Build It | Record Player Stand

Building a record player stand

1. Start by cutting the plywood to the depth of the cabinet using the track saw.
2. Measure and mark for the four sides of the box. For now, work on the piece as one giant board instead of cutting the sides out individually.
3. Attach the 1×3 inch oak to the front of the plywood using a mortising drill, floating tenons, and wood glue.
4. Run the board through the table saw to get the front piece of the oak to the correct dimension.
5. Using a router, round off the front edge of the oak and make a rabbet cut on the back end of the panel.
6. Set the track saw to 45 degrees. Then, cut one side of each panel where it was marked.
7. Once all the pieces are cut, flip the board upside down and make the opposing 45 degree cuts.
8. Hold the boards together where the miters come together and mark both sides with a pencil. Then, angle the mortising drill to 45 degrees and drill mortises for the floating tenons at an angle.
9. Assemble the box using the floating tenons, wood glue, and a hammer.
10. Clamp the box together and give it about half an hour to set up.
11. Cut the 1×4 inch red oak to size so it will fit inside the box towards the top and attach it to the box using the same floating tenon system.
12. Cut the molding to size on the miter saw to fit around the edges of the box and miter the corners.
13. Sand everything using the circular sander. Start with 100 grit and work up to 220 grit sandpaper.
14. Wipe off the excess dust from sanding with a tack cloth.
15. Apply a wood conditioner to the box using a paintbrush. Allow the conditioner to dry.
16. Apply a wood stain to the box. Apply it with a brush and then wipe off the excess with a rag.
17. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat. In this case, Tom needed four coats to ensure a smooth, even finish.
18. Attach the legs to the base of the cabinet using the provided hardware and a drill.

Resources

Tom and Kevin built the record player stand out of 3/4″ oak plywood and 1×4″ and 1×3″ red oak, which can be found at home centers. To cut all the boards to the proper dimensions and assemble the cabinet, Tom used a variety of tools, including a Domino Joiner, a Kapex KS120 sliding compound miter saw and a TS 55 circular saw, which are all manufactured by Festool.

To secure the face of the cabinet to the base, Tom and Kevin used wood glue by Gorilla Glue.

For the finish, Tom first applied a Pre-Stain wood conditioner, then a gel stain in Walnut. Both are manufactured by Minwax.

Tools