Leaderboard

So I got a lot done tonight. Mobile base on jointer. Clamps rearranged. There are a few more things to do but they’re going to get done as I go. It’s been too long since I did a project and with the new tools I’m stoked to get started. Before: After: Everything on mobile bases, too. Got some more clamp space - and some more clamps. BTW, I overheard my wife telling my youngest son, who asked what to get me for Father’s Day, “Clamps for his shop. He always says you can’t have enough clamps. He likes Bessey and I’ll find out what sizes he’s looking to fill in.” I love this woman!! I have a friend who does HVAC work and I’m going to get him to come over and pipe my DC system. That’s the last big thing on this project. Temporarily I’ll move the tool closer to the DC, (did I mention they’re all on wheels now? ), until it’s done. TIME TO MAKE SOME STUFF!

I am a big fan of Kyle Toth and his design sense. He is an artist whose medium happens to be wood / furniture. Anyway, he has made a table on more than one occasion that looks like it has a tablecloth draped on it but in fact it is different species of wood with some inlay. I love the design and have been wanting to make one like it. To get ready for the project, I elected to make a prototype to see what dimensions I wanted. This table is my prototype. It is based on the table that was built on the most recent episode of FWW Rough Cut. The top is 17' by 42". the height is 27.5". It is constructed using Domino's. The lumber is QS sapele. Having witnessed the natural color of the lumber as it darkens with time (not a fan!), I chose to apply Darrel Peart's stain on this project. The finish is my standard wash coat of 1 lb cut de-waxed shellac followed by 3 coats of Arm-R-Seal. I will likely gift this to someone when I get going on the actual project. The above 2 pictures give you a good idea of the color of newly milled QS sapele. Thank you.

Recovering in Zion Park from a hike to Angel's Landing. The down hill was brutal (wood working doesn't seem to do much for leg fitness!)

Lynndy and I were in Auckland, New Zealand recently for the wedding of her niece. We stayed with her brother and his wife. They have a wonderful home with some nice examples of arts and crafts furniture, one of which was an apothecary chest. I really love these pieces, and Lynndy especially has wanted one forever. So the order was placed and a spot lined up in the entrance hall. The design was mostly worked out in idle musing, and then I drew it up on sheets of 6mm MDF (I like this since the sheets end up as a story board and may be stored away more easily if needed at a later date). The orientation is vertical, rather than typically horizontal, more along the lines of a Krenov-styled cabinet. I’ve never built a Krenov-styled cabinet and, as far as I am aware, he never built an apothecary chest! In other words, this is a chest on a stand. As an aside, I am not enamoured with the spindly legs of Krenov designs, and something with substance is needed. More on this at a later date. The chest will contain 24 drawers, in 6 rows (so 4 drawers across and 6 rows down) … What has changed in the drawing above is the rows will be made to accentuate the vertical rather than the horizontal (by running the blades/dividers down first). This is more work, but is should create a different perspective. I have never seen a curved apothecary chest before, so this may be the first one … The wood is another first for me – black walnut from the USA. My local timber guy had a stack of 1” and 2” thick boards, all about 11-12” wide. (For those who see metric measurements on the plans and here is mentioned imperial sizing, be aware that this is my common practice. The jointer-planer/thicknesser I have is European, and metric. The hand tools, such as a plough plane, are imperial). The boards are thicknessed a little oversize, glued up, and then taken to final dimension with hand planes. The walnut is so easy to plane. I get why so many rave about working with it. Don’t you love it when the carcase parts are done. These are all 20mm thick … Starting to put it together Starting from the bottom up, the side panels are left a little long as they will need to be given a curved bevel to meld with the bottom panel … The dovetails are in the ratio of 6:1 – I felt the slightly extra wider base would add a little more authority. Here’s the first completed corner. It is important that the joints are tight (obviously) but also that they moved apart readily, since the cabinet carcase will be pulled apart, put together, and pulled apart many times as the drawer blades are measured and fitted ... Note, also, the area that will need to be bevelled away. This is marked. Now the dimension of the bevel is taken the length of the panel … I made up a template of the curve by grinding a piece of scrap steel (chosen because it was lying around) … … and the curve is transferred to the other end of the panel. The waste is planed away with, firstly, a jack plane (shop made) … ... and then a modified HNT Gordon trying plane … The reason for the trying plane is to keep the sides straight. A jointer plane could have substituted. The final step here is to smooth and fair the surface with a HNT Gordon mini smoother … Finally, we get to complete the basic carcase (the flash makes the walnut look light, but it is dark in tone). the dimensions are 700mm high and 300mm deep (at the centre) … Starting the vertical drawer blades/dividers These are made with merbau as a secondary wood, with walnut facing … Merbau is from northern Queensland (some is imported from Papua New Guinea). It is hard and heavy, and typically used in Oz for flooring or outdoor furniture. I am using it because it is cheap and hard. As cheap as pine and as dense and wear-resistant as jarrah. The boards are glued together and bound with blue tape .. Three vertical dividers for now … As before, they are also slightly oversize and will be planed to dimension to fit into 12mm wide dados. More later. Regards from Perth Derek

I'm back on the road for work but, managed to get some stuff in the shop done before heading out! Time for a Chest of Drawers to match the shaker tables in our spare room. Big thanks to Mel for the help with the design. Since I was on the road for work, Mel pulled off the design for me while I was traveling home from a job which allowed me to pretty much just get going on the project. Should be 5 or 6 videos on this one I think..

Just came in! I’ve been using a bench top Rikon so a big step up. Got the riser kit, a mobile base, and Timberwolf blades. Will assemble and adjust tomorrow night!

Picked up an old Disston 4 tpi hand saw at a yard sale for $1. Dem some big teeth. Couldn't turn it down. Needs some cleaning but it's my first real rip saw. :-)

Thanks. I bought the sapele through an auction so I can not comment of the price. I bought about100 bf of 8/4 prime sapele, with max length of 4 feet, for about $180. I have used it for several projects so far and I am about to deplete my supply. I really like the look of the quarter sawn sapele. However, it is not easy to work with. I have pretty sharp planes but this stuff will get tear out easily. It works really well with a spiral cutterhead planer / jointer. Sapele color does change with time and from what I have observed, the color gets a greenish tint and, to me, it is not pleasing. It does not have the warm look of aged genuine mahogany.

For the "tablecloth" table, I intend to use birdseye maple as the primary wood. I just finished making the banding that I will be using. The banding is wenge sandwiched between strips of holy and black veneer. Here is how it turned out. The strip is 3/4 inch wide and 1/16 thick. It actually turned out pretty nice. I am having a hard time deciding on what lumber species to use for the middle section of the table, the part that conveys the sense of cloth that is draped on top and it extends below table surface at 90 degrees at the two ends. I would love to use an amazing piece of lumber that I have but it is Purpleheart!!! I am not a fan of the purpleheart. If I can stomach it for about 6 months to a year, it will then turn a beautiful maroon color. This piece has flame figure and check it out: I have not made my final decision yet. I will keep playing some idea over the next few days to weeks. If I make it and my wife and I are not loving it, my daughter would love to take it. She loves the color purple. Who knows, I may end up making a second (very expensive) prototype.

Kev, another great build, I used the Blum soft close drawer sliders on a tall boy chest of drawers and nightstands and they are worth the effort and cost!

I don’t know how I’ve missed this until now. But in doing so, I didn’t have to wait a week between each video like the rest of you! I echo Kent’s comment, videoing this project doesn’t make the build any easier on you, so yes sir, we appreciate you taking the time to do so and the time to edit it and put it together. Looking good Kev!

I agree. Big fan of Kyle Toth. I love his routed ebonized veneer tables and boxes. He must have tremendous patience and a very strong back to be able to do that for hours on end - not to mention a steady hand. Being somewhat older and much less patient, I'm planning on doing some tests on the CNC to get a similar effect.

Very nice, and the wood is lovely both before and after finishing. DId you use a clear shellac, or would that have mattered since you stained it? Did your previous project darken despite a finish?

I like everything about that table!!

Very well done Wade.

That's a beautiful table with great proportions & lines. I sure do love the look of sapele.

Keep in mind that some of us are north of the border - I think @drzaius is in Alberta. Many options that are inexpensive in the US are not the same in Canada. By the time you try to ship something here and possibly pay customs fees on it, you're better off finding an alternative.

I think it will be fine for my harbor freight collector. But once I upgrade to something more powerful (probably 2 years) I'll do something better. Or at least, bigger diameter.

Still on the road for work and having a bit of a hard time with the shift they have me on. Finally getting the joinery completed in the legs and getting the side panels glued up.

Sold. This kids a vet and I’m feeling bad now for getting him down to 25% off. 2 yo baby and sounds like a great guy. Thanks for your service @HunterL. Coop