TV Easel

[big tim]

Just finished this for one of my daughters and her husband.



Most of their cabinetry and flooring is cherry and they wanted this built from cherry as well.
This is the first time that I started with rough lumber, although I had the lumberyard give me one jointed side. (I have a planer but no jointer)



They had given me a picture out of a catalogue from a specialty furniture chain designed to just hold a flat screen TV and they wanted something similar but it had to have a support for the soundbar as well. I used Google SketchUp to customize the design.
This is what it will look like with the equipment installed


They want it finished with a clear satin finish, no staining. They are aware that cherry darkens with age and in fact like that.
I was going to use a sealer first to reduce and possibly eliminate blotching and then simply use a wipe-on water-based polyurethane.
I have no spray equipment.
I would like your comments on my proposed finishing method. Bear in mind that it doesn't get any abuse, it just stands there looking good hopefully!

Tim

[Tom Slick]

Lacquer works really well on cherry. The spray cans work well and they make "brushing grade". It dries extremely fast so you get less dust nibs and bugs in it.

[Larryl]

Looks like you nailed the design. Great looking project, your jointery looks great in the pictures. I would just apply a couple coats of satin poly, lightly sanding between coats. Your daughter and SIL should be proud to have that in their home.

BTY, where did you build the project because the shop in the picture is too clean to have had anything built in it.

[Ed62]

That's a very unique looking piece of furniture. It looks great! I'll leave the finishing up to the pros.

Ed

[big tim]

Lacquer works really well on cherry. The spray cans work well and they make "brushing grade". It dries extremely fast so you get less dust nibs and bugs in it.

Thanks Tom, I'll have to look into that. I don't think I want to do that in my basement shop and it is too cold to do it in the garage. By "brushing grade" do you mean it can be applied with a brush?
You can tell I'm a real novice when it comes to finishing.

Tim

[big tim]

Looks like you nailed the design. Great looking project, your jointery looks great in the pictures. I would just apply a couple coats of satin poly, lightly sanding between coats. Your daughter and SIL should be proud to have that in their home.

BTY, where did you build the project because the shop in the picture is too clean to have had anything built in it.

Hi Larry,
Thanks for your comments.
All joints are made with dowels using the Dowelmax and glue of course The only screws used are the ones holding the T-track in the dado in that centre beam. I did use a bedbolt:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware...=3,40842,41269
in each leg to draw the joint between the feet and the legs together. I didn't have any other means of clamping that. That also makes that joint very strong.
The angled strut or beam in the back has a cable channel routed into it which is covered with a 1/4" thick strip of cherry. I used a toilet bolt to hold that joint while I drilled dowel holes from the bottom through the shelf into the bottom of the angled beam. That was the only way I could use dowels in that joint because I used dowels also in the joint at the top of that angled beam.



My shop is in the basement and I do a lot of vacuuming to lessen the impact on the rest of the house.
A picture of my shop looking in one direction. I went to the dark side in April.



Again, thanks

Tim

[Pappy]

Interesting concept with great execution.

[dbhost]

Fantastic design, great execution.

Funny you mention the Dark side with that picture. Last time I saw gloss black gleaming like that, it was on Darth Vader's helmet...

[Turaj]

Tim, I am no expert in finishing but the last few projects that I did with Cherry (picture frames, jewelery box) I used clear Danish oil from Lee Valley. It goes on with a rag, you can do several coats in day and is ready for use in a day or two. And of course the wood keeps darkening.

Great project by the way but that shop is too clean!!! Was the photo taken before you installed the sliding table?

[Shep]

Great project and great shop. LOML would be jealous of the cleanliness. I think a few coats of wipe-on poly would be easy enough to make the project last.

[big tim]

Tim, I am no expert in finishing but the last few projects that I did with Cherry (picture frames, jewelery box) I used clear Danish oil from Lee Valley. It goes on with a rag, you can do several coats in day and is ready for use in a day or two. And of course the wood keeps darkening

Great project by the way but that shop is too clean!!! Was the photo taken before you installed the sliding table?

I have some "Circa 1850 Antique Danish Oil" and applied some this afternoon several times on some scrap pieces and I must say it looks pretty nice.
I noticed that the Lee Valley product is a tung oil/urethane resin finish.
Is that what Danish oil really is? By the way how many coats do you typically apply?
And yes Turaj, the picture was taken before I installed the sliding table.

[chopnhack]

I'm not sure you want to brush lacquer in your basement. The smell can be a little over powering. Maybe water base clear poly would be the way to go in this case.

[Turaj]

I have some "Circa 1850 Antique Danish Oil" and applied some this afternoon several times on some scrap pieces and I must say it looks pretty nice.
I noticed that the Lee Valley product is a tung oil/urethane resin finish.
Is that what Danish oil really is? By the way how many coats do you typically apply?
And yes Turaj, the picture was taken before I installed the sliding table.

If I understand correctly there are more than one kind of Danish Oil. The main ingredient is either Tung Oil or Linseed Oil plus other agents to help with hardening and drying (like I said, I am no expert).

I usually try to put 4 coats with a liberal coat at first and lighter application for the other three, sanding between 2 & 3. This is my typical finish for Cherry, Walnut and Maple!

[mhblake1]

Do you have any plans for this. I would love to build something like that.

[JimD]

I make wipe on poly by thinning oil based poly with mineral spirits. About 1/3 mineral spirits is generally enough. Poly has it's normal protective properties wiped on, the coats are just thinner.

What keeps the TV in place? Is it just weight + friction? Or do you screw a bracket to the TV and the stand?