START
MAKE A HIGH-TECH TABLETOP
SET OF DRAWERS
Time: 3 Days Complexity: Medium
1. PLAN AND DESIGN YOUR CASE
1a. Choose your circuit boards. At first glance all the boards look
alike, but the trick is to imagine them without their green coating
(the solder mask). The best-looking boards will be ones that
have the most copper showing. In order to get an idea of what a
stripped board will look like, lightly sand off the green protective
layer and look at all the boards. The board chosen for this project
is shown at right.
NOTE: Boards that do not have parts embedded in them
are easier to work with and can be cut on a regular table
saw. The larger boards are easier to use and require less
preparation.
1b. The size of the boards will determine the size of the cabinet. Measure the board to get the dimensions;
in this example, the chosen size is 11"× 123".
1c. Decide on the number of drawers for your cabinet, depending on your needs and taste. In this example,
the sizes of the boards are a good fit for a case with 2 drawers.
1d. Choose the material that you’ll use to build your cabinet. It can be made of just about any type of wood,
from solid wood to MDF (medium density fiberboard). The example shown is made of Baltic birch plywood;
this is solid and easy-to-use plywood where the layers are thin and have no voids (meaning it is easy to mill
and has a nice flat surface). Plywood is a great material to use because it will also make the case heavy and
thus more sturdy and durable.
Photography by Andrew Argyle
2. BUILD THE CASE
2a. With your saw, cut your wood into 6 pieces — 2 side walls, top, bottom, back, and a separator piece to
divide it into 2 slots for drawers. Again, the size of the pieces should be the same size as your chosen PCBs.
