Entertainment Center Project

First off, I hope I placed this thread in the right category here.

For a couple/few years now, I've been using a 6 foot wide computer desk as my entertainment center in my room. It worked alright for a while, but as you can see, it's just not optimal for my audio gear needs...



The main issues from the current setup is the lack of shelving space, then lack of ability for a floor standing tower to be used as a center channel, and takes up a little too much space. What this entertainment center project is going to do, is allow me more shelving space to hold my equipment, allow me to use a floor standing tower as a center speaker, such as a D-7, D-9, AT-15, VE-15, or a 380SE. I /might/ be able to fit another S-2 EE as one, if I am lucky to ever find another one, and if space allows since they are a tad bit wider than the measurement I have for the D-9, AT-15, VE15, and 380SE options. Then the best part, is freeing up enough space to replace my CLS-15S with a Stroker 18 cabinet to finally get that into my system. :thmbsp:


So I ended up drawing some plans, right here:


Now the final measurements of some pieces may vary slightly due to the thickness of the table saw blade, but not quite enough to hurt anything. Me and my dad did cut all of the pieces, and the shelves we went ahead and have a tad bit less wide, maybe by a 1/16th inch I'm guessing? Everything's made all squared up right now, which this will cause slight gain in the available width space for the center tower speaker location, since the measurement for top part of the entertainment center remains the same.

So here's the cut pieces so far...

So these will be the shelves, and main floor shelf here at the bottom of the cabinets:



Then the top and sides and smaller pieces:


By time it got dark, we closed up the shop as all the pieces were cut. Doesn't help too much being in an unfinished shop with no lights at the moment, and as the sun goes down it does get cold quite fast. We had to buy a router table since our old table saw didn't have the right piece for the particular router we did get, and while there, I bought some stain, and some goodies to change up from the original design...

Firstly, I decided to make /all/ the shelves adjustable. Except one, which will be on drawer trays to slide in and out for my turn table, at least this is what I have in plan. Unless someone thinks this is a bad idea, but this drawer assembly is extendable, and capable of 100 pounds, and kinda pulls itself back in when you slide it in nearly all the way and stays in place.

Since we got the router, we tested it to see our option for the bracket setup for the adjustable shelves for this setup...



Close, but not quite, but with a slight adjustment of the guide on the router table, to cut off an extra little bit off the wood, we could fit the brackets rather nicely, like so:



Then we began prepping for the first, lower shelf on the bottom side.... for added strength we will use these peg things...



Then apply the glue, and clamp down...



Here's what it looks like on the bottom side from the inside:



Then soon got some more pieces together, to get squared up...




The smaller boards along the bottom are screwed in and glued, but we have the side on the top of the picture, just clamped down for now at the position it will need to be glued and mounted at. This is pretty well were we left off as it got dark on us again. I'll update more on progress as we progress on this project! :yes:

BT 3000 is an excellent saw.

Great project :thmbsp:

Thanks!

Also, began getting more work done to it today, since it became a nice...ish day... low to mid 50s at least.

We started off by finishing off this part, since the last picture, by securing it and screwing it with some new screws we bought that counter-sink really well!


Then we set it onto the floor:



Close-up of the metal bracket setup:


Then we began working on putting the other shelf unit together, starting with the brackets:



Then of course, we cut off the excess:


Then we began with the support on the lower end:


For anyone curious to the type of screws we used, these are what we used:


Then pretty well got this part put together like the other end, with the pictures in the original post.

So we then placed the two shelf units on the floor, and laid the top on them, to get the visual come to life!







The top isn't mounted yet, since we still have to get some brackets for that, then trim to make it more appealing, and of course the shelves made up!

My first wood project, with my dad who hasn't worked with this stuff in probably... 20 or so years! I think we didn't do badly with this.

More to come later! :thmbsp:

Today, we added the trim!

Nic job!!!! like your clamps. the one tool a man can never have enough of. D

Looks pretty good.....Nice pics....

Good work! That should organize your gear well.

Okay, for an update, this project isn't abandoned nor is it done. December was just nice for the most part and it go pretty cold since, and wet since the last update.

I believe all that's left is using wood filler on the screw holes, then staining it, if I don't end up putting in the movable drawer tray for my Turn Table. Still haven't yet decided.

Plus I'm still unsure if I want to put in 12 volt fan switches still or just do something else for the 12 volt fan cooling. :scratch2:

Decisions decisions... I want to do this right, so does anyone have suggestions or tips?

Like... would it be wise to use wood filler where the trim pieces meet up? Proper application of the oak stain?

I'm trying to remain patient with this project, so I don't just bring it up in place of my current desk before staining it...

Best to keep turn table on top. A moving tray will add vibrations to turntable. Unless you have Class A amps, fans should not be necessary if unit kept out from wall. To me, fans are very distracting, bordering on annoying! Very nice work, hope you enjoyed the work with your dad, something to cherish for a long time. I'm not a wood worker, but would fill corners and areas where trim meets.

1deigler said:

Best to keep turn table on top. A moving tray will add vibrations to turntable. Unless you have Class A amps, fans should not be necessary if unit kept out from wall. To me, fans are very distracting, bordering on annoying! Very nice work, hope you enjoyed the work with your dad, something to cherish for a long time. I'm not a wood worker, but would fill corners and areas where trim meets.

Click to expand...

Hmm, the problem is, my TV will take up all the space on the top... now if my turn table has longer cables, I could re-locate it entirely somewhere in the room, perhaps further away from the speakers.

Actually, the fans are for my Onkyo to keep the HDMI section cool, since it can run hot. These fans operate silently, two AeroCool Sharks, with a inline resisters, you can't even hear them a few inches away.

Now... my power amps, are a different story, I need to do fan mods to them, because I can relate to the annoyance.

Nice I really like it.

I would try to stay away from using wood filler. It is fine for filling holes but I can never get it to look right. I've decided a gap looks better than a gap filled with gunk. If it is wider than 1/16", I'll try to fill it with an oak shim. Experiment with your stain/filler combo (on scrap) since some work much better than others.

Too late to help but I would suggest using biscuits or dowels to eliminate screws in visible locations. These Miller dowels can be somewhat decorative http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10483&site=ROCKLER If you can sink the screws deep enough try an oak plug.

I used the Minwax golden oak stain and semi-gloss wipe on poly on the center section of my entertainment center. Red oak trim and red oak veneer plywood. The towers are 10 years older and from the original entertainment center. I used the minwax antique oil finish on the original towers.

For scale, the center section is 72" wide, ~24" tall and ~24" deep. The drawers include 22" full extension sliders.

Practice you finishing technique (and color choices) on scrap material. Do-overs are not an option.

Good luck!

Okay, we moved it to our business workshop, and will be in the process of staining and wood putty this week! I got the trim nails counter sunk. :thmbsp:

ra7c7er said:

Nice I really like it.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

donprice said:

I would try to stay away from using wood filler. It is fine for filling holes but I can never get it to look right. I've decided a gap looks better than a gap filled with gunk. If it is wider than 1/16", I'll try to fill it with an oak shim. Experiment with your stain/filler combo (on scrap) since some work much better than others.

Too late to help but I would suggest using biscuits or dowels to eliminate screws in visible locations. These Miller dowels can be somewhat decorative http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10483&site=ROCKLER If you can sink the screws deep enough try an oak plug.

I used the Minwax golden oak stain and semi-gloss wipe on poly on the center section of my entertainment center. Red oak trim and red oak veneer plywood. The towers are 10 years older and from the original entertainment center. I used the minwax antique oil finish on the original towers.

For scale, the center section is 72" wide, ~24" tall and ~24" deep. The drawers include 22" full extension sliders.

Practice you finishing technique (and color choices) on scrap material. Do-overs are not an option.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Thank You for the suggestion there, I'll look into those. :thmbsp:

Wow, beautiful work there, all done by you?

The heck with the cabinet....I need one of those cars! WOO HOO!

I had a feeling someone was going to comment about the cars right away. lol

I think you may be a lot happier with the result if you paint that. Traces of glue, scuffs/dents/chips, the difference between woods, and every screw/nail and seam will stand out if you stain, whereas all that can be made invisible if you fill/prime/paint.

Hoodcom said:

Thank You for the suggestion there, I'll look into those. :thmbsp:

Wow, beautiful work there, all done by you?

Click to expand...

Not exactly. The towers came from the Bare Wood unfinished furniture store....so all I did was stain and finish. Then I later modified them by removing a fixed shelf and doors in the bottom 1/3 to make room for the speaker cabinets.

dumptruck said:

I think you may be a lot happier with the result if you paint that. Traces of glue, scuffs/dents/chips, the difference between woods, and every screw/nail and seam will stand out if you stain, whereas all that can be made invisible if you fill/prime/paint.

Click to expand...

Painting over the oak is a shame unless you dig the 80's (?) black ash/oak look and let the grain show through. It tried rattle-can high gloss black lacquer....and it didn't quite work as planned since the over-spray tended to screw up the high gloss finish. Looks fine at a distance....

Somewhere in here (AK) is a JBL L36 restoration thread showing a beautiful job (at least to me) of shooting the oak cabinets black. I believe the poster was a pro painter. Know anyone that paints hot rods?

Red Oak is a deep grain,
consider a pre-stain conditioner to "raise" the feathers and grain. sand after that, then stain.
If you just stain you'll have a rough finish surface which will translate itself to every coat of whatever thereafter.
A Satin Poly hides skipped steps the best!

Nice project, been doing a few myself, audio related and others Wife directed!

donprice said:

Painting over the oak is a shame unless you dig the 80's (?) black ash/oak look and let the grain show through. It tried rattle-can high gloss black lacquer....and it didn't quite work as planned since the over-spray tended to screw up the high gloss finish. Looks fine at a distance....
Somewhere in here (AK) is a JBL L36 restoration thread showing a beautiful job (at least to me) of shooting the oak cabinets black. I believe the poster was a pro painter. Know anyone that paints hot rods?

Click to expand...

Well, I wasn't suggesting a rattle can job, but I totally missed that it was red oak, so I kinda take it back.