Woodworker's Journal 1993-17-4, страница 35

New Reader Service: Project-PAK® Wood Kit

With just about everything today available by mail order, it was probably inevitable that someone would hit on ilie idea of offering select precui stock packages, tailored for specific project plans Now. someone has done exactly this. Heritage Building Specialists, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, has developed a mail-order service called Project-PAK. Here's how it works.

Using either plans published in woodworking magazines, or plans that you send them. Heritage will price out a Project-PAR kit tailored for that project, in your choice of woods. Every Project-PAK kit will include stock that's clear and surface sanded. Boards are thicknessed to final dimension (except for stock that must Ik* edge-glued), cut slightly oversize in length and width, and labeled as to what specific part they are for. Boards that must be edge-glued are slightly thicker ('-Vis instead of ^}M in. to allow for cleaning up and sanding after the edge-glued panels are out of their clamps. Stock is only top quality, carefully grain-matched for color, and where several narrower boards must be edge-glued to y ield w ider stock, the individual boards are edge-jointed and marked as to w hat order they should go in, and w hat face is up.

Because Heritage uses a computerized system that maximizes use of stock, Project-PAK prices are typically less than comparable retail prices that you would likely pay locally for rough slock.

Although Project-PAK lakes much of the grunt work (such as the sweat and dust of thicknessing rough stock) out of woodworking, il isn't woodworking by numbers. You must still cut each piece to final length and width, and do all the shaping, joinery, etc. But perhaps best of all. Project-PAK eliminates the pitfalls and nasty surprises—such as hidden defects, slicker siains. and improper seasoning—of buying rough slock. Since Heritage's business depends on your satisfaction, every board in your Project-PAK must meet a rigid set of specifications.

Woodworkers across the country have responded favorably to Project-PAK. so starling with this issue, we've decided lo have Heritage price out kits for selected projects in The Woodw orker s Journal. In this issue, in addition lo the Comer Cupboard, there's also a Projecl-PAK lor the Aerobic Step, but Heritage will gladly quote prices for any project in The Woodworker's Journal, whether in this issue, a back issue, or in our books. Write or call us and let us know if you'd like to see litis service expanded and continued in future issues.

The Corner Cupboard Projecl-PAK in cherry is S3^l>4.95 postpaid, oak or ash is $364.95 postpaid (call for prices in other woods). Order stock kit No. WJ4931 from Heritage Building Specialists. 205 N. Cascade St., Fergus Falls. MN 56537; tel. I-XOO-524-4184. Kits with pre-glued panels are also available; call for prices.

lines on the back and the two sides to locate each of the shelves. Screw through the back and into the center shell tdrtll and counlerbore all screw holes). Firsi butt one side and then the other up to the back, and screw through each of the sides (in turn) into the center shelf. Add the two boliom and the three upper shelves in the same manner, screwing through both the back and the sides into each shelf. Also, drill and counlerbore lor screws through the hack and into the back edge of the sides.

With the shelves all secured, you can next get to cutting and fitting the

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remaining case parts. Note that you'll rip a 2Vfc degree angle on the mating edges of Ihe case sides and stiles. Three cleats (each about ¹/j in. square by about 4'/-in. long) screwed lo ihe inside face of each case side are used lo mount the case sides to the center and lower shelves, as shown in the exploded view.

The case face frame, consisting of the case stiles, and the upper and lower rails can be made next. We haven't specified any joinery for these parts, but if you have a biscuit joiner, or use dowels, cither would be appropriate. However, since these parts are backcd up b\ a pair

of wide ('/i in, by 1 in. by 20 in. long) cleats, you could even jusi bull join ihem. Once the case frame has been assembled and test fit. apply glue 10 the mating edges of the case sides and stiles, and mount the face frame by screwing up through the wide cleats and into the shelves. A pair of narrow cleats are screwed to the back of Ihe case stiles and up into the bottom of the uppermost of the two lower shelves.

Your work on the case is nearly complete, but several details remain. You'll note from the Bill of Materials that ihe back is 7'A in. wide. The radius that's cut on the top is only 3'/« in., w hich translates into a 6¹/-* in. diameter, or a I in. difference between the diameter and the overall w idth of the piece. Ihe detail photo on page 32 should resolve this apparent discrepancy . As the photo clearly shows, you'll need to notch in '/: in. on each edge of the back before establishing ihe 3'/« in. radius. The linal case detail is to take a sharp hand plane and plane ihe back flush w ith ihe sides. Since all your screw heads are countersunk, they should be well oui of the way of your plane blade.

With the case complete, you can now go to work on the door. Although our Bill of Materials lists specific dimensions for the door parts, in practice, you'll want to take your measurements directly from the door opening. We show a mortise and tenon joint lor the door frame (see Door Detail), but his-cuits or dowels would also be fine. As the door cross section shows, the door panel is ^!/j in. thick. A '/-> in. deep by ⁵/h in. w ide rabbet all around the back of the panel enables the panel to fit flush with the front of the door frame. Be sure to size the width of the panel to allow for expected wimkI movement.

Finishing I p

Our piece sports a lacquer finish, bul any finish from penetrating oil to polyure-thanc would be appropriate. Use whatever best matches your decor, anil what you are comfortable with.

Once the finish is dry, add the hardware. Ihe knob (P) we specify is birch, with a cherry stain, and a finish to malch the case. Like the knob, the solid brass Tl" hinges <Q). bullet catch (R) and feel (S) are available from the Wise Company (see Bill of Materials for ordering information). ifr'Ji

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