Construction of “Curio” style Cabinet

by Miguel Del Real

This particular project was planned from scratch with some inspiration from the previous “Plante style cabinets” I had constructed in the past. This cabinet consists of four columns which encase the panels and face frame within. The cabinet is held together with rabbets and dados all the way around including the face-frame. It is topped off with a sub-base and dove-tailed base, a sub-top and solid panel top. The doors and drawer fronts are will consist of raised panel construction. Materials of choice; Alder hardwood and alder plywood.

In the same sequence applied in constructing the “Plante” style cabinets, I began by building the face frame. The stock lumber is jointed, surfaced, squared and ripped to net size and prepared for mortising and cutting the tenons.

After marking the indicated work pieces they are taken to the multi-router. After running all the mortises required, their counterparts are taken to be ran on the table saw set-up with a dado cutting blade.

The next step to constructing the face frame is to round the tenon ends of the rails with a file to fit the mortises. Once this is done the face frame can be fit, glued and clamped.

The columns are essential to the construction of this particular cabinet. They are what holds the panels and face frame together so they would need to be machined with precision in order to facilitate assembly. In the process of machining the columns, that were meant to be in the front, I ran into an upsetting problem. These pieces warped beyond remedy which forced me to work with lumber that wasn’t of the quality or grain pattern I was looking for. The columns had check and split marks on the ends.

After that upsetting series of events I had come to peace with the resources I had, and decided to continue building with split boards. However, Mr. Hageman noticed the splitting columns and stopped me from continuing and suggested I fix the splits before assembly. He told me I needed to install butterfly joints into the ends of the columns in order to stop them from splitting further. (Shown here are my practice pieces)

Butterfly joints are meant to keep a board from splitting apart and add aesthetic qualities at the same time. A butterfly joint consists of two parts; the butterfly key and the mortise. The key is always made first because it has to be traced on work piece that needs to be mortised. The butterfly keys are cut on the band saw and squared and shaped accurately on the disc sander. Once traced, the mortise can be made using flat chisels and a set of carving tools.

Next, the butterfly key is glued into the mortise and clamped. After unclamping, the key is sanded flush.

All panels, including back and sides, are cut to net size and prepared for rabbeting on the table saw. The columns are also arranged and ran through the router table with a ½” bit. The rabbets were ran soon after and fit to their corresponding counterparts.

The case was assembled in parts. The beginning phase of assembly is gluing the side panels to both front and rear columns. During the time these pieces dried I built two web frames for the bottom of the drawer openings and cut two panels (one for the top and the other for the bottom of the top case).

Once the sides were ready, the back and face frame was prepared for gluing. Before gluing though, several ¾” squared cleats were cut to mount sub frames and panels. The cabinet was laid on its side where the face frame and back were installed and glued. I then began attaching the top panel and web frames to the case with cleats and screws.

Once all the in between panels and sub frames are installed the cabinet is ready to be capped off with the other side panel with columns. The panel is laid on top of the partially constructed case then glued and clamped.

The sub-base and top are mitered and joined with a biscuit joint.

The top is butt glued and net cut an inch larger than the sub top. The base is made of rescued pieces of columns that warped earlier in this process. I decided to couple my base with the butterfly’s by using dovetails to joint the base.

Project as is at end of semester. Needs doors and drawers.