Hi,
I am looking for some designs for small wall mounted medicine cabinets in the 20W X 34H x4D size range. It must be no deeper than 4″. Mission or simple style designs would work best.
Thanks.
lsgrn
Hi,
I am looking for some designs for small wall mounted medicine cabinets in the 20W X 34H x4D size range. It must be no deeper than 4″. Mission or simple style designs would work best.
Thanks.
lsgrn
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Replies
That 20"W dimension may be a problem unless you're messing with the wall framing. Medicine cabinets typically just fit into the stud cavity and that will probably be ~14.5" (2"x4" studs on 16" centers).
I would also cut that 4" depth to ~3.75". Four inches is nominal for this, but if something is a little "off", your medicine chest might be a little "proud" of the wall.
Finally, you'll want to make sure that your proposed location is clear of any internal obstructions. On a few occasions, I've had to move a medicine chest because of wiring in the wall - or the sink plumbing vent.
When I've made these, I used 1/2" ply for the top, bottom, and sides of the box with a piece of 1/4" ply for the back. (Imagine a drawer standing on end.) The front is basically a picture frame with a piece of mirror in it. I like to attach the front to the box with a small piano hinge.
or the sink plumbing vent!!!!!!I did that LONG ago in my house. My wife wanted a pass-through from the kitchen to the dining room. I said NO PROBLEM! I got out my sledg hammer and commenced to hammer! She ended up with TWO openings with a center post made of wood! Geeee, I still laugh as my dumb thoughts.. I never even considered that at the time!
Hmmm, deja vu all over again. - lol
My "official" reason for knowing about that sort of thing is that I'm a trained, highly experienced, professional with an uncanny ability to think things through before I act.
I would really prefer to NOT get into the details, however. - lol
My "official" reason for knowing about that sort of thing is that I'm a trained, highly experienced, professional with an uncanny ability to think things through before I act.Were you my old boss that got fired?
I doubt it. The only time I was around Chicago was in '66 when I did boot camp at Great Lakes.
Besides, a trained, highly experienced, professional never gets fired - although I did leave one job somewhere between "YOU'RE FIRED!!" and "UP YOUR'S, I QUIT!!" - lol
Thanks for your reply, Dave. I will use the 3.75 depth. Actually, this cabinet will not be recessed in the wall. It will simply hang on the wall, giving me a little more freedom in design. Thanks, again.Larry
I recently completed a new medicine cabinet. I did not go the plywood route though. I jointed and planed some 4/4 5" wide cherry. After getting the boards to the correct dimensions, (my porter cable dovetail jig works best with certain widths) I routed dovetails on all corners. I used a jig and self centering drill bit for the brass shelf peg holes. The shelves were also made from solid cherry. The back was made from 1/2" birch plywood since it takes stain well and has a close grain pattern to the cherry. I routed a rabbet in the cabinet to accept the back. I attached the cherry face frame with pocket screws since this unit is to be mounted as a recessed cabinet. The door is a simple frame with tennons and grooves. Again I routed a rabbet for the mirror and a second rabbet for the 1/4" plywood that holds the glass in place. Used those little picture frame tabs to hold the back on. And that makes it removable if the glass ever breaks. Finished with Tried and True varnish oil and 6 coats of Unaxol polyurethane. Unaxol is very forgiving and the hardest poly I have ever used. http://mobydicksupplies.com/ The varnish is basically boiled linseed oil with some other proprietary ingrediants. Thick as molasis and puts a super vinish on cherry. I used external mount hinges from Horton Brasses. http://www.horton-brasses.com/products/hinges/specialtyhinges/49
Note: when recessing a cabinet, make sure to only use mounting screws on one side, the hinge side. I don't know why but I recently read that in a wood magazine.
Edited 12/23/2007 10:25 pm ET by dynamwebz
Thanks for your message. Interestingly, I also used solid cherry. I hand cut the dovetails for the cabinet and used double mirrors, so there's a mirror on the inside as well when the door is open. I had the glass shop make 1/4" glass shelves. We were of the same mind on this project. It turned out real well. Larry
Hand cut dovetails? So many how too's, so little time. I'm envious.
Take a look at the new Feb. 2008 issue of FineWoodworking for the "5 Minute Dovetail" article and using a backsaw or dozuki (Japanese version) and a chisel and coping saw cut the dovetails. Don't worry about getting them all uniform, just eyeball it and cut them. You'll enjoy the process of hand tooling it and the results.
Looks like a good article. I'll print it on the office color printer. My director loves it when I do that. I now have another excuse for some new tools. Woodcraft, here I come! Are they open today?
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