(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best cabinet hardware

• Ah this is actually a big topic.
  
• For a hone, you have three options. A basic grooved steel, a ceramic rod, or a diamond coated steel. The grooved (most common) and the diamond will hone your edge but will also sharpen for better and for worst your edge at the same time due to the courseness of the grooving / diamond coating. The ceramic will do the same, however because it's smooth, it's usually designed to give you a very fine grit at most in it's "sharpening" process ie removes as little metal as possible, maybe at most polish the edge a bit which favors most nicer knife owners. For a western style knife such as yours, and especially stamped blade with a low hardness, your edge usually will roll and fairly often and thus a hone is actually best for you to own and use on a somewhat daily basis. I recommend any non diamond, grooved steel although I find that diamond steels grind far too much metal at inaccurate angles (due to the very wild free hand motion of steeling) but does help give you a quick toothy edge. My personal one of use is ceramic.
  
• As for sharpening, while I don't like pull through or machine sharpeners at all and personally use stones, I don't exactly recommend them for you. The reason is I just don't see the time spend hand sharpening on stones worth the blade/blade material. That is, your knife isn't designed to hold an extremely keen edge, nor is it designed to hold an edge for an insane amount of time, thus for me, when I use a nox or a stamped blade a pull through or a machine sharpener is fine by me. As recommended the accusharp , or any of the decent chefchoice sharpeners will work very well for you. However if you want to progress and learn, then I recommend a low to medium grit combo stone. Say 600 and 1000/2000 so that if you feel like it, you can reset the bevel and then give your knife a decent working edge.
  
• Now say if you upgrade to nicer blades, then by all means stones is the way to go if not an Edge Pro system. Reason for it is that your paying for very nice metal on your blade and thus the very aggressive grinding actions of machine and pull thru sharpeners hurts your investment far more than helps it. Further more, you control the angle and the fineness of your blade. Have Super Blue core steel? Hap40? Bring that sucker down to 9-10 degrees a side with a 20k mirror polished edge. I like to see a machine do that. Plus, usually, with these 'nicer blades' your often running into Japanese knives. J knives are usually made with pretty hard metals, hrc 60+ which does not work with many steels on the market since J knives aren't designed for that to begin with. J knives are designed to have keen, hard , steep edges that are meant to be held for a long time and most likely to chip than roll so whenever it's time to touch up, it's by stones only.
  
• Anyways thats likely more than you ever wanted to know, so to answer your OP, for a steel I recommend the Tojiro Sharpening steel, if you prefer the ideal of a diamond steel giving you a toothy edge while your hone then a DMT fine will suit you. If you want your hone to just hone and not sharpen, then the Idahone fine is pretty much everyone's favorite.
  
• For sharpeners the AccuSharp is my favorite pull thru sharpener, the Spydero sharpmaker wasn't too bad and any of the common electric sharpeners will give you a working edge pesto pesto "pro" or get a basic combo stone

I would start by replacing all of the black knobs with one of these 2 examples. The black is a bit much, too heavy and redundant with the countertop, imho. To the point of being an eyesore.

Brushed aluminum knobs, 1.2” diameter, which is small, and square, to almost but not match, on purpose, the stainless steel color in the products on the countertop, and to pay homage to the shape of the doors. (I would not put stainless knobs on the doors.) The square brushed aluminum would make the cabinets more sophisticated and modern looking. And lighter.

The white color of the cabinets is fine, imho. Don't paint them a different color. Just maybe sand and paint them so they're more pleasing to you, if you like.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GSFKZX2/ref=twister_B01IUWXMRC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


Square glass knobs. My preference. Because of the look and size. Again, to modernize the look, and to have knobs that go beyond function, to an object of beauty and curiosity. The glass would play off the dark and shiny granite nicely. https://www.amazon.com/Cosmas-6377SN-C-Nickel-Cabinet-Hardware/dp/B017MRFVK2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475004848&sr=8-2&keywords=square+glass+knobs

Leave your cabinets alone. But if you want to do something to change the trim, above the cabinets and below the cornice, paint it a very light grey, the same color or lighter than the door on the microwave. It will soften the area considerably, and give you a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing feeling and height. And it would also make the cabinets and the cornice pop. And the light grey stripe would play off beautifully, either of the knobs for the cabinets that I've suggested, and also, and perhaps most importantly, be a graceful visual segue, from the black granite countertop, to the white of the ceiling.

Blue white and gray would look nice. If you do plain cabinet door faces they would be more reasonable depending on soft close and all. https://www.myscandinavianhome.com/2018/07/an-eclectic-19th-century the blue In this is gorgeous http://www.montenegrin.org/the-bathroom-design-decoration-33/ there’s basics you decide on. Like you like clean so I don’t think open shelves would work. Clean replacement doors and painting it blue or another color would work. Grays I would probably stay neutral with. There’s some now with purple undertones. They might look good but some colors can look funky if your lighting is cool and warm. There are some gorgeous grays like Sherman Williams Let it rain, Morning Fog, Lazy fog and Argos. Cabinets in Adriatic Sea, Blue Nile, Georgian Bay, Regatta for more muted Inky Blue, Denim, Bracing Blue. If you do cabinet knobs there are tons of options. I would stay clean or eclectic. Zahra Premium Quality Assorted Ceramic Knobs- Multi Color Mix Designed Ceramic Cupboard Cabinet Door Knobs Drawer Pulls & Chrome Hardware (20, Black & White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3RTH6N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_lTV1Db72CMK50, Artncraft Knobs Grey & White Cream Rare Hand Painted Ceramic Knobs Cabinet Drawer Pull Pulls (12 Knobs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TCTR7TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_VTV1DbJWSNGWD , 36 Pack Kitchen Cabinet Handles Sunriver 26 Pack Cabinet Pulls Brushed Satin Nickel 10 Pack Cabinet Door Knobs 3-3/4" Hole Center Stainless Steel Cabinet Hardware for Bathroom Cupboard Door and Drawer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074SD6233/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_NUV1DbCGD33NF there’s funky pumpkin knobs YDO Ceramic Glazed Pumpkin Knobs Classy Vintage Cabinet Door Pull Handle 6pcs (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077QN7Z6H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_JVV1DbPV5SKPN . Otherwise stick with plain. If you plan to add any cabinets make sure the hardware you get can still be bought. I’ve had friends get gorgeous clearance stuff but changed their kitchen and couldn’t find anymore of them. They ended up replacing all the hardware. If you might add cabinets or island and get a good clearance deal buy extra.

DON'T HINGE IT. Trust me, read, I'll explain.

Here's what you do. Get a good 8' by 4' piece of whatever you want. MDF is fine. Get it with a good finish on it.

Cut two 3 foot wide sections. Now you have two 4' by 3' sections. When placed together, it's a 4' by 6' table which is your bare minimum that you want. Once you mark off your 3' by 6' area (or place a mat down) then you will have 6 inches of space on either side of the playing area for your cards, etc.

On the underside of the table top you are building, secure some bumpers that allow you to line up the table top to the table you are setting it on (screw in some small pieces of wood). I suggest 3 per half, so you can slide the table on or set it on gently. Then secure 2 window locks to secure to two top sections together. The small little flip locks are perfect for this. Now you can lay two separate table toppers on using the bumpers to line them up, then secure them with the window locks. The entire thing will be very snug this way and will NOT shift.

If you want to get fancy (like I did), you can use the remaining 4' by 2' section on the end to have a flip up extra space area. I attached 1 foot sections to each side. So the tabletop sits on the table all the time (for the most part), but I fold the wings down. When I'm using the table, I pull the wings out and they snap into place. Use REALLY good restaurant table hinges for this. The ones that fold into a 1/4 circle when folded up, but then extend into 2 intersecting half circles when extended. I use two for each flap, but 1 is probably good enough if you are only doing 1 foot sections. If you want a bigger table without the flaps, just cut the 8x4 into 2 sections.

Why should you not hinge it? Because a piece of plywood is like 65 pounds. Add hinges, pumpers, and other hardware and you have a gigantic, hinged, 70 pound table topper that is a pain in the arse to pack install, remove, pack away, etc, even with help. It will be nearly impossible alone. Were if you leave them unhinged and just have them connect with window locks, you have 2, smaller, more manageable sized pieces that you just hook together.

window latch: https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-Products-2620-Spring-Action/dp/B00DS4D5UM/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=window+latch&qid=1550700170&s=gateway&sr=8-7

table hinges for wings: https://www.amazon.com/Table-Hinge-And-Leaf-Support/dp/B0006L39JC

My table is two 4'x3' segments with 3 bumpers. Connected with the window latches underneath. This makes standard 6'x4' table. Each large segment has a wing that can be pulled out that locks into place. that provides more space for dice, measuring tools, a larger playing area, etc.

It takes 5 minutes top to get it out of the closet, set it up on the table and lock it into place all by myself.

I coated the entire top with a textured coating of black plastidip (although any kind of spray truck bed liner or flexiseal or whatever would work). I painted the sidelines, and painted very subtle deployment lines. Then I splatter painted with a wire brush to create a colorful cluster of stars. It looks awesome, and any game mat you put on it won't budge at all due to the texture. It's also easy to handle and put away/deploy.

The biggest things in our house were the things that didn't just make it look nicer, but also were a functional upgrade.

We got a new fridge/microwave/dishwasher and range (uhh, because they all had to match - we only NEEDED the fridge and microwave). The benefit is that they look great (GE Slate), and the fridge is Energy Star (besides AC, it's the biggest power draw in the house), the dishwasher is stainless inside and uses only... I think it's 4 gallons to do a full cycle and the acid test was getting the little tea infuser tongs spotless!

Replace boring round door knobs with brushed nickel door HANDLES. You don't really notice it directly, but it just freshens up the inside.

Replace yellowing and ugly outlet and switch plates. Or replace them all with Decora and probably use white instead of almond.

We also replaced a few of the old boob lights in closets and hallways with LED fixtures that put out a great and pleasant light.

No more dark and depressing closets, pantries and laundry rooms!

In the kitchen, adding knobs/handles to the doors is a huge improvement. Slow-close hinges is also a must.

I like the 'flush' (no 'open' ends) handles on anything below the counter so they don't catch and rip my pants. All my shorts suffer from catching pockets or belt loops on the bar style handles. Regardless of how convenient they are to hang towels from.



EDIT: We also really like using the IKEA picture ledges to put pictures up. We staggered a few of them for a more interesting look, but the main thing is that it avoids multiple holes in the wall to hang pictures from.

We can easily rearrange pictures by moving them by size or topic etc. on the ledges to achieve a different look.

Another thing I'm a pretty big fan of is keeping the house mostly painted very light/white colors and then decorate with colorful drapes, blinds and furniture. It's a lot easier to change the theme by just a new couch cover, drapes and sheets on the bed than to repaint a room because you're tired of the color.

This is a xpost from the r/homelab subreddit. I posted there yesterday and was recommended to post here as well.

This is a server rack I built myself. I got my inspiration from this guide on building your own server rack: DIY Server Rack

Specifications are as follows:

18U Server Rack Standard 19” rack width (between the rails) 24 inch depth and about 23” wide.

From top down for components:

• Air Infinity Cloud Plate T7 Exhaust Rack Mount Fan Rack Mount Fan Exhaust
  
• Unifi USG with 1U rack plate and shelf (Unifi cloud key on the right side of this) USG Rack Mount
  
• 24 Port Patch Panel with Cat6 inserts
  
• Unifi 24 Port 250W managed switch
  
• Synology DS918+ with 4U hinged blank and a hole I cut myself to facilitate the opening of the NAS(not seen is my Wink Hub to the left of the NAS on the same shelf) 4U Hinged Blank
  
• 6U of blank space for future upgrades
  
• Air Infinity Cloud Plate T7 Intake Rack Mount Fan Rack Mount Fan Intake
  
• Panamax m4315 Pro
  
  I don’t have a UPS yet. That will be purchased soon.
  
  My goal with this rack was to enclose everything in as best as I could while still maintaining easy access for service. I’ve got a total of 4 side panels with acrylic windows in each one that I attached with magnetic cabinet latches rated at 15 lbs a piece. They hold really nicely without making it impossible to pull any one of the panels off. (I used 4 for each panel. cabinet latches
  
  For the top I made this similarly to the side panels with oak boards. I mitered each board together with a Kreg jig and wood glue. For the middle, I used oak plywood at 3/4” thick. Cut it to size till it fit perfectly in the oak picture frame I created. I also used cabinet latches for this so I could easily pull it off and access the top of the rack.
  
  I’m most definitely not an expert wood worker. This is by far the most complicated cuts and assembly from raw wood I’ve ever done. (It’s not perfect, but I feel like I’ve learned a lot while building it)
  
  I’ve got 6U of open space in the back side of the rack that I will fill in soon for a completely enclosed rack.
  
  Lastly I used a 24 port patch panel in the rear and a 1U rack blank with a custom cut hole for a IEC power pass through. I wanted this rack very easy to disconnect from the wall outlets and easy to reconnect to the wall outlets without dangling cords. So the most complicated wire management is inside the rack.
  
  The tools I used to build this are as follows:
  
  
• Table Saw
  
• Miter Saw
  
• Circular Saw
  
• Circular Saw Track
  
• Kreg Jig
  
• Cordless Drill and Impact Driver
  
• Orbital Sander
  
• Belt Sander
  
• Lint Free Rags for Staining

When I first saw my current home I felt the same about a lot of aspects of it. After a few tweaks the home really grew on me and I really love it.

Cabinets

• Consider using wallpaper to change the panel face. Something like this wallpaper would bring that wood look you mentioned.
  
  
  Wall decor
  
  
• Tie in the wallpaper above with some decor like this wall set if you have photos you’d like to hang.
  
  
  
• Maybe these shelves for decor or practical use.
  
  
  
• Like flowers? Put some (maybe red?) artificial flowers in these wall planters and hang them up for color coordination.
  
  
  Cabinet knobs
  
  
• Something as simple as replacing your knobs can change the look of your kitchen. It’s that final finish that does it for me. Look into something like these knobs to add a more rustic flair.
  
  
  
• We’ve seen these before but rarely remember of them when thinking of knobs. Change your knobs by adding a backsplash like this one.
  
  
  Switch plate covers
  
  
• Replacing these with a a more decorative switch plate cover is such a simple change that makes a difference. You can typically find matching plug plate covers.
  
  
  Faucet
  
  
• An ill fitting or beat up faucet can effect the overall look of your kitchen. Find a faucet that you feel will match the look you’re going for.
  
  I hope I captured the general feel of the design you like. I hope these will help you create your perfect kitchen.

So over 3 years ago after having moved from Egypt to North Carolina for a military move I bought this dresser off of Craigslist for 50$ so my wife and I would have something to use until we got better stuff. It smelled like smoke and was in really bad condition. The drawer rails were pretty much destroyed and they would droop when pulled all the way out. We ended up buying a new bedroom set and so it sat in our garage until recently when I decided, for better or worse, to refinish and repair it.

I started by using Citristrip to strip the old finish and clear coat which worked quite well. I bought the smallest bottle, .5 liter, at Lowes(10$) and picked up new dresser handles (2.95$), a nice dark finish (10$), and a can of Polyeurethane (9$). I ended up ordering http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039ZHE84/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for the rails and had to cut them to size because the depth of the dresser is only about 17 inches.

I started by putting a light coat of Citristrip on the drawers as they are pretty simple and don't have a lot of curves or anything to worry about. In after 20 minutes or so I used my plastic stripping spatula from Lowes (3$) and scraped a good portion of the old finish off. I finished by sanding some stubborn areas and using mineral spirits and some rages to clean the rest of the old finish and excess Citristrip off.

Next I applied a generous coating of Citristrip on the main dresser surface and let it sit overnight in my shed. Big mistake! the next day the coat was hard and I couldn't remove any of the old finish. I had to apply another coat to get it to come off and even then some areas were still significantly covered with the old finish. I decided to sand it a little and what wouldn't come off would just get covered with the paint I bought. It paid off as it is hard to tell what areas still had some finish on it. I just needed to do an extra coat to cover the dark areas.

Once the stain and paint dried I started to apply my polyeurethane coats and only had to do 3 coats on the drawers and main dresser before I was satisfied with the final product.

I had to wait a few days for the rails to come in but they were definitely the most difficult repair on this project. I made the mistake of installing the first rail without seeing if it would work and quickly realized I was about 1/4 of an inch or so too short for the dresser guide and rail to match up. I ended up splitting the old wooden rails to create shims to raise the new metal rail guide up enough so that they would make contact. I then used my dremel to cut the rails to size. Also on the subsequent drawers I placed the drawer in and then fitted the rail guide so that it was flush and centered correctly.

All in all it took about a month of working on it every couple of days for a few hours and I spent probably 80$-90$ on restoring it but it was a lot of fun and I learned a great deal about furniture repair. Definitely can't wait to do it again!

Hope you all enjoy.

New to this sub, tried posting but it was deemed against the rules and post was removed. So I’ll try it here.

Been wanting a white, 6 drawer dresser for a while now to replace my 4 drawer tall boy. I saw this one on marketplace and I was going to pass on it as it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but after chewing on my lip thinking about it for a couple hours I decided to adopt it for the price of $25.00. I love the look of the 3 longer drawers surrounded by the small ones, and the dainty little feet. I’m 21 on a student budget, and this is my first go at furniture refinishing.

My desire was white, so I’ve decided to use a white chalk spray paint by Rust-oleum due to the ease of use. I lightly sanded the exterior, and used about 3 coats. I’m cleaning up and keeping the middle handles, and replacing the small drawer handles with these.

I’ve got a few ideas for the finished product, but I’m not sure which is the most realistic/best look.

1. Leave as is, in a solid white matte finish.
   
   
2. Try my hand at a bit of distressing. I was thinking of sanding the edges of the drawers, and maybe the edges of the frame between them.
   
   
3. More expensive option (eek), leave the drawers in the matte finish, but coat the frame in a glossy topcoat to give it a contrast. Unsure if the shiny vs. matte contrast would be defined enough to be ideal.
   
   Also, wondering if I should coat the entire piece in a top coat? There’s a matte topcoat for about $30 (eek) but I’m unsure if it’s necessary after 3 coats. But if the paint risks easily chipping without it, maybe it’s worth the price.
   
   Like I said, this is my first project. I appreciate any feedback and constructive criticism. Thanks!

It depends on how much wood you have or are willing to buy. I'm assuming you want wood and not particleboard, aye? If you answered yes, be prepared to spend that much.

Found these in about 15 seconds; you could probably find a better option if you spent a good 45 seconds more. Look to be a solid wheel, should lube them up well though.

These should be sturdy enough to hold some paper and the drawer itself. Agian, lube well...just assuming you've got some good oil laying around. Still looking for a good all-purpose, myself.

Your local hardware store has a literal wall of pulls to select from. Not going to bother looking these up.

As for the actual construction, you'll find better luck if you extend the sidewalls over the sides of the top and bottom, as you'll see here.

This is my table top.

As for the mechanism to lock the the tabletop to the drawers, I'd suggest you use 4 metal rods--1 at each corner--with threading at the top. Make your own wooden cover and glue to the nut.

Disclaimer: I am a novice carpenter. I may not actually know what I am talking about, and on second glance, those caster wheels are horribly oversized. Ah, well, wouldn't be /r/DIY if I had to plan everything out for ya, eh?

I'd be inclined to find bins to fit the bottom half then install battens on the long sides so a custom fitted bin that's half the total width would slide across to allow access to each bottom half. It means you'd be losing some space but if the bottom bins are deep and he file folds into the bins it could be much less than 1/4 total volume. If the bottom part of his trunk is 18" deep and the bins are 12" tall then he's only wasted 1/2 of 6" for instance. Off the top of my head he'd be losing 1/8 the total volume. Then the lid could have mesh attached to slide underwear and socks in so the space in the lid is used as well.

However here's the hardware you are thinking about using. Think about how to protect what's exposed to the hardware and clearances needed since you are raising and lowering a bin rather than a shelf. You may have to build a box then a drawer that fits the box as the trunk may not be sturdy enough to take the strain of these hinges. There is one review with photo that shows them in a chest but not with attached drawer.

Definitely a worthwhile project if you can pull it off. I love these trunks too. Great for bulky stuff like bedding but a challenge to use daily for clothing.

Thank you!

No plans, I kind've built as I went. I basically started with a 2x4 across the top and a 2x6 on the bottom(load bearing). 2 vertical 2x4's in between about shoulder width apart for the rails to slide on.

The 2 inner-vertical 2x4's in between can actually be removed now, I was using those as a guide for the 75-lbs of counterweight I was using before I got the winch. Same with the short 2x4's to the left and right of the MacBook. I was using those to manually lift and pull down the monitor stand(?).

I added the slides to the vertical 2x4's, then connected the front and back with a short 2x4 piece on the outside which also act as stoppers. Then just added the 2x4's in the middle of the monitor stand(?) where I would need to put the wall mounts.

Here is an album with different angles to better see what I did. If you have specific questions or want specific pictures, feel free to pm me.

Here are the rails I used.

Here is the winch that I'm using.

I did also run 2 dedicated circuits to this area so I didn't overload any circuits as well. Also was able to place sockets where I wanted them.

Amazon.com!

https://www.amazon.com/White-Plastic-Guide-Grooved-Drawers/dp/B004RAJ0ZA

Not sure if it's your size, I hope it is! Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Surface-Mount-Single-Door-Hinge/dp/B003L0O8IG

This is the one I bought. Works great. It's pretty sturdy for how small they are.

Right? I'm going to try this on one door and drawer tonight but this has seriously changed my whole project plan and possibly outlook in life.

Here's the drawer version of the dampers.

Video showing how the installation goes...looks super easy!

OK, I think I've got it. In essence, you're creating a lipped, or rabbeted door. These may work, but I don't know if they'll give enough clearance. I'm fairly sure you could use 165° hinges, though you may need to make a mock-up and fiddle around with the backset of the mounting plate.

This looks like the same hinge.

Looks like these https://www.amazon.com/Surface-Mount-Single-Door-Hinge/dp/B003L0O8IG/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1527261474&sr=8-12&keywords=soss+hinges

Here’s the exact ones I bought :

2pcs Folding Lift up Top Coffee Table Lifting Frame Desk Mechanism Hardware Fitting Hinge Spring Standing Rack Hinge Rack Bracket (Gas Hydraulic) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VRV5HG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_p5VEDbW2GF7WQ

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009VLFE0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

These weren't bad, 100lb rating and 28" length

Also available on Amazon US Link

You realize nobody really uses honing steels anymore, right? Go buy try to buy one, and see what they're called. I actually had a hard time finding an old-school honing steel on amazon.

sharpening steel

a demo actually using a sharpening steel to sharpen

I installed these

https://www.amazon.com/Rok-Hardware-Drawers-Adapter-Retrofit/dp/B00JJYIVHM

They're called rails, any peice of wood thick enough would do the same thing.

These would also work

Keep your sliding door idea, just go with conventional rather than decorative hardware:

• There is architectural concealed ceiling-mount sliding door hardware

•Use a standard pocket door track to the ceiling,

• trim a closet bypass track to be a single track.

• mount full extension soft-close drawer-slides to the bit of wall face visible above and below the bathroom door opening, with an overlay door attached to the sliding portion. This can be a single sliding panel, or small panels (symmetric or assymetric) to slide both ways.



Otherwise:

• accordion door

•bifold door if there is clearance to the outside duct