Re: Any ideas ?
Let me see if I can 'splain it a bit better. We have a camper and it is lacking in counter space. We don't use the indoor stove, so I cut a piece of oak plywood to completely cover the stovetop a while back and am now wanting to finish it up to look better and seal it from spills, etc.
Here is the stovetop. Note in the right rear corner there is corner molding which cuts the corner at 45* and on the rear left corner, the blind anchor is in the way of the frame if it were a 4 sided frame....it'll make sense in a bit. The brown board with knife slots will be removed. The counter to the left is mostly taken up with the sink....thus my need for more counterspace. I'll also have to provide relief where the outlet is so my new "countertop" will be flush against the wall.
Here is the plywood I cut a while back that we've been using, viewed from the right side. Note the 45* cut on one corner and relief on the other corner to miss the electrical outlet and blind. It will need to be cut down to fit in the frame I've built after the frame is assembled.
Here is the frame, loosely assembled and viewed as it will sit around the stovetop. Note that there are five sides and the far left corner is a 45* angle in order to miss the blind anchor. The far right corner will need to be mitered to miss the molding as I don't want to cut the molding. It may be hard to see, but the front piece has been relieved to fit the stovetop contour. The rabbett has also been cut into the sides to accept the plywood once I cut it to size.
I have dry assembled the frame using 3 corner clamps on the 90* corners, then using a framing square to square up the open end, the smallest side does fit perfectly in the gap. This was before I cut the rabbett in the pieces for the plywood to sit down into.
The issue now is how the frame fits the spot around the stove as campers are not necessarily built square or plumb. I need to glue the right rear corner before cutting the 45* angle as I doubt the cuts will line up if I cut each piece before gluing.
After thinking a bit more about this process, I think I'll glue the right rear corner, then miter it to clear the molding. Then I can confirm that the right side fits and glue up the front right corner and adjust any clearance cuts to fit the stove contour and then glue the left side to the front side. At that point I will have to find my band clamp...not a nice one, but will do the job... and glue the short piece on the back left corner.
Hope all that made sense, but if you see any pitfalls or far better ways to do it, I'm all ears. I usually just glue the joints for picture frames, then drill small holes, 2 per joint, install small finish nails and set them below the surface...wish I had a brad or finish nailer.
Brent
P.S. After the frame is assembled, I plan to glue the plywood into the rabbetts and nail in from the sides to not have to cover nail heads on the top surface. Think that's sufficient ?
