# Custom Built Cabinet bookcase



## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Ok, 

I finally finished this project, for my mother in-law.

It is made out of oak and stained minwax red oak and has one coat of satin polyurethane.

It turned out really well for my first project of this size.

Please let me know what you think about it.


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## mrk5318 (May 28, 2009)

Looks Great :thumbsup:


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I think it looks awesome! You should have made some points with your mother-in-law for sure. Did you hand rub the finish? It looks really good. Are you going to leave the doors open or add glass? Either way it looks great.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You asked what do we think. Well, I'll tell ya, you did a real nice job, workmanship is excellent. Color is very rich. 

I'll repeat...since you asked what we think, I would offer suggestions that you might consider on your next project. This is constructive criticism, meant in a good way, and not to belittle this project one iota. I would have made the end panel on the base cabinet vertical grain, and maybe made a decorative fascia for the toe kick, something in good taste to go with the nice crown you picked out.


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## Allthumbs27 (Dec 25, 2008)

Great job. It looks very nice.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

cabinetman said:


> You asked what do we think. Well, I'll tell ya, you did a real nice job, workmanship is excellent. Color is very rich.
> 
> I'll repeat...since you asked what we think, I would offer suggestions that you might consider on your next project. This is constructive criticism, meant in a good way, and not to belittle this project one iota. I would have made the end panel on the base cabinet vertical grain, and maybe made a decorative fascia for the toe kick, something in good taste to go with the nice crown you picked out.



Yes I agree with you I should have made the grain vertical to match the top. I did not realize that it did not match.

Thanks for the kind words and tips.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

ACP said:


> I think it looks awesome! You should have made some points with your mother-in-law for sure. Did you hand rub the finish? It looks really good. Are you going to leave the doors open or add glass? Either way it looks great.



The doors are going to get glass shelf's and the middle top shelf with have glass shelf's as well as the bottom cabinet will have glass shelf's.

The stain is sprayed on with a $15 touch-up Air spray gun. then I wiped down the stain with a rag.

the Spray gun was this one.


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## rocklobster (Jun 18, 2008)

That looks like a lot of work. Well done. That's one happy mother-in-law, I'll bet.

Rob


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Look nice. I might have done panels on the bottom instead of glass, make sure you use tempered glass on those lower doors. I agree with that end panel should be vertical.

You say you only used one coat of poly. How is the finish feel? Usually the minimum is 2 coats, the first one gets sanded. If you rubbed it out, that would be different.


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Leo G said:


> Look nice. I might have done panels on the bottom instead of glass, make sure you use tempered glass on those lower doors. I agree with that end panel should be vertical.
> 
> You say you only used one coat of poly. How is the finish feel? Usually the minimum is 2 coats, the first one gets sanded. If you rubbed it out, that would be different.


I wanted to make the bottom doors wood but she wants to display stuff in the bottom, it had ajustable glass shelfs. So there for I could not have made them wood doors. 
About the finish it really turned out nice after the first coat I felt like it did not need it, it's pritty smoth not rough.


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## The Everyman Show (Jul 10, 2009)

Very nice cabinet. I like the proportions and the style. It fits in the space without being overpowering.


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

Great looking cabinet. I hope the mother in law is happy with it.
Nick


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Nice job 43,
Most guys would never make something like that for their mother in law. But if you keep the MIL happy, it helps to keep the wifey poo happy. Good work,
Mike Hawkins


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Thank you all for the kind words, the Mother-in-law is happy.:thumbsup:


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

Looks very nice and I'm sure the MIL is thrilled. How much time do you figure you have in the project?

John


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Well, From start to finish I have about 8 months. But I didn't work on it the hole time. I would say it would take about 1 month or less to build it if I worked on it all the time. I could not work on it in the winter months it was too I didn't want the glue to freeze. 





jdixon said:


> Looks very nice and I'm sure the MIL is thrilled. How much time do you figure you have in the project?
> 
> John


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## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

43longtime said:


> It turned out really well for my first project of this size.


If by "really well" you mean "perfect," sure.

:thumbsup:


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

Thank you for those kind words It means a lot to me that people like what I make.




Streamwinner said:


> If by "really well" you mean "perfect," sure.
> 
> :thumbsup:


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## ohwoodeye (Sep 9, 2009)

*crown molding*

I realize that your plans were to have this piece fit tight into the corner, however, from experience, I would have narrowed the piece just enough to allow for crown molding on the left side of this piece. That way if it is ever moved to another wall or house for that matter, it will appear complete. This would mean some wasted wall space, but it makes the piece more flexible to be relocated. Just an suggestion since this happened to me when my wife decided that after 3 years, the custom built entertainment center would look nicer on the other wall. Other than that, very nice job.



43longtime said:


> Ok,
> 
> I finally finished this project, for my mother in-law.
> 
> ...


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

It seems the light switch is the limiting factor.


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

Great Custom work there Chris, I did a simular project and actually fitted it to work with a light switch panel and an outlet... I like your website as well... good luck


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## 43longtime (Oct 15, 2008)

GROOVY said:


> Great Custom work there Chris, I did a simular project and actually fitted it to work with a light switch panel and an outlet... I like your website as well... good luck


thank you very much. I love to here when people like my work. thanks for checking out my website as well.


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## akaistha (Dec 13, 2009)

Wow....first project. My motivation level just went up a few notches....
Regards, Amit


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