twio or three (or more) times the cost of biscuits. However it is a very accurate and well built tool.

Plus with the biscuit joiner I always had to go through the routine of testing biscuits in the slots . Some would be too tight, some too loose. I would have to toss tons and waste time doing this. Everysingle Domino tenon has been uniform in size.

Re: the dishwasher The venting are all handled internaly. It does not even require an air gap or any other modification unless you install the drain lower than 8" above the floor.

The controls are on the top edge of the door.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


John,
I'm listening on the Domino. I was just thinking about face frames on cabinets. I am using pocket screws but The domino system would be superior by a long ways.I wonder if it would be possible to use it in conjunction with a set of cope and stick cutters to strengthen cabinet doors? John, if you have a door set and have a minute would you do a test?I'd be interested to know how it works. Thanks
Tom


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Domino-ed breadboards*
> 
> *Domino*
> This is only my second project using the domino. This time I set the fence on top of the workpiece instead of setting both on the work surface. I was trying to center the tenon. It worked, but I am not sure if I mastered the technique since some of the parts are not perfectly flush. Possibly I rocked it on the narrow breadboards. I should have put a support piece behind the work piece. It is only a hair from flush though.
> ...


Thos: I am going to try it with a window set very soon. In general cope and stick are strong enough on the 3/4" stuff. I am going to reinforce the windows which run at around 1 1/2" It would work fine: I know someone who has already done so on a door and window project.

The pocket scews are still pretty quick since there is no clampling. I am going to continue to use them for face frames since you will never see the back. The domino excels at higher end pieces where you will see both faces and need extra strength. Though you can't route through a pocket screw and you won't hurt anything if you hit a domino or biscuit.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*

*100 steps to a great finish*
I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.









Sand to 220. Get in the grooves.









Making the washcoat to prevent blotching .. 90% Mineral Spirits









Washcoat Part 2: 10% Boiled Linseed Oil









Apply Washcoat with cloth.









Inspecting the coat. If there are any sanding marks or glue spots this is the time to get them.









Applying stain with brush.









Clean off.









Get into the grooves with a glue brush.









Cleaning excess stain with screwdriver and cloth.









After 2 coats.









Seal coat time: Slightly Thinned Dewaxed Shellac









Shellacing with a rubber(rolled cloth in another cloth).









Sanding between coats with 320. Just enough to bring down the tackiness.









Wiping on the Minwax Wipe on Poly.









3 coats of Satin!

Finally I am ready to install! Along with some more drawer fronts.


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## David (Jan 26, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


John -

Very nice tutorial. I have admired this since the your first posting. Thanks!


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


It is really neat to see how much you have done on your house and how you have progressed in your skills!


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Good looking panel! Looking forward to the finished kitchen pictures…


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Thanks for the comments.

Things are moving along slowly. Now that work is back on, I have very little time. The finishing projects take over the entire shop.

Maybe a sprayer someday.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Yep, spraying is the only way to go.


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## Radish (Apr 11, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


I'm with Todd. Giz, you can get in cheaper and cheaper by the day. I have a dinky little pancake sprayer and a less than $90 conversion gun. Turbines getting cheaper. Lot of stuff in the house and shop to spray. Kristin might like it too.


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## shaun (Sep 16, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Looking good John. Finishing is certainly not one of my strong suits. I like it when you guys post this kind of stuff.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Thanks Shaun. I have learned the key is patience and thin coats with plenty of dry time in between. Like anything it takes practice.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Douglas what kind of gun do you have? I only have a little Craftsman compressor.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Thanks John, I've got some big Fir to finish soon. this is bound to help. How long did you wait after applying the wash coat before staining?


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Thomas: You apply it as quick as possible, if it starts to evaporate put more on.

The guys who refinished woodwork in my house used the Minwax prestain conditioner and a non-gel stain. It looks pretty good. I like this method however.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


You did it! Now we get to watch the poly dry!

For those that do not subscribe the December issue of FWW evaluates sprayers.

John you now have to convince Kristin that an Apollo would be a cool tool.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Finishing the Dishwasher Panel*
> 
> *100 steps to a great finish*
> I have written about finishing douglas fir before, but I keep getting lots of questions about it so here I go.
> ...


Thanks… I will check out the article.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*

*Scribing*
I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.









The first two strips did not fit well, but then I switched from the jigsaw to the bandsaw for cut out. It went
so well that I decided to just go ahead and scribe the real trim, since it was lighter and easier to see the pencil lines.

Here I have the trim board tacked up level.









Here I am setting the compass to the distance that the board needs to lose material. I was shooting for 1/8" below the top of the cabinet face frame. It washard to shoot photo and hold compass still, so the actual compass distance was set to the bottom of the trim to about where you see the lead.









I need a darker pencil next time. Look closely.









I bandsawed the two pieces of trim and cut a scarf joint. 








Fitting the trim was trial and error.

*Clean dishes?*

We dragged the diswasher in from the shop in preperation for the install.








First I had to reduce the dishwasher opening by 1 1/2 inches. I previously milled, fitted, and stained two boards for this purpose. Just needed to tack them in. 


















I set the dishwasher into place and test fit the panel.








Sweet!










I ran out of working time though, as we had dinner plans. Today I finish.


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## David (Jan 26, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


John -

Outstanding! Great photos and a wonderful posting.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


bravo.

where's the dishwasher??? I don't see it. well done


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


I am glad it worked for you! Looks like it worked the way I imagined it.

I have a question for you now. Do you drop your photos into Pages (Mac) to put the arrow and text into it?


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


Todd, I do that with a really cool piece of software called Skitch. http://plasq.com/skitch

It is only in beta form right now, but you can request a copy on their site. It is the same company that makes the comic software.


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


Great work John. I bet you are getting really excited to be finished with this leg of the remodel.


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


Looks good - how far did you get today?


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


John, that is just great looking.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


Really looking great, John. Carleen loves her dishwasher. It does a lot better job than Moondog ever did. 'Course you have no desire to pet it.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *So Close I Can Amost Smell the Clean Dishes*
> 
> *Scribing*
> I took Todd's advice and scribed some hardboard strips.
> ...


Thanks for all of the compliments!


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

*Installation*

The installation of the diswasher finally begins.

The first step: nailing a steam shield to the bottom of the counter.









I spent a lot of time leveling and fussing with the machine. Here you see me marking the plastic templates that come with the machine. It helps to set the height of the panel. It is marked and then attached to the metal harness.










Finding the centerline on the back of the panel.









Setting the harness. It is alligned along the center line and the marks from the plastic templates (now attached to the harness).









Pre-drilling the harness. Tape depth stop.









I slid the panel on. It fit. (No photo) I attached the hardware. It is actually a brass screen door handle, but it seemed to look right to us. I wanted to be able to grab it overhand, which you can't do with a bin pull. I use slotted screws for all of the work (phillips were not used at the time of my house's construction). I always use handtools for hardware attchment (too many accidents with the drill).


















Testing the door.









A shot of the controls.









*Done?*
I cut the rail to close up the bottom of the panel. It is just pushed into place now, but I will attach permanently.





































Well the majority of the work is done. I still need to permanently install the bottom rail, stain the trim. Also the diswasher needs a repair (good times). Tech comes on Wed.


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## David (Jan 26, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


John -

That is really beautiful work! Excellent installation. Congratulations!


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## cajunpen (Apr 9, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


John you did a great job. If I hadn't seen the picture of the dw with the door open, I would not have believed that you had installed on. Nice blend-in.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


ditto to above!

Fascinating journey with a beautiful end result.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


terrific job.
Does this mean you can go clean up the shop, now?
Or can you get back to the funnies?
We do understand that making your kitchen liveable is a priority over the funnies.


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## shaun (Sep 16, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


That could not be any more perfect!


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


That is just great work , John. I wonder about the steam shield, ours didn't come with one. Is it purchased seperately? Yeah, we need more funnies!!!


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## PanamaJack (Mar 28, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


Just a great job on this whole thing Giz (D/W Panel Blogs). A work of art if you will. Congradulations on a job very well done.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


Thanks all. On to the next projects…..


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


John. A very nice job. I'd never seen one done before. It looks great.


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

gizmodyne said:


> *Installation*
> 
> The installation of the diswasher finally begins.
> 
> ...


Thanks Karson.

How can any woodworker resist customizing their dishwasher. I'd build panels for my fridge too if I could. (Actually there are fridges that accept custom panels).


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