# Oak bedroom suite



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well I am at it again but this time with some real wood American white oak! I have a bedroom suite to build similar to the pine one I made recently. I spent most of this weekend planing up all the oak ready to start. I then started cutting the door parts to size and cutting the mortices and the tennons. I ended up by the end of the day with one door frame in a dry fit. The sides of the robes and the panels on the doors will be made out of AWO veneered MDF panels to avoid any warping and shrinkage in the centrally heated bedroom.


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

Nice joints!!!!!


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

Mailee,
please keep those pictures of progress coming!
I'm interested in your project!

Cordially
Gerry


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well thanks guys. Glad to hear you are interested Gerry. Here is the latest posting on the build. This afternoon I managed to get the rest of the door frames finished. I still have to rebate them for the panels and I rounded off the evening by setting up my table saw to cut these with a test piece of scrap. Hopefully tomorrow should see those cut and the panels ready to fit.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Today I managed to get all the rebates in the frames. I then set about cutting the panels to size and fitting them. By the end of the evening I had the first door completed. I hope to ge tthe rest of the panels cut tomorrow and fitted and then start on the small door. Will keep you all posted.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I have been busy over the last few days setting up my website as I am intending to go self employed in the near future. I have also been working on other general joinery work. I did get back into the workshop this afternoon though and got all the doors finished and ready for assembly.
I shall get some more work done on the suite this week so will keep everyone posted as to how well I do.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I am finally back in the shop and working on the Oak bedroom suite again. I have completed the floating shelves which will sit above and below the computer desk. I have also completed the desktop and have made a start on the shelves which will sit at one end of the run of robes. Next I intend to build the cupboard that the computer desktop will sit on before commencing work on the actual wardrobes. Here are a few pics of the progress I have made. The floating shelves will be held to the wall with hidden mountings that have pins into the edge of the shelves. The cutout for this can be seen in the second picture.


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## a1tomo (Dec 3, 2008)

So far it looks good. When are we going to see what the large doors fit?
Are you building a computer desk, bed frame, nite stands, etc.? I'm really curious!


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

*I hope the significant other approved of the computer desk part first,*

Mailee,
I hope the significant other approved of the computer desk part first, I shudder to think the mattress and box spring are on the floor. 
My better half would have a fit!


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

This is what it will look like once it is finished. Take no notice of the doorknobs they are just there to show the opening of the doors.


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## a1tomo (Dec 3, 2008)

Ah, beginning to make sense now! You're making a whopping big computer holder and calling it a bedroom suite. Clever, but will the wife figure it out before you are done?


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I managed to get the computer desk completed today. Well almost it needs a back in it. I had a little trouble with the hinges as they are different from my usual ones. I found that the jig I use to locate them was 2mm out to the new hinges, I made my own jig and solved the problem luckily. I shall apply a finish once everything is complete. A1tomo, it is not for me, it is for one of my customers who is going to use the bedroom as an office.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I got the back in the computer cupboard today and made a start on the open shelf unit. A ll of the panels needed lipping with soild wood first and then it was on to cutting the dados for the shelves. By the end of the day I had everything for the unit in a dry fit. I did find that I need to cut the top and bottom rebates slightly wider though. I put this down to using a new cutter in my router with my trusty dado jig. My router guides along the side of the jig by it's base plate and I have just changed the cutter from a Freud one to a De Walt and it seems to have made a difference to the width of the cut. I had to add a couple of pieces of laminate into the jig along with the shelf to give the required width dado. Both cutters are supposed to be 1/2", just shows you can't be too careful. Luckily I made a test cut first. Will keep you all posted again tomorrow.


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## a1tomo (Dec 3, 2008)

Now I understand! And another fine looking project indeed! 

Good job, even if you're not going to surprise the little lady.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

No yours won't look like that, they will look much much better. I see people like yourself and how you work and would love to be that way some day. I am sure you have been wood working more than a year so that does leave me some hope. But seriously, on this forum one can really learn from you and the rest of those with years of experience. Your build looks fantastic and I look forward to the rest of your posts.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Today I got the shelf unit completed ready for a final sanding and the finish. 
I then made a start on the closed shelf unit which will have removable shelves. I am however gluing the centre shelf in to prevent the unit from bowing in the centre and give it more rigidity. I got the rebates cut on the end panels for the top and bottom pieces and finished of the day by lipping the edges. I need to wait until these are dry now so I can use the table saw as this also doubles as my workbench. Things are a little tight in my shop when I am building a project like this. Still the more I build the less panels are on the floor. I just need more space....but who doesn't?


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

*Disaster!*

Today started with a Disaster! I was routing the lipping flush with the veneered panel when the MDF suddenly appeared! I can tell you that the air in my workshop was blue! It appears that the veneer wasn't glued down along one edge and had blown in a couple of spots. I can only assume this was a manufacturing error of some sort. It didn't help me though as I now had to do something about it or order a new sheet. 
I decided I would try to repair the panel and if all else failed I would have to order a new sheet. I started by using an offcut from the curved lipping of the desktop as this was thin enough. I then carefully routed a section out around the damage using a straight edge with the router. I continued the cut right up to the middle shelf dado to give it a natural break and then glued the new piece in. It was slightly proud of the surface to allow me to rout it flush with the panel. after the glue had dried I routed the repair flush and I was very happy that it turned out well as you will see from the pictures. Wasting no more time I cut the holes into the side panels to take the pins for the adjustable shelves and then got the lot in glue up at long last. Luckily a bit of lateral thinking saved the day for me. Hope tomorrow is a better day.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I got on much better today after my mishap with the veneer. I have just about finished the cupboard shelf unit and have just the removeable shelves to make. I got the door fitted to test it for squareness.
I used four of the Blum hinges. Good job I did as they weigh a ton! 
I drilled holes into the inside of the cabinet so I can place chrome pegs in to support the shelves.
I have made a start on the wardrobe sides and the top and bottom but these will have to be assembled on site and so screwed together with a coat of glue. Will keep you all posted as usual.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Had a good day in the shop today. I started work on the wardrobe section and managed to set it up at one end of the workshop. All of this must be screwed together so I can take it apart for moving it. 
I got two of the doors hung and trimmed to size. Please take no notice of the state of the workshop....I will clean it....later.
I found that I needed a spacing piece between the corner unit to allow the door to swing back far enough.
I have just left the corner spacer in glue up for the night and can then hinge the final door.
So far everything seems to be going well, I wonder if it will fit as well once it is in the bedroom. I will make sure I have some scribing pieces with me for that, just in case. Will keep you posted as and when as usual.


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## a1tomo (Dec 3, 2008)

Very impressive work. Anxious to see the installation if possible.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I shall be taking some pictures once it is installed Tom, I will post them here of course. Until then I had a trial run today to make sure everything fitted together ok. I trimmed the doors to fit and now need to round over the edges and give everything a good sanding ready for the finish. I have the cornice to make next and the slide out tray for the computer keyboard. That should take me up to the installation. Will keep you posted as usual.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Mailee quite the project coming along nicely looks great. I just hope it will fit through your doorways don't laugh happened to me last year with simple book shelf.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well today I got the bedroom suite fitted. It took a lot longer than I had exected due to everything being out of square in the room. Still got stuck in and by the end of the day I had it all fitted but ran out of time to fit the small finishing pieces under the desktop. This is no real problem though as I am still waiting on a cable outlet for the desktop and will fit that at the same time. Here are a few pictures of it in it's room.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Nice job I liked how you did the doors. 

How long have you been woodworking?

Are you intending on going into business for yourself with your skill set?


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Wow what an addition to your bedroom, good job.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

*Completed and in use*

Here are a few pics of the suite now the carpets have been fitted and the cable outlet installed along with the desk trims. 
When I left tonight she was showing one of her friends it.....good. :sold:


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well Trn Diesel, I have been woodworking for around twenty years now and most of it hobby stuff. I say hobby stuff but it has been a heavy hobby. I have just taken the plunge into self employment and seem to be doing well so far. I have a couple of months of work on my books so far but am still getting enquiries from word of mouth.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi mailee,

Excellent work. :sold:


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