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- Sep 2, 2017
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I've been working on a wood prototype of my mirrored tabletop cabinet. I have a couple of threads on this thing already but I wanted to highlight the cabinet itself since it's finally coming together. Seems like it belongs here more than elsewhere. So not a restoration, but a showcase of a design I've been nerding away on for some time.
Here are some recent views with different setups...
1) angled view with inner art, background art, marquee, etc.
2) front view of same
3) close-up showing ipad mini image / reflection
4) angled view with different control panel art and background art

I'm glad I finally got off my rear end and made this version myself. I'd been trying to get others to help me CNC the parts from CAD files and / or make it using traditional woodworking. Little to no interest, too busy, asking too much, never heard back, etc. It's like people have their own priorities or something! What's up with that?
Well, it's all to the good b/c now I have a much better understanding of my own design and more wood skills. Also a lot cheaper and faster to go the DIY route. I've been working off my original grid paper drawings, my mounting board prototype, the CAD files I outsourced, and I've made some on the fly adjustments as needed.
When I'm not toiling away on Asteroids Deluxe monitor bezels for my valued customers, I work on this for...a...a change of pace. Yeah, that's it.
So I recently joined my local maker space, which has a small wood shop. They have basic equipment like a table saw, miter saw, drill press, belt sander, etc. In just a few sessions there I've been able to cut the parts I need and then take them home to piece together. This is using 1/4 inch sanded birch and some 1/2 inch, both from the local big box stores (Lowe's and Menards).
(These are from a few weeks ago)
1) overhead view
2) close up of inner back
3) cabinet back
4) right side
5) close up of angled blocking

Gotta go for now, more to come...
Back again. One more detail for this post. The cabinet back is like 2/3 of an ice cream sandwich, with a 1/2" inner piece (the ice cream) and a 1/4" outer piece (the wafer) screwed together. The wafer is the frame and the ice cream allows for screws around the edges to keep the cab sturdy. I later attached some ledges on the inner back piece for the background art to sit on. You can see my pencil outlines for those above.
Here are some recent views with different setups...
1) angled view with inner art, background art, marquee, etc.
2) front view of same
3) close-up showing ipad mini image / reflection
4) angled view with different control panel art and background art

I'm glad I finally got off my rear end and made this version myself. I'd been trying to get others to help me CNC the parts from CAD files and / or make it using traditional woodworking. Little to no interest, too busy, asking too much, never heard back, etc. It's like people have their own priorities or something! What's up with that?
Well, it's all to the good b/c now I have a much better understanding of my own design and more wood skills. Also a lot cheaper and faster to go the DIY route. I've been working off my original grid paper drawings, my mounting board prototype, the CAD files I outsourced, and I've made some on the fly adjustments as needed.
When I'm not toiling away on Asteroids Deluxe monitor bezels for my valued customers, I work on this for...a...a change of pace. Yeah, that's it.
So I recently joined my local maker space, which has a small wood shop. They have basic equipment like a table saw, miter saw, drill press, belt sander, etc. In just a few sessions there I've been able to cut the parts I need and then take them home to piece together. This is using 1/4 inch sanded birch and some 1/2 inch, both from the local big box stores (Lowe's and Menards).
(These are from a few weeks ago)
1) overhead view
2) close up of inner back
3) cabinet back
4) right side
5) close up of angled blocking

Gotta go for now, more to come...
Back again. One more detail for this post. The cabinet back is like 2/3 of an ice cream sandwich, with a 1/2" inner piece (the ice cream) and a 1/4" outer piece (the wafer) screwed together. The wafer is the frame and the ice cream allows for screws around the edges to keep the cab sturdy. I later attached some ledges on the inner back piece for the background art to sit on. You can see my pencil outlines for those above.
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