My entertainment center

I have to say, this is beautiful work!!

However, according to Nils, this is impossible to accomplish with Festool equipment. So it is either a figment of our imaginations or, like Rey's MFT work, a product of staged shots taken in the Nevada desert.  ::)

All kidding aside, this is just terrific work. You are going to be getting complements on its beauty for years to come.
 
10digit,

Great job all around - design, construction, finish and tutorial!  I think you are likely to draw many more compliments from those who see this project.

Thanks for the tips on moving the work-in-progress around the shop (mover's dolly) and how to make the unit mobile if access to the back is needed after final assembly in a room of the house (threaded stem casters with T-nuts).  Before reading of your approach, I was thinking of load levelers with a similar threaded shank that is configured to accept a hex key (Allen wrench) internally of rhe stem.  The bottoms of the load levlers could be equipped with those low friction glides since my unit is intended to be installed in a room with wall-to-wall carpet where small casters don't work very well.

One question regarding the water-based finish that you chose.  I have read that some WB finishes react with the tannic acid in oak causing discloration.  Did you take any steps to prevent this, or does the stain that you first applied act as a sealer against such reaction, or ir the General Finish brand product not reactive with oak?  (My entertainment center is being made of oak.)

sToolman,

Thanks for the reminder/tip/link to Gary Katz's tutorials on use of SketchUp.  I'll definitely look into them.  But I couldn't wait for my SketchUp skills to catch up to my hand drafting skills and my desire to get started cutting wood.  Tonight I cut all the oak plywood panels needed for the center unit and two bookcases to be positioned on the sides of the center unit.  I used my shopmade Guide Rail Side Stops to facilitate repeat cuts with my TS 55 and 3000 mm Guide Rail.  A simple way to achieve excellent repeatability of cut width.

If anyone else is considering building an entertainment center, I recommend they check out the latest issue  (Oct. 2008) of Fine Woodworking.  In that issue is an excellent article beginning on page 58 by Steve Casey describing how he designs and assembles a low console for a home theater.  He uses many loose biscuits for location of wood components together with screws to secure many of those components.  I plan to substitute Domino joints; I do not have a biscuit joiner.  Unfortunately for me, to achieve the visual effect my wife wants, I cannot use many of his construction ideas and techniques.

Dave R.
 
Dave,

I was not familiar with the water base finish reacting with the tannic acid in the oak.  But I would have to venture a guess that you are correct that the oil stain sealed the bare wood.  I used both veneer plywood and 4/4 stock in the construction of this project, all of which is quarter sawn white oak.  This is my third project using this species although the entertainment unit is the first with WB finish.  I also built a side board hutch with a granite top and a coffee table (from a Woodsmith magazine plan).

Maybe some of the other members are more familiar with this issue, or you might want to speak with customer service at General Finishes.  I used Minwax Polycrylic because:  I needed a lot of it - I used almost a gallon and a half on this project and was in a hurry, and was able to get it at Lowes.  Didn't spray very well at first, called Minwax and advised what I was doing and they said it was not recommended for spray application.  Then they said you can spray it if you dilute it 10% with water, which I did and it sprayed fine.  The next time I do a water based finish, I will go with a material designed for spray and supported as such.

BTW- those casters on the bottom of my unit are pretty big and are rated at 150 lbs. each so they do roll on carpet fairly well.
 
10digit,

Thanks for the tips on spraying the Miniwax WB material.  My experience with spray applied WB coatings is limited to Oxford (Target Coatings) WB shellac and WB lacquer.  I first used these on a few pieces of shop storage cabinets made from Chinese birch plywood from HD - shellac as a sealer followed by topcoats of lacquer.  More recently I used these same products to refinish some old pieces of furniture.  One was a maple dresser, the other a shaker lamp table made of American chestnut.  Both came out well without need of any buffing of the final coat.  I used Oxford's semi-gloss lacquer.

The materials to be used in construction of my entertainment center are similar to your choices - plain-sliced red oak veneered 3/4 plywood for most panels with solid oak edging, much of it ripped from 5/4 stock because the visible front edges are to be thicker than 3/4 inch and these strips will also form a sort of frame with corner posts.  Yesterday I completed ripping all the oak ply and 5/4 strips using my TS 55, CT 22, Boom Arm and 3000mm Guide Rail to which I had to join another Guide Rail for some of the long rips of the 5/4 stock.  Even my wife was impressed with how much I got done in a day and the quality of the cut edges and especially the lack of sawdust.  I am confident she is now a Festoolie Fan, having seen the mess using conventional tools makes.

Dave R.
 
That's a really fantastic entertainment unit. I'm planning on building one towards the end of the year, but I somehow doubt it'll measure up to this.

Pedro
 
10diget,

Great job on your entertainment center. I really like the proportions you used. That is the hardest thing for me to on my own designs. I usually just keep 'tweaking' the design until it looks pleasing to my eye.

I'll second your comment on the grain of oak. But, it can't be confused with any other wood. ;D
 
Nice looking unit, 10!

But where's the Center speaker?  :o I'm assuming it's only a 2-channel setup.  I'm sure surround sound is coming soon. ;D  Again, the cabinet looks really nice.

InSurroundSound
 
InSurroundSound:

I have much better luck with tools than I do with stereo equipment.  I smoked my PSB subwoofer a while back and have not replaced it yet.  There is a pair of PSB bookshelf speakers located in the towers and the center arch is specifically for a center channel (don't tell my wife - she thinks its for pictures and other dust collectors).  The Yamaha receiver is 5.1 capable.

Its really all about priorities.  Right now I am going face first down the slippery slope of the Festool mountain so my funds are tied up there.  But for the holidays I think I'll look for the speakers to complete the home theater setup.  Who knows, maybe I'll wait in line on Black Friday again for a deal!!
 
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