The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
How To Build Modern Kitchen Cabinets
THIS combination spice cabinet and plant holder has the simple lines and drawer detail common to the Colonial spice chests so often seen, but with its shelves it is more practical in modern-day living when spices are bought in packages. The chest illustrated was made from 1/2" knotty pine with back and shelves of 1/4" plywood as shown in Fig. 1 .
The construction starts with the side members. A 1/4" x 1/4" rabbet is cut along the back edge on the inner face. A 1/4" x 1/2" rabbet is cut along the lower end on the inside face for the bottom shelf. Dadoes for the various shelf members are laid out and cut. To provide for the door, a strip 1/2" x 181/2" is cut from the front edge. A full-size pattern of the curve at the top is prepared; then the stock is cut to shape on the band or jig saw.
The gallery back and various shelf members are next cut. The gallery back has a 1/4" x 1/4" rabbet along each end to produce a 1/4" x 1/4" tongue. Three holes are cut in the plant shelf to take flowerpots. The top drawer front, which like all other drawer fronts is actually false, is cut to size.
The door frame is constructed of 1/2" x 1/2" stock with 1/8" x 1/8" grooves. Tongues are cut on the ends of rails and muntins to fit into grooves. The drawer fronts are cut to dimensions; then both faces rabbeted to produce 1/8" x 5/32" tongues on both ends and edges of each member except the upper drawer front, which does not have a tongue door panel A in a door stile. The drawer rail directly below this panel is placed in position, then the second door panel B is set in place. This is followed by inserting the drawer rail below panel B and placing door panel C in position. The door muntin next to it is slid into position. The third drawer rail is placed in the door stile, followed by the insertion of door panel E. The bottom rail is joined to the door stile; then door panels D and F are flipped into place.
The final member is the second door stile. The door is attached with a pair of 3/4," brass butts. The knobs are turned to shape.
The cabinet illustrated was given a coat of diluted walnut stain, wiped quickly. Three coats of thin orange shellac followed, each being lightly sanded with No. 4/0 coated abrasive. A coat of semigloss varnish completed the project.
