Entertainment Center

This Project was motivated by the fact that I didn't like the cords hanging down from the mantle unto the coffee table/entertainment center. I wanted them hidden. This turned into a two sided entertainment center. The next thing I knew I was in it up to my neck in wood.

Planning:

Here is a concept sketch along with what it used to look like.

Another concept sketch, slightly improved. There was actually a 3-D rendering I did up in Pro-E that I won't  bother with here.

Note: the new couches

 And another:

I buried a pvc pipe in the wall from the TV to the cabinet so I will be able to pull new wires through as the new technology comes out each year. I also moved the power outlets up the wall to the cabinet level. The speaker wire and internet cables are run under the crown molding.

Dimensions:

Construction:

It was essentially made in four separate pieces two lower and two upper.

The drawers were designed to perfectly fit dvd/blue ray cases although a few drawers have since been claimed as electronics junk drawers.

There was nothing special about the wood except it is the better stuff from the hardware store. I ended up only adding pvc through to the left side because I could run the wires to the right side under the crown molding up above.

Base boards and crown going up.

The bottom shelves were designed with enough space to house a server and printer.

Paint:

I strongly recommend making a spray booth out of plastic because I am still finding over spray of everything I didn't cover.
You can see my beautiful and very pregnant wife helping me distress the cabinets by sanding the black lacquer paint back to the wood. After which we wiped a burnt umber stain on those distressed spots to give it a 'painted over' look, after which I clear coated everything with several coats.

Reassembling them in place and securing them to the studs in the wall.

Finished product!

Close ups

I installed some touch panel flush mount lighting.

Halloween Arch

I decided to make a Halloween arch for the front porch. 

Here is how I did it:

 I drew what I wanted it to look like.

Bought some 2" foam from the hardware store.

You can see in the corner where I tested some spray paints on the foam board while at the hardware store.

I used a router with a plunge bit  to route out bricks into the foam. 

I routed some smooth edges on the lower solid pieces to look like a solid cement block.

The Bones

Proving to myself that I could use the dremil tool to make bones.

How I made the bones.