Popular Post wnaziri Posted August 29, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 I re-discovered my love of woodworking after 20 year hiatus (my wife and I raised 4 kids, all are in college). I decided to pick up where I had left off. Much had changed since I did my last project, mainly the advent of online instruction. I discovered the WoodWhisperer and dove in, head first. I joined the guild and decided that the best thing for me was to build as many projects as I could as a way to learn. So, for my first project, I chose the chest of drawers. I wanted to start out nice and easy, LOL. My choices was based on the fact that I had just bought about 80 bf of mahogany and wanted to use it. My expectation was to go as far as I could and see what happens.My workshop: I do not have one but working on it. I am doing my work on nice days (good weather) outside in the back porch.Tools: all crap! I only have portable tools with stuff that I could get at Lowes with bench top jointer, bench top bandsaw with a powerful 1/5th HP motor, a Dewalt el-cheapo job site saw, and a 1990's Delta planer, etc. You get the picture.Workbench: 2 laminated pieces of 3/4 MDF resting on a HarborFright standEnd product: Well, I think it turned out OK. One of my daughters saw it and really liked it. I did not think it would end up being useful but I think it can serve my daughter's needs in college for the next few years. I did the side panels with iron-on veneer, the very first time I have ever done it. I do have a big Porter Cable dovetail jig but did not own a good enough router to use it so I did hand cut dovetails for the very time in my life. Boy, there is a big difference between the first drawer and the last one. Lesson learned: I really love woodworking. It became apparent that I should really invest in some nice tools if I plan to do more woodworking. So, having been influenced by people on this forum, I now own several Festool products (Domino, Router, sander, etc). While planning for my workshop, I really went all out and bought some really nice but used heavy machinery that is all in storage, waiting to be moved to my future workshop.Anyhow, here are some pics. I suppose this project could be in the Project Journal but I did not keep good enough record of progress to put it there. I am looking forward to any and all advice and criticism. I have a great deal to learn from you all. Thanks for looking. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 We are our own worst critic, but from the pictures the project looks outstanding to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Moore Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Nice job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Ya done good! Welcome, It looks like you will be sharing! Ain't nothing better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Really well done! I'm going to try that project this coming winter if all goes as planned. I hope I can do something that matches up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 That looks great..Aneyone would like that chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 That looks amazing! You did a fantastic job!You were "influenced by several people on this forum" and then bought a bunch of festool. I like the sound of that! Smart man.I would love to see pics of the shop as it comes together and all the sweet tools you bought. Keep us posted!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 That is just awesome! I'm sure that chest will serve your daughter well through college, and probably her grand-daughter, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 You don't need any more practice, just lots more reasons to build. Beautifully done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I want to thank all of you for such kind words. I must admit I did not know what to expect when I posted my pics. I know that many here are perfectionists and have amazing skills. I was really afraid that I would be inundated with "constructive" criticism. I will post some nice, bigger pics when the project is 100% complete. I have ordered some hardware for it and should button up the last few loose ends this week. I hope to deliver it to my daughter's apartment this weekend.With all this encouragement, I am feeling bold and want to tackle a bigger challenges. In fact, I decided today to do something I might regret: try to use a picture of a cabinet as inspiration to create something similar. I have no cut list, SketchUp file, etc. Just a pic and general dimensions. It will become my son's shoe rack. I plan to use QS sapele with pomelle sapele veneer for the panels. The color match is great. I may even to do a journal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Super nice job, make sure you sign it before sending it off with your daughter.You should be proud of the job you did and the good folk here on this forum are always here to bounce ideas off of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Super nice job, make sure you sign it before sending it off with your daughter.You should be proud of the job you did and the good folk here on this forum are always here to bounce ideas off of!This is going to sound stupid but where (on a piece like this) would you sign and what do you use to sign? Is there an established convention on where and how to sign furniture? As you can tell, I have never bought any piece of furniture that has been signed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Folks here usually sign the underside of a shelf or drawer bottom, using anything from a sharpie marker to a custom branding iron. Carved names & dates are not unheard of. I used a pyrography pen to add a hidden message to one project I built for my wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 There is no "established" place. Suggest the inside of the back where it might last as long as the piece.I usually sign with my initials, month, and year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wright Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Nice work. I use a branding iron from Rockler to sign all of my pieces (gift from my wife 10 years ago). If you check their website you can see that they have lots of different designs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Very, very nice! I can't imagine what you'll turn out once you have a shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Fantastic job - liking that wood graining you got going on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wnaziri Posted September 4, 2015 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 I finally FINISHED the chest of drawers and took some better pics. The finish is ARM-R-SEAL. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Nice choice on the pulls. Super clean and tidy! Nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Holy cow, that was just PRACTICE???? Awesome ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Grandpa Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 That is beautiful. Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I finally FINISHED the chest of drawers and took some better pics. The finish is ARM-R-SEAL. I somehow missed these final pics. It turned out beautiful. You did an awesome job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted September 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) I somehow missed these final pics. It turned out beautiful. You did an awesome job!Thanks Shaney for the kind words. I have been following your journal with great deal of interest. As I have said above, I had never made a piece of furniture. It was my first Guild build (other than an end-grain cutting board) and I chose the vanilla version of the design. Plus I used lumber that I have in good quantity. I really want to build another chest of drawers and I have been eyeing a couple of different lumber combos. Plus, I will probably do the build once I am in my dedicated workshop with my nice tools. Stay tuned. I hope my Version 2.0 turns out as nice as yours. Edited September 30, 2015 by wnaziri 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 A guild build got me in full force to woodworking as well...amazing how many skills are developed in one guild project...and how they serve you well for a lifetime. Great job. Don't forget to write (do not paint...never paint...under penalty of death) underneath. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted September 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 A guild build got me in full force to woodworking as well...amazing how many skills are developed in one guild project...and how they serve you well for a lifetime. Great job. Don't forget to write (do not paint...never paint...under penalty of death) underneath.I did write a nice note on the bottom of one of the drawers but did not tell my daughter that I did that. She will discover it one day and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.Painting: I agree with you that painting nice wood should be illegal. However, seeing the boxes that Matt Kenny is building for FWW has inspired me to at least try one project and use a "splash" of milk paint. I hope that I get special dispensation from the woodworking gods for committing the sin of using milk paint, just once. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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