DIY Project No. 643

A Simple but Attractive Wardrobe

by Arnold Hipflask

In this article I will describe how a simple but attractive wardrobe may be constructed from a few old orange boxes. Your local greengrocer will be glad to let you have some for a couple of shillings, but do ask him to take out the oranges, or you will have to do this yourself.

These boxes are generally made of excellent quality timber, and a few coats of Rissothane lacquer will bring out the grain wonderfully, as you can see from the picture. The cardboard variety can also be used provided that you do not wish to put any clothes in the wardrobe.

Use a machete to dismantle the boxes. When doing this, avoid cutting off any fingers, limbs, etc. If in doubt get a friend to hold the boxes for you.

Refer to fig. 1a for the cutting diagram. Locate the escutcheon holes (B) over the splined brace plate spigots, offer up and assemble using 7/64" coach bolts. Tighten to 25 kg/m using a torque wrench.

The curved door panels are easily fabricated by placing a 5-ton weight in the middle of the wood (or cardboard), which should be supported on either side by trestle jacks. Then place in a sauna bath for a couple of days. Alternatively, if no sauna bath is easily to hand, close the kitchen door and boil a kettle. However this method may take a little longer.

The fluted door trims may be knocked together with a reciprocating lathe. A high ratio extending pantograph jig will be very helpful when marking out the profile. If you do not have one of these, good second hand models are available for under £5,000 and you will find that it has a multitude of uses in the workshop and around the home.

To assemble the telescopic tie-rack, lie on back and remove drawers. Then the bottom is easily accessible without having to bend your knees. Locate crown wheel (F) so that it meshes with eccentric worm (K), ensuring that the boss does not obstruct sock drawer vent (G). If it does, dismantle assembly and turn down on lathe. Then spot weld the rotor arm.

Finally, for added stability, pour some sand & cement mix into the sock drawer. N.B. do not put any socks in until it has set.

Next week I will describe how to construct a simple but attractive thermo-nuclear reactor from a couple of old baked bean tins.