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Made from plywood and pine, this cabinet is just 5 1/2-in. deep, which is wide enough for standard storage jars and small bowls, but slim enough to leave workable countertop.
Before You Begin
Step 1: Cut Out the Parts
Step 2: Rebate the Edges
Step 3: Mark Up the Holes
Step 4: Drill the Holes
Step 5: Add the Edges
Step 6: Assemble the Cabinet
Step 7: Install the Tracks
Step 8: Fit the Shelves
Step 9: Add the Glass Doors
Produced by Ed Frendo
This cabinet is designed with room to spare at the top to avoid obstructing under-cabinet lighting. The sliding glass doors serve as a backsplash to protect display items from spills. Buy shelf rests and sliding-door tracks from a hardware store, referring to the instructions for the spacing tolerances. Make the cabinet and double check all the measurements before ordering the glass doors.
Ask a glazier (glass supplier or merchant) for float glass, which comes in various thickness. So the glass doors slide easily in the plastic track, have the edges machine-polished and arrised to round them over and remove any chips (this is included in the price of the glass, about $65 each door). For ease of opening, have glass finger slots ground into the face of the glass doors, for an extra $17 each.
Clamp a straightedge to the top, base and end panels. Use a router with a 1/2-in. straight cutting bit to cut an 1/4-in. x 3/8-in. rebate on the back edge of each panel. Cut a 1/4-in. x 7/8-in. rebate on front edge of top panel and 1/4-in. x 7/8-in. rebate on front edge of base panel.
On inside face of end panels, mark a parallel line 1 3/4-in. from front edge and 5/8-in. from back edge of rebate shoulder. On both faces of dividers, mark lines 5/8-in. from front and back edges. Starting from center line, mark hole positions every 1 1/2-in. along lines.
Use a nail to punch the center of each hole where the lines intersect. Drill 1/4-in.-diameter holes 1/4-in. deep on the inside face of the ends and both faces of the dividers.
Position the pine edging flush with the front edge of the top, base, end panels and dividers, securing with adhesive and 1-in. brad nails in a nail gun.
Secure ends to top and base with adhesive and #8 x 1 1/2-in. particleboard screws. Mark out position of dividers with equal 15-in. spacing and secure with adhesive and #8 x 1 1/2-in. screws. Trim back panel, secure to rabbeted back edges with adhesive and #6 x 1-in. screws.
Cut the top and bottom plastic sliding track to length with a hacksaw. Push into the groove formed by the rebate and the front edge strip.
Insert the shelf rests and check shelves for fit. Sand the entire unit to remove any sharp edges. Remove top and bottom tracks to paint, applying an undercoat and two final coats.
Apply a small bead of construction adhesive to the grooves and push the tracks into position. Install the back glass door by pushing it into the top groove and pushing at the base to fit it into the base track. Repeat for front door.