Low Entertainment Center (3 of 5) – Applying Solid Edging & Assembly

Video - September 19, 2009

In this episode, I move from preparation to assembly as I begin applying solid wood edging to plywood components. While the process may seem straightforward, getting clean alignment and strong glue joints requires careful planning and a few helpful techniques.

I demonstrate how biscuits can simplify the installation process by keeping trim pieces aligned during glue-up, reducing the frustration of parts shifting under clamp pressure. Along the way, I share strategies for working efficiently in challenging shop conditions and discuss how temperature and humidity can affect glue-up success.

For anyone interested in applying solid wood edging to plywood, this episode offers practical tips for achieving accurate alignment, cleaner glue-ups, and durable results that will stand the test of time.

And this is the filler I recommended in the video. If you’ve had bad experiences with fillers in the past, you really need to give this stuff a shot. Shopping through this affiliate link will also help out the show.

The Plans

Other Parts in This Series

Discussion

Dean September 19, 2009 10:00 am

If we don’t have a long, long clamp to clamp down the edge trim on the short dimension, couldn’t we use something like the edge clamp as shown here?

http://www.woodcraft.com/Produ.....Clamp.aspx

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 19, 2009 6:53 pm
  
  Assuming it has enough holding power, yes.
  
  Reply
Brad September 19, 2009 1:35 pm

Instead of cutting the bevel with a circular saw after the edge pieces have been glued to the plywood, what would be the drawback of cutting the bevels on the table saw and then attaching them to the plywood top & bottom? I guess it would making the clamping of the edge pieces more difficult given that they would have an angled surface? Just curious if you had a reason, or that’s just the way you did it.

Thanks,
Brad

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 19, 2009 6:56 pm
  
  Well, remember, I am avoiding the use of the tablesaw when possible. So the idea was to show how to do it with a circular saw. Now if I were making full use of my shop, I might consider making the bevel cut ahead of time. But like you say there is the clamping issue. Easy enough to make some cauls with an opposing angle and clamp that way. If this were a project being made in my shop today and I wasn’t teaching a lesson with particular goal in mind, I would probably still attach the trim square, and I would use the Festool system with the track to make the bevel cut.
  
  Reply
Caleb Sarty September 19, 2009 2:38 pm

Another fantastic video. Just a few questions. I know your a little partial to using dominos. Is there a specific reason you used biscuits instead on this project? Is is because the biscuits give you that little bit of play during glue-up?
Also, what type of blade are you using on your circular saw to make the bevel cuts?

Keep up the great work. You’re an inspiration to us all and your website is a welcome retreat from our working/home lives and offers a wealth of information.

-Caleb

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 19, 2009 7:03 pm
  
  Thanks Caleb. When it comes to joinery for the purposes of alignment, I would say one could use the Domino or a biscuit joiner. The Domino would produce more reliable results and you can certainly add in the wiggle room I mentioned. But again, keeping with the theme of simple tools, the Domino wouldn’t be appropriate in this project. The biscuit joiner, while still pricey, is a little more realistic for most folks. But keep in mind, the biscuits are completely optional in this situation.
  
  The blade is a Freud and I can’t recall which one. I bought it a long time ago and the markings on it are no longer legible, lol.
  
  Reply
mark harwell September 19, 2009 9:03 pm

Great video as always. For those who dont own a biscuit joiner, you can buy biscuit cutting bits for your router or an appropriately sized slot cutting bit works well also.

I like the split panels in the back for the cords and heat escape. Did you consider leaving the back panel whole and putting the slot at the very top?

Reply
demowen September 20, 2009 6:06 am

I think I know the answer to this already…

You had said that you wanted this unit to be able to be pushed back against the wall without cords getting in the way. When you cut the back panels for the cords to come through the back instead of through the inner recess, does that mean that you can no longer push the unit the whole way back? I guess the lip of the top and bottom trim overhangs apart from the case to solve this issue, but how much room does it give you?

I have an entertainment center with a little hole to put the cords through and I agree that a split panel would be much much better! I hate trying to push a bajillion cords through a tiny hole.

One last thing I was curious about. Your doors are a plywood, correct? Will you leave the plywood edge exposed on the door since it is only a 1/4 inch or will you be banding that edge to cover the ply?

Thanks for all your hard work Marc! I just bought your finishing dvd and shirt from your store. You have some pretty great content! As soon as I got the them in the mail I put on my shirt and watched the DVD. Every time I wear it now, my girlfriend calls me a nerd. I’m not quite sure how that pans out, but whatever.
Thanks again!

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 20, 2009 9:05 am
  
  You actually can still push the unit against the wall. You have about 3/4″ to work with (the thickness of the trim pieces).
  
  As for the doors, I will not be doing anything to the edges. I thought about it though, lol. Decided it was too much work for very little gain.
  
  And don’t worry man, Nerd is the new Sexy. So when she says that, just say, “thank you!”
  
  Reply
Robarov September 20, 2009 7:55 am

Marc,

I m wondering – i see you cut the moldings with your circle saw. Isn t it easier and saver to do it on the table saw ?
I have the luxary of a topi machine – a huge router. Thats really nice to make moldings :o)

Kind regards

Robby

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 20, 2009 8:58 am
  
  Hey Robby. Read Brad’s comment and my response above.
  
  Reply
Leon September 20, 2009 10:52 am

Dean – Another option for long clamp alternatives is to use stops in your work top for the workpiece to push up against and reverse your clamp stops. This way you could use a wall or another stop in your worktop and open your clamp against the workpiece to create a clamp. This also depends, of course, on the type of clamps you use.

Mark this a great project. It has inspired me to make one of my own. Thanks

Reply
David Thomson September 20, 2009 11:04 am

You have perfect timing with another way of how to do the beveled angle as I am building a planter today.

My thought on the cord and venting issue would be to put some vertical slots in the center walnut dividers so that the cords go straight into the well. This would hide the slots when viewed, albeit, from low to the ground. I do not know how that will affect venting since you wanted to place this piece against the wall and may cause it to be trapped heat?

Keep up the good work
David

Reply
Curious George September 20, 2009 5:02 pm

Marc, thanks for another great video. I especially like it when you show how to fix mistakes. I could use your advice on a problem I have with aligning the edge pieces. whenever I assemble edge pieces, I always have a problem with aligning the edge piece vertically. I do use biscuits but even then, the edge piece can move probably 1/16 or more up and down in relation to the plywood. And of course you’re screwed if the edge piece glues lower than the surface of the plywood because you can’t sand the plywood much to bring it even with the edge piece. So, I usually have to spend a lot of time when applying the clamps to make sure that the edge piece is even with or higher than the plywood. But even then, the edge pieces sometimes slip. How do you address this? In your video it looked like you don’t worry about this. Thanks.

Reply
Howard September 20, 2009 7:27 pm

Marc,

I’ve found that using a 4’x 8′ sheet of 1.5″ expanded polystyrene insulation (Styrofoam) is a better support than using scrap lumber when cutting sheet stock on the floor. It gives nice even support over the whole surface and you don’t have to worry about moving supports around for different cuts. I suppose eventually I’ll have to replace it as it gets grooved by the saw; but it’s not very expensive.

Only drawback is that you’ve got to have a place to store it. Mine slides in front of a side door in my shop that otherwise is poorly insulated. I made a couple of “clamps” out of aluminum flashing to hold it in place.

Reply
Robarov September 21, 2009 10:21 am

Marc,

Thanks for the great movies – we re really enjoying your show !!

Big Thanks !

Reply
Andrew Ford September 21, 2009 3:58 pm

Love the design on this piece.

One question, would this be sturdy enough to use as an aquarium stand as is, or would it need internal framing for additional support?

Thanks

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 21, 2009 5:43 pm
  
  You know, I am always surprised at how little support actual aquarium stands have. I look at them and think there is no way they can handle the weight of a 75 gallon tank filled with water. Yet they do. So my guess is this design “could” hold an aquarium. But if it were me building it, I sure as heck would beef it up significantly. I would start by using 3/4″ plywood instead of the MDF core I used in this series. I would also use 3/4″ ply for any back panels or support panels you might install. I used 1/4″ in this project. And I would probably have to think about it long and hard to decide how else I might be able to add additional support.
  
  Reply
colegirlsdad September 21, 2009 5:30 pm

Just a thought but you could install a couple of CPU cooling fans in the slots for the cords/airflow just to keep the air moving at a good rate.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 21, 2009 5:44 pm
  
  Sure, if you needed the extra ventilation.
  
  Reply
wilbur September 22, 2009 11:01 am

Hi Marc,

I’m really enjoying this series. I have a question on how you’re putting the back panel together. Granted, the back is not the most visible part of the piece, but you have the grain running horizontally along the back, while the grain is running vertically on the front doors, internal partitions, and sides. Is there a reason for that? If this piece was being made of solid wood instead of plywood, there would be all kinds of wood movement issues happening if the grain was running the way that you have it. From a visual standpoint, I’d think that keeping vertical grain all the way around would be better, although the back panel is not going to be very visible, as I mentioned above.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 22, 2009 6:23 pm
  
  Hey Wilbur. This project was built over a year ago so the details are a little fuzzy. But if I remember correctly, it was a material issue. I only had so much 1/4″ ply to work with and I think running the grain horizontally was the most efficient use of the materials. A sacrifice I was willing to make in the back of the piece.
  
  Now if it were made of solid wood, you would have a problem with movement no matter how you orient the back panel.
  
  Reply
JP Knapp September 23, 2009 6:03 am

If you mark the angle cut and line it up by eye, what happens on the 4th cut? Both sides would be angled and I dont know how you angled the pencil line. Did you just line it up once, measure to the new straight edge, and use that measurement for the rest of the sides?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 23, 2009 7:38 am
  
  Yes exactly. If you set up by eye, quickly jot down the measurement or set your adjustable square to the distance from the edge to the straight edge. Then use that to set up the rest.
  
  Reply
emmrys September 23, 2009 8:50 pm

When you cut the bevel on the top, you had the piece oriented with the top up. You did the same thing when you cut the bevel on the bottom which required you to change your saw angle. I was curious why you didn’t flip the bottom piece over and use the same set-up as the top.

Thanks for such informative videos. I always learn something.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 23, 2009 9:00 pm
  
  Hey emmrys. Now I’m confused! :) I never had to change the angle of the saw. I just used the saw with the short end of the base near the fence. Besides, the circular saw only tilts one way…..
  
  Reply
  - emmrys September 29, 2009 6:09 pm
    
    Now I will have to watch it again…..LOL
    
    Reply
  - John Davidson September 7, 2011 5:43 pm
    
    I think he means if you had flipped the board upside down you could have kept the larger side of the saw base on the workpiece.
    
    Reply
    - John Davidson September 7, 2011 5:58 pm
      
      Would need a temporary spacer block to hold the saw level but would make for a safer balanced cut, I think. Does that make any sense?
Matthew Hills September 24, 2009 7:57 am

Nice tip with the glue brush pot. I rarely have things laid out well to do a lot of glue-ups at once, and it’s always seemed like such a waste to toss out the glue brush after every little assembly.

Reply
jack September 24, 2009 8:30 pm

marc do a 100th episode spectacular! send cake. bring any tools you dont want to anaheim and i will take em.

Reply
Marshall Bordeer September 26, 2009 4:04 am

Really like your step by step process and I think that it will turn out grand for sure , I really enjoyed it …………Marshall

Reply
Bruce September 26, 2009 4:40 am

Hey Marc; Just a thought why not notch out the vertical dividers in line with your gap in the back panels the there would be no issue with the cords wrapping around the outside of the divider. Just a thought. Keep them coming you’re the man.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 26, 2009 8:00 am
  
  Thanks Bruce. There really wasn’t a need to notch out the dividers. I guess you could if you really wanted to but the cords don’t stop the unit from going right up against the wall. The trim gives us 3/4″ of clearance space. Know what I’m sayin’?
  
  Reply
dryhter September 26, 2009 8:47 am

Hey Marc,
So much good information here, for those just starting out or working wood on a limited budget. I’d like to comment or add some suggestions.

Get off the floor,aside from putting yourself in an unsafe position while cutting, you will appreciate it in twenty years,or if you are already a seasoned woodworker. A set of horses is as basic to wood working as a saw and hammer. And it is a good Saturday Project,1000’s of plans available on the web. Make one set about 28-32in. working height and another set about 18-22in. height (this set is used to make an assembly table). A couple of 2×4’s, a sheet of 3/4in. ply and(what a great suggestion Howard)foam board gives you a great working platform, and it is portable and storable.

Start checking for square ASAP.Square up one corner of your sheet goods and work off that corner for square and parallel for all your subsequent cuts. Use a router and straight edge to square the 4ft. edge. Check diagonals of lay out before you cut, adjust before you cut, or figure out why diagonal measurements are different, Always measure from your panel edge, not back from the waste side.

If you are not going to see the fasteners then use them.
What I mean is screw those partitions to the bottom. It makes for a stronger cabinet carcase and saves a lot of aggravation and time at glue-up.

And I guess this would fall under methods of work and I think that Marc has talked about it in other Podcasts or maybe on the Forum. If possible and if your design permits, it is never too early to start applying finish. We are usually in such a rush to build something we forget about finishing it.An hour or two spent putting some finish on at the pre-assembly point will save literally hours when it comes time to finish. This is especially true of finishing the interior. Think about it, 3-4 coats, sanding in corners, clean-up, etc., etc..
I usually start by sanding down my sheet goods to 180-220grit and apply a spit coat of shellac or varnish/poly to both sides.Then I make all my cuts including rabbets and even doing the edging. Then I sand the raised grain from the spit coat and apply a second coat to all interior sides, sand and assemble (you don’t have to be as concerned with glue squeeze out). Leave the back(s) off, prep, and put your final coat on the interior(if you know you want more build up on the interior, do it prior to assembling). This method works with a stained piece also, you just have to think it through more carfully, and/or adjust as required.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 26, 2009 8:52 am
  
  Excellent advice! I do take one small exception, however. I think working with plywood on the floor is much easier on the back. As someone with frequent lower back issues, I love the fact that I never actually have to “lift” a full sheet of ply. I just carry it over to the cutting area on its side, then lower it down onto my 2×4. Even one cut makes the situation much more manageable and my back thanks me later. :)
  
  Reply
  - dryhter September 26, 2009 12:19 pm
    
    Well Mark that is because your knees and hips are still working.
    Anyways… . .. . great series!
    
    Reply
    - thewoodwhisperer September 26, 2009 10:22 pm
      
      LOL. Gorilla Gripper to the rescue!
Art Mulder September 26, 2009 4:11 pm

Hey Mark, I also have lower back issues… :-(
Happens to the best of us. I always figured it was partly my fault for having a job (Computer Geek) where I sit down most of the day.

I save on weight by almost always having the first cut done for me at the lumber yard or store. I usually have the project planned out ahead of time, so it is no big deal to plan out one of the major cuts that splits the plywood sheet more-or-less in half. Makes it a lot easier for us small-volume hobbiests when carrying stock into the shop. My shop is in the basement, with an interior set of stairs, so a full sheet is almost impossible to get down there regardless.

Anyone copying this would be advised to allow at least a 1/4″ of waste — those saws at the Big box store are often not the best quality, so you won’t get a finish cut doing this.

I’m curious about the doors… it sounds like you’re planning to permanently trap them in the project. Really? If you made the top dado a bit deeper, you could size the doors to slip up into the dado and then drop down into the bottom dado, which would make it removeable. (sort of the same way you install a sliding patio door)

thanks for the great projects you share here.

…art

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer September 26, 2009 10:25 pm
  
  Hey Art. I do believe the ones on this unit were trapped. Easy enough to make them pull-out though. Maybe reduce the height of the door by 1/4″ or so, or even make the top dado a little deeper. I just didn’t feel the need to do it on mine.
  
  Reply
Stephen October 15, 2009 9:21 pm

Loved the videos, but had one thought about the design of the unit. From a cooling standpoint you would probably be much better off to create 2 separations instead of one. The preferred method would be to have one at the bottom and one at the top. This creates an automatic air flow, as hot air flowing out the top will pull in colder air at the bottom. I don’t know how much real effect it has, but from having installed and serviced components in these types of units, I always wish they had better cooling available as modern units can get very hot when running. Still I love the design and a big thanks to you for your site. I’m just getting in to wood working and your site has been the single best resource I’ve ever found for wood working. It’s one thing to read something by a professional, but it’s completely different to actually watch them do it. You pick up on a hundred small things that wouldn’t normally be mentioned. Thanks again.

Reply
nosmok August 9, 2010 6:09 pm

Marc,
Just found your site and am totally addicted! You fill the void that the departure of Norm from the New Yankee Workshop left. Besides I like your tees much better than plaid. I recently made a similiar cabinet, but instead of using wooden door panels, I bought some remnant acrylic panels from 3-form USA (http://www.3-form.com/order-reclaim.php). You can work the panels with shop tools and polish the edges with a simple butane torch. Not a pure wood project like the one above, but you can acheive some really cool modern or retro effects.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer August 9, 2010 6:28 pm
  
  You flatter me my friend! :) You should post some pics of the project in the new forum: http://woodtalkonline.com
  
  Reply
Mike Chafin September 1, 2010 10:43 am

First, I love your videos – I’ve learned a lot and thanks.

My comment is about the vents. It troubles me to have a big slot across the back of the cabinet so that if the cabinet is placed against a light colored wall the slot would be visible to the people watching the TV, etc.

I would instead make the slot vertically in the recess of the vertical panel power strip storage area. This would allow a upper lower air flow, hot air raising and allow for equipment shelves to not interfere with the air flow also.

Thanks,
Mike
A beginner in IA.

Reply
Rich January 2, 2011 6:39 am

Just cruising for inspiration and found your site. Really enjoyed this series especially from the point of view of limited tools.
On cutting the the angle trim it looks like this cut through into the biscuits on the top trim in a couple of places, the problem seems to have been fixed later, am I imagining things?

Thanks for a great site

Rich

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer January 2, 2011 10:11 am
  
  Hey Rich. Honestly, I don’t even remember. That was quite a while ago. But I have never been shy about showing my screw-ups. Usually I also show the fixes as well. I’ll have to take a closer look at the piece next time I visit my mom’s house.
  
  Reply
Alex May 14, 2011 5:18 pm

Hey Mark:

I’m a good way into building an entertainment center based on your design. The videos have been a tremendous help.

I’m concerned that if I glue the center and side panels into the bottom before the top, there won’t be any room for adjustments if the dados on the top and bottom are not perfectly aligned. However as you mention in the video, trying to glue all the panels into the top and bottom at the same time will be a nightmare.

Hopefully all of the panels will align square (at the same time) during the dry fit.

Would appreciate any input if you have a second,

Thanks

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer May 14, 2011 6:13 pm
  
  Well you can see how I handled it in the video. And that’s how I’d handle it if I had to do it again. Just do a couple dry fits first to make sure all is well. Use a slower drying glue so you can take your time. And if you’re confident, go for the whole thing at once. If not, take it in sections. Since you did a dry assembly, you’ll know what to expect. Best of luck!
  
  Reply
AlaskaGuy February 10, 2014 12:56 am

I really like your design. One change I would have made is used a pattern bit and made a long horizontal rectangle hole for the cords. Maybe round both of the ends of the rectangle so it looks like it was designed that way.

This is one of my favorite builds of yours.

Keep up the great work! I visit your site all the time for great finishing tips.

Reply
MrGrogg July 2, 2014 11:20 am

I like this build, and would love to add it to my living room in the house I’m in the process of buying, but the URL given at the end of this video (thewoodwhisperer.com/store/plans) no longer works. (For that matter, lots of references to things once sold in your store in other older video are likewise gone. Do you still sell these plans? Or are they available somewhere?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo July 2, 2014 12:54 pm
  
  They are available via the link on the left-hand side of the writeup above. :)
  
  Reply

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Low Entertainment Center (3 of 5) – Applying Solid Edging & Assembly

The Plans

Other Parts in This Series

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