A credenza is a piece of side furniture that can be used as storage cabinets, a side table, a dresser, or any multitude of other things. In the days of giant hi-fi/record systems, they were often built into a long, low piece of furniture with wood facing.
This credenza was made as a dresser; the size of the cubes would make it a great record-storage space, and the turntable could go right on top. The double cube came from (now defunct) Hechinger's hardware store in the early-mid eighties. It is made from cheap particle board, with a masonite back, all held together with glue and nails. Over the years, the cubes have been painted many times. Witha little spackle and some fresh paint, they looked fresh and clean and ready for re-use. I haven't included instructions to make your own cubes; that seemed largely self-explanatory. Make yours from 3/4" plywood or MDF, and use screws instead of nails for strength. The back could be 1/4" material. I also think this design could work quite well with milk crates or metal cubes -- use machine screws or small bolts to attach some crates to one another to make a larger unit.
The legs are small trusses made from threaded rods and scrap wood, braced with guy wires. They are cheap, light, removable, and add a sweet modern look. From standing height, the cubes appear to float as the legs disappear underneath.
This project didn't cost me anything because I had all the scraps lying around. If one were to make both cubes and legs from scratch, it would probably run about $30. It only takes a an hour or two to make, not counting time for paint to dry.
This credenza was made as a dresser; the size of the cubes would make it a great record-storage space, and the turntable could go right on top. The double cube came from (now defunct) Hechinger's hardware store in the early-mid eighties. It is made from cheap particle board, with a masonite back, all held together with glue and nails. Over the years, the cubes have been painted many times. Witha little spackle and some fresh paint, they looked fresh and clean and ready for re-use. I haven't included instructions to make your own cubes; that seemed largely self-explanatory. Make yours from 3/4" plywood or MDF, and use screws instead of nails for strength. The back could be 1/4" material. I also think this design could work quite well with milk crates or metal cubes -- use machine screws or small bolts to attach some crates to one another to make a larger unit.
The legs are small trusses made from threaded rods and scrap wood, braced with guy wires. They are cheap, light, removable, and add a sweet modern look. From standing height, the cubes appear to float as the legs disappear underneath.
This project didn't cost me anything because I had all the scraps lying around. If one were to make both cubes and legs from scratch, it would probably run about $30. It only takes a an hour or two to make, not counting time for paint to dry.
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Signing UpStep 1: Cubist
The cubes in this project were already made, so this step is slightly hypothetical.
Use scrap, plywood, MDF, particle board, or similar to build two 18" cubes that share a common back and sides. Alternately, buy them from an unfinished furniture store, hardware store, yard sales, or Craigslist. Or, use scavenged milk crates or metal bins -- bolt them together so they form a rigid, coherent unit.
To paint, fill in any dings, dents, or fastener holes with spackle or wood fill. Sand lightly with 100-grit paper. Paint with spray or brush-on enamel. It is important to use an oil-based enamel as opposed to latex or other paints because an enamel will resist scratching and marring much better.
I found that a sponge-pad type edging tool for doing baseboards and other trim around the house worked better than a brush for painting the tight corners of the cubes. The interior corners will be the most challenging to get good coverage without drips or runs; have a rag or foam brush handy to feather out any accidents.
Use scrap, plywood, MDF, particle board, or similar to build two 18" cubes that share a common back and sides. Alternately, buy them from an unfinished furniture store, hardware store, yard sales, or Craigslist. Or, use scavenged milk crates or metal bins -- bolt them together so they form a rigid, coherent unit.
To paint, fill in any dings, dents, or fastener holes with spackle or wood fill. Sand lightly with 100-grit paper. Paint with spray or brush-on enamel. It is important to use an oil-based enamel as opposed to latex or other paints because an enamel will resist scratching and marring much better.
I found that a sponge-pad type edging tool for doing baseboards and other trim around the house worked better than a brush for painting the tight corners of the cubes. The interior corners will be the most challenging to get good coverage without drips or runs; have a rag or foam brush handy to feather out any accidents.
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I made a three cube version with custom enclosures for my turntable amp and tuner, using the left and right cubes to hold my records. Thanks for the inspiration Wholman! I am looking to build your cantilever cardboard chair in the next couple of months... got to source the cardboard first.
I can appreciate the symmetry of the design now, however my suggestion would further minimize the amount of structural stuff going on, adding to the minimalist look of the piece.
Also, it'd be neat if the tension cables anchored to pieces of wood similar to those used for the steel rods. Not necessarily the same shape, but same material. This might make for a more consistent structural system.
Great job overall, I'll consider building this using tension cables in one vertically oriented central plane.