Display Case

[BrokenolMarine]

Had an errand to run for Miss T this morning, still down with her flu. Before I left, I applied the Watco Oil, it toned down that yellow a bit. I wanted to let the oil dry anyway, the errand will give the oil time to dry.

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Once it's dried, we can see what the antiquing does...

[BrokenolMarine]

Time to antique. First I pulled the jar of Dark Walnut antique and covered the entire panel. Not a doubt that it is one way to subdue the yellow.

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By the time I had covered the second half of the panel the first half had started to dry. I didn't want to let it dry completely so I started to wipe it away with paper towels. The secret here is to fold the towels and keep them flat to the surface. This leaves the antiquing in the areas where you want it. I worked quickly to insure the second half of the panel didn't dry. Some people like to let it dry and then remove the antique with a wet cloth. To each his own. You can always add more antique back or remove more with a q-tip or dampened cloth later. Right up until you apply your sealant or topcoat.

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I am pretty happy with the final result here. The golden undertone is the result of the yellow base, and the antique highlights all that tooling. I don't think I wasted those days ... The panel will be the background for the knife case, but will still look good behind them. Better than some burgundy velvet. (Although, that would have been classy.)

[BrokenolMarine]

I decided on the silk finish offered by Tan Kote, so I applied that. It looks good as it dries. While it did I got set up to work on the case.

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My first step was to dig out my Cabinet Scrapers, and sharpen two of them. Cabinet scrapers are quiet and controlled, like hand planes. VERY little mess, no dust in the air, and leave a glass smooth finish if you get them sharp. It took me a good while to learn to sharpen them, but once I did, I use them a lot on big jobs. You save a lot of money on sand paper.

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A close look at the scraper and the results, The hook on the edge of the scraper shaves fine shavings. When they dull, you just create a new hook and off you go.

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[BrokenolMarine]

Once I had looked at all the case parts, I was "almost" ready to move to assembly. I had learned my lessons in the past. Before final assembly, I conducted one LAST final test assembly with all the parts ready at this point. EVERYTHING fit.
I'll wait until I'm fresh tomorrow and do the glue up and assembly, putting this part of the assembly together, then building the lid with the glass and installing the lights. So Far, So Good.

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[CT_Shooter]

So Far, So Good.

Oh so good! Enjoying it. Thanks.

[Hatchdog]

I got so interested in the leather work I forgot about the wood work. Looking great!

[BrokenolMarine]

Had to make the two hour round trip to the dentist this morning.. so half the day was gone when I finally got into the shop. Disassembled the case as planned, carefully marking everything as I said I would and set aside the panel so I could prep the sides for staining. I wanted to keep the color light, so I planned Watco Oil Natural as the finish.

First, However, I have to tape off any surface that will get glue. Otherwise the glue won't bond well. That was a task, but necessary.

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Once the areas were taped off we were ready to begin. All throughout the project, I have referred to Watco Oils, here is a peek at the can for those who have never seen it. Home Depot carries a limited selection. Woodcraft a much wider selection, or you can order it online. It's a simple finish, wipe it on and let it soak in for a half hour or so, wipe off the excess, and allow it to dry, buff. Apply a second coat. Buff it out. You can be done at that point. I usually apply a coat or three of Beeswax, or any good wax. The real reason I like it is the ease of repair. Get a ding, patch or repair, apply the oil, buff, wax, done. No need to refinish an entire area in most cases. If you project begins to look dull, rewax and buff. Boom.

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Two coats of Oil and it's looking good, though still wet. I'll wax this before I assemble, then a second wax afterward.

[RetiredSeabee]

I just recently used Watco for a project for the first time. Based on your use of it on your projects. I have always used Minwax stains and a variety of finishes depending on what the item was going to be used for. For indoor items I preferred tung oil.
But finishing has always been so time consuming. I am now a big fan of the Danish Oil fast and easy and looks great. You might want to check into getting paid a sales commission from the manufacturer.

[BrokenolMarine]

I just recently used Watco for a project for the first time. Based on your use of it on your projects. I have always used Minwax stains and a variety of finishes depending on what the item was going to be used for. For indoor items I preferred tung oil.
But finishing has always been so time consuming. I am now a big fan of the Danish Oil fast and easy and looks great. You might want to check into getting paid a sales commission from the manufacturer.

I'm glad you liked it. I have used it for years and for the reasons stated above. It's NOT for weathered use, as you stated, but I do use it on knives, just wax them and treat keep them waxed when they start to dull. For heavy use knives, I'll used stains and varnish or tung oil, or even spar varnish... really tuff. LOL...

I love the Golden Oak Watco on light grained woods especially Birdseye maple. Boom, really makes it pop!

[BrokenolMarine]

Next trip to the shop was to wax the case sides. I have talked about the beeswax I use, so I have been sharing the brands, this is what I use. I ordered two cans from woodcraft the last time, and I'm still on the first. A little goes a long way. I heat the project I am waxing with a hair drying, just a bit, makes applying the wax easier, and, gets the wax into the pores of wood and or bone better... for deeper protection. NOTE: I heat the project I am waxing a LITTLE, the best way to insure you don't overheat the project is to hold it in your hand. Just before I start to wax I turn the hair dryer on the wax for about five to ten seconds to soften that. Yeah, I'm all full of tricks.

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I put two coats of wax on the four boards, without buffing between the first coat and the second. Then buffed them out with old sweat pant material. It picks up the wax really well. Then finally buffing with an old T-shirt. Good to go. I'll wax again when the project is done.

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Once I peeled off he blue tape, I took the pieces to the table, matched up the assembly marks, and used acid brushes to apply the glue. Got er glued up and band clamped.

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[BrokenolMarine]

Forgot to mention, I LOVE the smell of that beeswax. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a school flashback when we would sniff the mimeographed tests, or the smell of two part epoxy. The beeswax just smells good. When I smell it, it takes me back to all the various projects I have worked on and completed. It's a fond memory type smell.

[BrokenolMarine]

After a good break, I was back out to remove the clamps, and put that stuff away. Time to reinforce the glue up. My first step was to take a saved scrap from the cutting of the sides and using a 1/4" plug cutter, I cut a dozen plugs and set them aside.

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Next I decided where I wanted to countersink the holes and using a mini square, marked all eight holes. It's likely no one will notice, but I will. I want to be consistent. Miss T says I'm just anal. Using a Forstner bit, I countersunk all eight holes, then with the proper bit, drilled the holes for the finish nails.

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Most would use a hammer to set the nails, but it's hard to remove a hammer dent if you miss. I use my brass mallet, and a punch and a LOT of small taps to seat the nails, which I dip in wood glue first. This helps hold the joints tight. Slowly and carefully I work my way thru all eight holes seating the finish nails.

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Using a nail, I set glue around the inside of the countersink, and then place a plug in each countersink. These are the plugs I cut earlier from the scrap left from the original board the sides were made from. Won't be perfect, but close. I tap the plugs in snug with a rawhide mallet and leave them for the glue to set.

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[BrokenolMarine]

While the glue sets, I use the new Stamp I ordered to make a new maker's mark for the leather panel. I play with the stamp, making three or four new discs to cover the old stamp on the panel. I settle on this one, and dye and antique it. I will cement it over the old one on the panel when a final finish is applied.

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The Glue has dried. Time to flush cut the plugs, first to choose a chisel. I keep things neat and the chisels sharp, by keeping them in their place.

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A wide flat chisel, and my chisel mallet will do the job.

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To insure a flush cut, the chisel rides flat on the side of the case and cuts with the grain of the plug. Prepared to cut..

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A light smooth strike. Too hard and the plug could break. I repeat the process with all eight plugs and BOOM. Flush cuts.

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Touch all eight plugs with Watco Oil and they are close to matching. After waxing they will be closer. If they don't match exactly, they will be ACCENTS. Yeah, I planned it that way... (If asked.)

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[BrokenolMarine]

The corners will be sanded during the final finishing, it will be pretty'd up.
I still have work to do.

[BrokenolMarine]

After the logo was cemented on place, I installed the panel and the quarter round trim. Used the brad nailer to secure it, but didn't glue the trim to the leather, just in case. It was time to install the magnets. I used two three foot rules to insure they were in alignment with one another and lined them up on the marks on the leather and got busy.

I set the case on a pair of 2x2s, knowing there was a chance the screw could come thru the bottom, slightly.
Carefully, one at a time I got to it.

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With patience, and a steady hand, it came out fine. Three of the screws did come out the bottom, about 1/16th inch. Dremel and a cutoff wheel took care of that in a couple minutes.

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The new logo looks good as well.

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Next on the list? Start on the top and the plexi insert.
We are getting close.

[Hatchdog]

Why the new makers mark? Did I miss something?

Wow, just wow! The finished look of the leather is fantastic as is the entire project. The magnets look great, I was wondering how that would come out but it works just fine.

[BrokenolMarine]

Why the new makers mark? Did I miss something?

The old maker's mark was just shy of 1/2 inch in size overall and most couldn't read the "BrokenOlMarine" above the Emblem. I had been planning for some time to get a new stamp. At the suggestion of someone on my leatherworking forum, I checked out Steel Stamps Inc. The new one is 1-3/16". the impression is much cleaner, easier to read, and steel rather than brass. Will outlive me.

Wow, just wow! The finished look of the leather is fantastic as is the entire project. The magnets look great, I was wondering how that would come out but it works just fine.

[BrokenolMarine]

The old maker's mark is about halfway down page four for comparison.

[BrokenolMarine]

Out in the shop today several times. First I worked on Ripping the Black Cherry for the top, and then cut it to match the size of the display case. Once I had it cut, of course I had to insure the cuts fit together and the layout was square.

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Next, I used the new desktop 1 x 30 with the platten to sand it and get rid of those cut burns from the table saw, the chrry is a hard wood and I was ripping a piece seven feet long.

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Once it was sanded up clean, I glued it up and used the band clamps to put 'er together and left it to cure.

[BrokenolMarine]

After she was all glued up, I dipped into the special tools drawer to repeat the setup from the case...

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I pulled out the 1/4" plug cutter and got set up on the drill press with a cutoff from the Black Cherry to cut plugs.

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I cut a number of plugs even though I only needed four this time. There are a number of ways to remove the plugs, you can snap them out, (but some don't break out cleanly,) therefore you cut extras. You can cut the bottom off the scrap, which frees the plugs, but this requires setup on the bandsaw. I went with snapping them out. Good thing I cut extras when I set up.

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Chose the best of the plugs and with a dash of Tite bond II wood glue, set the four plugs.

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Tomorrow I'll take a sharp chisel and cut them flush. Tomorrow is also the day to shape the frame then cut the plexi to fit. That will be a pucker factor cut. $45 a sheet... (sigh)