Bar Built-In Day 7: (Nailing)

Feeling even better today. Went to Lowes today to buy the cabinet lights. I purchased the same set of lights I bought for my kitchen cabinets. I've read some threads on them that people don't like them or that the controller goes bad. I've had mine on my cabinets on for almost a year and had no problems. The only thing I don't like is that the heat causes the covers to pop off. I say the cover pops off about once every 2 weeks. Of course we also leave ours on from sundown to bedtime, so an average of 5 hours in the winter. My friend Chun, who also installed them, has not experienced the problem as often as me.

The lights cost about 35 bucks and you get 6 puck lights with xenon lamps, enought wire, power block and a touch controler. Its hard to find all of that for under 35.

For my cabinets I did a surface mount on the bottom of the cabinet and was looking forward to doing a recessed mount with my bar built in. I couldn't really do this with the cabinets because that would put the lights into the cabinet where I would store my dishes. The way I planned my built-in, I can easily do it because there is nothing above the light. Awesome. Until I opened the packet and read the instructions. "Cut a 2 1/8" how for recessed lighting". Who has a 2 and 1/8" hole saw? I have a 2", I have a 2 1/2" but nothing in between. That would cost 12 bucks for a hole saw that I will only use twice. Looks like surface mount again. I will worry about that when I start assembling.

Wine Rack Assembly
Ok, yesterday I said how much I like using the pocket hole jig. My 2nd favorite is the air driven finishing nail gun. If you don't have one and plan to do any trim work, or doing small projects (i.e. spice rack, small boxes, apolstry work, picture frames or anything involving finishing nails or brads) buy a nail gun and compressor kit. I got a nice little kit for christmas last year and I absolutely love it. From the first time I pulled the trigger I was amazed how well it worked. From the feel of it, to the sound it makes, to the great job it does driving the nail in, it is great. I built a spice rack without a nail gun and it honestly took me 3 times as long. You have to line up the work, sometimes clamp it, sometimes predrill. Tap, tap, tap, tap, shit. (that's if you bend the nail) Then you have to go out of your way to carefull pull out the nail. Chances are it bent because you didn't drive it in straight, which means that the next nail will follow the same path.

Now granted, the more you do wood work, the less chance you will have this. You will become more skilled and controled, but I work in IT and Projection Services (fix film projectors). I do not see myself leaving my job make a living doing carpentry anytime soon (unfortunately). I use this as a hobby or escape from the rut of work, might as well enjoy it.

I'm now going to space out the wine rack supports and nail them to the dividers.

The supports are 3 1/4" apart and 4 inches off the bottom of the divider. On the main cabinet sides I need to start 4 3/4" from the bottom to compensate for the thickness of the bottom. To space them out evenly I toock a 2x4 and cut a piece 3 1/4" long. With this spacer I can put it up against the tacked down support and then put the next one down in place for nailing.


3 1/4" spacer in place.










Laying them out and tacking them down.