Boxing in the Bastard Tool Cabinet

Those of you following along have now realized that I havent posted about the Bastard Tool Cabinet for a few weeks. Lately Ive been busy attending the Woodworking Shows in NJ and preparing for the Northeast Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga (more on that in some upcoming posts). Ive also had tons of work to do at my day job, which has frequently become my night and weekend job too.

So many woodworking shows. So little time.

Through most of the Bastard Cabinet build the posts have been about a week behind my actual progress. As its been a few weeks since I worked on the cabinet, this week the post will catch up. Hopefully the cabinet build will jump ahead again soon.

Dominoing the top.

The most recent work Ive done on the Cabinet was to install the top and sides. As with all of the other joinery on the Cabinet, the top and sides are attached with many, many dominos. For both I referenced the Domino off its base rather than its fence. This let me rest the carcass and Domino on the bench, eliminating the wiggle that occurred when trying to balance the Domino fence on the 3/4 edge of the Carcass back. When I was Dominoing the top and sides, I clamped a fence to their edge to provide a reference and then rested the face of the Domino on the face of the top & sides. Lining the Domino mortises up was as easy as using the pins in the face of the Domino to reference each of the previous. As long as I remembered to begin on the same edge (which I did, thankfully) all the mortises line up with each other.

Thats 23 Dominos holding on the right side.

Once the parts were Dominoed it was just a matter of clamping them. I glued up the top first, then the sides. For both I used my clamping squares to ensure a square glue up.

Lots of clamps and clamping squares for good measure.

A word of warning, as is preached by almost all woodworkers, do a trial glue up first. While gluing on the right side, I had to move the carcass with the side and clamps attached from my bench to saw horses. Not having moved the carcass with side and clamps attached before, I was surprised by how heavy and awkward it was to hold. In the process of moving it, I found that the plane shelf hinged out and hit me in the face/head too many times. Once I had it positioned on the saw horses, I took a screw to the plane shelf and temporarily attached it to one of the shelves beneath it so I wouldnt get hit anymore.

Did you finish youre Wood Whisperer Guild Wall Cabinet Build yet, or are you as far behind as I am?Other Bastard Wall Cabinet PostsWinter Wall Cabinet WonderlandThe Bastard Wall Cabinet (for tools!)Trudging Towards Tool StorageCutting the Cabinet Carcass (in relative terms)A Home For My PlanesContinued Wall Cabinet AssemblyWhats a Bastard Wall Cabinet without Shelves?

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