Assembling the Middle Section

Cut the rabbet on the back edge of the bottom (G) using a router with an edge guide and a straight bit. Don’t break down the router when you’re done; you’ll use the same setup later for the other back rabbets.

Start assembling the middle section by gluing and clamping the bottom dividers (M) one by one into their dadoes in the bottom (G) as shown in Photo 4. When the glue is dry, glue and clamp the middle shelf (H) to the bottom dividers. The glue-up is tricky because all the joints have to be glued and clamped at the same time, so round up a helper. Now glue and clamp the middle dividers (K) to the top of the middle shelf (H), then glue and clamp the upper shelf (H) to the middle dividers.

Attaching the Sides

Use the assembled middle section as a guide to lay out the dadoes in the sides (F), then cut the dadoes. Lay out the angled bottoms of the sides, cut off the waste using a jigsaw or band saw, and sand the sawn edges smooth. Glue and tape the side bottom edge strips (E) in place, then trim off the overhanging ends.

Reader's Digest Attaching the sides.

Attach the two remaining edge strips (C) to the front edges of the sides. Sand the edge strips flush to the faces of the sides with a belt sander. Rout the back rabbets on the back edges of the sides. Don’t rout below the bottom (G). Cut the notches in the sides for the front top (A). Lay out and drill the screw holes in the sides (F) and hang strip (B). Also drill the dowel holes in the hang strip and the underside of the bottom (G) as shown in Photo 8.

Glue the dowel pins in their holes in the hang strip (B). Trim the protruding ends of the dowel pins so 1/4 in. sticks out.

Finish-sand the inside faces of the sides (F) and top (J). Glue and screw the sides to the assembled middle section. Don’t use the brass finish washers yet. For now, just use the screws to join the pieces as the glue dries. Glue and screw the top in place, then attach the top front (A). After the glue dries, remove the brass screws that hold the sides. Finish-sand the outside of the cabinet, the hang strip (B) and the back (L). Ease all the sharp edges with sandpaper.

Cutting and Attaching the Cove Molding

The compound mitered ends of the cove molding pieces are cut on a table saw (Photo 6). Attach a 2-in. tall fence to the face of your miter gauge, and set the miter gauge to 45 degrees and the blade to zero. Clamp the cove molding upside down and against the miter gauge fence. Imagine it like this; the miter gauge fence is the side of the cabinet, and the table saw’s table is the ceiling. Test this setup if you’ve never done it before. Cut the side cove moldings so they fit, then drill nail pilot holes through the moldings, and glue and nail them in place.

Reader's Digest Cutting and attaching the cove molding.

Cut the front cove molding piece to fit, then attach it. Make sure to apply glue to the mitered ends. Slightly recess the nailheads using a nail set, then fill the recesses with putty. Finish-sand any remaining unsanded surfaces.

Finishing Steps

For a traditional finish, apply three coats of Danish oil finish to all of the exposed wood. Reinsert the brass screws in the sides, this time with the finish washers. Nail the back (L) in place. Use a 3/4-in. spade or power bore bit to drill the counterbored holes for the desktop fasteners at the top of the back, then screw the fasteners in place. Align the label holders in place, drill pilot holes for the nails, then nail on the label holders.

Hanging the Cabinet on Your Wall

Unless you’re a former circus acrobat, lifting this cabinet into position and screwing it to the wall by yourself is almost impossible. If you get a helper, you’ll avoid jostling the cabinet and marring your wall. (Who needs the extra touch-up work!) To hang the cabinet, determine the best location and height, then align and screw the hang strip (B) to the wall. Try to hang your cabinet on wall studs. If that’s not feasible, you can use EZ-Anchors, which are available at hardware stores. They’re designed to attach to drywall only, so if you have plaster walls, use 1/4-in. toggle bolts.

Place the cabinet on the hang strip so the dowel pins go in the holes in the bottom of the cabinet.

Reader's Digest Hanging the cabinet on your wall.

Mark the anchor or toggle bolt locations for the top screws, remove the cabinet, insert the anchors in the wall, put the cabinet back on the hang strip, and insert the screws that hold the top against the wall.

Reader's Digest Tightening the screws.

Be careful not to overtighten the screws and strip out the threads. Now get organized!