It's been almost a month, and I've been slacking off on the updates. Work has been sporadic due to life stuff, but I'm getting stuff done here and there as I can. The last bit of woodworking I needed to do was the front of the cabinet, due to water damage along the bottom edges. My plan was to cut off the bottom part of each front panel and replace that portion with a new piece of particle board, same as I did on the sides.
I started by marking my cuts. This was going to be tricker than the sides, because there isn't a flat plane to run a circular saw along. My plan was to use a jigsaw and an oscillating multi-tool for these cuts, which would do the job but not create nice straight lines like a circular saw. But, that's what Bondo is for, right? Anyway, I planned to stagger the cuts both for better stability against shearing when moving the finished cabinet, and to make getting a tool in there easier for each cut.
I started with the front panel. I used a jigsaw to cut the center part, and an oscillating multi-tool to cut the edges without damaging the supports underneath. I then scraped all the remaining bit of wood and glue off, and used a rasp to even out the edge that I cut. After this process, and examining the other panels and wondering how the heck I would get a clean cut with all the other edges and support beams in the way, I decided I would just replace this front panel and sand down and Bondo the other panels. I just didn't have confidence that I could make good cuts on them.
Anyway, I cut a new panel for the front, which I glued and stapled in place from behind. I added a support piece behind the seam just as I did with the sides.
I had previously applied wood hardener to these swollen edges, so I went ahead and sanded them down until they were flat. Then I added Bondo, which I sanded the next day. Not pictured, but I did the same thing to the sides that I had previously cut.
I also cut channels for the T-molding on the side panels that I had previously replaced, using
this slot cutter. It worked great!
Finally, I sprayed all the edges black in preparation for the side art. I still haven't received the art, but I contacted Sbazo's Arcades last week and they expect it to ship sometime this week.
And with that, the woodworking is finally all done! And thank goodness; it's been a ton of work, and I'm ready to move on to stuff that doesn't produce sawdust.