Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 05, 2007 11:16pm | #1

   I saw a magazine by Taunton that was only entertainment system designs. It was at Border's Books.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
2. 
   Muzhik | Jan 06, 2007 03:03am | #2

   My $.02 worth of advice is be sure you build it so you have room to upgrade your A/V gear.  I've built 2 entertainment centers for my home.  The first one I built was massive, but I designed it around the equipment and media (CDs, DVDs) I had at the time.  I got rid of the first one when I decided I couldn't live with a "small" (27") TV anymore.  The biggest TV I could have fit in there would have been maybe a 32".  It was my second woodworking project, so I built it with red oak and oak ply that I bought at the big box store.  I learned from several mistakes I made with this one.

   The second is less entertainment center and more like 3 separate pieces with a matching coffee table that has drawers for CDs and DVDs.  I now have a 52" TV.  I used copper pipe for part of it, and route all of the cables through the rear "legs" of the A/V racks to hide them (even though some aren't routed through the legs in the attached photo).

   I've attached a few photos in case you can lift any ideas from my designs.

    

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 1/5/2007 7:04 pm ET by Muzhik

   
1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 06, 2007 03:26pm | #3

   Muz,

   Thanks, I did get some thoughts from the pics.  I like the "cabinet" style of the first one along with the "open concept" with regard to the TV of the second one.  When I saw the blog about the "hanging" entertainment center I liked that one too, but the wife wants something more along the lines of a cabinet.

   Totally agree with you with regards to planning for the future.  My design will also leave the speakers "outboard" of the cabinet as does yours.  Of all AV equipment that has changed in size over the years, speakers have seen the most, in terms of downsizing.  As an example, the new Yamaha YSP Digital Sound Projectors has virtually NO speakers at all!  The sound from this system is AWESOME!

   Thanks again,

    Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Kidderville, NH

    

    

   Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 18, 2007 03:58am | #4

   Hi Everyone,

   I've come up with some more parameters for the design I'm looking for.  I realize that my original post didn't give you folks much to go on.  I'm trying to design something that doesn't look like an entertainment center.  To me, most "centers" don't look like furniture but rather large masses of wood that dominate the room they are in. 

   I have a box full of cherry furniture legs that I bought at an auction about 20 years ago.  They were made by the local Ethan Allen furniture factory, who donates their seconds to the local volunteer fire department.  They still have the auction every year, usually the second week of July.

   In recent years furniture dealers have pretty much taken over the furniture buys but they still auction off seconds lots of unfinished furniture pieces.  I go every year and come home with boxes of drawer sides, backs and fronts, dirt cheap.  Hardwoods are typically maple, cherry and birch, kiln dried and generally furniture grade.

   Anyway, I would like to incorporate these legs (pic attached) into, what I'm going to call an entertainment component cabinet to house everything component wise for the "center".  I envision it to be a low (approx. 26" high by 60" long).  On the wall behind the cabinet will be a 42" flat panel LCD monitor.

   What I'm looking for are tips on what embellishments, moldings, etc. that would be appropriate to the style of the legs, given the somewhat sketchy parameters given above.  The legs measure 9 1/8" tall.  I'm confident that I can make some ogee bracket feet as per the recent Lonnie Bird video here, but would really like to use the legs I have.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Kidderville, NH

    

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   
1. 
   dude | Jan 19, 2007 12:12pm | #5

   I built a entertainment / display centre for my great room

   It is built around a 36" floor model tv

   overall it is  9' long  x 7' high x 24" deep 

   the tower on each side is a set of drawers up to the top of the tv covered in front by a set of raised panel doors with raised panel ends

   Accros the top over the tv are glass doors that look like windows  including the ends

   the end units are used as display cabinets  and the centre pair house the electronic equipment

   The overall unit is comprised of 4 parts 2 end towers a bridge uit and a cap so it could be moved and then screwed back together

   It is made  out of about 300 bd ft of black cherry and took me about 300 hrs of work to construct 

   pictures of it are in the Lee Valley show room head offace Ottawa Can.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 19, 2007 05:25pm | #6

   What, and no pics for here?  Sounds interesting. 

   What I'm trying to do is what I would call a transition piece of furniture.  I'd like to convert a Queene Anne Sideboard design into a cabinet to house the A/V components with a wall mounted LCD/Plasma flat panel display.  That may be an oversimplification but in theory is what I'm attempting.

   The biggest design issue I'm having at this point is to keep everything in proper proportion while maintaining the correct height in relation to the display, where viewing height is 43" at the center of the display.

   We'll keep plugging away at it,

   Regards,

    

    Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Kidderville, NH

    

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   dude | Jan 19, 2007 09:06pm | #7

   my ability is sure not computers but wife wants to try her hand at it (ie pictures)

   i figure she might try it tomorrow when she is off work

   I do have pictures i did with a 35mm also i bought a digital camera but it came with 200 pages of instructions  and the said it was simple to use !

3. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 19, 2007 10:14pm | #8

   dude,

   I bought a Fuji FinePix3100 about 2 years ago, and mine came with a rather lengthy manual, most of it had to do with setting the thing up.  It's a 4 meg. with 6x zoom that is real nice.  I also have an old Canon C70 that I still use.  I also like to take pics but I am now using the digital more cause it's more computer friendly.

   Computers were my work for almost 40 years so I've seen just about everything.  It's truly amazing how much power the modern day PC has when compared to the old mainframes I cut my teeth on, not to mention the size!

   Sounds like you'll be in the market for Irfanview.  It's a great little application for manipulating digital pics, and has a lot of power to boot.  Google it and it will take you to a site wher you can download a copy free.

   Let me know if I can be any assistance to you with your computer issues.

   Regards,

    

    Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Kidderville, NH

    

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

3. 
   tom77 | Jan 20, 2007 02:49am | #9

   How about a corner cupboard?  It may fit your alcove.  Here is one that I just installed.  It is a stack of three cabinets.

   Good luck, Tom.

   
4. 
   klondikemike | Jan 21, 2007 06:06am | #10

   You might check out the Bath makeover vanity unit in Workbench Dec 2006.  This base cabinet unit can be adapted very easily to an entertainment center that could look like a built in for you.  I have been contemplating doing just that except it would not be a builtin for my application.  I would adapt it to use a french cleat to hang it on my wall and make it a floating piece.  The cut plans are at:  http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb298-vanity.pdf

   This is a fairly straight forward set of drawings and should be quite easy to build.  You can substitute your boards for the plywood applications.  Good Luck.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 21, 2007 09:54pm | #11

   First off I would like to apologize to everyone for not taking more time to prepare a proper definition of what I'm looking to build. 

   Second, I would like to thank all those who have responded.

   Third, I have a very slow dial-up connection at home and as such I couldn't respond to Tom77 & klondikemike for their posts.  I do have DSL @ work, but as it is Sunday I'm not there.  I WILL check these posts out tomorrow.

   So, here goes with my concept.  What's perhaps more important is the wife likes it as well!  The overall design is what I call a Queene Anne credenza/sideboard, adapted to a good viewing height.

   I'm not sure of the proportions though.  I borrowed some elements of Larry Dern's nightstand (FWW #87) and incorporated some of my own while trying to maintain a 1.6:1 ratio as closely as I could. 

   The overall dimensions of the cabinet, including legs ends up as 47"W by 27 5/8"H with a 1" overhang on each side on the top.  The primary wood will be Eastern Black Cherry with either clear Pine or Yellow Birch as a secondary wood, comments welcomed.  I anticipate raised panels on the sides and front 2 doors.  On the wall behind the credenza/sideboard will be a flat panel display, when we win the lottery!  In the meantime a 27" normal TV will occupy the top.

   I have attached a photo of a rough drawing of what I envision.  I would very much appreciate your comments.  Feel free to rip this apart as I'm a neophyte at design.

   Looking forward to your responses,

    

    

    

    Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Kidderville, NH

    

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!