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| by:
Rick Campbell
photos: Dave Starrett
illustrations: Len Churchill |
PATIO TROLLEY |
| This
cedar patio trolley adds a touch of elegance to outdoor entertaining |
When it comes to furniture, woodworkers have an advantage over
other people. If we can’t find what we’re looking
for in stores, we have the option of heading out to the workshop
to build it. This was the case recently when I was shopping
for a serving trolley for my patio. I wasn’t satisfied
with the molded plastic versions sold by most garden centres,
so I built my own out of wood. It’s made with cedar, a
traditional wood for outdoor furniture because it resists decay,
is lightweight and relatively inexpensive.
When building furniture intended
for outdoors, use corrosion-resistant stainless steel or brass
screws, and a weatherproof glue such as a Type II PVA or polyurethane
adhesive.
Getting Started
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| Generously
rounded corners give the cart a soft look and highlight
the strong finger joint details |
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Cut the
parts for the removable serving tray and the main cart parts,
including the bottom shelf. Prepare a full-size template to
mark and cut the tray ends, including the handle openings at
each end. These start with a 1" dia. hole drilled at each
end; the remaining waste is removed with scroll saw cuts. For
a more comfortable grip, round over the handle edges with a
table-mounted router.
As you can see, I used finger
joints for all outside corners; I think the beauty and strength
of the interlocking fingers are worth the extra work. I used
a tablesaw and dado blade to cut mine.
With finger joints done, continue
by preparing slats for the removable tray and the bottom shelf.
Rout a decorative 1/8" bevel along the edge of these slats
using a table-mounted router and a 45° bearing-equipped
chamfer bit. Next, cut a 3/8"-deep x 3/4"-wide dado
along the sides of the serving tray and the bottom shelf sides
to receive the slats. Centre these grooves to avoid cutting
into the fingers at the corners.
The plans show how the tray support
cleats are fastened to the sides at the top of the cart. Install
these strips now, before further assembly. I bevelled the exposed
edges of both cleats using the same chamfer bit as before. Cleats
are secured with weatherproof glue and 1 1/4"-long screws.
Now it’s time to assemble
the serving tray, the frame it sits in and the bottom shelf
frame. Make sure everything you need is close at hand, including
a a sharp chisel to remove glue squeeze out when it’s half
dry, a mallet with blocks of wood to pound on and plenty of
clamps. Strap clamps are best for this job. It’s also a
good idea to cut some small blocks to regulate slat spacing
during final assembly. Before you get out the glue bottle, dry-fit
everything and fix any last-minute problems you find. After
the parts are glued and clamped, recheck for square corners
before setting the assemblies aside to dry overnight.
Want rounded corners on your
tray? Cut a 3/4"-radius curve on the outside of each corner
joint using a bandsaw. Don’t round the corners with a router
or they’ll splinter.
Adding Accessories
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| The
bottle holder should be custom-cut for your favourite
beverage choices. Choose wood that's free of knots
for strength |
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To make
the wine rack, cut the rack blank to size, then scroll-saw three
evenly spaced holes to receive the bottles. I cut two 3 1/4"
dia. holes and one 3 3/4" dia. hole to fit the most common
bottle sizes. Bandsaw the corners of the rack round, then rout
a 1/4" round-over profile on all the edges except the wine
rack ends; they connect with the grooves in the back legs.
For the wine glass rack, glue
and screw the 1/4"-thick inner and outer rails to the three
spacers. Then use glue and a 1 1/2"-long screw at each
end to attach the rail and spacer assemblies to the undersides
of the support cleats on each side of the cart’s main upper
frame. The wine glasses are suspended upside down by their bases.
Make and Install the Legs
The plans show how the front legs—the ones with wheels—are
1" shorter than the rear pair. Also, you’ll find specs
for the various grooves and notches you’ll need to cut
in the legs. All are 1/8" deep. An additional dado groove
is needed on the front legs to support the wine rack. Notching
the legs in this way adds strength to the trolley and helps
with alignment during assembly. To complete the legs, cut a
3/4" radius curve on the bottom corners and round all exposed
edges at the router table.
Apply glue to the dados and clamp
the legs to the sides of the two frames you assembled earlier.
For now, secure the legs with only one screw at each joint,
installed into holes predrilled to accept tapered wooden plugs
later. Using just a single screw initially lets you use a framing
square to check and adjust all parts. When you’re satisfied,
drive a second screw into each joint to lock them solid. Cover
the counterbored screw heads with tapered plugs glued in place,
then sand them flush.
Slide the wine rack into place.
To prevent splitting, use brads—not screws—to hold
the rack while the glue dries.
Custom Handle
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| Stemware
is easily accessible and held securely by the rails
underneath the tray. Just slide glasses out the
end |
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Prepare
a full-size template for the handle ends, then mark and cut
the two parts you’ll need. Drill a 5/8"-deep hole
in each, using a 1" Forstner bit, to receive the handle
rod. Ease the exposed edges of the handle ends with 100-grit
sandpaper.
One-inch diameter cedar dowel
rod is hard to find, so I made my own using a table-mounted
router and a 1/2" round-over bit with a guide bearing.
Start with a 1" square blank, approximately 18" long,
and round all four corners, leaving about 3" square on
each end to give you something to hold to prevent the blank
from rolling as you rout. A little sanding and you’ve got
a perfect dowel.
Cut a 10" section from the
centre of the rod blank and glue the handle ends to it. Secure
the handle assembly to the trolley with glue and 1 1/2"
screws.
Laminated Wheels
If you cut wooden wheels out of a solid piece of 1"-thick
material, over time they may split along the grain line. The
solution is to create blanks by laminating two pieces of 1/2"-thick
stock together with the grain running in opposing directions.
Use a circle cutter to prepare
the wheels, or scribe a layout line with a compass and cut out
the profile from the laminated stock freehand on a bandsaw or
scroll saw. Sand the edges with a stationery sander, then round
them over on both outside edges on the router table. I used
a 3/8" router bit raised to cut approximately 1/8"
deep into the face of the wheel to create the illusion of a
wooden tire. At the centre of the wheel, drill a 3/8" deep
hole with a 1" Forstner bit to recess the axle cap nut,
then drill a 1/2" dia. hole all the way through for the
axle shaft. Install the wheels when the project is sanded and
finished.
Finishing Up
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| CLICK
ABOVE FOR PLAN |
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Finish-sand
the cart and ease all exposed edges by hand with sand paper.
My favourite finish for outdoor projects is Circa 1850 Tung’n
Teak Oil.
Use a hacksaw to cut off a piece
of steel rod for the axle, then drill 1/2" holes in the
bottom of the front legs and insert the rod. Attach the wheels
to the shaft using washers for spacers and a cap nut on each
end of the shaft to hold everything in place. Roll your handiwork
out to the patio and invite over a few friends to enjoy a glass
of wine served in style from your shop-built trolley. |
| You
Will Need |
| For
the Tray |
Size |
Qty. |
| Tray
sides |
3/4"
x 2 1/4" x 23 3/8" |
2 |
| Tray
ends |
3/4"
x 4" x 15 3/8" |
2 |
| Tray
slats |
3/4"
x 1 3/4" x 14 5/8" |
11 |
| For
the Cart |
| Sides |
3/4"
x 2 1/4" x 25" |
4 |
| Ends |
3/4"
x 2 1/4" x 17" |
4 |
| Tray
support cleats |
3/4"
x 3/4" x 23 1/2" |
2 |
| Bottom
slats |
3/4"
x 1 3/4" x 16 1/4" |
12 |
| Front
leg |
3/4"
x 2 1/4" x 24" |
2 |
| Back
leg |
3/4"
x 2 1/4" x 25" |
2 |
| Handle
ends |
3/4"
x 4" x 3" |
2 |
| Handle
rod |
1"
dia. x 18" |
1 |
| Wheel
blanks |
1/2"
x 6 1/4" x 6 1/4" |
2 |
| For
the Glass and Wine Rack |
| Spacers |
3/4"
x 1" x 15 1/2" |
3 |
| Outside
rails |
1/4"
x 2" x 15 1/2" |
2 |
| Inside
rail |
1/4"
x 3 1/4" x 15 1/2" |
1 |
| Wine
bottle rack |
3/4"
x 6" x 17" |
1 |
| Hardware |
| Axle |
1/2"
dia. x 21" steel rod |
1 |
| Flat
washers |
1/2" |
4 |
| Cap
nuts |
1/2" |
2 |
| Screws |
#6
x 3/4" |
16 |
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#6
x 1" |
8 |
| |
#6
x 1 1/4" |
12 |
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#6
x 1 1/2" |
10 |
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