Blanket Chest - Wedidng Gift


bradseubert

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Thanks treeslayer!  I plan on writing a little note and signing the bottom.  I havn't decided if I want to sign the bottom on the inside (where they will actually see it) or the bottom side (where you will only see it if you pick it up).  Any thoughts?  I'm laying towards signing the bottom and laying a hand written note on the inside.

I had some more time tonight to get out in the shop and got started on milling the boards for the top.  I am able to get it out of two boards.  Just wondering which orientation people like the best.  Heartwood to the inside or outside?  I did the panels with it to the outside so I'm thinking I should follow that for the top, but I kinda like the look with it to the inside.  Thoughts?

Heartwood to the inside: I would trim off that little but of sapwood on the left side of the right board.

Photo Sep 05, 6 42 45 PM.jpg

Or heartwood to the outside: This would match how I did the panels.

Photo Sep 05, 6 43 37 PM.jpg

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I always put my mark in the most inconspicuous place possible.  Not hidden, just not where anyone can see it without looking for it.  If anyone wants to know badly enough who made it, they'll be able to find out...that's good enough.  Anything else seems...egotistical?

I'd do the top the same way you did the panels.

9 minutes ago, C Shaffer said:

Sapwood grows on the outside of a tree. Unless you are using crotch, heartwood out looks wrong to me. 

Great point, Carus.

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i like the heartwood to the outside myself, did a cherry desk and chair like that many years ago and still like it. i signed my oldest daughters hope chest on the bottom and wrote a small note, part of it says " if you think you can or you think you can not you are correct", she was on her way to college

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On 9/5/2016 at 7:02 PM, C Shaffer said:

Sapwood grows on the outside of a tree. Unless you are using crotch, heartwood out looks wrong to me. 

I'm leaning towards this, I'm just not sure if it looks weird doing it like this if the panels are the other way.

I sent a bunch of time looking at the panels before I glued them up and liked the way the heartwood to the outside matched the curves on the stiles so I went with it.  I think it looks great on the panels, just not sure about the top yet.  Anyone else have an opinion?

On 9/5/2016 at 7:10 PM, wdwerker said:

Sign & date neatly inside the lid where it can be seen !

I really like the way the grain patterns are working with the framework !

I was thinking about signing the top but I'm afraid I'll screw it up.  I have terrible handwriting and like the thought of being it on the bottom so if I screw up its not one board that would be easy to replace.

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12 minutes ago, bradseubert said:

I sent a bunch of time looking at the panels before I glued them up and liked the way the heartwood to the outside matched the curves on the stiles so I went with it.  I think it looks great on the panels, just not sure about the top yet.

Design can trump convention at times and in certain ways. If you have a justification for sapwood in, don't let my preference sway you. It still looks wrong to me, but that's me. 

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On September 5, 2016 at 7:10 PM, wdwerker said:

Sign & date neatly inside the lid where it can be seen !

I really like the way the grain patterns are working with the framework !

+1

regardless of how bad your handwriting is, it will be quickly overwhelmed by the beauty of the chest, and the thought will always be visible.  Looking good dude!

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I agree with Carus, that heart out looks a bit unnatural, but it DOES create a rather stylish "river" running through the panel. If it was the focal point of the piece, like a table top, I'd say go for it. With all the other nice elements in this chest, maybe its a bit too much.

Thanks for input. You bring up a good point. I wonder if the curly maple for the top will be to much. Maybe just a plain maple top would be better and let the panels be the highlight of the piece.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/22/2016 at 7:23 AM, bradseubert said:

Thanks everyone. I'm really happy with how it is turning out.

@brendon_t I'll get a separate post going on the kiln.

@chestnut @k cooper. The finish is two coats of transtint vintage maple sprayed. A coat of zinser shellac and the arm r seal. I'm pretty happy with how the finish turned out so far. I hope the color is the same on the regular maple.

@Lester Burnham

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