Cutting the groove or rabbet for the back panel using the router table would be very easy, but I’m still trying not to use it for making this small display cabinet. One thing I didn’t avoid was using the table saw, as making a homemade table saw is much easier than making a router table. However, if you prefer, you can skip the cuts I make with the table saw.
To cut the groove for installing the back panel of the cabinet, I needed a good base to support the router as I slide it while cutting the rabbet. As you know, my workbench is designed to work on without much concern, so I simply nailed a couple of wooden boards to one side to separate the molding of the display cabinet when placing the top part vertically. This also provides the widest surface to support the router base while routing the rabbets for the back panel.
On the sides, the cut is made from end to end, taking care to keep the guide supported to maintain a straight cut as the router bit enters at one end and exits at the other. For the top and bottom parts, the limits of the rabbet for the back panel are determined by the rabbets on the sides when assembled.
The result is four rounded corners that we need to trim with a chisel. Another option, if you don’t like working with a chisel or don’t have a sharp one, is to use a wooden block with sandpaper wrapped around it to round the corners of the panel you are going to install.
In the video, you will also see how I glue the dowels that I placed in the display cabinet. I mark how much they protrude, insert them just enough so they don’t fall out, apply wood glue, reinsert them a bit further than the mark I made, and clean the expelled glue with newspaper.
There’s no need to do the dowels this way, and they could be placed in blind holes in the base and top, or you could glue them directly to the sides and assemble the entire cabinet. However, I want to try painting the display cabinet piece by piece before assembling it, as I believe I will get a better result. But first, I need to cut the small protruding parts, apply some wood filler, and sand to get a completely smooth surface. I’ll leave this for when I prepare the display cabinet for painting, as I have several areas with broken knots that need filling with wood filler, in addition to some imperfections caused during the manufacturing process.
In the video, you can also see how I cut the small strips that will hold the glass panes. I call them moldings, although I think what is usually called moldings has one of its corners rounded. To cut these strips with such a small section, a table saw and a thickness planer are necessary. Another simpler option is to buy these wooden profiles at a DIY store, where you can find square section profiles of 1cm and rectangular section profiles of about 2cm by 0.5cm. If you don’t have a thickness planer, buying them is a very good option because, even if you manage to cut them, it’s difficult and cumbersome to sand them to perfection.
Everything about how to make this wooden display cabinet