Christmas Gift - Better Late Then Never

[Chet]

By the time we came up with the idea to build this small turntable stand/record cabinet as a Christmas gift, it was too late to get it done by Christmas.  But as it turns out that was a good thing because when we gave my son in law a gift wrapped scrap of wood and told him what it represented, he asked if he could observe to whole build process. 

I was more than happy to have him in the shop but it did add a few twists to the process.  It's a little bit of a challenge to do all you thinking plotting and planning out load.  The other thing, it has been a long time since I worked on a project where my work time was dictated by days off, his not mine.  He was surprised to find out that the only mechanical fasteners were six screws and six figure 8's to hold the top on.

Made from Cherry, here're a couple of pictures.

 

[Coop]

That came out really nice Chet! Is SIL toying with the idea of getting into woodworking? 

[Chet]

On 3/22/2024 at 5:37 PM, Coop said:

That came out really nice Chet! Is SIL toying with the idea of getting into woodworking? 

No he is more of a car guy, he is looking for a 1967 Chevy Blazer for a project vehicle.  Both of the SIL's are car guys.  The interest in woodwork lives in the female side of the family.  I have helped with big projects with my two grand daughters and my oldest daughter

[gee-dub]

That is one sweet little cabinet. A person who appreciates vinyl is sure to appreciate it. I love the clean, classic look.

[Mark J]

Very sharp.  Your SIL is lucky.

[pkinneb]

Beautiful piece Chet!!

[Tom King]

Looks great!

[RichardA]

Ya done good!

[Ethan Heilig]

Turned out really good. Great job! 

[Ronn W]

NIcely done, I am sure he l loves it.

[Grantaxis]

That looks great! Making something like that by hand takes real patience and skill.

[Grantaxis]

On 2/14/2025 at 12:55 AM, Grantaxis said:

That looks great! Making something like that by hand takes real patience and skill.

If you're thinking about another meaningful gift idea, check out nixplay.com. Digital frames from there let you share photos easily with family, even from a distance. I got one for my parents, and they love getting surprise pictures from me and my siblings without needing to do anything on their end.

 

Edited February 19, 2025 by wtnhighlander
Removed unauthorized external link

[comp56]

Cherry is such a great choice too, it ages beautifully and gives that warm, classic look. The minimal use of mechanical fasteners is impressive, keeping it all about craftsmanship. Would love to see how it turned out! 

[Coop]

@Chet, I’m glad this popped back up. What finish did you use on this? Your fav I’m guessing? 

[Chet]

I used a one pound cut of garnet shellac and the top coat was a waterborne pre-catalyzed conversion varnish.

[Butterfield22]

I ran into the same issue with timing one year and just went with something useful and quick to pull together—a digital picture frame. You can load it up with family photos and even a few videos. It felt personal without needing a ton of shop time, and the response was great. Sometimes simple tech mixed with memories gets more smiles than hours of sanding and finishing.