Pair of Dressers

[gee-dub]

The hook and loop soft pad works very well for edges you have already established a (non-complex) profile on but still need to smooth.

I get results that only require a little more hand work; sometimes none.

I check my progress with a wipe of DNA and a raking light. If I have a larger or longer surface to inspect I use mineral spirits as the effect last longer. The downside is that if everything is fine you still have to wait for the MS to off gas.

I get my first look that looks something like the Sketch Up drawing.

I have edge finished the other top, marked fastening locations, and will proceed after a short break . . . I seem to take those more often lately.

[gee-dub]

I usually favor figure 8 connectors or shop made "buttons" to secure tops. I've had some Z clips in stock for years and thought I would use a few. Even though there is an attachment point at each corner, people like to lift things by the tops so I will add 3 more connection points. I chuck up a slot cutter and set the height. I clamp a block of wood to the member to be cut to give me a greater bearing surface for the router base.

A none-too-specific length slot gets cut on each upper drawer divider and one at the back rail.

Between designing the dressers and getting them installed we decided to go with plantation shutters for the windows. The dressers were going to be a smidge taller than the lower ledge of the window frames. With the addition of the shutters these dimensions changed. Time for everyone to get a little shorter.

I'm going to use the guided circular saw for this. I found that using a pair of rail connectors gives me a more solid pair of guide rails. One on one side . . .

. . . and one on the other. YMMV.

I find yet another use for the cabinet door holder jig thingy.

And presto. Everyone is an inch and a quarter, shorter. And I'm a poet, and didn't know it .

I re-profile the bottoms of the feet and I'm ready to move on.

I was worried that this leg shortening would blow the look. I did a "what if" test in Sketch Up before committing and we decided it was OK.

[Von]

I probably have used my biscuit joiner for making slots for Z-clips as often as for aligning boards for panels.

Sounds like you are content with connecting your saw tracks (as opposed to an 8' track)? I know the day will come when I need to cut longer than my 55-inch track... TIA

[gee-dub]

On 4/19/2024 at 3:13 PM, Von said:

Sounds like you are content with connecting your saw tracks (as opposed to an 8' track)?

It's been a while but I believe that was a money decision.  I got the saw, clamps and one track in a kit on special.  Adding an additional track made more sense for me than having one short and one long.  Truth be known I would like a shorter track for odd jobs.  I also picked up the Lee Valley low profile clamps which are quite handy if you are working on a flat surface.  IIRC, the additional track, connector and clamps were less than a long track so that made the decision for me.  At least that's the way I remember it 

[gee-dub]

Time to mix up my witch's brew for cherry. The first thing I do before starting to mix up high VOC materials is to put about 4 inches of water in a pail with a lid. I also don a respirator and open the doors .  The pail is for the discard of anything that has the oil based finish on it. We have all seen the videos of what happens when oily rags get carelessly discarded.

The finish simply put is; 3/4 oz. of McCloskey's 7509 Spar Gloss, 1/2 oz. Mineral Spirits, 1/4 oz. BLO, and some Transtint Reddish Brown. In the winter I will add a bit of Japan Drier to speed up the curing but, we are already full-on into spring out here so I carry on.

I always filter EVERYTHING. I have found the few minutes of extra effort and the few cents for the filter are paid back in full through the absence of finishing issues.

The mix looks like the jar on the left until shaken for about a minute. Then it looks like the jar on the right.

We all know that when using multiple sources for our finishes we have to homogenize them to avoid disappointment . I dump the existing mix into a tub with the new mix and stir, stir, stir . . .

I then filter the material yet again into a couple of glass jars.

The resulting mix yields the look shown on cherry, freshly sanded to 220 grit.

OK you beasts . . . I'm comin' for ya!

[Mark J]

13 hours ago, gee-dub said:

The finish simply put is; 3/4 oz. of McCloskey's 7509 Spar Gloss, 1/2 oz. Mineral Spirits, 1/4 oz. BLO,

These are the ratios, and obviously you made up more than 1 1/2 ounces. 

I'm curious what you use to measure out these thick, sticky liquids, and how you clean up the measures.

Another question, after you put your finish rags in a can of water, how do you then dispose of the wet & oily rags?

[gee-dub]

@Mark J - Thanks for calling that out Mark.  I tend to blather on a bit so I have developed a sort of "stop talking!" alarm in my head.  This means sometimes I talk too much about things no one cares about and sometimes miss things that may be important.

These are indeed ratios.  I use mason jars that have 1/2 oz marks up the side.  This saves me the cleaning of measuring cups and spoons which is what I used to use.  It took a few years but I have managed to get things broken down into standard increments that make my life easier.

Somewhere I have a thread about using a marking stick in any straight-sided, clear container.  You mark a stick in your required increments, set the stick in the jar and pour in materials to meet the marks.

As to the rags.  The bucket is merely a safe holding area during the finishing process.  This can take a few days for me.  Once I am done I carry the bucket outside, use a stick of scrap to lift the rags out of the bucket and lay them flat in the dirt.  I then pour the toxic water onto whatever weedy area is nearby.  By the next day (remember I'm in SoCal so the weather report is sun, sun, sun) the rags are dry and cured and I just throw them in the trash.

[gee-dub]

Not a lot to show for the last few days.  I got a couple of coats on the tops.

 

I go in for a minor hand surgery tomorrow so I was glad to get the first color coat on everything else.

 

 

The recovery period should give the finish plenty of time to cure

 

[Von]

Hope all goes well and you have a quick recovery.

[pkinneb]

Another awesome build thread!! Good luck with your surgery!

[wtnhighlander]

May your recovery be as smooth as your finish, @gee-dub!

[Mark J]

Good luck!  Let us know how you're doing.

[gee-dub]

Trigger finger fix.  All went well.

[Mark J]

Good to hear!