TV cabinets
Designs for large, small and flat screens. April 9, 2003
(From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum)
Here is a recent TV cabinet I built. I think you can sell many of these units based around the large TVs. This is the direction of home entertainment. I get high dollars for them.
What a great solution for the thin screens!
From the original contributor:
Here is another. Cherry stained, all components in two center upper cabs with speaker cloth. Installation takes about a day or a bit more.
Beautiful work. I recently quoted a customer for a cherry entertainment center of roughly the same components and I am curious - how much was this unit, not including installation, and is the economy affecting your business?
From the original contributor:
This job was the entertainment center and a small home office pictured below. I believe the sales amount was $7500 (I'd have to check with my bookkeeper to know exactly). $5000 for the entertainment center and $2500 for office. My installation is included in bid, so I would probably take off $1000-1500. I would never sell it without installation, though, as they are a bit complicated to install (unless you were doing one for a builder - I don't know your situation).
We are a boom city here in Vegas, so I have not noticed any slowdown at all. I had my best year ever last year and expect better this year.
From the original contributor:
Here is another TV cabinet design idea. This unit is not large screen, but smaller TV behind pocket doors.
From contributor O:
Do you use drawer guides on those vertically inclined drawer thing-a-ma-bobs? I have been fighting against doing something like that because I'm not sure how to make it slide without binding.
From the original contributor:
Yes, I use KV 8505's. I like them because they are generic and don't have right and left, plus they are ball-bearing. I don't use them for cabs as I use Grass Zargen - I just use them for special situations.
You just mount the base on the cab side, carefully measuring to make sure they are parallel, and then measure and mount the small piece on the pull-out with one of them screwed using the vertical holes so you can adjust them a bit if they bind.
Once you have them aligned properly you put a few screws in the standard round holes to lock it in place.
I particularly like your signature 45 degree fluted corners. Are these fully blind joined or is there some face nailing? Have you made up a clamping jig just for these? Biscuits or splines? Would you mind me using this detail as long as I name it after you?
From the original contributor:
Please use anything you want and make it your own! This stuff is very simple and I share it for you to freely use.
Constructing the 45 degree fluted ends is very simple and fast. I don't use any clamping jigs/biscuits/splines - just throw it up on my saw and slam it together - it only takes about 1/2 hour when parts are cut. Think simple and easy.
The fluted moldings are stock from my supplier that I 45 degree cut on saw and quickly sand edge and pin nail onto assembly. Then my finisher fills holes during finishing.
The important thing to me is I have arrived at a size (77mm wide for me) that I can fit into my design program (KCDW), so almost 95% of the time I am making these the same. Your size will depend on what standard molding you can get at your suppliers. I have two suppliers that sell the fluted molding - one supplier makes their own in town and it is much nicer than the other supplier's, so I use it.
Occasionally I have to make a smaller one as I don't have the room on each side of the entertainment cab for a 77mm applied 45 degree fluted end.
I gave you the wrong slides that I use for pull-out! They are KV 8405's. The 8505's are double strength file drawer slides.
I use the KV 8405 because they extend out an inch further than standard slides - i.e. the 22" 8405 extends out 23".
From contributor O:
Concerning your corner... I build one that is almost identical. I have taken to using a beaded crown molding. It's cheaper and slightly more rounded. I (they) love it. If it's a finished end, I put oak (or whatever) door stop type molding behind it with about 1/8 reveal for a framed panel effect. Drives 'em crazy.
