Popular Post Geoffrey Posted July 17, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 I've never posted anything I've worked on, but I thought it would be interesting to try. I am sure I will learn something from it, and maybe I'll even give someone else an idea. My wife asked for a sideboard for some additional storage in the kitchen. While we were at the lumberyard getting cherry for another project, she noticed some sapele and thought it would be a nice wood for the sideboard. I had heard of sapele frequently here and on Woodtalk, so I readily agreed. I was looking forward to trying a different wood for a change. For the design of the cabinet, it took a few iterations before we came up with a design we both liked and worked out the dimensions. Fortunately, Sketchup makes that part easier. The design is mainly Stickley-inspired. First, I made the pieces for the sides--sturdy corner posts from an 8/4 board joined by top and bottom rails with two panels separated by a central divider. In June, I worked on the front and back rails and the many pieces for the shiplapped back panels. The side panels were varnished and assembled, then the front and back rails were glued up with their dividers. Today, we put the front and back sections together with the two side panels. The three sections of the sideboard will each have two doors. I originally planned on using a wide board for the door panels, but I could not resaw a board that wide. I think it turned out for the best, though, as by ripping the board first before resawing, I was able to make some bookmatched panels for the doors instead. The door panels are varnished and waiting for their frames, which just received their chamfers this evening and have a final 220 grit sanding before they get their varnish. The bottom and the middle shelf are already varnished and ready to go. They've been hanging around (here seen with the back panels while they were curing). With luck, tomorrow after work I will be able to get to the final sanding for the door pieces, so I can get the varnishing going. Then, I need to start on the top. Geoffrey 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 That looks pretty cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 I like your creative hanging and clamping. Welcome to the forum. i’ve Gotta try me some Sapele. Keep the build a coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Looks like some good work so far. Looking forward to the rest of your journal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Thanks for posting this, Geoffry! Its looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan G Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Looking great so far!!! Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 This is starting to look awesome keep on sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Very nice. Like your hanging setup. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Posted July 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Thank you, all! For most pieces, I put a small cup hook in the end and use that as a handle while wiping on varnish, then hang the piece on the garage door track to dry. It lets me varnish both sides at the same time and keeps the pieces out of the way. The long shelves have a bigger hook and hang off the bracket on the ceiling that supports the garage door track. No chance of the garage door opening, as it is locked shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 Keep it comimg. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted July 18, 2018 Report Share Posted July 18, 2018 Nice! That’s is some beautiful wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Geoffrey Posted July 18, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 18, 2018 Tonight, I was not able to get to the sanding of the door frame parts, but I was able to install the bottom shelf. It is screwed in from below at the front of the cabinet, while the back is secured with tabletop z clip fasteners to allow for movement. At least it looks more like a cabinet now. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted July 19, 2018 Report Share Posted July 19, 2018 It's so nice to see wood movement being taken into consideration. Such beautiful wood deserves the attention you are giving it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Posted July 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Well, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I saved the four 5/4 boards that I thought had the most attractive figure for the top. Since I only have a 6-inch jointer, it was the planer sled to the rescue. Each board took a couple passes to flatten the top, then went through without the sled to bring them down to 1.1" thickness. The result looked pretty good. Sadly, the second board from the left has a check in one side that goes all the way through. And the rightmost has a split along the grain. I wanted to start jointing and gluing up the top panel, so I was tempted to just go ahead and hope for the best. Maybe even try my first attempt with epoxy? First, though, I decided to come inside, have some tea, and think about it. After mulling it over, I think these will be beautiful boards for a future project (there are many on the list) where I can use them for smaller parts and cut around the defects. So, looks like a trip to the lumberyard is in store for Saturday. They are even having a sale on exotics, including Sapele, for July. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 20, 2018 Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Probably the best choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 20, 2018 Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Good eyes and sound responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted July 20, 2018 Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 If you brought a picture of the defects to your original source they may provide some compensation for the below grade wood. I like your sled for the thickness planer. Great idea. Other than the defects the sapele looks beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted July 21, 2018 Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 I have only used sapele once as my accent wood on my workbench and the cut offs for some little projects but I noticed it seemed to check more than other wood I have worked with as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwk5017 Posted July 22, 2018 Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 Personally, I would have epoxied those and moved on. Sapele does develop those micro checks regardless of grade. Hard to even notice they exist when the wood is in the rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Posted July 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 I picked up replacement 5/4 boards for the top, as well as a couple 4/4 boards for one more shelf at the lumberyard today. The weather forecast was for no rain in the morning, but of course it started raining while we were there. No pictures of boards in the pickup because I was in too much of a hurry to get them inside. Since they got wet, I'll hold off on milling them for a couple days. I did get back to the doors, though. I gave the door rails and stiles their last sanding at 220, let the air cleaner run a bit, and then put on their first coat of varnish. There's 24 more pieces for the drying rack. I think I'll glue up the doors next, before applying the remaining coats of varnish. The one coat should give me some insurance against glue squeeze-out, so I should be safe. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted July 23, 2018 Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 Using a moisture meter helps after wood gets wet doesn't hurt. Project is looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Posted August 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2018 There are times I think about how nice it would be to make a Roubo. Fine tuning the doors to fit is making today one of those times. I have the guild Roubo project, but I think I'd really like to go to a class for a week and benefit from the experience, assistance, and large jointer there. My current workbench holds pieces flat very nicely for power tools. The more I have started using planes, though, the more I would really like a leg vise. In the meantime, a couple clamps on the outfeed table will do the trick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Geoffrey Posted August 12, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 Over the past week, I was able to make the glue up for the top of the sideboard. Three long boards edge glued with dominos for alignment did the trick. I still need to sand, but it is starting to look like a top. I'd prefer to run it through the planer after doing the glue-up, but at 15", it is just a bit too wide for the DeWalt 735. I had to take it down to 1 inch thick before the glue-up. Sitting on top at the far end is a breadboard end waiting to be attached. This was my first try at making my own dominos to get an extra-wide tenon. Each one is 1.5 inches wide and fit nicely into an 8mm mortise. The breadboard end mortises should have plenty of room for movement. I'll let the glue dry on these tenons and then cut the slots for the pegs. I'll try to place the slot slightly closer to the main top for a bit of drawboring. But, the pegs will not go through to the top of the breadboard. These peg holes are only on the underside of the breadboard. I also hung most of the doors. I still need to finalize where we want the door pull. I was thinking 1/3 rd of the way down the stile, but now we are discussing placing it starting about 1 - 2 inches below the upper rail. I'll finish fine-tuning the doors before adding the pulls. Without the top attached, who needs door pulls anyway. Plus, blue tape can do the trick. The door pull will be the basic oil-rubbed bronze from Amerock, which will go nicely with other doors and drawers in the kitchen. And I think the color will go well with the sapele. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted August 12, 2018 Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 This looks great. I've starting using my domino just for mortises because it's so quick. I can use the drum sander to quickly make tenon stock if needed. Using the tool this way is making me want the 700 for the added depth but dang that's a lot of money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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