Deluxe Sewing Center

Today we start by making the filler shelf on which Paula's sewing machine will sit.  I cut a simple rectangle, not making any attempt to fill that notch on the back side, because that notch is to allow the power cords from the machine to pass through the table.  After cutting it a bit over-size, I trim it down slowly until I have just a small gap all around.  I place a lamp on the floor under the cabinet to help me see this gap clearly by shining light up through it.

When I've got it right, I whip out the handy dandy carpet tape and use it to affix the shelf to the lift arms.  With it tacked in place, I run the shelf up and down a few times just to be sure it works smoothly.  Then I crawl underneath, drill pilot holes and install the pan head screws and fender washers that hold it in place permanently.  Or at least until I take it all apart again to do the staining.

Now we turn our attention to mounting the special hinges that allow the leaves to flip out, yet not be in the way when the cabinet is opened up.  Before possibly ruining a top plate with this step, I test it out on some scrap lumber first.  I find that the curve in the end is not quite round, and work it with some sand paper wrapped around a 1" diameter dowel; take off just a little, test it again, repeat until it's right.

Any time I'm making or testing one of our permanent jigs, I clock out so the client isn't paying for this fiddling about.  That way I don't feel it necessary to rush through the process.  The result of this cautious approach is a perfectly fitting hinge pocket.  Now we can take the jig and attack the top plates of the cabinet.

Something went amiss on this first set of hinges and the spacing is off by 1/16th of an inch, so I had to do a little careful carving with a knife.  When I'm done it won't show much at all.

Here comes the big test; When I close the lid, does it align with the lower top?  being 35 inches long, just a small error on the hinge end can magnify to a big error on the opposite edge.  But it worked out well.  So I mounted the hinges for the other leaf, and everything went well there too.

And that's it!  Construction is complete.  I've got to go send a note to Paula asking her to pretty please send some money, then I'll spend the rest of the day putting away the tools and thoroughly cleaning up the shop.  I'll vaccuum tonight, then let the place set overnight and vacuum again tomorrow to be sure I get up as much of the wood dust as I can.  Then we'll be ready to stain.

Project Home