# Table top display cse.



## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Table top show case.
Not my original idea, but, one that I copied in principle but with my own adaptation to it

Hardwood timber of your choice, here I have used a mixed batch of Iroko, 
cut and thickness sufficient to provide; 
Four pieces for the top, to be finished at75 x 440 x 22mm
Four for the bottom at 50 x 440 x 22mm 
Allow for waste
Four columns 40 x 40 x 65mm but in lengths to cut two plus waste.
Three sides and four drawer sides all at 65 x 400 x 9mm to trim to size when fitting, Pic. 1

Mitre the eight pieces for the top and bottom as in pic.2.
Clean up the mitres on a mitre-shooting block to make sure of an accurate fit, pic.3

Using a router freehand, or in a table as I have done, put a Roman Ogee or Ovolo on the top edge of the top and bottom pieces, also a six-mm. rebate 12-mm. wide, then a round over on the bottom edges. Pics 4 and 5. 
Set up for gluing, I make a frame to be able to cramp against, and glue and cramp the two frames for the top and bottom, (don’t forget, when using hardwood, put glue on both faces.) Pics. 6and 7.

With a 9 mm. straight cutter in your router table, (you could do it on a table saw if you prefer) cut a housing in the 40 x 40 columns 6 mm. deep, two sides on two pieces and only one on the other two, 12 mm. in from the outside edge (I cut the housings into the columns before they were sized to length, i.e. two at a time.) Do it in stages if cutting on a router table. Pic. 8.
Cut the columns to 65 - mm. length, on the bandsaw, and whilst the fence is in position trim the sides to this same measurement. Pic. 9.
Mark diagonals across the ends of the four columns to find the centres, and using an 8-mm. lip and spur bit, drill all the way through. Pic. 10.
Set out the four columns first on the top and then on the bottom frame, 25mm. from the outer edge, and mark with the 8-mm. drill bit in a hand electric drill, the column positions, Pic. 11.
With a depth stop drill into the two frames to a depth of about 15. mm. Pic. 12.
Fix corner posts with glue and 8-mm. dowels to the top side of the bottom frame. Pic. 13 and 14.
Cut the sides to fit between the open rebates of the columns, and fix, gluing into the rebates and also to the bottom edges, cut a spacer to fit between the posts at the drawer face, using a band cramp, cramp up and leave to dry, Pic.15.
Do the same with gluing up the top and leave under cramps until dry. Pic. 16.
Cut four feet, 40 x 40 x 9 mm. cover with self adhesive baize, glue to base of cabinet. Pics.17 and 18.

Cut the drawer sides, back and front to size, make sure there is enough clearance between top and bottom frames, on the router table cut a 3. mm. groove for the hardboard bottom. Pic. 19.
Cut the dovetails in all four pieces (I used a C.M.T. jig) and glue and fit together the front and two sides. Pics 20 and 21.
With three sides put together it is easy now, to measure and cut the bottom, slide the hardboard base in and fit the other side.


Make a routing jig for the front of the drawer, actual size for the ring pull handle, over size to take a guide bush for the grooving jigs. Attach with double-sided tape, set C.M.T. top bearing guided milling cutter to cut the recess to the depth of the handle. Then using a 12.mm. guide bush and a long shank 8 mm. straight cutter, deepen the centre of the recess to take the bulge in the back of the handle, a guide bush is required so as not to cut away the sides of the recess. Should you cut right through the drawer front, it is inevitable, don’t worry, the drawer lining will cover it. Then using the same guide bush fit a veining cutter and cut a shallow groove to each side of the drawer using the jig. Fit the ring pull handle, as there is very little meat on the timber to screw to you may have to stick both the ring pull and the screws in with super glue. Routing jig pic. 22, finished drawer pic. 23, cutters used 
Pic. 24.
Cut drawer guide strips and attach them to the inside of the case between the posts, this will stop the drawer being sloppy. Pic. 25.

Glass viewing panel in top of case. This is a piece of 6-mm. polished plate, with ground and polished edges, this may be tempered if preferred, measure to a tight fit and order from your glass merchants, should it be a little too tight, you can always open the rebates a little with a chisel, (better than being too loose). Pic 25.


The lining of the drawer is carried out last of all, using very thin card, (a large cereal box will do), cut a piece to fit the bottom, four pieces for the sides not quite the full height. Pic. 26.
Lay your velvet out flat, coat the card, one piece at a time, with Copydex and place onto the velvet, it will adhere immediately, leave enough surplus velvet to be able to turn over the tops of the side pieces. Pic. 27, 28. 
When this is done, trim off surplus waste, apply Copydex to inside top edge of sides one at a time and fold over the surplus. Stick the bottom and the sides into the drawer with P.V.A. adhesive. Pic. 29


Use your preferred type of finish, I used four coats of Button Polish with a little medium Oak wood dye added to obtain the colour shown here, this is to match some adjacent furniture, applied with a soft brush, then rubbed down with varying grades of steel wool, finishing with 0000 steel wool and finally finished off with a few coats applied with a French polishing rubber together with a touch of linseed oil. 

Pictures 30 and 31, show finished object.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

*Table top box 2*

more pics.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

*Table top box pics 3*

More


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Really nice Deric. I think that design will be copied a couple of times.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

I just finished two flag display cases, the design is inspired by some pictures I have see and taken the next step. I would like to create a display case for a persons flag and other items of interest.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

That Derek is a first class project and an excellent photo-shoot. May we look forward to many more from you in the future.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Great project, Derek.

Thanks for sharing the photo shoot..


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Thaks for that, Harry and James and maybe others, funny how this has just come to thefore when it as posted so long ago.


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Great job Derek, I see it was originally posted 2 years ago but still looks good... I am sure it will help someone with ideas , I know I may use it for a reference...Thanks


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well I will admit I must have missed this one Derek. That looks really nice. I have often thought about building a display case table but never had time to build myself one and none of my customers have asked for one. You have made a beautiful job of that one.


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## tlm724 (Mar 16, 2014)

Great job Derek !! I have a question. I am going to use your technique for applying the velvet to my box. Will gorilla wood glue work to attach the cardboard to the sides of my box, which by the way have a coat of poly on them ? Will it still work with the poly ? You said "Stick the bottom and the sides into the drawer with P.V.A. adhesive" and I looked up gorilla glue and it says it's a PVA, will that work or should I just use a regular Elmers glue ? I am trying to avoid any bleed through of glue on to my velvet, Thanks !


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## BCK (Feb 23, 2014)

nice job...thx for sharing...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Tim and BC, I'm not sure you'll get a reply. I haven't seen Derek post anything for 2-3 years now. I am not sure what's happened with him.

Tim the Gorilla glue should work well but it can be messy. I thought it was a polyurethane glue, not a poly vinyl acetate glue like most wood glues. I'm not sure how well a standard pva glue will stick to your finish. You should try it on a sample first if you go that way. Another option is spray adhesive. It sticks to just about anything but it isn't as strong a bond.


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## tlm724 (Mar 16, 2014)

Thank you Charles. I will try the gorilla glue on one side and elmers on the other of my sacrifice box and let you know which is better. Great suggestion, thanks again


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

*Fitting velvet to timber.*

Derek is still about, though not very active.

As you've already been advised use P.V.A. but, abraid the surfaces if you have coated with anything at all, works well for me.

derek.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

It's good to see you back Derek.


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## tlm724 (Mar 16, 2014)

Thank you Derek ! The test results are in. I tested Elmers School glue, Gorilla wood glue and Weldbond on 3 pieces of cardboard (cereal box) with self adhesive velvet on the cardboard and glued them to a test piece of wood with poly on it. All held well but the Gorilla glue seemed to have the best adhesion. The elmers pulled away where the velvet was flipped over the top as did the weldbond. So I will use gorilla glue and rough the surface up a bit before the final gluing. Thanks again


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