Design help - inset cabinet

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bob magnuson
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Design help - inset cabinet

Post by bob magnuson »

I have an upcoming project that requires a cabinet unit to be inset into a recessed area. Unfortunately the opening is not square. the front to back and top to bottom measurements vary 1/2". I am not exactly sure how to design this cabinet so that it is easily worked with regards to scribing, etc.

The customer wants a very simple design, specifically called out that there are to be no curved features anywhere, the right mirrors the left, etc. Here is what I have so far...

The base units are 60 x 53.75 x 24 and the uppers are 33 x 53.75 x 16. Only the left unit is inset.

Any thoughts?
junk.jpg
junk.jpg (146.44 KiB) Viewed 8822 times
Thanks,

Bob Magnuson
Darren Harvey
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Re: Design help - inset cabinet

Post by Darren Harvey »

bob, it looks from your drawing that you are using face frames. you can take a scrape peice of luan or cardboard and make the scribe, then beltsand it off. that should get you real close. and then use caulk to fill in any gaps. as for your front to back front issue i'm a big fan of shims. i hope it works out for you. darren
John J. Desmond
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Re: Design help - inset cabinet

Post by John J. Desmond »

Darren,

Have you considered making wider stiles on your face frames? You can always cut them down to fit on the job site. This would allow a similar look from right to left cabinets. With only about 1/2" in difference you probably wouldn't even see the difference. Essentially you will be scribing the frames rather than adding scribe on top of the frames.

John D.
Peter Walsh
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Re: Design help - inset cabinet

Post by Peter Walsh »

Bob,
I had almost the exact same project and offered version "A" which is what you show, and also Version "B" which they bought at more than double the cost.
(See the final result at http://peterwalshbookcases.com/cherryentertainment.htm. Once this project was approved, it was easy to solve your alcove sizing problem. I built the recessed cabinetry 1.5" smaller in width than the opening, and the upright panels (pilasters) on either side of the alcove recess are separate and "L" shaped. One side (front) faces the customer's room, the other side slides in between the cabinet and alcove wall. You can then screw through the cabinet side just behind the face frame into the "L" pilaster to secure things. Some of the trim on the front "L" pilaster was sent to the job site loose so I could screw the face of the pilaster into the wall and then nail-gun the trim to cover the screws. No screws show anywhere on this project.
I hope this expands your ideas and helps. I remember spending hours trying to figure out how to trim this project. Don't be afraind to extend the cabinetry beyond the alcove recess confines.
The attached pix shows a right pilaster, revealing the "L" shape and the leg which will slide between the wall and the cabinet.
Much luck
regards,
Attachments
Right pilaster detail.jpg
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John J. Desmond
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Company Name: American Millwork Company
Country: UNITED STATES
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Re: Design help - inset cabinet

Post by John J. Desmond »

Darren,

Anoher thought would be to make a template of the recess and then make wider stiles on frames. You can then lay the template on the left frame and cut to match. The cabinet would then slide in easily.

John
Lamar Horton
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Re: Design help - inset cabinet

Post by Lamar Horton »

I do a lot of these alcoves. What we do is use a 2" wide stile and apply a large scribe, up to an inch if necessary then the cabinet slides right in. Sometimes I don't even have to trim the stiles.
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