Kitchen Hutch

[GeeDub]

I'm going crazy while between shops so I am going to post an older piece that was a commission from the wife.  This is a piece to hold all the larger pots and appliances when not in use.  It is a little different functionally than it appears visually.  What appears to be eight lower drawers are actually four deep bins.  This was not an attempt to be clever, we just liked the appearance of more graduated drawers ;-)

I start most pieces the same, lumber everywhere to allow me to chalk out the parts and select the grain patterns and all that.
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Its pecan this time.  Big boards become smaller parts.
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The legs are larger than any of the pecan stock with this coloration so I do the glue-up with veneer thing.  I'm sure this is discussed by others here but, if there are any questions, I am happy to respond.
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Add some rails and panel divider/stiles for the end panel/leg assemblies.
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The floating panels are fairly narrow.
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And thin.
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This is the basic idea. This is the right, lower, end.
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I want floating tenons so the Mortise Pal comes into play.
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[GeeDub]

The legs are at the four corners. Here the front stretchers are test fit.
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There are two large panels; the top of the lower unit and an oversized pull-out surface for unloading groceries and preparing meals.
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I used splines for the large pullout for no reason I recall ;-)

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The top for the lower unit uses breadboards. 
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I drill from below but, do not pierce the top surface.
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I use a tight fitting hole at the front to assure consistent alignment and slots in the middle and back to allow for seasonal movement.
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I've developed a habit when fitting dowels.  I used to just cut them off long and flush-cut saw them off and plane them flush.  Now I stick the dowel in the hole, touch a pencil to the dowel and spin it.
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This gives me a good mark and I cut them very close to final length so I can go straight to a block plane to get them flush.
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[GeeDub]

Here's a shot of the breadboard in place, the lower carcass and the pullout mentioned earlier.

   

   

   
Here's the layout of the graduated false fronts.

   
The drawer lock joint is my go-to drawer joint.  These happen to be plywood drawer boxes but, I still like the joint.

   
Box parts being pre-finished.

   
And the assorted bins installed.

   
I've mentioned before that I like to make my own pulls.  These are mahogany.

   
The false fronts are raised hardwood panels, no frames.

   
It's starting to get there.

   

[GeeDub]

Here is a test fit of the pulls.
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I favor figure 8 connectors for top attachments.
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And the finish process has begun.
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The lower makes it into the kitchen.
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The upper unit will have doors and side hung drawers.
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I use this little MF plane to ease edges on almost everything.
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Upper unit drawers.
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Upper unit nearly done.
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An upper unit drawer in place.
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[GeeDub]

Let me see if I can bring this thing on home.  Bins for pots, bread maker, food processor, etc.
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The pullout.  As mentioned this is a great landing spot when bringing in groceries.  It also expands our preparation area when fixing meals.  You can see the IKEA baker's rack to the left that this piece replaced.
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Here's a look inside the upper.  The maple bead board is half lapped, captured in a groove and runs the full height of the upper unit.
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Orthogonal views in natural light.
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Thanks for looking.

[BpB123]

WOW What a great post

Thanks for sharing!

[brianwelch]

very nice...what method to create the raised panels?
thanks

[GeeDub]

I generally use a No. 4 (actually a Millers Falls No. 9).  The end grain on the pecan seemed to work better with a Lee Valley bevel up smoother.  I draw a pencil line as a witness mark for depth and width and plane to the lines.

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[fredhargis]

Quite nice, I really love pecan and hickory; that is until I start milling it. It can be a little aggravating at times. Well done.

[GeeDub]

Thanks guys and Fred is right on about pecan being something you have to really want to work.  It's not wenge-tough or super-fibrous like shedua but, once this project was done nearly every powered cutter that touched it went out for sharpening.  The hand tools get touched up as you go so I didn't really notice.  I will say the Veritas PM-V11 irons sure showed their worth; the touch up interval on them was far greater than others.  I love the pecan colors and figure so, for me, it is worth the trouble.

Almost forgot . . . matching dog bowl stand

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