# Daughter Buffet



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

My Daughter, in a faraway part of Texas (North of Dallas, at least far from me, in New Orleans), LOL, has bought a Buffet for their home, and has asked me to make some drawers for it. 

I have designed them, in such a way, that they should have no trouble installing them. They come down here, a little more then we go up there. So there's a chance, they will have to install them. Listen, my Daughter and Son-in-law are very smart young people. They both graduated with honors, have multiple majors and have become very successful in their lives. My Son-in-law makes over 6 figures, as a Senior Software Engineer. And my Daughter works at home for a large insurance company, evaluating the records of mental patients, and figuring out what is next for them. (She use to have an evening job at a prisons mental hospital. Glad she's not there, anymore!!) But except for fingers on keyboards, they are not very good with their hands. When they bought this, their first house, I took my son-in-law to their big box store, and helped him set up a tool box. On our 1-2 trips a year, up there, I help him fix things up. Everyday things, that a homeowner should know how to do. Otherwise, he hires someone to do it. I mean, they have hardly no yard. Big house, pool and spa, but hardly any grass. And he hires a lawn man. 

Anyway.... So you see where simplicity has to be a factor here. Not to mention, the spaces these drawers will go in, are not really big enough to work in. It would be tough, for even I, to install these, any other way. And also the way it's set up. 

So, this is my plan. I'm going to make a "base", that will have the drawer slides mounted on. When installing these, we'll remove the drawers, put the base on an angle, to fit in their cabinets. The bases are a little wider then the opening, but will fit on an angle, without the drawers. Once you get the base in, either I or they, will put a couple of screws in the back, to keep the drawer and base from moving, and falling down, when the filled drawer is extended. Then slide the drawers in, and it's finish. I could probably have all five installed in about 5-10 minutes. It'll probably take them an hour. I've actually built the bases this Saturday, and I am waiting for them to figure out the stain shade. 
And I have the oak for the drawers coming in sometimes this week. 

Here's some pics of the Buffet, and what I've done, so far, which isn't much. Waiting on wood and them to figure out the stain shade. 

1st pic - Buffet
2nd pic- open buffet. Drawers are going in the two outside cabinets (upper and lower drawer) and in the wide, but short top middle opening. 
3rd- Close up of the side cabinet. Drawer going on both shelves. 
4th-My Daughter taking some measurements. 
5th- A picture I kind of doctored, to show what it will look like. Also to explained to her, that she will be loosing a lot of shelf space with these drawers. The cabinets go in about 2 inches on each side, and count the 1/2" per side of drawer slide, that has to be in the opening. She will loose 5 inches on each shelf. But she said, this buffet is all bonus storing for them, so loosing that doesn't matter. 
6th- all 5 drawer bases. Waiting for stain.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I'm learning something new everyday , as I thought a buffet was something Mike (mtstringer) did all the time ?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

that is sweet!!!


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

That is a pretty clever idea, Lee, A neat way to go on those drawers, I would have never have thought of that. Thanks for posting.
Herb


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Rick, I think Mike made some very similar drawers for his Daughters kitchen cabinets. But a Buffet (besides a self-serve restaurant, LOL) is a counter or table used to serve food on. But I don't think they will use this, for that. Since it is in their hall way. This is more of what my wife calls a "catch-all". Where you drop your keys and things as you walk through the door. 

Thanks Stick and Herb! Yea Herb, had to do a lot thinking on this one. Like I said, I knew If they had to install them, it was going to have to be something simple. And even if they waited till the later summer (when we try to make it out there), it was still going to be hard to put drawer slides on this thing, the conventional way. And I would have spent my 3 to 4 days there, doing it. This way, I know I can have these installed in about 10 minutes. Might take them an hour. Two tops.


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

BTW, I made sure the base would fit, because I drew out on a large piece of paper, the exact size (height and width) of the opening, then I made an exact size cut out, of the drawer base, and seen if tilted, that it would fit! And of course, they did!! ;o)


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Must be having a "senior" day - I looked and looked at the photo with all the bases and wondered for a while how that was going to work until it dawned on me that it was showing the 5 bases neatly stacked one on top of the other. Once the little bulb lit up, it was pretty obvious, great idea.


----------



## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Could have been really nice to them and just made complete inserts with everything done. Then they would just have to slide the whole thing in the openings and only have to worry if they put it in backwards. You'd know if you got a call saying the drawers wouldn't slide out.

Good thinking on the plan.

Scary the amount of people that can't make simple stuff, or repair things. Adds to the "throwaway" society we have now.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks for sharing Lee.


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

Hi Lee,this method is also a great way for disabled folks to copy as it's a difficult position to manage when installing drawers down low.This makes it a bit easier & I thank you for posting.Jamesjj777746


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Tom- Sorry about the confusion!! Yep, that's all five stack neatly together. I took this pic to send to my daughter and put a bug up her butt, in getting me the shade of stain she wants. I told her they were all finished, waiting for stain. Another words, get to your HD or Lowes, get a chart, bring back home and tell me what color!! LOL And it worked. 

John- I tried to waste as little space as possible. So the vertical pieces that hold the drawer slides, are wider then the opening. I just have the drawer slides out enough to open past the left and right sides of the opening. So the drawers and the bases won't fit into the openings. Even though they can't take them home this trip (I won't be finish), when they come down this weekend (She couldn't get off for Easter) I'm going to explain to both of them, how they get installed. So if they come back down, before I get to go up there, they'll be able to handle it. 

Welcome, Ross! 

Well, I'm on hold now, as we are getting ready to have our annual family crawfish boil, a week early. As my Daughter started a new job, and couldn't get the East weekend off. So they are coming in next week. So this project won't resume to they are gone!! ;o)


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Lee - what about using a spacer to help position the drawer bases? If you have two pull outs per side, a spacer that would position the upper base would certainly help the installation go easier. Might have to make a pair, one for each side for the base to sit on until it can be secured to the cabinet.

Something like the one I used.


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Mike, there's a shelf in the center of the cabinet, that the top base will set on. I't not open, like yours.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

N'awlins77 said:


> Mike, there's a shelf in the center of the cabinet, that the top base will set on. I't not open, like yours.


I got ya. That should be a fairly easy modification. They are sure to love the finished product.


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

*Update*

Well, to make a long story short (short as possible) --- said above project was put on hold, because family Easter crawfish boil got bumped up to the week before Easter weekend (Daughter couldn't get Easter weekend off). And we bumped it up actually to the Saturday, the week before easter, so they could head back to Dallas on Sunday. 
Fast forward (2 days) to Monday (took the Sunday off, to relax after the family left.) Monday morning, 4 in the AM, tried to avoid walking on my 95lb lab, that sleeps on the side of my bed, and swung and hit the top of my foot and toes, on my dresser leg. I iced it in the morning, before heading to work. Luckily, I didn't have a job to go out and do, so I helped with the phones. Got home Monday night, took my shoe off, and couldn't put it back on till the following Sunday. The top of my foot was all black and blue, and swollen! Luckily, not like the last time I hit my foot, and pretty much the same situation (avoiding the dog), I hit the bathroom door frame, that time, and then got the Gout to go along with the bruising. I had serious limp for about 5 weeks!!! But I'm all better now, still hurts a little after work, but I was able to clean and put away all my crawfish boiling gear, the last couple of days. Won't get to do much this weekend, as we have a few engagements, but look out next week and weekend! Shop will be busy!!

PS, going to go buy plenty foam rubber! The wife wanted me to just move the dogs bed. We tried that, the dog then sleeps on the floor, on the side of my bed, while HIS bed, lays empty in the living room!! :|


----------



## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Lee, sorry to hear about your accident and subsequent soreness - got a suggestion for you - since the dog's bed lays empty in the living room you might consider occupying it yourself. Stuff a couple of pillows under the blankets on YOUR bed, then your best friend will still think you're there - and so will your wife.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Dang Lee, I hope you get better soon.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Get well Lee.


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks, and Good idea Vince!! LOL


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Drawers are finally installed in my Daughters Buffet. They were very easy to install, just as planned. Don't you just love when something works out as planned? This did. I taught my Daughter well, her measurements were dead on!! Everything fit like a glove! Took me about 15 minutes to install all 5 drawers. And after watching me, a bit, she said she could have installed them herself. Hardest thing to do, was to unlock the slides and slide the drawers out of their bases, alone. I had to do the first 4 by myself, and it wasn't easy, since the drawers and their bases were sitting on top of the buffet, and no way to hold the bases still while trying to pull the drawer slides apart. But I got it done. 
Also mounted two feet on a hope chest, that I made for her, a year or so ago. I thought they had done it already. But I did that and hung a wine rack and a mug rack, seen hanging over the buffet and that completed her Father-to-do list. Did that Saturday A.M. and had the rest of Saturday and Sunday to enjoy with the family, and we drove home Monday.


----------



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

We didn't mount the cover for the center drawer, as my Daughter still has some painting on that, to try to match the rest of the buffet. And she's trying to find matching pulls. 
Oh, and that's the Inspector General, looking over my work, on the bottom picture. (my chocolate lab, Rudy, with orange collar and my Daughters chocolate is in the doorway, to the left of the Buffet.) ;o)


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

What a great solution. My son in law told me he's now interested in coming out and learning from me. He inherited my old table saw and a few other tools and will likely wind up with my rather nice shop when I'm gone. It is a great thing that someone I care about will get and value them.


----------

