apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Whats strange about it? The guy is nice enough to share his design and you post it with the header Strange? Someone should headbutt you.

Well i've already emailed Pete!

i believe you mean "elegantly succinct" and that goes for the design too.

I emailed him too!

really nice! wish i had seen this a few weeks ago before i bought my media cabinet.

Just what I have been looking for. (I emailed him, too.)

Lovely.

Build one for me?

I just emailed Pete too. Beautiful work he's done!

One thing, though..... when clicking on the "pete" portion of pete.x818.com at the bottom of Pete's website, my email automatically fills in pete's address as pski (at) x818 (dot) com. Maxwell, can you or someone else confirm which is correct, "pete" or "pski"?

I (heart) Pete. That is a great design. I need a Pete.

how can you cut the wood without tools?
i think he needs to add table saw or something to that list.

the girl in the second to last photo looks hot.

Home Depot will cut wood for you to spec for $.53 a cut (the first two are free)

I'd like to know if he used any hardware to fastent the wood together- as I recall Europly is finished and sealed and will not absorb wood glue... I can't spot any screws or brackets...

I sent him an email too! I put both the email address on the web site, and the one above, just to be safe.

Wow. I am impressed. Thank you Pete. Though I can't help wondering if Pete is making it look easier than it actually is ;-)

Anyway, would love to have one!

i tried to email pete but his email bounced back as no such user. is anyone else having this problem?

i really want a cabinet!!

He sent me the same email!! When I saw his designs, I was shocked at how simple there were drawn out with the results being such an amazing piece of furniture. That man is truly carpenter king in my book!

Holly

Here's a bit more about Pete, in case you guys are interested...

"The cabinet was built with plans that emphasize simplicity. Ease of build (you just need the most rudimentary woodworking skills and
nothing more than a power drill) and at just over $200 in total cost, it makes design within reach a reality. I will clarify it on the page
that one can contact me for the plans, for free of course. I'm in Venice, CA. - Thanks, Peter Nidzgorski http://x818.com

email pski[at]x818[dot]com

---Hope this helps, gang!
- Holly

i lurrrrrrv it (them). and those legs are EXACTLY what i was looking for when i was making a daybed a while back. i will not tell you what i used instead, or what it wound up looking like...

I'm thinking that he means that when you buy the lumber, you go ahead and have them cut it to the specs, and that's how you don't need tools.

In fact, just this very evening, I went by AJO lumber's new 91st St/Columbus Ave location and picked up some molding that I had ordered cuts to be made this past Sunday for some cornices that are going to go in the New Jersey bedroom that I've been working on. Now it's almost like a little "kit" that I'll put together!

what is up with that website ?

Home Depot may do cuts, but I would't rely upon them for any real accuracy. They are only good for cutting large pieces down small enough to take on public transit.
Also, they don't carry 1" Euro Ply. Too nice for them.

Nice.

One question-- how did he affix the top "floor" to the lower one? Glue? Is it evident in the plans?

pphillihpp - did you replace your inflatable daybed or did you build a platform for it?

I'm still so impressed by your smallest coolest entry.

Love the enviro-friendly europly! I looked up local dealers in the NYC area:

http://www.cfpwood.com/general/dealers.aspx

szig -

no, the inflaybed is still there. this other daybed was in a former apartment.

(and thanks for the compliment, again!)

Here are his plans in detail:

http://x818.com/cabinetnumber3/

Holly

I went to x818.com and just got a bunch of soft porn videos. Is that what this is really all about?

Pete is a man of few words, but he has beautiful designs.

How about Pete just name his price? This kind of thing would cost a pretty penny in stores. Would he be willing to make us some I wonder?

me,
Yea!

I'm guessing that the people that clicked on the links to the cabinets didn't click on the links to the main site. And those who clicked on just x818 wouldn't be able to find the cabinets.

Like the look of it, although it looks a little "unfinished" on the side view. Gotta wonder about the quality of this furniture though...

What is the plexi stuff that the doors are made of? And where do you procure it. And how do you cut it?
That is all.

Emailed Pete yesterday. Didn't hear back from him yet. Anyone get an immediate response?

I second the fact that Home Depot shouldn't be relied on for straight, accurate cuts. On wood, or blinds or ANYTHING. I've had many, many trips back to fix mistakes they made. Very frustrating. I don't shop there any longer, needless to say.

home depot does not guarantee the accuracy of their cuts. it's a stated policy.
I vote for biscuit joints & some type of adhesive (though not necessarily wood glue) as means of construction.

Pete is a god among men

Can't be bisquits, that's be a specialized tool.

I believe they said drill only, so that leaves pocket screws, or dowels.

Doesn't it say no POWER tools? Not, no tools at all?

Found him in ReadyMade mag #8.

He's done other similar stuff. Comes with plans also.

Dunno if this is hinky, but would anyone who has received the plans be willing to forward them to me?

My email addy is under the link (I think).

Thanks!

I also never heard back from Pete, but it's only been a day. I need to work on my patience.

It's been a several days. No word from Pete yet....I, too, must work on my patience...

I'm eager to get my TV off the floor. Could someone email me the plans if you have them?? Thank you!!!

I would love for someone to send me the plans. I am having trouble emailing Pete. Thanks for sharing.

ashford04@sbcglobal.net

me too. i haven't heard from pete yet. please share if you have the plans. thanks.

You can order the back issue of RM#8 for 5 bucks!! I think I just ordered the pdf version, so hopefully it will be processed very quickly. I recently made the platform bed from RM#17, and the instructions were good, but I had to improv a few extras to make it work..

bibi

Pete emailed me the plans this weekend! YAY!

if you didnt get the plans yet let me know.

thanks.

forgot to link these pdfs in email. share them amongst yourselves. sorry.

download graphic instructions here:

http://x818.com/cabinetnumber3/instructions3.pdf

http://x818.com/cabinetnumber4/instructions4.pdf

anyone else in the NYC area? called 5 places that sell europly only 1 will sell to the public and none of them will cut the wood. They also want 370 for a sheet of the stuff.

anyone else know a europly source?

I got mine, Pete rocks!!!

Matt, I am looking for this plywood (europly from columbia forest products - is there any other equivalent?!) and I have come across one source that sells them cheap(er): Rosenzweig Lumber Co (718-585-8050) offers europly for $97.28 a sheet of 4'x8'. They don't offer cuts but perhaps they will allow us to cut the sheet on their premises before carrying it home. I am planning to check them out.

I sent an email to Pete to see if he can offer some clues on the type of plywood and where he got them cut but I haven't heard back yet. I'll post the answers here if I hear from him.

Which brings me to the (my) question of the day! Is europly the only game in town!! I have also looked at Finnish Birch, Baltic Birch, etc but somehow keep coming back to this plywood. One reason for me is its eco-friendliness which others seem to lack!

Now if only we get a good nyc source for buying high quality plywood that is cut to order...

-Ravi

Two things I should have mentioned in my previous posting - the price is for 3/4" plywood (I noticed that Petes drawings use 1" thick version) and my question to Pete was more on alternative types/makes of plywood other than europly for this use (pre-finished faces that don't require add'l work such as veneering.)

If you're looking for the type of cabinet door tracks used above, check out:

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Type in "cabinet door tracks" in the search function. If you place an order before 12 pm, you'll get it same day; if you place it after 12 pm, you'll have it the next day.

You can also find the type of material used for the doors.

Hey Folks,

Feel free to glue together (2) .5" pieces of regular Birch plywood to acheive the 1" thickness instead of using 1" thick 'Europly'. Also... the reference to using a power drill clearly implies that Pete used 1.5" x 8 flat head wood screws, and a countersink bit to inset them halfway into the horizontal wood members (holes then covered with wood plugs... or 'plastic wood'), as well as wood glue, to secure the vertical members to the horizontal members.

For those who don't 'grok' the totality of this info... don't despair. Just print this out and bring it to your local lumber yard, which cuts wood to order. They will explain it to you.

NOTE: An interesting variation of these designs would be to assemble them with .75" plywood... AND to notch out the back of the top sections of the verticals by .75" x 4". This notch, just below the top horizontal would allow a .75" x 4" by (1.5" less than the complete width of the unit) crosspiece to be glued and screwed into the verticals. This 'cleat' could then be screwed through to anchor these cabinets to walls. (For sheetrock walls use 'Butterfly' anchors [again... ask at your local lumberyard or local hardware store about, and for, these]. For concrete, or brick walls, use lead or plastic anchors, and bolts, or screws).

Yes... these complete designs can be cut to size and assembled with only (1) wood glue, (2) a power drill, (3) 12 [or 24], 1.5" x 8 flat head wood screws, (4) a screw driver bit for the power drill, (5) a countersink bit, (6) 12 to 24 wood plugs (.25" deep x .25" wide {?}, 1 plug per hole) to fill the holes created by the countersink. Glue the wood plugs on top of the countersunk screws... or forget about wood plugs and just fill the holes with 'plastic wood'

NOTE # 2: on the multiple divided interior cabinet elements(design # 14)... just glue and 'Finishing Nails' (4D ?) could be used. Just glue and then nail these interior, non load bearing elements. make these 4D Finishing Nails disappear beneath the surface of the wood by using a 'Finishing Nail Countersink'. Patch tiny pinholes that remain with plastic wood.

NOTE # 3: In fact... if you glue and nail together ALL the elements, as opposed to using any screws at all, it could work. What would have to be done is that after gluing all elements together... you would have to use 4D finishing nails hammered in diagonally. The diagonal nails, and wood glue, would hold it all together nicely. Patch 4D finishing nail countersink holes with plastic wood.

TIP: use a tiny drill bit, that is the width of the 4D finishing nail, or slightly thinner, to start the diagonal (slanted) nail hole. Then hammer away ... and when you get close to the wood surface, to avoid hitting the nicely finished surface of the wood with the hammer by finishing off nailing the wood by hitting the countersink to drive the naild head under the wood surface.

TIP # 2: If you are just going to nail and glue... you might want to use wood clamps to hold the corners square and in place. (Again, ask at the Hardware store or Lumber yard) Right angle clmaps, or long pipe clamps could work. If you put the back 'cleat into the design, however, clamps probably won't be necessary. the 'cleat' will keep the structure from shifting side to side when you are hammering.

It would then appear that sanding the wood and applying a few coats of clear polyureathane varnish would be indicated.. UNLESS the 1" 'Europly' comes prefinished ! That is to say, already varnished. If it comes prefinished, THAT's why it's expensive. The sanding and polyureathaning part is a complete drag, and very time consuming. It takes multiple sandings and multiple coast (usually 3 of each) to get a nice smooth finish. So unless you have a dedicated dust free shop area, and plenty of time and patience, spend the money... get the pre-finished, already polyureathaned (varnished) wood ! It's worth it. Avoid the aggravation.

As for the Colored plexiglass doors, their thickness depends upon the width of the track grooves in the track sliding door hardware. They should be slightly thinner than the width of the track bed. Please note that you will want to cut the sliding plexiglass doors shorter than the full height of the void. Why ? Well, because you will want to be able to push, or lift , them up and out of the void... to insert and to remove them. In other words, if you cut them the exact height that fills allspace betwen the upper and lower tracks, (1) you will not be able to insert them in betwen the tracks, once the tracks are installed, and (2) If you somehow warp time and space to get them 'in there' you will never be able to remove them. So, if you have, lets say... a .5" overhang on the top and a .5" track height on the bottom sliding door hardware... that's a combined 1" area. So if you shorten the sliding doors by 3/8" from the total height of the void... you should then be able to insert the doors by inserting the top of the door into the void and then letting it drop down. (You follow the same proceedure to remove the doors as well. ) Ask the store that sells you the sliding door track for help with the most optimal door height dimensions relative to your project. Show them the design pictures and the measurements. They might suggest a different door clearance height than what I've recommended. Go with what they recommend. Is this clear ? I hope so. Enjoy !!!!!!

Bliss...

richie

what richie said.

and I used just 1 1/2" long finishing nails and glue
- no screws.

and more importantly

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Many have asked, why give the plans away for free? The answer's kinda complicated and for another time.

HOWEVER If you found the plans helpful and enjoyed receiving them maybe you can

Donate something anything to the Patrick O'Brien Foundation. Learn more about Patrick here:

http://patrickobrienfoundation.org/

Thanks,

pete, x818

Does anybody know a good place to get the door tracks from? Is that a Home Depot thing, or is there a specialized store I need to find? Thanks.

Does anyone know the weight capacity?

I just bought a 40 inch TV that weights 38 pounds. I want to build this piece, but would like to be sure it will hold the TV. Just finishing nails and glue makes me nervous