Asian Cabinet
Video: Making the Asian Cabinet
Design Doctor, Fine Woodworking
Last year, on a whim, I submitted a few my pieces to Fine Woodworking Magazine for a new feature with Hank Gilpin. My Jewelry Armoire appeared on page 64 issue of FWW #214 (October 2010), where my designed was constructively ripped to shreds, sort of.
My initial reaction was to fix the Jewelry Armoire, but after some contemplation, and suggestions from fellow woodworkers (including several LumberJocks) I decided to design and create a new piece from scratch: the “Asian Cabinet”
This piece is the results.
If you reread Hank’s critique, you can see several of his suggestions implemented in this piece, although perhaps not in exactly the same way. First thing is that the rails on the stand have a spit apron, which make them play better with the trim on the cabinet. Second is that the legs and the vertical trim form a single line, but at the same time have a break between the cabinet and the stand in order to make it look like it is floating. Keeping it in line keeps the piece from looking top heavy as well. Third is the subtle curve of the leg. (A curve does not need to be extreme to be elegant.) Forth is the handles: Hank had suggested making the Katakana lettering on the Jewelry Armoire also function as the handles. This is that idea, except that I made the handles mimic traditional Chinese lacing.
This Cabinet is also much smaller and much more slender looking. The sides, back, top, and bottom are made from exactly half a sheet of (Walnut) plywood, whereas the Jewelry Armoire is made from exactly one sheet of (Lyptus) plywood.
Other improvements:
- With frameless doors, the cabinet is prone to racking. I widened the top and bottom rails of the cabinet to ameliorate the racking. Being a smaller cabinet also helps.
- I used Brusso brass knife hinges, and made custom door stops using embedded rare earth magnets and lignum vitae.
- This piece is finished with satin precat lacquer.
- I kept the interior simple: two shelved with curves on the front to match the curve of the doors. I also added a strip of the same Zebrawood from the doors. I was not sure how this would work at first, but I am pleased with the results.
