Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Make a Space-Saving TV Console Stand!

One of the greatest benefits of being a woodworker is the ability to create custom-size furniture to fit your needs.  My friend needed a compact TV Console to fit in a small space in his condo, so watch my video to see how this custom project turned out.


He provided a well-done measured drawing to help me get started.  It contained the overall dimensions of the unit, plus the dimensions of the openings to house his electronic components.  Using his drawing, I created this TV Console Plan and Cut List taking into account the thickness of the 3/4" lumber.  This entire project was built using three 8-foot 1"x12" boards and one 2'x4' piece of Luan plywood from the home center.


The boards for the main unit were ripped down to 10" wide, while the top needed to be 12" wide to overhang the power outlet on the wall.  Since a 1"x12" board is actually 11-1/4" wide, I attached an additional 3/4" strip to make it 12".


I could have used pocket screws to join the unit together, but I thought the holes would be too visible.  So, I used my old standby of screws with dowel screw head covers.  This makes for a strong joint, plus I like the look of the dowel plugs.  I think the key to making this look nice is lining up the screws with equal spacing between them.


The shelves in the bottom of the unit are adjustable.  I made a shelf pin drilling jig to help quickly drill holes for the 3/16" shelf pins.  This will allow for some flexibility when housing the electronic components.


The doors are basically mitered picture frames with splines in the corners to add strength.  My friend plans to insert frosted glass panels into the recessed rabbets on the inside.  He also plans to put glass shelves one each side with lights which will look really cool.  I made some handles for the doors, hung them on the console with hinges, and added a magnetic door catch.


Now that the woodworking part is done, I have handed the project over to my friend to apply his choice of finish, as well as glass door panels and shelves.  I promise to write an update on this project which he finishes his assigned homework.  Thanks to my friend for requesting this fun project and having confidence in my woodworking skills!


Update!  Here is a picture of the finished project.  My friend did an awesome job finishing it.  Looks great!

carmichael workshop tv console


8 comments:

  1. How much does this cost to make

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    1. Hi Rob - It came out to about $70. The three 1x12x8 boards were about $50 of that. The rest was hinges, screws, plywood for the back, and stain/finish.

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    2. I have one more question. I really liked this Stand. I'm trying to make this in my woods class. From your video on Youtube you really didn't say give the measurements for the thickness. So what is the thickness of the top, sides, shelves, and bottom?

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    3. It's all made from three 1x12's, so it's 3/4" thick.

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    4. Are the sides really 23 1/4 inches because that seems really short and I was wondering if I was making an error because it does not look that short in the video

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    5. Yes, it was my friend's design meant to fit in a small condo space. His TV was on the wall above it.

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  2. What kind of wood did you use, i was planning to actually place the tv on the console, so i would like the depth to be around 18", do i need make any structural changes to hold the TV weight (around 50lb) and what wood do you recommend. Would Pine Panel Edge-Glued Board similar to this https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pine-Panel-Edge-Glued-Board-ZPRL541848-1-x-17-25-x-48-in/693693086?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=8178&adid=22222222227135628253&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=244158926549&wl4=pla-399582832056&wl5=9004041&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115064299&wl11=online&wl12=693693086&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs--VsZyh3wIVh1mGCh19Mgb6EAQYAiABEgL4WvD_BwE

    hold the weight?

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    1. Hi VJ - I used pine 1x12 material. That panel would work fine. Since it is 17.25 deep, I would make all the sides and supports underneath about 16.25 deep so the top overhangs about 1 inch in front. The back could be flush unless you want it to overhang too. Another option is to edge glue a solid 1x10 to a 1x8 for a 16.5 top, or other combination. This would have a solid board vs butcher block look. I would add a 1.5 inch support strip under the top in front all the way across to keep it from sagging. A slight arch would look nice. Or one middle divider unless you need the wide open shelf for a sound bar. I would love to see a pic when you are done.

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