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by
Jerry Weber
photo: Roger Yip
illustration: Len Churchill |
PYRAMID CABINET |
| This
attractive pyramid cabinet really stands out |
If you have a modest shop you can still build a project as substantial
as this. Despite appearances, it requires very few tools: aside
from a handheld circular saw, I only used a few hand tools,
including a pocket-hole jig and a sliding bevel gauge.
You don’t need any costly
materials either. I used #1 common pine, and 1/4"- and
1/2"-thick veneered plywood. To cut it with minimal splintering,
outfit your circular saw with a fine blade such as a Freud 24-tooth
thin-kerf blade that I used.
 Almost
every workshop project involves building a framework of a defined
size, then adding trimmed components. With the pyramid cabinet
the custom-cut technique is more important than ever, thanks
to its angled design. As you work, pay close attention to the
materials list. Part lengths and widths marked with an asterisk
are critical sizes, while non-marked lengths and widths are
larger than necessary, giving you room to adjust for the right
fit.
Start by preparing the cabinet’s
sides and the 1/4"-thick plywood back panel. These form
the framework that establishes the angle and shape of the entire
project. The structure slopes inward 10° from square. Prepare
1/4" x 1/4" rabbet grooves along the back edges of
the sides to house the back panel. I used prelaminated solid
pine panels for the sides, eliminating the need to edge-glue
and laminate anything. Set your circular saw to make 1/4"-deep
cuts to create the rabbets. It took multiple passes to finish
them, guided by a straightedge clamped to the sides. Make the
side and back pieces longer than necessary for now.
Stand both side pieces on edge,
front edge down, then fit the back panel into the rabbet grooves.
Clamps on the lower edge serve as feet to keep the side pieces
upright. Slide the back panel back and forth between the two
sides until you find the critical 23" overall bottom width,
as measured from the outside corners of the side pieces. Mark
the spot where the back panel meets the bottom ends of the sides,
then cut along the edge.
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The drawer fronts fit into the pyramid shape but
the drawers are rectangular inside. The base of
the drawers fit into a groove for smooth sliding
action |
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The
front and back stretchers come next. These define the cabinet’s
shape too. With your plywood back panel flat on your workbench
(inside face up), get out a pencil and straightedge. The back
can be used as a handy, full-size template. Start by marking
two lines along the long side edges of the back panel, each
one 1/4" in from the edges. Next, mark a series of lines
across the back, from left to right, each one parallel to the
bottom edge. These show the location of the bottom edges of
the stretcher front and back pieces. The first line is 2 3/4"
from the bottom of the back panel; the others go up every 6
3/8" from there. Crosscut the stretchers to match the lengths
of these lines with a circular saw. You can cut to square quickly
by holding a combination square across the cutline and sliding
the saw along the working edge of the square. If you make the
stretcher with four-inch-wide stock, make angled cross cuts
on matching pairs of stretchers at once. Rip each piece in two
after crosscutting and you’ll have perfectly matched stretcher
lengths.
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THE COMPLETE PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS, CHECK OUT THE NOVEMBER 2002
ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE OR SUBSCRIBE
NOW |
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