Cabinet - Computer Cabinet

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CYBER SECRETARY
A handsome cherry cabinet for your home office.
There's no question our electronic tools and toys have
changed our lives--if only because there's so much new
stuff filling our homes. The fact is, that big TV, the new
sound system and the family computer can blend right in--it
just takes a fresh look at the kind of furniture we build and
use.
For example, back when the well-equipped family library
was centered around a couple dozen volumes of an up-to-
date encyclopedia, bookcases and shelves kept the desks
and tables clear, while adding a touch of sophistication to
the home. These days, with encyclopedias the size of
paper-thin pancakes, you may think we've progressed.
Perhaps so, in terms of information access. On the other
hand, our new computers, printers, monitors and mice
demand space of their own. And, unless you're happy
giving up your dining room table to a humming and glowing
network of wires and boxes, it's time to give the gear a
place to call home.
With frame-and-panel construction and
classic crown molding, home computing
never looked so good. Open each door a
full 270 degrees to reveal a pullout work
area, shelves and file drawer (above).
To solve the problem, we've designed a dedicated
computer cabinet with plenty of space for all the essentials,
plus shelves for books, office accessories and things you
just like to have around. To handle the paperwork, our case
features a file drawer on full extension slides, and we've
incorporated a locking pullout work surface that's perfect for
a keyboard and mouse pad. The cabinet doors open 270
degrees so you have full access to the interior of the case.
We constructed our updated secretary out of a combination
of solid cherry and cherry-veneered panels, but you can
ubstitute another wood if it better suits your decor.
Making Doors And Panels
Begin by ripping and crosscutting 1-in.-thick
cherry to size for the stiles and rails of the doors
and case sides. Lay out the rail and mortise
locations on the stiles, clamping stiles of the same
length together to ensure accuracy
(Photo 1)
.
After cutting door and side-frame pieces
to size, clamp together stiles of the same
size and lay out the mortise locations.
s
Next, use a router edge guide and spiral bit to
rout the mortises. To support the router, clamp
two or three stiles together face to face. Register
the guide on the outside face of each stile for
consistent mortise locations. Then, rout the panel
grooves in the edges of the stiles and rails
(Photo
2)
, and square the mortises with a sharp 3/8-in.
chisel
(Photo 3)
.
Use a router and edge guide to cut
mortises and panel grooves. Clamp
together stock to provide a firm base for
the router.
After the grooves are cut, use a sharp 3/8-
in.-wide chisel to square the ends of each
mortise in the side and door stiles.
Equip your table saw with a dado blade to cut the
rail tenons, and use a stopblock clamped to the
miter gauge to position the rails
(Photo 4)
. For
the best glue joint, cut the tenons about 1/32 in.
thicker than specified. After holding the rails on
edge to cut the tenon shoulders, use a sharp
chisel to pare the tenons to exact size.
Use a dado blade in the table saw to cut
the tenons slightly oversize. Then, pare
them to the exact size with a sharp chisel.
We used 1/2-in. cherry-veneer MDF (medium-
density fiberboard) for the panels. Although you
can use cherry-veneer plywood instead, the
stability and flatness of MDF make it a better
choice. Cut the panels to size, and use a router
table to shape the rabbet around the inside
surface of each one
(Photo 5)
. Sand each panel
with 120-, 150-, 180- and 220-grit papers.
Mount a straight bit in the router table and
cut the rabbets on the back sides of the
side and door panels. Then sand the
panels.
To assemble a frame, spread glue in the mortises
and on all tenon surfaces. Then, join the rails to
one of the stiles and slide the panel into position
(Photo 6)
. Place the opposite stile in place and
clamp the frame to pull the joints tight. Compare
opposite diagonal measurements to be sure that
the assembly is square, and let the glue cure.
Proceed with the rest of the frames and doors in
the same manner.
Apply glue to mortises and tenons and
join rails to one stile. Slide panel in place,
add remaining stile and clamp until glue
sets.
Inside The Cabinet
The inner case parts are constructed of veneer-
core cherry panels. Rip and crosscut these parts
about 1 in. oversize, and cut edge-banding strips
from solid cherry to cover the exposed edges. Cut
the strips about 1/16 in. wider than the thickness
of the panels. Next, spread glue on a panel edge
and clamp the strip so that it overhangs both
faces of the panel. Scrape off the excess glue
after about 20 minutes. When the glue has fully
cured, plane the edge-banding strip flush. Then,
cut the panels to finished dimension.
Cut the plate slots in case parts. Clamp a
straightedge to each upper case shelf to
position slots for center partition.
Lay out the joining-plate locations for the upper
case shelf assembly and cut the slots
(Photo 7)
.
Apply glue, join the uprights to the shelves and
clamp.
To construct the lower case insert, first apply
veneer tape to the exposed edge of the drawer
enclosure top as shown in the plan. Use a
household iron to apply the tape and trim the
excess with a chisel. Lay out and cut the plate
slots, then glue the drawer-box top and side
together. Cut plate slots for joining the drawer box
to the left side of the inner case and install plates
without glue to align the parts. Secure the
subassembly with
screws
(Photo 8)
. Then,
assemble both inner sides with the stretchers
using dry joining plates and screws
(Photo 9)
.
Use plates and glue to build the L-shaped
section of the drawer box. Use dry plates
and screws to attach to inner case side.
Secure the top stretchers to the lower
case sides with screws. Joining plates
hold parts in alignment while fastening.
Outer Case Work
It's easiest to cut the hinge mortises in the case
side frames before assembling the cases. Use a
marking gauge and square to mark the outline of
each mortise. Then, make a series of parallel
chisel cuts along the mortise just shy of the
finished depth
(Photo 10)
. Hold the chisel
horizontally to pare away the waste
(Photo 11)
,
and test fit each hinge to see that it sits flush.
Use a chisel to outline each mortise.
Then, make a series of cuts across the
grain and about 1/8 in. apart within the
waste area.
Use your router and edge guide to cut the rabbet
along the back edges of the side frames. Note
that each lower case side has a stopped rabbet.
Stop the cut about 1/8 in. short and square the
end with a chisel.
Next, cut the joining-plate slots in the lower case
side frames and lower bottom panel. Apply glue to
these joints and assemble the sides to the panel.
Clamp the parts and set the assembly aside for
the glue to cure.
Hold the chisel horizontally to pare away
the waste in each hinge mortise. Test the
fit of each hinge and adjust as required.
Lower Case Assembly
Place the lower case insert between the sides,
using joining plates to hold the drawer-box side in
position on the case bottom. Install clamps to
keep the insert from shifting. Bore and
countersink pilot holes, and fasten the insert
subassembly to the sides and bottom with screws
(Photo 12)
. Cut the back panel to size and bore a
2-in.-dia. hole for power cord access. Next, screw
the back in place.
Slide the inner case into position between
the lower case outside frames, and clamp.
Screw the inner sides to the outer frames.
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