A Project For Miss T

[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks guys...
It's hard to stand at the saws, so the project will progress slowly, and I always make changes as I go...
... But as long as the Boss grins at the end... I'm golden.

[BrokenolMarine]

Worked in the shop for a couple hours yesterday, refining the end panels preparing them for glue up. First step was to joint the ends.
I hooked up the Jointer to the dust collector and carefully ran the panels across the jointer to remove any inperfections. This would result in a gap free joint.

06 jointing.jpg (180.34 KiB) Viewed 5117 times

Test fitting of both panels gave a nice result.
(sorry, this pic is vertical in the preview and in my file)

07 gaps gone.jpg (110 KiB) Viewed 5117 times

Once I was sure they fit properly, I moved them aside and covered the benchtop with wax paper, and applied glue to the proper edges. I then applied pressure to the sides of the panel, then pressure was applied with cauls to hold the panel flat on the bench to prevent bowing. The less error in the glue up, the less that has to be adjusted later.

08 glue ups.jpg (169.37 KiB) Viewed 5117 times

The second panel was glued up in the same manner on the opposite end of the bench.

[BrokenolMarine]

When I went out this morning and released the panels, I found that one of the four individual plates in one of the panels had creeped. This threw off the entire effect on that panel. The glue up was very good. I lined up the joint with the edge of the workbench and clamped it solidly in place, mentally crossed my fingers, (and toes), held my tongue just so...

And... Slowly applied pressure. More... More... Then... Craaack. The panel split cleanly on the joint line. I ran the two glued edges across the jointer twicd to remove the old glue residue, then reapplied a coating of glue to one edge. Back one the bench and carefully aligned, pressure applied, cauls and clamps in place. Now we wait.

I spent the next hour cutting the blanks that will form the side rails.

[Mags]

.
whew!

When I went out this morning and released the panels, I found that one of the four individual plates in one of the panels had creeped. This threw off the entire effect on that panel. The glue up was very good. I lined up the joint with the edge of the workbench and clamped it solidly in place, mentally crossed my fingers, (and toes), held my tongue just so...

And... Slowly applied pressure. More... More... Then... Craaack. The panel split cleanly on the joint line. I ran the two glued edges across the jointer twicd to remove the old glue residue, then reapplied a coating of glue to one edge. Back one the bench and carefully aligned, pressure applied, cauls and clamps in place. Now we wait.

I spent the next hour cutting the blanks that will form the side rails.

[BrokenolMarine]

Back out for an afternoon session. Here is a peek at the roughed out side rails and support rails awaiting attention.

09 side rails and support rails.jpg (147.36 KiB) Viewed 5103 times

The side rails will get dadoes to receive the side panels a bit later, and of course the edges will be rolled. The plain faces on the edges should dress up when they take a trip thru the planer.


I cut a section from another maple panel and then cut it into sections for the side panels. The sections are approximately 10" by 4" and will be bookmatched. They have to go thru the planer, then across the bandsaw.

10 rough side panels.jpg (144.21 KiB) Viewed 5103 times

After a good bit of attention, this is what you get, these are the ROUGH side panels, matched up to form the two sides. This is a very rough layout, showing about 22" in length. They will be squared up and trimmed to an even 18" and 9" in height with a half in tenon top and bottom. The best use of the grain will be chosen to obtain that length. Yup, still fiddling and finagling to do.

11 side one bookmatched panels.jpg (143.16 KiB) Viewed 5103 times

12 side two bookmatched panels.jpg (147.12 KiB) Viewed 5103 times

They will have tenons cut on the top and bottom to match the dado in the rails. They will be squared up and run across the jointer to eliminate gaps.
They WON'T be glued together, but will be allowed to move in the dado'd groove to allow for expansion due to changing temps and humidity. The end panels will hold them in place.

As you can see there is still a LOT of work to do. Bottom and top and the two doors to make, then legs and the cross beam support, and the divider .. but it's been interesting.
And a challenge. Will continue to be so...

[markiver54]

Go Go Go Jim,
I know it will turn out great! Will be following progress.

[BrokenolMarine]

Hour or so in the shop this morning before getting ready for a trip to the Tournament Captain's meeting and social.
Had to do some work on the side panels. First, had to square up the sides, and the bottom edges. Then, they had to fit in the 18" width. A matter of deciding how much of each sections's grain pattern to keep to make the 18" wide panel look it's best. I used the table saw and the jointer to put together the two side panel inserts. They are NOT going to be glued but as I stated earlier will fit into the dado'd slots in the rails. I'll work on those on Sunday as tomorrow will likely be a long full day, hard on this brokenolMarine, but we only see most of these folks once a year, and we are looking forward to it.

Here are the two panels, sized and shaped and trimmed to fit the width. They will get the tenons cut at a later time.

13 one side done.jpg (156.76 KiB) Viewed 5095 times

14 second side done.jpg (132.77 KiB) Viewed 5095 times

[markiver54]

Looking great Jim!
I admire your persistence, especially with that tourney to think about!

[BrokenolMarine]

Spent a couple hours in the shop today working on the rails. After all was said and done, I wasn't completely happy with the look of them in maple. I will likely remake them in black walnut for a contrast to the bulk of the chest. Hey... I want Miss T to love it. Pics tomorrow of the maple process anyway...

[BrokenolMarine]

Sorry, I know I said that I would be redoing the rails for the sides, but then... life happens. Trip to the VA for two doc appointments this week, Tuesday and Thursday. Fishing on Wednesday and unexpectedly Tina found a Westie pup in the mountains she liked, so Friday was out. Life happens.

I wasn't happy with the way the maple rails turned out. Not enough grain to compliment the side panels, so walnut rails were an option. I pulled a sliced bookmatched log off the stack and spread it out. Plenty to choose from.

01 Multiple Choice.jpg (165.97 KiB) Viewed 5039 times

I chose two slices with good grain, and picked the side that would offer two matched rails with the best grain from each rail, then ran them across the table saw to get a straight edge, then across the jointer to get a "really" straight edge.

02 straight edge.jpg (178.11 KiB) Viewed 5039 times

Once that was done, I used the fence on the table saw as a guide and cut the two pairs I needed, and since there was enough left over, cut a spare rail. Always nice to have an extra part handy if there is a slip. NOT that this has ever been an issue when "I" was building a project.

03 five rails.jpg (162.5 KiB) Viewed 5039 times

I love the grain in the burled pair. LOVE it.

I had to set up the dado blade again and cut the dadoes in the rails to accept the panels. Then trimmed the ends of the panels with tenons so they fit in the grooves. All together.

04 A side.jpg (156.24 KiB) Viewed 5039 times

05 b side.jpg (157.61 KiB) Viewed 5039 times

I like the contrast between the walnut and maple MUCH better.

[markiver54]

Looking VERY nice Jim!
Thinking of you and MANY others this weekend!!

[BrokenolMarine]

Back in the shop....

First let me apologize for the last post being pulled OUT of the thread.... it wasn't my intention. In the old software, it just would have had a different header...
I'll be more careful in the future.

Today's work was on the EXTRA rail, which will become the handle and will reside at the top of the chest... between the ends at the top of the "coffin" as Miss T has taken to calling the shape.
I used a spokeshave to start turning the rail into a comfortable shaped to hold. Faster, and much easier with a router table, but LOTS noisier and dust everywhere. The only sound in the shop with the spokeshave is the WHISP of the blade... which I like.

01 spoke shave.jpg (245.07 KiB) Viewed 6254 times

I worked all four edges to the general shape, then the top and bottom of the handle. After I achieved the general shape I wanted I cut it to length to match the length of the sides.
I will of course sand this thru, ah... ... most likely 120 grit.

02 handle.jpg (168.26 KiB) Viewed 6254 times

Far from done, but there are not as many pieces to go as there were when I started.

[Ernie]

Enjoy the feel of hand tools. As you say they are much quieter and give me the feel of personal contact with the wood. Also if you run a piece through a router table or a table saw and it is set a bit deep you are done, can't put it back on. With a hand plane or spoke shave you can work your way to the line and proper fit checking as you go. Very pleasant.
Nice curls, good sharp tool. Looking forward to the project coming together.
PS
Like your bench! Want to build a good maple work bench with holdfasts someday when I grow up.

[markiver54]

Jim, I am the lucky recipient of a collection of my late father-in-laws old tools. One is a beautiful spoke plane, amongst many other old hand tools. Block planes, moulding planes etc. Have not really used many of them yet, however, I am looking forward to getting acquainted with them. I believe there is a great reward using them, so, I can relate!!

[BrokenolMarine]

Over the last thirty or forty years, I have slowly built up a shop filled with woodworking tools, and Miss T has never complained as I have put them to good use building bookcases, cradles for the kids, flag boxes, urns, numerous gifts... However, my most valuable tool, priceless even? The small block plane, as old as I am, that belonged to my Stepfather. He taught me carpentry basics as a teen and my love of woodworking. He passed unexpectedly in '81. I use his old plane often, and can still feel him at my shoulder when I do.

[BrokenolMarine]

The last two days I have been working on the top crossbar and wing doors. They are being made from black walnut I have cut from logs given to me by my Mentor (Rabbi) in the LE PPC world, a Retired Marine/Police Sergeant who has looked over my shoulder for more than twenty years. Grumpy, Grouchy, and easily qualifies as all the seven dwarves. A good guy, but the Officers in the department either loved him or hated him, depending on the quality of the officer. (Good Officers loved him, I'll leave it at that.) There are those here who will know what I mean. He was the Range Sergeant, AND at times a Patrol Sergeant in a very bad part of town...

Anyway.... I digress.

I had gotten tired by the time I cut these slabs and had NOT done a very good job, so IT cost me. The grain was NICE.

01 rough slabs.jpg (135.01 KiB) Viewed 6206 times

BUT, you get lazy now... you pay later, as you will see. The slabs I cut six months ago... were NOT flat like the ones I started out cutting, they were "slightly" warped.
(Slightly warped like slightly pregnant.)

02 a little warped.jpg (111.96 KiB) Viewed 6206 times

This meant a LOT of work. So, first I cut the two inch slabs into bookmatched slabs after first trimming them into squared edges... a must for bookmatching on the bandsaw.
Then I measured the center of both ends, struck a line and cut VERY carefully to the line thru the slab. THIS gave me a flat straight side.

03 bookmatched.jpg (182.83 KiB) Viewed 6206 times

BUT, I still had panels that were too thick to use as the winged edge doors I had envisioned hanging from the center panel. I measured off a half inch from the flat side and ran back across the bandsaw, staying to the outside of the 1/2 inch line. Then I ran all four panels thru the planer, getting nice smooth flat panels that would work once jointed and glued at 8" wide. Doors for the two sides. The center panel was also trimmed and planned to 5/8"

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This is an idea of what I envision, but the wing doors will angle down about 45 degrees to meet the 12" sides. Following the coffin sides.

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I may... MAY... put a maple trim piece on each end with a lip under the edge to strengthen the panels, and a maple brace under the doors at the hinge point. I'll use some of the highly figured spalted pieces I have saved, which should really pop against the walnut and serve as both supports and accents. I'll fiddle with it during the next steps, and see if:
a) it looks good
b) it might be needed.

more to come.....

[BigAl52]

Im thinkin if Miss T dont like this box that it sure will make a nice range box Marine

[markiver54]

Tell Miss T, I like her choice of hinges.

[BrokenolMarine]

I have to find FORTY mini screws to match.

[markiver54]

I have to find FORTY mini screws to match.

That might be a bit challenging to find ones with the right patina. I'm sure they're out there though.