# Custom Buffet



## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

What started out as a leaking faucet has turned into a complete kitchen remodel for us. I told my wife that before I started tearing up the kitchen, I would like to build a buffet in the dining room. It's main purpose was to see if I had the tools and skills to do the job correctly.

Well, apparently I do so sometime next year, we will be redoing out kitchen.

She designed the layout of the buffet and I built it off of her plan. It turned out pretty good.

For most of the construction, I followed the workflow of 



. His videos are easy to watch and to the point. No BS or mumbling. I think he did a great job for presenting his way of doing things.

When I made the drawers, I decided to use dovetail joints for the fronts and simple dado joints for the rear. Since the drawer will hardly ever be pulled out all of the way, I didn't see any need to dovetail the rear joints. This really cut production time. Especially since I made the dadoes and drawer bottom grooves on the table saw. Easy peazy.

*Material of construction:*

The cabinets were built using 3/4 CAT pre-finished Birch plywood. The bottoms are also 1/4 inch pre-finished ply. That made it unnecessary to deal with finishing the interior of the cabinets. On exception is the pull out tray. It has a 1/2 inch bottom in it. Now that I am through, I have decided to make all of my drawers in the kitchen with the 1/2 inch bottoms. I think the base cabinets will be all drawers.

I made my own drawer stock. I bought "short" pieces at Clark's and glued up enough to make the drawers. Poplar is fairly cheap and that is what I used. But for the pull out tray, I used maple. Same way, glued up and milled down.

All drawer pieces are exactly 5/8 inch thick.

The face frames and drawer fronts are all constructed out of poplar, glued up and milled down as previously described. They turned out better than I expected.

The construction phase is complete. We have ordered a Silstone counter top and it should be ready to install in a couple of weeks. This coming week, a friend is coming over to apply a glaze to the cabinets. That is my wife's doings, not mine.

*The wall!*

As you can see in the pics, we bricked the wall behind the buffet. I left the bottom row for later. After the counter top has been installed, we will brick the bottom row, grout and seal. The brick is made by Old Boston Mill. It is called BrickWeb. It is applied using mastic. I borrowed a tile saw from my brother-n-law. The brick cut really easy with no problems encountered.

I will post a finished pic or two after everything is complete and all touch ups done.

Hope you like my work. It was a first time for me to make raised panel doors or panel style drawer fronts or dovetail jointed drawers.

Note: I had a lot of help with this project. We had fun. I couldn't have done it without my demo girl/cabinet door installer/bricklayer...and my little helper! She likes to "paint" the glue.  We were making memories.

Mike


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

More pics from the buffet build.

Cabinet construction and raised panel door construction.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Drawer front construction. Primed and ready to install.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Drawer construction - from individual pieces glued together to finished drawers.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Drawer construction complete.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

It is great to have your own personal bricklayer! 

I forgot to mention that we had an electrician run a new circuit just for this buffet. They did a good job of installing the outlets at standard height for counter top use. Thank you Carryyourbooks (Electric City).


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## Oyster Dog (May 21, 2005)

Wow! Very nice!


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

LOoks good!


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## FoghornLeghorn (Sep 11, 2012)

Cabinet looks good, I don't think that little girl has OSHA footwear or hearing protection, though...


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

Great job Mike!!! Very nice build. 

Any particular reason you have the two open shelves rather than making those two pullouts as well? I'm sure it has something to do with fullstringer.......lol


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Thanks Bob.


> I'm sure it has something to do with fullstringer.......lol


Yep. It is her design. She has a pair of baskets already sitting in there.


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## FISH BAIT (Jun 7, 2004)

*Awsome*

Thats awsome, great build. I have one of those little helpers too, she likes to run off with my tape and hammer.

FB


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

You sure have cute assistants! 

nice work, Mike!


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## bluefin (Aug 16, 2005)

Really nice work.
Like the brick background also.


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## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

Great build along and very fine craftsmanship. Be sure to post a finished photo of it working!! And you're right about "making memories" Those will be remembered for a long time to come!!


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

Excellent work!! Thanks for sharing...some great pictures!


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Yay! We got word today the counter top will be installed this coming Friday. Getting close to a done deal.


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## WillieP (Jul 2, 2004)

Dang Mike, you, Pat and your little helper sure do some fine work.


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## 69RRVERT (Sep 21, 2006)

Your work looks great Mike. I think your ready to attack the cabinets. My wife isn't so willing to let me take a stab at our cabinets. Thanks, Steven


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Finished!
And now for the reveal. Silstone counter top has been installed. Brick has been grouted. A little touch up paint and we have a done deal. Two very happy campers here in the Henderson household.

Christmas dinner will be a blast this year.
Hope you like the pics.
Mike


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

And a few more.


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

Love everything about this Mike!!! You guys did an outstanding job in every aspect.


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