Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 6, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 6, 2020 Teaser photo: this pile of walnut, cherry, and mulberry is about to start a new life as a shaker-inspired, trestle base writing desk. The cheesy title comes from it consisting of a bunch of left-overs. And I'm going to paint it. You heard me ... I'm going to paint walnut. Oh, the humanity! 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmac Posted December 6, 2020 Report Share Posted December 6, 2020 No, don't do it, don't do it! Well...... I watch your build anyway. Excited to see a new project getting posted and look forward to following. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Here is a basic 3D model I built to determine proportions and such. Not much detail, but you can see modified shaker-style trestle legs are evident. There may be some decorative details added to the casework, and there will probably end up being 2 drawers, instead of the one shown here. Not much to show today, just finished bringing all my stock to thickness. Next will be the arduous task of extracting usable boards from this lot of low-quality raw material. I'm trying to use up a bunch of stock I bought cheap from a couple of different "shade-tree" sawyers, before I realized there was nothing to be gained from buying cheap and wasting a large portion of it. Hence, the paint. At least this junky wood will no longer be eating my storage space... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Ross, how does mulberry take a finish? Might be an interesting combination left unpainted! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 @Coop, I like the mulberry for its workability, and its lovely golden color. It will polish to a decent sheen with no finish applied. However, it slowly turns to a milk chocolate brown, apparently from UV exposure. No sapwood to speak of, and the color is very uniform. The color change can be accelerated by applying a lye solution. I've never seen a 'curly' mulberry board, but a knot I planed across revealed a shimmering chatoyance in the swirling grain that rivals a peacock's tail feathers. If there was enough to complete the top in all mulberry, I would try to talk my wife into it. But she want's it painted, and I had to fill out the top with a piece of walnut that is half sapwood, anyway. More design discussion this evening. Looks like we will go with two drawers, inset fronts with a grooved border, and oval bail-type pulls, ala George Hepplewhite. A blend of Hepplewhite and Shaker elements. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Started straigt-edging the boards before work this morning. My straight / tapering sled references the fence, rather than the miter slot, so getting an edge on any width is possible. Of course, I forgot to open the new blast gate under the saw, so the first cut made a huge mess. With no collection above the table, ripping is a bit messy, anyway. You can see in that board, why I am not upset about painting the walnut! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Yeah paint that walnut. It's kind of an embarrassment to walnut and should be coverd up... This looks like an exciting project. I'm glad to hear you have recovered (different thread you mentioned a run in with Covid). 12 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: I'm trying to use up a bunch of stock I bought cheap from a couple of different "shade-tree" sawyers, before I realized there was nothing to be gained from buying cheap and wasting a large portion of it I feel like there is some luck involved with this. I've bought lumber from Urban sawyers before and had great luck with it and wasted some material but ended up ahead. The trouble is the fad that made their prices skyrocket. I keep going to a yard when i can get graded walnut cheaper than urban Ash or Oak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 7, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 @Chestnut, I think there may be a large discrepancy between "urban" sawyers and the "shade-tree" variety. The folks you bought from probably didn't have their drying rack double as shade for their 'coon dog pen... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 7 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: You can see in that board, why I am not upset about painting the walnut! Will this project require the family size tub of wood filler??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2020 5 hours ago, Chet said: Will this project require the family size tub of wood filler??? Two words, @Chet... Bon Do 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 On 12/7/2020 at 5:47 AM, wtnhighlander said: I forgot to open the new blast gate under the saw, so the first cut made a huge mess. Copy cat! That's my trick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 11, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 Short bursts of shop time before work accomplish only a little, but I managed to get the top panel boards dry-clamped this morning. I hope to add glue after work today. I wasn't exaggerating about bondo, there are numerous worm holes and tiny knots. One large open knot that will need an inlay patch, too. Hazards of using junk wood. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 13, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 Top panel is glued. Everything but the case front is cut to final width. Started on joinery for the legs. I use the dado and sled method to remove waste from the tenons. For the beginers that see this, the spacer on the saw fence allows the fence to be used as a stop for positioning the stock, but is clear during the cut to avoid binding & kickback. This tenon is extra long. Since I am using up some "waste wood", I just cut the legs to full length, rather than subtracting the width of the feet and top braces. The I used a foot to set the stop block for this tenon cut, so the tenon length = full width of the foot. After excavating the mortice to whatever depth I decide, I trim the tenon to match. Avoids doing any math for measurements. I use a combo square to gage the depth when it seems like enough. Ignore those pesky lines and numers on the rule, just transfer the square so its blade is against the tenon shoulder and mark the face of the head. Mark it square around the tenon and hack it off. I made it far enough to get the feet mortises fit: The mortices are about 2" deep. I removed the bulk of one with the drill press, cleaning it up by hand. The other was completely chopped with a mortising chisel. I think the chisel was actually faster. * Beginers note - the feet are left clunky and square at this point, to provide reference surfaces for cutting joinery. Decorative shaping comes later. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 Awesome work so far really enjoying this. I like that you don't have the saw plate in while using your sled like that. It looks like dust collection is quite effective. I know when i use my dado stack it seems like I get 50% capture at best. 1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said: For the beginers that see this, the spacer on the saw fence allows the fence to be used as a stop for positioning the stock, but is clear during the cut to avoid binding & kickback. So we shouldn't start the debate about it being a non through cut? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 With the stop block prior to the blade, it wouldn’t matter if it was a through cut, except for the fact that there is no blade clearance insert, then you have shrapnel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 Yeah, throat plate is removed for dust collection, as this milling operation creates a lot. My little 1.5 hp DC is a low pressure blower, not effective at all unless the air can flow freely. Since the stock rides a sled, AND there is no off-cut piece bigger than a splinter, the plate isn't needed, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 I was going to ask about your "ZCI". So the plate is not needed because there's no offcut AND you're using a sled? What if you weren't using a sled, but cutting directly on the table top? I guess I've been wondering lately what people do for a ZCI when using a dado set? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 @Mark J, I suppose the sled is just marginally better than a miter gage with auxilliary fence, in that it supports the work from bottom and back as crosses the yawning chasm in the table and engages the cutter. As for zci and dado stacks, make 'em just like for a saw blade .... but who is going to take time to make and insert for every possible width of dado? At best most folks might have one or two inserts, matching the max width of the stack, and perhaps one commonly used size smaller. While I have made a couple of inserts, if I need zero clearance, I typically turn to a sled. Frankly, because the ledge my throat plate sits on is oddly shaped, its faster to bang out a sled. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 20, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 So, ball game = shop time today. I finished joining the leg assemblies (pic later), trimmed the top panel to size, ripped the drawer fronts out of the case front, and trimmed the case parts to final length. The top has one board with an open knot through it, so I decided to try an inlay patch. Traced a randomly shaped patch onto painters tape to form a pattern. I'll be filling holes all over this thing, so I just free-handed the router. A tad gappy, no big deal. To trim it flush, I placed two scraps of mdf as stand-offs, then set the plunge depth so the bit just kisses the tape. Milled away the proud surface of the patch. Here some tape is removed to show the edge. Smoooooth. I decided to take advantage of wood that will be hidden, and practiced hand cutting dovetails for the case corners. Nothing fancy, just one big tail. Gang-cut two at a time for speed. That blue tape is a LOT easier to see than a pencil line or knife mark on walnut. Used my Vertas wheel cutter marking gauge the cut through the tape to set the baseline. Now if I could just remember to cut the socket on the WASTE side of the line.... oh, well, I have 3 more tries to get a tight joint. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Will you be installing the inlay with epoxy? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, Coop said: Will you be installing the inlay with epoxy? No, just tightbond. I'll be filling several defects, including the gaps around that patch, with Bondo. That's a type of epoxy, I suppose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 12 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: That's a type of epoxy, I suppose. Bondo is polyester resin. Quite different than epoxy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 22, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 Photo-dump ahead! Catching up on several short work sessions. The drawers needed a central divider to support the slides, so I added on, using a sliding dovetail for strength. Clamps, scraps and square make for an improvises router guide. Keeping the route setup untouched, I flipped it over into my bench vise and improvised another fence to guide the end piece. And voila, end result. The blocky feet needed shape. Starting with the bottom cut-out, I plunge-cut with my TS to get a square cut. Volumes of smoke reminded me I forgot to switch to a ripping blade first! The sled let me better control the linear motion of the work while using the fence as a stop. No off-cut, so no flying spear risk. Finished off the cut with grandpa's old handsaw. I also made several feet of "cock-beading" to apply around the drawer fronts and bottom of tbe case. A scrap block is quck and easy for holding the work tight to the small bit, while keeping fingers away. Finally, a couple of sanity check shots. Parts are just stacked and clamped, but this let me verify that the overall dimensions work. Still have to build drawers, but I'm going with ball-bearing slides for simplicity and ease of use. Anyone have experience with GF milk paint? Pretty sure that will be my color coat, topped with a water borne poly. Open to suggestions there. Not planning to spray, the weather is too volatile, and my spraying experience is minimal. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 23, 2020 Report Share Posted December 23, 2020 Looking good so far Ross. The handle on that hand saw looks worn in a really cool way. Marc did a kitchen cabinet refresh in his mom's place a few months back and he did what you are thinking. He used GF's milk paint and their High Performance satin for the top coat. I was going to do the same thing until I ran across the Benjamin Moore product I used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2020 @Chet, what product was that? GF isn't commonly available around here, I might need to investigate Benjamin Moore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.