Woodworking help needed - sheathing

[zeebies]

So, I have this built:

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd451/printpail/40%20Breeder%20Build/DSCN0413.jpg

I want to attach 3/8” cherry sheathing on the front and both sides – leaving openings for doors all around. My plan is to make up each front and side unit from several pieces and then attach each unit to the case. Does this sound OK?

Also, should I attach the panels with glue only or glue and screws? I’m a little concerned with humidity changes and the wood not being able to move.

Any other thing I should be concerned about? Thanks a lot for your advice.

[donnievaz]

If it were me I'd use finishing brads & fill the holes with the appropriate colored putty. You'll never see them. No glue, no need for it.

[EgmontKey]

OT but where exactly do you find cherry sheathing at? Home depot? I was going to make my own stand as the framing part would have been simple but I was unsure about where to buy the sheathing (of skinning as I've heard it called). I just ended up ordering a custom stand but it would be nice to know. Thanks

[donnievaz]

You need to find a good local lumberyard. A good keyword for searching is hardwood(s). Online ordering is another option.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=847&ne_ppc_id=776&mkwid=5684592&pcrid=5325324360&ne_key_id=sT4rNtEzq&gclid=CMmC_OOguLMCFQ-f4AodLm0AXg

[mcgyvr]

stain/seal the inside surfaces of the wood first.. Then install with finishing nails/wood filler as suggested above.

Or do what I did (which IMO is the best) I made all the side panels removable. Using cabinet catches at the top and 1/2" aluminum U channel at the bottom to hold them in place. All I do is just grab the handles and pull the sides/front off.. Makes working on it later MUCH easier. Takes me seconds to pull the sides/front off so it is just the framing like in the picture.

[donnievaz]

stain/seal the inside surfaces of the wood first.. Then install with finishing nails/wood filler as suggested above.

Or do what I did (which IMO is the best) I made all the side panels removable. Using cabinet catches at the top and 1/2" aluminum U channel at the bottom to hold them in place. All I do is just grab the handles and pull the sides/front off.. Makes working on it later MUCH easier. Takes me seconds to pull the sides/front off so it is just the framing like in the picture.

That's a GREAT idea!

[bobafet1]

There are two ways you can do this.

1. The way you mentioned. By going this route you can drill 1/4 holes in your stand and screw the face frames (cherry sheathing) from the back. This is similar to how metal stands have tabs with holes so that the face frame can be screwed in place with drywall screws.

2. If it were me (I've built plenty of these type stands) I would look into laminates. You can get some really nice laminates in all types of wood grains. All you would need to do is glue the laminate to your existing stand and route out the holes for your doors. Then, when this is all done you can just attach your doors to your stand and be done. The benefit of going with laminates is that it will be less work, cheaper, and you won't have to worry about stains. Also, depending on the type of laminate you choose you can easily wipe it clean with a damp cloth, which will be important since its only a matter of time before you spill water on your stand.

[Photobug]

Cherry is very expensive. I used rustic alder instead. It is called poor man's cherry.

I created a set of panels to cover the 3 visible sides. I used a Kreg Jig to make pocket screws to create the stile and rail panels then attached a plywood panel on the back. I used a magnet and metal washer combination to attach the panels so they are propped in place then are easy to pop them off.

The plywood I used was MDF cored so I used watered down glue to seal the edges first then attached it. I then applied 4 coats of General Finishes wipe-on water based polyurethane. Here is the results.

[zeebies]

If it were me I'd use finishing brads & fill the holes with the appropriate colored putty. You'll never see them. No glue, no need for it.

Good idea, seems simple enough. Any problem with the putty not matching the color of the cherry as the cherry ages and darkens? Or am I being too anal like a reefer?


OT but where exactly do you find cherry sheathing at?

I bought enough 5/4 rough sawn cherry for this project from a local hardwood supplier. I then resawed most of the pieces so the sheathing will be about 3/8 thick.

[zeebies]

stain/seal the inside surfaces of the wood first. Then install with finishing nails/wood filler as suggested above.

What do you think of painting the cherry that will be on the inside of the cabinet? That would seal it well but it seems crazy to paint over that beautiful wood. My other idea is to seal the inside with linseed/tung oil.


There are two ways you can do this.

1. The way you mentioned. By going this route you can drill 1/4 holes in your stand and screw the face frames (cherry sheathing) from the back.

Would you also glue in this case?


Cherry is very expensive. I used rustic alder instead. It is called poor man's cherry. Here is the results.

Looks very nice Photobug. Thanks for the pics. I already have the cherry though :thumbsup:. I'll be using a Kreg jig for my doors too. I was thinking of using tung or linseed oil as a finish. How did you decide on your finish?


Thanks all for your comments so far. Every bit helps.

[justin940]

you would not be making a mistake by sealing all the edges and sides.

[Photobug]

I bought enough 5/4 rough sawn cherry for this project from a local hardwood supplier. I then resawed most of the pieces so the sheathing will be about 3/8 thick.

I didn't see you are from Maine. Probably have your own lumber mill on property? Alder would likely be more expensive there or the same as Cherry is here. Seeing they have to come from opposite side of the country.


Any problem with the putty not matching the color of the cherry as the cherry ages and darkens? Or am I being too anal like a reefer?

Take the sawdust from your recent cherry milling and mix it in with a putty you choose. That way most of the putty is cherry dust and will then stain and age the same as the rest of the wood.

[Photobug]

What do you think of painting the cherry that will be on the inside of the cabinet? That would seal it well but it seems crazy to paint over that beautiful wood. My other idea is to seal the inside with linseed/tung oil.


Looks very nice Photobug. Thanks for the pics. I already have the cherry though :thumbsup:. I'll be using a Kreg jig for my doors too. I was thinking of using tung or linseed oil as a finish. How did you decide on your finish?


Thanks all for your comments so far. Every bit helps.

One of my other things is woodworking. I asked on the woodworking forums. They told me to ask on the aquarium forums. I did run by all my favorite options past them and they did not like any of my other options. Danish oil followed by shellac, which worked well on my brewing rig.
The General Finish Enduro is water based so no nasty chemicals, easy water clean up, easy wipe on application while being bombproof. It is used as a floor finish. Get some staining rags wipe on a thin layer let dry sand, vacuum then put on another coat.
http://www.woodcraft.com/PRODUCT/2081078/30237/GENERAL-FINISHES-ENDUROVAR-TOP-COAT-SEMIGLOSS-QUART.ASPX?refcode=10INGOPB&gclid=CMjsh57vuLMCFW1yQgodnVAAvw

I thought about painting the interior but figured I wanted the same moisture handling on both sides.

[Photobug]

you would not be making a mistake by sealing all the edges and sides.

Agreed. Seal all sides well and the edges especially well if plywood, extra special well if it is MDF cored.

[zeebies]

Photobug: Ha ha - wish I had my own lumber mill! I had to go visit a friend and borrow his huge jointer and resaw set-up. Other general milling I can luckily do in my basement.

Also, I remember -back when- using glue and sawdust to fill holes but I like your putty and sawdust idea much better. Thanks.

Thanks for the finishing ideas. I'll check that site out. All wood will be "real wood" so no worries there. Interesting thought on moisture handling too - wouldn't have considered that. Sounds like you've been through this before...

I'd like to do a tung or linseed oil finish on the cherry. Would you just do both sides of the sheathing that way?


Justin: Yes, sealing is on my list. I understand I might need more applications on the end grain?

[Photobug]

Photobug: Ha ha - wish I had my own lumber mill! I had to go visit a friend and borrow his huge jointer and resaw set-up. Other general milling I can luckily do in my basement.

If your friend has one you are closer to it than me more people have surfboard shaping shops in their garage than lumbermills here;



I'd like to do a tung or linseed oil finish on the cherry. Would you just do both sides of the sheathing that way?
?

If you want that look check out some of the other General Finishes. They had other that can give you a Tung Oil look. I chose the one I went with because I wanted the clearest and strongest available. After talking to the wood geeks I was convinced it is the hardiest while being the easiest thing to apply. I figured it would be enough work maintaining a bigger tank I did not want to have to go back and refinish the woodworking part of the project and did not want any risk of water damage.

[zeebies]

Yup, would rather worry about maintaining the reef than the cabinet. The product you linked to does come in a satin finish. That sounds like a good candidate. Hmmm, let's see. Two coats of your stuff or 10 coats of hand-rubbed oil. :eek1:

Thanks Photobug.

[Photobug]

Yup, would rather worry about maintaining the reef than the cabinet. The product you linked to does come in a satin finish. That sounds like a good candidate. Hmmm, let's see. Two coats of your stuff or 10 coats of hand-rubbed oil. :eek1:

Thanks Photobug.

Talk to General Finishes company. They have many different finishes. One of the other water based finishes has a slight tint to it, so it will darken up the wood upon finishing. The one I liked to will be clearer and therefore show off the grain details better. Both finishes come in satin, semi or gloss.

[bobafet1]

Would you also glue in this case?


It wouldn't be necessary but wouldn't hurt either. Since your door openings are very large you wouldn't necessarily need removable panels therefore you can set them permanently in place.

If you can find plywood with an mdf core then you will be better off since it doesn't have a tendency to warp. However, just be sure you use edge banding to seal off all the edges.

[zeebies]

bobafet1, I was just getting ready to post again on that same question. Nice timing.

So, I would be safe in only glueing my 3/8" solid cherry to the case? I'd like to avoid nail holes and filling if possible. I believe that the widest width of cherry I need to use is less than 4". The wood would be solidly against my frame.

In my mind anyway, if I glue only, it's not unlike creating a laminated board. So no nails needed. Is this correct?


Yes Photobug, I sent an email off to General finishes regarding what might work for me.

I'm also thinking about your suggestion to use a finish with a slight tint. When using an oil on the cherry, over time the cherry darkens to a nice patina. If I were to go with more of a sealant, I might miss out on that darkening. So maybe a tint in the finish will provide me that nice aged patina look? And the sealant would provide more protection than just an oil. Could be a good combination.

Thanks you two.

[Photobug]

If you can find plywood with an mdf core then you will be better off since it doesn't have a tendency to warp. However, just be sure you use edge banding to seal off all the edges.

A better option than banding is to seal the edges, there is another woodworking term for it but I will use seal because I am drawing a blank. Use a water proof glue water it down with a little bit of water then use a chemical brush or paper towel to seal the edges. I had already cut the MDF plywood to size for the panels before I did this then put a couple coats of glue on the edges.

On my build I used countersunk magnets to attach the panels to the cabinet. I have a permanent lip of finished wood around the top to help mask the moveable nature of the magnetic mounting. Before this I considered the two following methods for mounting.

Sunken trim screws. I was going to predrill a hole for very small headed trim screws only 3 per side and then fill them. I figured with only 3 per side It would be easy to remove if needed for a major upgrade.

The other option was to use large bolts. I was looking for a large black square head bolts, think of Rustica furniture. So instead of hiding the attachment show it off. I was going to put one bolt in each corner of each panel and have a countersunk nut mounted in the underlying case. For some reason I really wanted to have removable panels.

[bobafet1]

A better option than banding is to seal the edges, there is another woodworking term for it but I will use seal because I am drawing a blank.

How is this better? Seems like a lot more time and money involved by doing it that way. Got any pics of the end result?


With edge banding the edges will be sealed when the glue is heated up and applied under a bit of pressure. Also, the edge banding can be purchased in any word grain pattern so that it matches the door.

[Indymann99]

A much less expensive option might be Poplar stained with a Cherry stain.

I wanted a darker look so my cabinet maker used a process called Chocolate over Cherry stain. Finished in Satin.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/Basement52009.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/TankCabclosed.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/TankCabOpen.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/Bar2.jpg