Buffet / Bar for dining room

Now that I have a sweet-ass farmhouse table, I figure maybe I should make something to go along with it, like a buffet/bar. I looked at a few pics online and used these as my inspiration:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3f784dc6.jpg

I decided to make this particular piece out of alder because of its rustic look, it's cheap, and I can get it at Lowes.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4996068b.jpg

I'm using birch plywood for the side panels and the back. It matches the alder fairly well:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps03013763.jpg

I wanted the top to be something unique, so I thought maybe I would use these old weathered boards. Splinters would be a daily hazard, but I thought it would look cool:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psb70d6fd5.jpg

Then today I saw this at Lowes. It's tile that looks like old weathered boards, just without the splinters. I'll probably use this for the top. Maybe, I don't know yet:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psc4846114.jpg

I just finished the two side panels. The top and bottom rails have a 1/2" rabbet for the plywood to sit in. There will be something on the outside to cover those gaps, I just haven't gotten that far yet.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1326c93e.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8076a454.jpg

Here's an idea of what the face of the buffet will look like. It will have three drawers at the top, two cabinets at either side below the drawers, and the middle will be open, either with shelves or maybe a Jack and Jameson rack that I will let Mrs. Sharpienads use to put her wine bottles in, too. But make no mistake, it will be a Jack and Jameson and other various types of whiskey rack, with the occasional space set aside for wine.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pse936f438.jpg

Here's the basic frame all put together. It's about 1/16" out of square. Not too bad, I guess. There's a little part of me that, every time I try to build something, doesn't believe it will work, and then is really surprised when it turns out ok.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psfff1a7df.jpg

Here's another pic with the face attached:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3ff66f63.jpg

And another from a side angle:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psf61083f5.jpg

Lookin good man.

Can I sign up for one of those too? Wife's been busting my balls for a buffet to store our China set.

We bought a rolling island with a marble countertop. It is great for what it is. My only complaint was that it was the display model, so it was put together crappy.
It's too late now, but I would have suggested wheels if you have a hardwood floor. We use ours as a mobile prep station because we have a serious lack of counter space.

Anyway, that looks really cool, and that tile will make it look pretty awesome. I LOVE those slide outs to increase the surface area in the one of the pictures you posted.

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Originally Posted by spleify

Lookin good man.

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Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fj605

Can I sign up for one of those too? Wife's been busting my balls for a buffet to store our China set.

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Maybe we should wait and see how this one turns out first.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Irving

We bought a rolling island with a marble countertop. It is great for what it is. My only complaint was that it was the display model, so it was put together crappy.
It's too late now, but I would have suggested wheels if you have a hardwood floor. We use ours as a mobile prep station because we have a serious lack of counter space.

Anyway, that looks really cool, and that tile will make it look pretty awesome. I LOVE those slide outs to increase the surface area in the one of the pictures you posted.

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No wheels on this one, it will just stay in place. Our house has a huge, rectangular room that is about 40'x15' and is the front, dining, and living room, so this will have the secondary purpose of breaking up that space a little and separating the living and dining rooms. I like the pullouts too, and thought about incorporating them, but I *think* this one should be big enough. I think that buffet in the picture is about 3'x18" or so, mine is 5'x20". So hopefully I won't regret not adding those in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fj605

Can I sign up for one of those too? Wife's been busting my balls for a buffet to store our China set.

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I've been busting my wifes balls for a buffet but she won't bite yet. We've got the perfect space for it but she always wants something else when we do our yearly furniture upgrade.

I got the cabinet bottoms and side panels cut and installed today. What a PITA to get everything to fit relatively flush. But it's lookin' good.

Here's a front view:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psf3265e1b.jpg

Closer look at what will be a cabinet:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps990be474.jpg

Back view:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psef7d2427.jpg

Another look:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7110ed07.jpg

Pretty soon I'm gonna have to learn how to make and mount drawers and cabinet doors. That should be fun.

That's some nice looking wood you're using there. Project is looking good. Just wondering, with all that wood work you do, would you possibly have a 6' wood lathe?

Looks great thus far!

Very impressive. Good work

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Originally Posted by Marlboro Man

That's some nice looking wood you're using there. Project is looking good. Just wondering, with all that wood work you do, would you possibly have a 6' wood lathe?

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The wood is rustic alder from lowes. It's fairly cheap but looks really nice, I think. Nope, no lathe.

I worked on the whiskey/wine rack a little today. It isn't attached yet, just sitting there. The area above it will remain open.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8417f4ae.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pse5d705f8.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psc56d1e3d.jpg

What was your level of wood working experience before you started all these projects?

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Originally Posted by Irving

What was your level of wood working experience before you started all these projects?

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Almost non existent. I had used a circular saw a handful of times and used other various tools, but never really built anything. I really have just learned everything by looking online, inspecting my furniture/furniture at stores to see how it's constructed, and by just trying things.

That's pretty much what I've been doing with stuff as well, but haven't tried anything that really requires much in the way of specialty tools. I've been impressed with what you've been doing lately. Keep it up. Thanks to your table build, I now know of pocket holes and that helps me with another thing I'm thinking up. Thanks.

A few updates:

I stained the buffet dark walnut. I'm not happy with the stain job that I did. There are a lot of color inconsistencies. I'm going to try to give it a light sanding and possibly re-stain to see if I can get a more consistent color. The whiskey rack is done, and the back panel is cut and put in place, but not attached yet. I need to stain it, stain and install the shelves that go in the cabinets, and then all that's left is the drawers, cabinet doors, and top.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pse84b80d8.jpg

Shelves installed, backing installed and stained. To-do: drawers, doors, and top.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps31b4ca8a.jpg

inline for one in a dark oak finish...