Expert: Jamie Yocono - 8/24/2005

Question
Hello Jamie--

I know my first question was a little vague, but your answer was exactly what I was hoping for!  It looks like I have some options.  Your suggestion for putting in grommets is appealing, but I doubt I have the appropriate tools or experience to do that project myself.  If I decide to go that route, would you recomment I find a carpenter with cabinetry experience?  Furniture making experience?  Thanks!

~Marlana

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Followup To
Question -
Jamie--

I have an armoire I want to convert to an entertainment center.  This will require I take the back off.  The body is solid teak, but the backing was restored and is not the original teak.  Any suggestions on removing the back without damaging the body?
Thank!
Marlana
Answer -
Hi Marlana,

You didn't give me a whole lot of information with which to help you out, but I'll take an educated guess. When you mentioned that the armoire had been restored and a new back installed, it makes me think that it might be fairly simple to remove the new back.  

I have a feeling it's been applied from the rear, usually with screws or nails. It's common for a back to sit in a rabbet- a groove along the edge- so you don't see the actual edge of the back. Anyway, I would try to look for some fasteners, to try to figure out how they attached the new back. It might be a fairly simple thing to remove a few screws and take the back out. If it's nailed- it might be a little more difficult. That's why most self respecting woodworkers wouldn't use nails!  If it's nailed, you might have to hammer it from the inside, to pop out at least a few of those nails. Once you get a few out, the rest should be relatively easy to locate and remove.

The only other way a back could possible be assembled into this piece would be if it were housed in a groove that completely holds the back in place. But since you mentioned that it was recently replaced- I just can't imagine that whoever replaced it would be able to accomplish that. You would almost have to take the whole piece apart to do that. So I'm hoping that my suggestions about removing the back, from the rear of the piece, will suffice.

On other thing to think about- I assume you want to remove the back because you want to be able to run wiring out the back for whatever electronics you're going to place inside this piece. Removing the back will make it easy to connect all the wiring, and it will also allow for air circulation. But another thing to think about is installing grommets in the back area. Grommets are devices that cover a large hole with a cap. They allow wires to go through them, and make the holes look nice. There is a company called Doug Mockett that makes some great grommets, and you will be able to see pictures and installation tips for them at this address:

http://www.mockett.com/default.asp?id=51

So check that out, and then decide if a grommet is perhaps a better solution for your wire management problem. If you think they might work, I believe Lowes and Hope Depot both sell grommets. You may not get the selection that is shown on that Mockett website, but at least you can see them in person before you decide which way to go. You'll probably only need a drill to install them, or maybe a jig saw, if you choose a larger sized one.

You could actually install a few grommets in the lower area for cords, and a couple up near the top, for air circulation, and you'll probably be fine.  Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV


Answer
Hi Marlana,

Glad I could help with some suggestions about your armoire project. As far as recommending someone who could do the work, that's a pretty broad area. Here are some suggestions:

It's really not a tough job, and only requires modest tools, so someone with just the basics could do it. You might look to see if there are any high school woodshop programs that might be willing to help you out. I used to teach adult education woodshop for a local college, and it was somewhat common for someone to wander into the woodshop and ask me to cut a board or drill a hole. So look to high schools or colleges in your area that might be willing to help you.  A dozen doughnuts go a long way in bribing someone!

The next step, and this is a little more tricky, is to fins a professional woodworker in your area that might be willing to do it. I belong to a professional organization called the Furniture Society, and f you go to their website (www.furnituresociety.org) they have a list of members by state. You could look up your state and city to try and locate someone who might be willing to help you out. From time to time, I've had people come by with a door that needed trimming, or a piece of plywood that needed ripping.

Last suggestion- most home improvement places have a place where business owners can pin their business cards up- for referrals. Or- if you have a local small lumberyard, they might be able to recommend someone to do the job. So look for a bulletin board in your local store and you'll probably find someone who might be willing to help.

Once again- good luck, and I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV