Media Credenza, Now with More Crotch!

Video - April 8, 2019

I have been on the hunt for a Media Credenza design for over a year now and nothing really tickled my fancy. That is until I came across a cabinet in Mike Pekovich’s IG feed that he made with a student, Sean Montague. Turns out, the cabinet was inspired by the work of Philip Morley. So in a somewhat convoluted way, all three of these gentlemen had a role in influencing the design of this Media Credenza.

The project features book-matched crotch grain raised panel doors that slide smoothly in shallow grooves. Each compartment has holes and slots for wires and ventilation. While I made the project from 5/4 walnut and the plans reflect that, you should know that standard 4/4 material would suffice. I hope you enjoy.

If you’re interested in my new book, Essential Joinery, you can buy an autographed copy from me directly here or on Amazon.

Stuff I Used

Referenced Videos

Round Red Oak Table Top
Hollow Chisel Mortiser Setup & Use

Plans

Gallery

Discussion

Brian April 9, 2019 6:36 am

Great project and video.

Are the bore holes on the cleats (used to attach the cabinet to the base)oversized, to allow for expansion and contraction of the cabinet wood?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo April 9, 2019 6:59 pm
  
  Yes. That was actually covered in the video.
  
  Reply
Gary April 10, 2019 11:35 am

Life goals. Find someone who says your name with as much love and care as Marc does when he says crotch.

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo April 11, 2019 6:31 am
  
  Ha!
  
  Reply
Claude Stewart April 12, 2019 3:26 pm

Nice save!

Reply
rob April 23, 2019 6:12 pm

Marc,
as a novice I learn immensely from both the video and your commentary,
but a few things still elude me.

When you routed the dado’s for the partitions,
why did the plywood go from boards’ edge to dado, rather than a just a thiner straight edge to guide the router?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo April 30, 2019 9:10 am
  
  To locate it accurately. If you have a thinner guide, you have to know where to put that guide. By making it really wide, it’s a no-brainer as it just lines up flush with the edge of the workpiece.
  
  Reply
xavior May 29, 2019 1:01 am

Great video. Great creation. Nice looking creation.
Thanks for sharing

Reply
Eric Engle June 28, 2019 11:43 am

Marc,
Your work and your videos are impressive. Fortunately for me, I need a credenza and your version is a perfect fit for the space and purpose! I can’t wait to start this project. …said the old-timer woodworking enthusiast to the pro: Rock on!

Reply
Jason Hine July 8, 2019 7:36 am

Hey Marc. Really beautiful design! I just bought the materials to build this. It looks like you re-sawed the door panels without a fence. If I saw correctly, why did you not use your fence?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo July 8, 2019 8:37 am
  
  If you can follow a line well, you really don’t need a fence. But if your saw is tuned up and the cuts are running true, the fence can be an asset. I think my logic in this instance was that the fence requires one face to be jointed, and I didn’t want to joint the face ahead of time because I wanted to retain as much thickness as possible. So by cutting down the center free-hand, I can then joint and place the two halves and hopefully end up with the target thickness on each piece.
  
  Reply
  - Jason Hine July 12, 2019 4:23 am
    
    Thank you. Good to know. By the way, when I routed the mortises in the top and bottom, I used an edge guide instead of your idea of cutting a plywood template. Now I have one mortise off by a 16th and I see why you used that method.
    
    Reply
Hanneke October 17, 2019 10:49 am

Hi Marc,

I’m making a drinks cabinet and am looking for a finish that will work with potential alcohol spills and liquid spills in general. I’d like to try Osmo Polyx-Oil or TopOil. It looks like you use Osmo products on the inside and outside of cabinets/boxes. Is this correct? And do you have any problems with the inside of the cabinet smelling like finish? Thanks

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo October 22, 2019 12:33 pm
  
  I do use it inside and out. There is an odor to be sure, but I find it’s not too bad and it dissipates with time.
  
  Reply
Jon Erickson June 20, 2020 12:01 pm

Down to the finish line on this project and while drilling my shelf pins holes I didn’t account for the fact the outside panel sticks out 1″ further than the inside panel. I know have three shelf pin holes in front of the actual shelf. Any good idea on how to plug those? I made my cabinet from cherry. Great project, has really enjoyed this build. Thanks in advance for any tips on how to fix them. At least the door will cover them 99% of the time!

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo June 22, 2020 9:08 am
  
  Look into some tapered plug cutters. Should be able to cut a few face grain plugs to patch those up. If they don’t make them that small, you can just plug with with a wooden dowel, though the repair will be more obvious.
  
  Reply
Fleiman Kurdsocker November 24, 2020 10:29 am

4/4 and 5/4 seems to be significantly more expensive and harder to source at my wood supply shop. I can easily get 3/4 stock milled for a reasonable price. I’m wondering if you think it would look much different. I’m assuming you chose 4/4 stock for looks? How would it look if I splurged on 4/4 for the top and bottom and 3/4 for everything else?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo November 25, 2020 8:12 am
  
  I’m sure that would be fine. Most furniture you see out there is constructed with 3/4″ material. But I do prefer going thicker when feasible.
  
  Reply
Brian Schmid February 7, 2021 9:20 am

Hey Marc, great video as always. I was wondering if you could clarify something for me. I am about to rout the grooves in the top and bottom for the door to slide in. What is the set back for those grooves? In the plans it says to reference the video but I couldn’t find where you mention those measurements. I assume they are different since the rabbets in the doors are located on opposite faces. Thank you for any help you can provide and for the great content.

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo February 7, 2021 10:27 am
  
  The setback should be 1″. Just make sure this jives with your door thickness and the partitions as well as the sides.
  
  Reply
Beth March 12, 2025 9:37 am

Hi Marc, I’m kinda a newbie woodworker but I made this a couple years ago (without the crotch). It turned out very nice. I like your videos and share your sight all the time with my WW friends. Thank you

Reply
Barry Edzant March 8, 2026 5:56 am

Hi Marc. Enjoying this build. Was there a particular reason you glued in the 1/4 inch plywood back rather than just having it float inside the channel?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo March 10, 2026 1:14 pm
  
  Hey Barry. When it comes to a plywood panel, I’m usually about 50/50 on whether I glue it. Just depends on how i feel at the moment. There’s really no drawback to gluing it and the glue prevents any rattling that may occur. Obviously, the piece of furniture doesn’t move routinely so rattling is a moot point. So I guess this was the 50% of the time when I decide gluing the panel is a good idea. :)
  
  Reply

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Media Credenza, Now with More Crotch!

Stuff I Used

Referenced Videos

Plans

Gallery

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