# Shabby Wardrobes



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I made a start on the Shabby chick bedroom suite today. After returning from the timber merchants with three sheets of MRMDF I got cutting and started putting pieces in place:








I did have some fun and games with the biscuit angles on the left hand unit top but resorted to using a block to angle the jointer.....very carefully making sure the depth was correct: :lol: 








I then made a start on making up a face fame for the front. This will also be made out of MDF as it's main use is to be used as a scribing strip to the left and top. I also have to space it off to miss a radiator. 








I will have to get some more MDF tomorrow to carry on. I NEED a van desperately, it is in hand though.


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## Paddy37 (Apr 25, 2011)

HI Alan, Looks like you've made a good start. Why is it the wardrobes always seem to be needed where the ceiling slopes?

Good luck with the rest.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Yes I think your right Paddy. Mind you I think they would buy them off the shelf if they were standard wardrobes. Might be a pain but it earns money. 
I got started on the second part of the wardrobes today. As it is a four door unit I have made two two door units. Again after buying some more MDF I got back and got stuck in. By mid morning I had got the other wardrobe carcase in a dry fit.








I then made a start on the drawer units which will fit into them. I cut dado's using the router and jig for the sides.








I then spent most of the afternoon cutting and fitting the drawer frames until I had both of them in a dry fit too.








While I was waiting for some glue to dry I glued up two doors for another job and set them aside to dry.








All of the hinges arrived today which was handy as I needed to know how much clearance the drawers wanted to miss them. :wink:


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Great work and thanks for taking the time out of you busy life to show us the work.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

No problem John, I am glad it is of interest to you. Well I got started on the drawer boxes today. I had a morning cutting dovetails.
















Once they were all cut I put them into a glue up and started to make some trims for the drawer units but had a slight accident :shock: 








Oh well I should have checked the guide fence was tight before I started I suppose. :roll: 
When the drawer boxes were dry I put the runners on and gave them a trial fit.








By the end of the day I had both the drawer units fitted with the drawers.








I shall add the trims to the units tomorrow and then concentrate on the rest of the wardrobes.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I was amused to see the title of this post...

I could not see you doing any "shabby" work, Alan


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Thanks James, yes I thought it would be an amusing title. Well I got cracking on with the wardrobes today and got both drawer units with a coat of primer on.








I tested the fit in the wardrobe carcass to be sure they fitted well.








Then it was time to make a start on the drawer fronts. These are a bit intricate as they also carry the theme that will be on the doors. After cutting the rails and stiles I cut the top rails to section on the bandsaw. Then slotted them on the router table.








I then cut out the 6mm panels and had another dry fit to make sure everything was well,








Then I removed the panels to rout a detail around three of the sides.








Then it was back to the 6mm to make some mouldings for the top rail.








Finally I made a dry fit with everything in place to see how it looked.








I need to round over the edges next before finally gluing them up and fitting them. This will be for next week as I am having a break tomorrow.


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## JKV (May 21, 2011)

Nice job!!! We will tune in for the final finish.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I have spent most of the day building up the drawer fronts and sanding them and the carcasses. I ended up the day by priming all of the fronts. Not looking too bad really. 








I did have a late start today though as I have been to put a deposit on a van.  
Tomorrow I am out delivering a shelf for a customer and measuring up two sets of drawers for two other customers so I shall have a later start again tomorrow. I hope to have a trial fit of the drawer fronts tomorrow and start sanding the carcasses ready for priming. Will have to see what I have time to do.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

After a late start today I got on with sanding down the drawer fronts. I finally got them fitted to the drawers.








These are only fixed temporarily as I have to spray them yet and put a finish on the drawer boxes. I tried them in place so I could test the fit of the handles behind the doors.








They will fit in perfectly behind the doors with the hadles in place I am glad to say. I then made a start on cutting out the components for the doors while I had the carcass together.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Nice job Alan.


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## locoboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Alan,
I have spent most of this evening trawling through your various projects and it has made great surfing! (yes i probably should have been in the workshop finishing my bathroom cupboard doors!)
I have been thinking about working with MDF for a while and i want to make a 'themed' bed for my nephew, probably a car or a tank but i was concerned about finishing the MDF to an acceptable standard that doesn't shout 'home made' my main concern is finishing the cut edges that may have been rounded over.

Do you have any advice to share as a result of this wardrobe project?

Many thanks and i will continue flicking through your projects now.......


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Thanks Locoboy. Well for the MDF I use I prime the edges with 2K primer. I brush it on in two coats and leave it overnight then sand it down with 120 grit and it is ready for paint. Before I found this primer I used to use cellulose sanding sealer but it needed more coats in some areas and took longer to sand down. I have also tried the PVA and water method but found this much harder to sand down. I do use a better grade of MDF which is Moisture Resistant MDF. Over here it is known as MRMDF or also has a trade name of Medite board. I hope this helps.


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## locoboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Thanks for the insight, I'm in Shropshire so im speaking your lingo!
Cheers
Colin


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Oh sorry mate, I didnt see a location on your posting and just assumed you were in the USA. It's Morrells paint and primer I use...great stuff.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Over the last couple of days I got cracking on the doors. I got all the parts cut out and ready for a dry fit.








It took me a while to complete all of the fiddly bits on the door tops again. Using a mass production technique I got them all done and in place. 








By the time I finished tonight I had all of the doors almost ready for priming.








I have also made a start on the plinth so should get that done tomorrow too.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Over the last couple of days I have been priming the wardrobes. I also sprayed a dark brown colour around the high wear areas where the paint will be rubbed off.
















I should get them all in paint tomorrow if all goes well.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well I have had a full day of spraying today and with the workshopfull to the brim with pieces scattered around I managed to get them all in the top coat.








After spraying the fronts of the doors when they were touch dry I moved one of them onto my saw bench out of the way so I could spray something else......yes you can guess what happened next........CRASH! it fell off the bench onto the floor! :shock: No pics of the damage but I did manage to salvage it. Luckily it fell on its edge and did very little damage apart from opening one of the joints slightly and a dent in the edge. I put it aside and repaired it after I had finished spraying all the other pieces. 
Anyway I didn't have any more accidents after that and got on well. By the end of the day or should I say early evening I had got two pieces looking 'Shabby'
















I wasn't quite sure just how shabby to make them but think maybe that is enough. Tomorrow I shall get some more of the pieces scuffed through and see how it looks.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I had a good day on the wardrobes today and got everything assembled so I could measure the back panels up for cutting and cut the rails to length. I couldn't resist fitting eveything apart from the door handles to see how it looked. I wasn't sure just how much to scuff up the doors so just did a little to start with. I shall have a look at some Shabb Chick furniture and get some ideas.
































Having a rest tomorrow to clean out the old car to put it up for sale so will return to the job on Monday.


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## debbicot (Apr 23, 2011)

Alan were did you get the drawers runners and what the name of them. By the way great job wardroble 
Hugh


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Thanks Hugh. The drawer runners are full extension soft closers and are from a company called Adfix. They are based in Hull but have a shop on e-bay. They are a pretty good quality and cost about £16 per pair. HTH.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Today I got the rails cut to length and fitted into the robes. I also finished the rear panels and made the cornice up ready for staining and finish. Not a bad days work really.  
















I have sent the customer some photos and some pics of the handles to see if she wants them painting. If all goes well I should be fitting them in a weeks time.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

great progress, Alan


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I got the wardrobes fitted today but will have to modify the cornice on the angled side. After scribing the angled side it was too narrow for the cornice Due to a curve in the ceiling so I will have to make another section to run down that side. No real problem and the customer was happy about this. Anyway here are the shots of it fitted in place.
























Next job is to start work on the wardrobes for the other side. :roll:


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## JKV (May 21, 2011)

Nice job!!!!


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