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Display Cabinets - slow WIP

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Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby StevieB » 30 Dec 2016, 17:20

It has been rather a long time since I posted anything useful or interesting due to massive work commitments, but a bit of free time between Christmas and New Year means I can start a new project, even if it will take me a while to complete it!

A while ago I asked for sources of UK oak, ideally in Lincolnshire and someone helpfully pointed me to Somerscales. I took a trip up there in the week before Christmas and despite it being a pain to find eventually ended up with almost 6 cu ft of oak. Now I am not very experienced in terms of wood yards and pretty much just took what was offered after being assured it was prime joinery grade - it is a touch ropey in places but as I over ordered I am hoping I have enough good timber. Inch thick boards 6 inches wide destined to be flooring blanks apparently, only £26 per cu ft which I didn't think was too bad.

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I am hoping to turn this lot into 2 display cases for a selection of skulls - I work in a Life Sciences University Department, they are not my collection I hasten to add! Quick sketch on the back of a fag packet and a rough measure up for the location - I need one low flat cabinet approx 140cm x 70cm x 30cm high, and one taller at 140cm x 70cm x 90cm high. The second will have front opening doors, the former a lift up lid. As both cases can be seen from any side, they need to be see through all round ie no solid back, and in the case of the shorter case the lid will need to be see through as well.

My design is therefore essentially a rail and stile cube with polycarbonate for the panels - make 4 squares for the sides, add a base and lid for the smaller case, same for the larger case but replace one side with 2 doors. Will work out shelving when I get that far. The biggest headache so far has been how to affix the polycarbonate panels. Normally in a frame and panel design the panel is secured in the frame and it never comes apart. For these however, I have to consider that the panel will get broken (students!) and need replacing, meaning I cannot fix and forget as I would with a solid panel. This is another reason for using polycarbonate rather than glass - apart from being lighter it is far stronger. I could take a gamble and fix and forget, or I could use a rail and style cutter then remove the back tongue and screw or pin a removable strip to allow panel replacement. This is considerably more work, but future proofs against accidents.....

Either way I need to mill up the timber first, so after cutting into strips I ran these through the thicknesser to reach 22mm, and then dimensioned to 44mm wide

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Then out with the router cutter, coupled with a lot of head scratching to mill up my frames, remembering to cut a double profile for some centre trims

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and some half width strips where the sides meet each other to ensure sight lines are equal

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Then reverse the cutters to mill the end of these pieces to ensure a good mating joint

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before doing a dry test fit to see if I am on track

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This final image shows the two long sides dry fitted before I decide how to deal with the panels

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I will need to order the polycarbonate before I can glue the panels if I decide to 'fix and forget', or I could cut out the back tongue now and glue up the frames while waiting for the polycarbonate to arrive. Anyone ever done anything with clear panels before? how would you approach this?

Steve
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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Rod » 30 Dec 2016, 21:38

I just used pinned beading strips on the inside.

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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Woodbloke » 31 Dec 2016, 00:14

Rod wrote:I just used pinned beading strips on the inside.

Rod


:text-+1: I'd do it the same way but use tiny brass screws. If a panel does break, removing a pinned bead is a pain in the arris, whereas if they're screwed it's quite easy. Best place I've found for small brass c/s screws is this establishment: http://www.inbrass.co.uk/acatalog/wood-screws.html - Rob
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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Commander » 04 Jan 2017, 14:46

Those look nice Steve! How easily are the panels broken? I would personally be tempted to not make them replaceable, however that does pose a problem if they do end up breaking...
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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby StevieB » 04 Jan 2017, 15:16

Thanks chaps - in the end I have gone with 4mm polycarbonate, which is suppose to be 200 times stronger than 4mm glass. It was going to be a pain to chop out the back tongue as I would still need to leave it where the vertical rails met the base rails, so I couldn't just run each moulding through the TS or Router. Time will tell if this was the right decision or not - hope to have the first panels with me by the weekend so more progress then hopefully.

Currently deciding on a finish, so following Mike's varnish thread with interest - I want it dark so have tried and eliminated clear wax and sanding sealer on their own, currently experimenting with spirit stain and varnish to see what effect I get. I want a 'finish it and leave it' approach that will last, so much as I dislike varnish, if I can get a colour I am happy with it might be appropriate as a finish. Having said that, spirit stain and wax is currently giving me the best look colour wise :eusa-think:

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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby StevieB » 15 Jan 2017, 23:20

I did warn you this would be a slow WIP! I am currently at the stage of having the first cabinet together but not done the lid yet as I wanted to get the size right from the cabinet itself. The 2 panels in situ have their protective film on still - while the sides are glued and screwed the tops are still loose to let me stain before the panels go in:

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The finish itself will be 3 coats of dark oak spirit stain to get the colour I want, followed by 1 or possibly 2 coats of yacht varnish to give a gloss finish. A small test piece is exactly what I was after. Green felt for the base and brass fitments.

If anyone knows the difference between yacht varnish and regular varnish then please do let me know - google seems to indicate price is the only difference :eusa-think: I always believed it was glossier but may well be wrong on that one!

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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Rod » 15 Jan 2017, 23:52

I would have thought "ordinary" varnish would be fine for internal use?

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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Pinch » 16 Jan 2017, 09:46

Looking very good indeed Steve. 8-)

I always use Ronseal varnish. It's very durable & tough, user friendly and gives a superb finish. I think the good old yacht varnish was the best in its day, but other makers have since caught up these days with their products, but I don't know the full spec on the differences.

Ronseal Ultra Tough - just the job!

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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Robert » 16 Jan 2017, 12:47

I've used a lot of polycarbonate in the past. It is virtually unbreakable but its not difficult to scratch/scuff it. Light scratches you can polish out with metal polish. Not a problem this time of year but the protective plastic doesn't like UV light so keep it out of sunlight or it will stick and be hard to remove.

Oh and keep it away from dust when you do peel it off as the sheet will get a static charge making it a dust magnet for a while.

I'd take yacht varnish as being more UV resistant as boats are in the daylight.

All my past furniture is sprayed with polyurethane satin floor varnish and still looks fine years later. My theory was if it is made for floors it must be tough.
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Re: Display Cabinets - slow WIP

Postby Phil » 16 Jan 2017, 13:18

Robert wrote:
I'd take yacht varnish as being more UV resistant as boats are in the daylight.



It is supposed to be tougher and better UV resistant, we used yacht varnish on the Sprog's deck but it still needed TLC every 12 to 18 months.
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