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The first issue of Woodworking Magazine has been sold out for a long time, but we still get comments and requests for it regularly. So we’ve done two things: First, we’ve reissued that first edition (along with four other issues) on a CD that is now available. And second, we’ve also asked draughtsman Louis Bois to make a SolidWorks “live model” of the cover project available for a free download.

You can open this file using a free little program from SolidWorks that you can download for both Mac and Windows machines. With the program, you can open up the drawing file and examine the project to your heart’s content.

For me personally, this project is a bit of a nostalgia trip. After I built this cabinet in 2003, we sold it to an employee here at our publishing company, so I haven’t seen the thing in years. It was great fun to open the 3D model and take the thing apart.

All in all, I think I’d change very little to the project. Depending on my mood, I might change the sub-top piece a bit to reduce the weight: Instead of using a piece that was the full depth of the cabinet, I might change it to a thinner rail, maybe 2″ wide or so, up behind the cabinet’s frame. The most time-consuming thing about the project was getting the top and bottom to fit snugly against the carcase. So a thinner rail there would make things easier.

The hinges are also a problem. I used the Amerock non-mortise hinges to keep things simple. Since then, that particular hinge has had some quality issues in my opinion. So I’d probably simply buy a more delicate and traditional mortise hinge if I built it again.

Hanging Shaker Cabinet Assembly.EASM.zip (405.48 KB)

Christopher Schwarz


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