You are currently browsing the archives for the TV Stands category.
Kascade plasma TV stand
My first impressions of the kascade before actually seeing one in person was so so. I really wasn’t sure about the way the compartments on the sides pulled out or the sliding doors. A lot of times the Amish miss little things that relate to dvds and cd’s only we, the englishers, notice because we use use them all the time. In this case I was very pleasantly surprised. The side compartments are very well designed to keep everything in place. The builder even goes to the trouble of notching out sections for each one. The rails on the sides really help keep everything from falling out the sides. The glides used the the side compartments are full extension ball bearing which I have to say was the best choice for this. They are very strong and work beautifully. One thing I can say is that initially they are bit rough because of the over-spray from the finishing process. But after some consistent use them smooth right out and roll like a dream.
The sliding doors are a great feature when you have limited space or worry about banging the doors against something like the wall or another piece of furniture. I’ve seen many different versions of the sliding doors and most bind up pretty easily when you try to move them. With the kascade I haven’t found that to be a problem. The doors slide very easily, kudos to the builder for that! The doors come standard with smoke glass. Basically it’s darkened to hide anything thats behind them. I like smoke glass in front of components it keeps everything hidden from view except for the few lights that you barely notice winking through from time to time.
The kascade plasma stand you see in the picture is made of quarter sawn white oak with michael’s cherry stain (sometimes referred to as michaels). The top is a full 1 inch thick and the rest of it is solid wood except the the very back which is a 1/4 inch plywood not paper board or some other crap. Though I believe you can get a solid wood back if you so wish. The only reason I would say a solid back would be necessary is if you plan on having that side exposed to the room. If it’s not going to be displayed then I would save the extra expense of getting it and keep the plywood back.
As far as looks go this thing is gorgeous! I love the mission look that this builder came up with. The slat design is something that is new and really give it character that you can’t get any where else. It’s strong and striking.
My only complaint about the kascade plasma is that everything in the front is pushed back a bit leaving a lip around the drawers and doors so it’s not as clean as it could be. But with that said it wouldn’t be as functional if it didn’t have this in place so it’s something that really isn’t a problem and to be honest you really don’t even notice it. Just so you know I have been called a furniture snob and I will point things out like that just so you know about it.
All in all this is a great plasma stand for any mission style home especially when you want something unique that no one else has.
Author: admin, October 5, 2008
The standard sizes for these plasma stands are 48″W x 18″D x 26 1/4″H and 60″W x 18″D x 26 1/4″H but they can be customized to fit your needs.
The Large picture shows the 48″ model made from solid brown maple with the espresso stain. The 2 lower pictures are the 60″ models, pictured in quarter sawn and michael’s cherry stain, with the open and 2 drawer configurations. Personally I prefer the open plasma stand, no drawers, because it gives you perfect place to put components. The depth of the cabinet excluding the front overhang is about 16 inches and will fit most standard components like dvd players and cable boxes. If you have a 5 dvd changer/player and some of the dvr’s you’ll want to check the depth just to be sure it will fit.
The Shakerhill Open Plasma stand is a great solution if your looking for the best value possible. It can be made from several different hardwoods including Oak, Quarter Sawn White Oak and Cherry. Everything on these stands is solid wood except the back panel which is 1/4″ plywood. The reason they use a plywood on the back is for ease of use and cost savings. The ease of use comes in when you may need to expand or change the cord hole(s) in the back. A 1/4″ plywood is much easier to work with that 3/4 inch thick solid wood. Something else to consider is that if there was solid wood on the back it would have to be screwed in place. Screwing it in place doesn’t allow for the natural expansion and contraction of the wood. It’s fixed and the only option it has for movement is splitting. No good so the ply is there for a very good reason.