RECORD CUBE - 2ND SECTION

Having got this far, the next section should be a lot easier. Breathe huge sigh of relief, no timber re-cuts or thumbs hammered in the process. Thank goodness for that!

Now where had we gotten to? Ah yes, here we are ….

Picking up where we left off

I guess it’s all a bit obvious really but part two simply involves putting the second horizontal divider on top of what has already been built. Drill countersink holes to screw timber down from the top into the vertical record dividers and also to screw in from the sides. Nice and sturdy; that could easily hold an elephant. Or me!

Add the second horizontal piece

As I am placing another row of wooden boxes on top of this horizontal divider then again, a batten has been screwed in at the back to hold everything snuggly in place.  Being lazy, I didn't bother staining the bit of shelf that wasn't going to be visible to the naked eye.

More chocks

Add the wooden boxes then you can finally complete the rectangular cube by fixing the last long top panel into position. Drill countersunk holes to screw downwards into each vertical panel.

Finally fix the top into position above next lot of boxes

All that is left to add is a small shelf to split the tall end compartment into two. Why? This is not just for the hell of it, there’s a more practical reason for this section as it will be used to contain a large case full of hefty 78’s (gramophone records) and a long box of 7” singles.

Your completed stained rectangular cube should now look something like this:

Finished inner rectangular cube

At this point, you could pretty much slap on some retro style metal hairpin legs that have become very fashionable and just leave it at that. 

Metal hairpin legs for that lovely retro touch

Unfortunately, we can’t because some of the repurposed pine planking had holes in it from its previous life and also because professional carpenters/joiners would have properly dowelled all the joints so as not to have any visible screw heads. Duh!

But never fear, I have already come up with a cunning plan to disguise our woodworking incompetence - more about that in the next post.

RECORD CUBE - 1ST SECTION

Instead of starting our vinyl storage unit from the bottom up, efforts are being channelled into making the stained rectangular cube.  This has been fashioned from an old pine bookcase. The timber was just too good to chuck out – make do and mend is what I say!  You can save a few pennies repurposing good wood.

Recycling an old pine bookcase

Begin at the outer edges and work inwards is my motto. Cut 2 x long panels for the top and bottom of your rectangular frame and 2 x side panels plus an extra side piece for the internal riser.  In total, you should have 2 long bits and 3 shorter bits.

Stain, wax then screw together at the corners to make a 3-sided frame. Don’t screw the top panel on as this will be done later once all the inner sections are added.

Remember your unit needs to be wide enough to accommodate a vinyl LP and in our case the wooden storage boxes so the base and side panels have been cut to a 37 cm width.

Now that you’ve constructed your base section, it’s time to add the interior compartments. I’ve begun by using three of the CD storage boxes to work out the length of each of the horizontal dividers. This can be done simply by placing a length of timber across the top of the boxes then carefully marking the overall length. Cut two of these long horizontal pieces.

Idiots way of working out length

To determine the position of the third vertical riser, I placed three CD boxes on top of the bottom part of the frame abutting the boxes tightly to the end panel. 

Working out position of middle vertical riser

Hold the internal vertical riser panel against the CD boxes. Carefully draw a pencil line across the base piece marking the position of the outer edge of the vertical riser. Drill countersunk holes and screw the vertical piece into position from underneath the base. You should now have something that looks like this:

Base and 3 vertical panels

Next attach divider pieces for the record storage compartments. I’ve gone for two supporting dividers but you can add as many as you wish, spacing these out evenly across the length of the timber base.   Remember these will be holding up the top compartment so there should be enough dividers to give good support.

As I don’t want a disjointed look to the overall front of the unit then I’ve aligned the dividers to the edges where two CD drawers meet. Again, drill and fix from the bottom then screws won’t be visible once placed on top of the wooden boxes.

Attach dividers to bottom horizontal piece

To assemble the first compartment, lay all 3 wooden boxes on top of the base making sure that the drawers are aligned to the front of the bottom bit of timber. As our base is wider than the boxes, a wooden batten has been fixed behind the row of boxes to prevent them sliding backwards each time a drawer is opened.

Chocking the back of the wooden boxes with a batten

Place the piece of timber with the dividers on top of the boxes. If you have measured and cut correctly, everything should fit snuggly within your rectangular frame. Drill and fix this horizontal section from each outer edge inwards. 

Voila! – the first compartment completed.

First compartment finished

RECORD MAKERS

Just when you think you’ve put all that pesky woodworking behind you, another project unexpectedly leaps up and bites you on the bum!

The other half’s got a face like thunder after I casually dropped into the conversation the fact that I’d ordered some more pineboard from work. Yep, that’s definitely a look that could curdle matt emulsion.

I can already hear them screaming at each other

Meanwhile, it’s time to get pencil, ruler and back of cereal packet out to design what I really hope will be the last lot of cabinet making ever. This time we’re making a vinyl record storage unit because when you can’t find one you like in the shops then you just have to make it yourself.

To make the most of unused bits and bobs, I’ve designed this record storage unit so that it incorporates all the old wooden CD storage boxes bought from IKEA decades ago. 

Wooden CD storage boxes

It needs to be big enough to house all those marvellous LP’s and 7 inch singles lovingly acquired from bygone record shops which I refused to get rid of when the rest of the world was ditching theirs in favour of new-fangled CD technology.

My design was cobbled together in a most unusual manner by jiggling round a pine bookshelf, the CD boxes and a small partitioned storage unit rather like completing a gigantic 3D Rubik’s cube until the right combination of components was eventually reached. Hey presto, a design is born!

This one?

Or like this?

This unit will consist of 3 parts; a sturdy plinth, a stained rectangular cube divided into sections for the CD boxes/records and a black outer casing.

I've settled for this design

All that’s needed now is the will, wood and weather to be able to get this latest odyssey off the ground.