Building an electronics cabinet

[SVFayaway]

Stymied by weather on my chainplate project, I turned my attention last weekend to building a new electronics locker behind my icebox. This space was already used for electronics, including the VHF, AIS and related equipment and was a mess of cables and junctions that I desperately wanted to tidy up and hide behind a cabinet. The face of the cabinet will be made from 1/2" teak faced plywood, will hinge down to allow access behind, and will accommodate the current electronics and some future equipment including a Victron battery monitor. I removed the existing partition and a little shelf installed by the previous owner. I removed the teak trim from the top of the partition and set it back in place to use as the basis for a template for the cabinet. I used some scraps of 1/4" plywood to make the template, using a spring clamp to hold them in place while I marked and cut them to shape before securing them with screws. Once I was happy with the shape I made reference marks in case something shifted during removal before carefully pulling it out. Back in my basement shop, I switched out the screws for flat heads. I'm going to try cutting the final shape with a trimming bit on my router, which will take some careful planning but should yield the exact shape of the template. First I have to make my cuts for the hinged section of the panel.

As usual I neglected to take a good "before" picture but the first one shows the shelf and mess of wiring and cables, and the second shows the template for the new cabinet.

[ghockaday]

Much better than being outside when it's cold. Dennis

[SVFayaway]

It's been miserable here, hasn't it? The only good thing about the weather is that it's given me a rock solid excuse to stay in my basement shop instead of messing with epoxy and fiberglass on the boat.

On Saturday I made a blank out of the teak faced ply I bought for the project, including the hinged section of the panel. I set up the template I made last time so I could use my router to trim the blank to shape. Because of the way the panel fits in the space I made it out of five parts, the center hinged panel and four small parts that make up the frame. I temporarily secured the components from behind with scrap plywood and small screws so I could trim the whole thing using the template and a trim bit on my router. After some fussing with the router and some work with a sanding block, I got the shape to where I was happy. I took the parts to the boat and assembled them in place to dry fit. I was pretty happy with the fit although I think a little more trimming will be required when I install it permanently with cleats and screws. Annoyingly, there's a narrow gap at the top that I'll have to hide somehow, either with a small quarter round piece of teak or with some similarly colored sealant. My carpentry skills are in their infancy so I just have to accept such things for now...

With the panel components back at home, I'll install the VHF, hinges and a pair of thumb screws to secure the hinged section and start varnishing.

[Jim Walsh]

I think it looks great. My woodworking skills are, and likely will remain, in their infancy. I always figure I’ve done well if Steve Laume holds off laughing out loud until he has stepped off my finger pier onto the main dock.

[tjr818]

. . . Annoyingly, there's a narrow gap at the top that I'll have to hide somehow, either with a small quarter round piece of teak or with some similarly colored sealant. . . .

I might suggest raising the panel to have that gap at the bottom, that way any spilled liquid will not have the opportunity to discolor the panel. A bead of white BoatLife at the bottom and no one will ever know.

[SVFayaway]

Thanks Jim. I'm hoping to one day achieve carpentry greatness if only because it's one of the boat projects I really truly enjoy, along with sewing and electrical work. I do not much care for mechanical and fiberglass work.

Tim, that's a good idea, and probably what I'll end up doing when I do the final install.

Didn't get much more done today but I did cut the opening for the VHF and drilled the hole for the man overboard alarm mute button for the AIS. I also routed the recesses for the hinges at the bottom of the panel. There will be a short pause while I wait for hardware and varnish, and in the meantime I'll get back to my chainplate project so I can take advantage of a couple of days of good weather.

[Steve Laume]

For an "infant" carpenter, that is some damn nice work.

If you try to raise up the bottom you will open gaps elsewhere. Did you put a back bevel on the top? After a career sprinkled with carpentry mistakes, I learned a couple of things. The first thing is that you never point them out because the vast majority of people will never see what you consider to be a flaw. The second thing is that a project can often be enhanced by covering up a mistake. That is adding a molding or other detail to cover a problem. I did install 1/4 round where the cabinetry meets the counter on Raven. It always looked kind of unfinished to me and it also gave me the opportunity to run a little caulk behind it, near the sink.

I don't ever recall laughing at Jim's work. I usually try to stop him before he does too much damage or he's better than he thinks he is, Steve.

USB ports?