The design process is an iterative process, with multiples sketches, drawings and just going through the process of fleshing out a design. This design change is a little more subtle in that I am changing one of the dimensions of two cabinet components, namely the thickness of the top and bottom panels. Not a major design change per say but maybe an update... since the major proportions of the cabinets remain the same. Sometimes, at least in my experience, you need to actually be partway through a build to form a subjective opinion of where the project is heading. If a part of it isn't satisfactory to the makers taste, it doesn't make too much sense to continue and and be displeased with the results. I normally create a small maquette or mock up the design to get a better idea of the proportions, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference in this case. The change is subtle and might not be readily apparent on a smaller scale. To the left, this is how the cabinet appears with the new top and bottom panels and a door temporarily mounted.
I left off with having created new top and bottom panels for the cabinets. I haven't finalized the edge treatment I will be creating on these panels, although I am strongly leaning towards simply chamfering one edge of each surface, the edge adjacent to the side panels and doors. As well, I'll likely slightly round over the corners a little and trim back the front length of these panels once the doors have been marked and installed. To the left is another set of side panels and newly created top and bottom panels for the second cabinet... ready to go. I only use two dowel pins for test fitting,, and these are not very tight dowel pins at that. I don't want to enlarge the holes any more than necessary for this phase, since the hole diameters are fairly important to how the dowels capture the surrounding wood.
To the left the second cabinet with new top and bottom panels temporarily installed for fitting of the back panel. The back panel fit this second cabinet without any need for taking a shaving off here or there. I'll need to work on the surfaces of the top and bottom panels a little more now since the fitting is successful in both cases... to plane and scrape them to a reasonable state. Once I have done this, I'll begin to work on fitting the doors and installing knife hinges.
