Entertainment Center

[---k---]

I'm afraid that I'm halfway though my latest project to build an entertainment center, and I'm needing to reach out and ask for suggestions.

My design is really simple. I have cut three horizontal shelves, and drilled some 1/2" dia holes for the supports. For vertical support, I was planning on using 1 1/4" dia doll rod. For the connection between the two, I planned to use 1/2" dia rod in a like mortise joint at each end doll rod.

I made a sled and cut a bunch of 1 1/4" dia hardwood doll rod to 11". I was planning on drilling a 1/2" dia x 1" long hole in each end of the doll rod, and a corresponding hole in the shelves. Then use short lengths of 1/2" dia doll to connect like a mortise joint the two doll rods through the shelf. Hope that makes sense, if not I'll have to make a sketch.

Anyway, I'm having problem drilling the hole in the doll rod ends. I'm attempting to do it with a 1/2" dia hand held drill and a paddle bit. (The regular wood bit didn't seemed to struggle more with the hardwood) I think that I'm not keeping the drill straight, and it is oversizing the hole. So then my connecting doll rod is loose.

I could always use epoxy, but that would be sloppy and everything may not end up being straight. I would like to get my joints better.

Any suggestions? I've looked into drill presses, but most of the reasonably priced ones don't have a long enough movement ability to be able get a 11" long piece in and the long drill bit.

Any suggestions from the master woodworkers here would be appreciated.

[ThomasW]

I don't understand the project but understand the problem.

Horizontal boring is usually done on something like lathe. This allows a steady brace to be used to hold the item being drilled (it is usually what's rotating) and a very steady way to feed the bit.

I've drilled 3/4" holes by hand (electric drill) with a 24" long bit but it was in material 4" in diameter by 18" long. That itself was a challange.

This sounds like a situation where you split the dowel in 1/2 length wise with a table saw, plow out a slot for the rod then glue the dowel back together.

[Martyn]

Do you have a router? If you could cut a 1 1/4" hole in a thick board and then clamp your router to the board centered over the hole, you could mount your rod in the hole from underneath and plunge a 1/2" hole into its end. It's a bit fussy but would probably work. Other than that, I'd just start with a 1/8" drill and work up.

[---k---]

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

I'll try out Thomas's suggestion tonight. If I end up cutting my finger off doing that , I'll try Martyn's - I'll just have to buy a 1/2" dia upcut bit, but it does sound easier.

Maybe I'll ask around to see if I know anyone who knows anyone with a lathe.

[cjd]

You need to make a jig if you're going to use a table saw.

What I would do? First, ditch the spade bit and go for a good quality forstner or even a good brad-point standard bit. Second, secure the drill to a table against a fence. Shim the fence and table such that you can feed the dowel INTO the bit in just the right spot. Stationary drill, set up perpendicular to the fence/table, should allow you a safe means of drilling that perfect hole over and over.

C

[Jim85IROC]

splitting the dowel just to make a hole seems like a lot of work to me. I'd try Martyn's suggestion of drilling a small pilot hole first. If you can't get the accuracy that you need with that method, then you can build a jig that uses a steel sleeve of internal diameter slightly larger than your drill bit. This will ensure that your drill bit (not the paddle style) will remain perfectly square. This same technique is used for tapping rocker arm stud holes on engines squarely and it works well.

[ThomasW]

Oops my bad, I miss read the post and thought he was trying to drill a hole through the entire length of the dowel..... ops:

[pereze]

If I am understanding correctly, when you split the rod as Thomas suggested and glue it back together, it will no longer be round since the width of your blade kerf is gone.

With that said, I don't have a better idea then what's been mentioned..

EDIT:
I was with Thomas and thought you needed it to go all the way through.

[SteveCallas]

I may get booo'd for this one, but nice looking, inexpensive entertainment stands/racks are prevalent nowadays with home theater having become more popular. I'll just step out of the way now :W

EDIT: Oops, nevermind, I just noticed you said you're already half way through the project.

[technimac]

I agree with Chris (CJD).
A good quality brad bit will start accurately and continue cutting easily for the depth you're looking at.
Having the drill secured to the fence and table-top in combination with a shimmed "feed table" (one side against the tablesaw fence), will ensure that when the dowell is fed into the bit, the result will be a perfectly centered and aligned hole.

Clamps are your friend. :B

Good luck,
Bruce

[---k---]

Well, you've convinced me that there is no easy way with the tools I have. One of my co-workers has a drill press, so we're going to see if we can make that work.

[cjd]

Drill press, still switch the type of bit you use. And set up a jig. Should be a piece of cake if you do those two things. Turn the table sideways, shim/fence to establish the dowel position.

C

[jonathanb3478]

I got a 3/4HP 13" floor standing drill press from Harbor Freight for $160 on sale. The regular price is only $190, so the sale was not such a huge bid deal.

I found that HF induction motor based tools are in pretty good regard around the Internet when I was looking for a drill press. I even got a bum motor and found that dealing with them for the under-warranty swap was very painless.

[---k---]

Thought I would post pictures of the completed project. It is all done, except for rubbing a few coats of oil on it. It looks better in person and with a speaker and TV on it.

To make it, I cut the ply down to three pieces 19 3/4" x 54". Then I took used the round cutouts left over from my port, and screwed it to the four corners. Then I trimmed it with a jigsaw and a router trim bit. Then used that piece as my template for the next two pieces of ply. After that, clamped all three pieces of ply together, and drilled through them all at one time for the joint holes. Then I made a sled to cut the 1 1/4" dia. dowels to the same length every time. Got someone to drill my holes in the ends of the dowels. Stained everything. The ply is red oak, and the dowels are a mix of red oak and mahogany. (Red oak on the dowels made the piece too monochromatic and as my wife said, looks like walmart furniture). Then it was a real quick assembly, using 1/2" dia dowels to connect everything.

To finish the earlier story, it turned out that my buddy at work's drill press was only a small bench top unit, so he couldn't fit the dowels in. I ended up calling the local wood store here, Owl Hardwood (awesome store btw) and they hooked me up with a local pro. I talked to the guy on the phone a bit, he said it wouldn't be a problem, and figured he would charge me $1/hole (so $24 total!). He even picked them up at my house.

Total price for everything was ~$100.
$62 - 3/4" BB Ply 5x5 sheet - cut into three equal 19 3/4"wide x 54"long. I could have used cheaper ply, but like the look of the 13-layers over the 7-layers, if it is going to be exposed.
$40 - (4) 1 1/4" dia hardwood dowels, (3) 1/2" Hardwood dowels, some red oak stain, some ebony stain, some wood conditioner, and rags and brushes.

We're not counting the $40 I gave him to get the holes drilled.

It turned out pretty good. It seems to be very solid. Some of the dowels look very slightly crooked. It could either be the hole in the ply not being straight, the end of the dowel not being perfectly perpendicular, or the hole in the dowel. Who knows. I'm impressed with myself, especially with how quick and easy this project was. My wife is also impressed.

Now to get all the gear disassembled and moved to the corner and then reassembled. Ughhhh a chore I'm not looking forward to.

[SteveCallas]

Hey that looks very nice :T Should match the subwoofer too. I guess my only question would be is if there is any side to side rocking, as the connection points are all vertical.

[---k---]

No, it is amazingly solid. Because the 1/2" dia solid oak dowel is continuous through, I think it makes it very strong. To rock side-to-side, you would have to bend that 1/2" rod over a very short length - not easy. I feel very safe putting my new 50" DLP on it.

[JonW]

Ryan-
That looks great- nice job! :T I like the way you have small dowels inside the large dowels. And it all looks continuous and such. Like Steve said, it will match your sub well. Now all you have to do is make 7 speakers to match.
-Jon

[kingpin]

Hey that looks very nice :T Should match the subwoofer too. I guess my only question would be is if there is any side to side rocking, as the connection points are all vertical.

I built something similar with 2"mdf on the bottom and 1" for the top and middle shelf.
1 1/2" electrical conduit and threaded rod going through each piece of pipe and mdf.
Extremely durable and no side to side rocking at all.
Although not as nice looking as ---k--- it serves me well. Audio rack built the same way.
Holds my 1080p DLP as well.

Image not available

Mike

[---k---]

Jon,

Thanks. Yeah, it matches really well. It should, it is the same wood and stain.
Speakers will probably come next year. I'm looking real hard at the RS 3-way design. I'm hoping that there is a DIY Chicago one of these days so I can hear a few designs.

Kingpin,
I've seen pictures of that exact same design before, maybe it was yours, and that was my inspiration! And, if I wasn't able to get the holes drilled in my dowels, it was going to end up being the exact same design. I'm going to be building a rack here soon. I think it will be more like the rack Jon built.

Btw, no center channel speaker?

[kingpin]

Kingpin,
I've seen pictures of that exact same design before, maybe it was yours, and that was my inspiration! And, if I wasn't able to get the holes drilled in my dowels, it was going to end up being the exact same design. I'm going to be building a rack here soon. I think it will be more like the rack Jon built.

Btw, no center channel speaker?

No center at the moment.
I am trying to figure out how to lay one of my soon to be wwmtmss towers on top of the tv. :B

Mike

[---k---]

No center at the moment.
I am trying to figure out how to lay one of my soon to be wwmtmss towers on top of the tv. :B

Mike

Looking forward to those photos. :B

[cjd]

No center at the moment.
I am trying to figure out how to lay one of my soon to be wwmtmss towers on top of the tv. :B

Mike

No, no... it becomes the TV stand. Simple.

C