This unique and practical built-in project will give you a complete home theater in a small space 8’ wide 28” deep and 6’ high. A TV set, record player, hi-fi amplifier and turner are built into a compact carrier cabinet slides out from the wall and turns in any direction so the TV screen may be viewed from any part of the room. The cabinet may be turned completely around , too, to allow easy access to the electronic parts.

The carrier cabinet turns on a heavy-duty lazy Susan bracket, which keeps it level and firm. Asbestos linings protect the electronic units from excessive Heart, and ventilation screens in the top and back sideOf the cabinet allow cool air to circulate. Because theTV set, in this case a remote-controlled 24” Fleet-Wood, is positioned above the average eye level, it isRaised slightly at the rear so its screen slants for-Ward at a 5-degree angle. The cabinet may be ad-Frame larger or smaller, as shown in the step-by-step Instructions.

The entire TV, hi-fi and record storage unit is housed between 24" Weldwood walnut plywood partitions and may be enclosed, when not in use, behind accordion-type folding doors as described in the chapter titled Three-In-One Wall Unit.

The record player moves in and out on substantial roller slides, which keep the turntable steady and level.   

The choice of hi-fi components is up to the reader, depending upon personal preference and the relative fatness of the wallet. The components used in the model project were a Rek-O-Kut Rondine record player with a pre-manufactured turntable base; a David Bogen D. B.-130 amplifier, and a David Bogen R-660 AM-FM tuner. The loudspeaker system is the University Loudspeakers, Inc. S7 three-way "Dean," which is housed at the left of the carrier cabinet behind a decorative speaker grill. The grill is made so it can be removed to get at the speaker system. To assure correctness and accuracy, the author received advice about the hi-fi components from Jock Brittain, eastern field engineer and technical adviser of the David Bogen Company and University Loud-speakers, Inc.

Before beginning to build this project, check the power needs of your TV and hi-fi components in the instructions provided by the manufacturers, and install electrical outlets in the wall areawhich will be behind the carrier cabinet.

Make a full-size layout of the TV-Hi-Fi combination cabinet, following diagrams. The dimensions given in the diagrams are for a carrier cabinet 28 1/2" wide, 46" high and 24" deep. This size will allow the cabinet to carry a TV set with a screen as large as 24". The bracket shown in picture is the heavy-duty lazy Susan, which will be used to allow the cabinet to rotate on top of sliding platform.

To make record storage cabinet, cut two pieces of 3/4" plywood, 14" by 30", to be used as top and bottom of record cabinet. Cut 3/16"-wide grooves equally spaced about 3" apart in top and bottom of record storage cabinet. Make grooves 3/8" deep and cut them W in from front edge. These are for up right record partitions made to desired height for record albums. Cut upright partitions 14" deep and at least 1" higher than record album height. Dekalux hard board, 3/16" thick, was used here for upright partitions.

Fig. A. Front view (left) and side view (right) of carrier cabinet, lazy Susan bracket and platform.

Place upright partitions on top of each other, keeping them flush on all edges, and hold together with two clamps. Next, cut a 3"-long-by-l1/2"-deep, rounded cutout in front edges with a band, bayonet, or keyhole saw; then sand smooth. Cutout is to be in the center of front edges of partitions.

Notch out all upright partitions on top and bottom front corners, 3/8" high by 1/2 deep, so as to cover the recess on the bottom and top pieces of record cabinet, thus making the front edges of all parts flush.

Take upright partitions apart, round front edges with fine sandpaper, then mount them in place. Finally, mount top piece, lining up all partitions carefully.

Front edges of top and bottom of record storage cabinet are covered with matching wood trim. Weldwood wood trim and Weldwood contact cement were used here.

To make sliding platform, which holds the carrier cabinet, used 3/4" walnut plywood for the top, front and sides. The bottom is made of 3/4" pine plywood. The size of the box is 5 3/4" by the exact depth of the carrier cabinet, by the width of the carrier cabinet, less 2-7/16", which is the thickness of both Grant heavy duty slides, No. 317.

The top extends 1-3/16 over each side to cover me slides. All visible edges may be covered with matching wood trim. Before mounting bottom of sliding platform into case, glue 3/4"-by-41/2"-high supporting strips flat against inside of platform apron. Then mount bottom, using glue and 6d nails.

On top of sliding platform, place lazy Susan bracket in exact center and mark position of holes carefully. Then bore 1 1/2" holes all the way through. Make sure that bolts slide easily through each of these holes.

Cut out a 12"-by-18" opening in the center of bottom of sliding platform. This is to enable you to reach all holes for the mounting and assembling of lazy Susan bracket.

Make carrier cabinet by first cutting two sides, 24" by 46", one top, 24" by 28V2", two shelves and one bottom, each 24" by 27 3/4". The author used 3/4"-thick walnut plywood for sides and top and 3/4"-thick Novo-ply for shelves and bottom. Next, make grooves, 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep, on inside of side pieces. Grooves to be 103/4" from bottom and 7 3/4" from top. Rabbet bottom edges of cabinet sides, 3/8" by 3/4",on insides.

Fig. B. Spline holds side and top pieces together.

Miter top corners of cabinet where top and sides are joined to conceal plywood edges. (A simpler method is to butt joint the top to the sides. In this case, make top only 27" wide, and top edges of sides must first be covered with matching wood trim.)

For maximum durability, use 1/4" plywood splines to join top corners to sides of cabinet. First cut 1/4" grooves 3/8" deep along entire length of each mitered edge. Grooves should be cut at 90-degree angle to mitred surface and should be slightly off center, closer to inside surface of piece.

Cut splines of W plywood, making them 11/16" wide. Width will allow space for glue to pack into bottom of grooves.

Try splines in grooves without glue before assembling, Glue splines into grooves of top piece first, then into grooves of sides.

Assemble sides, bottom and shelves of cabinet, using '" glue and clamps. A brace made of scrap plywood, cut at a right angle, is clamped to one of the shelves to keep the parts steady and simplify checking of square ness while assembling.

Cut out a ventilation opening in top, leaving about 4" of margin in back and sides and about 6" in front. Cover cutout on the inside of top with a decorative brass or copper screen, mounting it with 1/2" head nails through small pilot holes previously bored. Or, screen may be stapled on.

Cabinet top is mounted last, after glue has dried on IB the previously assembled cabinet. Make sure edges are flush and cabinet is straight and square.       

Cover all exposed front and back edges with matching wood trim. Let edging grain run the same way as grain of plywood panels.

Place lazy Susan bracket in the exact center of bottom of carrier cabinet, mark and bore holes, and mount with bolts and washers.
 
To mount record player unit, follow the instruction template of manufacturer of the record player of your choice. The Rek-O-Kut Rondine turntable used for this feature was purchased with a prefinished case. Mount 16" steel slides to each side of record player case, following manufacturer's instructions.

Keep front ends of slides flush with front of case. Cut two side panels from 3/4" plywood, 10" wide by 24" long. Mount steel slides to panels, holding all parts level and flush on the bottom.

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