As noted in a prior installment of the Tea Forecast, I had to go back and make some parts to finish up the last two drawers. I did that and took some notes for adjustments needing to be made, but overall, with enough progress done to consider the initial rough-in phase completed. I can actually build up the jambs and upper casing in order to mount the shelf-doors. I also have a benchmark to report to the end-user of this item as being met. The bulk of the figuring, of the logistics, and the planning are done and what remains is estimated to be a bit under 50% of the work. The shelves will be fun to build, the hinges will possibly be the most challenging component of what is left to do. They require careful positioning and mortising, but the rest is mostly trim and paint work. There's an old saying that goes, "a little caulk and paint can make a carpenter what he ain't", and I totally get that.
For a fine furniture piece, we would have opted for full concealment of any hardware, also opting for a framed box rather than the panel carcass used for this built in. This piece was specifically targeting a balance of price, speed, and durability. We're trying to cut the lead time and price nearly in half, and to do that we've chosen the techniques and materials that can get us there. With the 3/4" sides and 1/2" bottoms constructed from premium birch core plywood using Kreg pocket-hole joinery we've improved on the reference designs usage of MDF and furniture boards, as well as increasing the drawer depth to 7" inside height from 5". The factory listed lead time was greater than 7 weeks at the time of our commencement. We're shooting for and on track to make half that.
The only real complication is that Spring Break is happening right in the middle of it. We haven't planned on anything extravagant, but we're sure to find something to get into since Melissa will be off work. Alternatively, I've been considering knocking this out and heading south for a while to scout the scene. Coastal North Carolina, Panhandle...