Hepplewhite Sideboard

[Thomas MacDonald]

Hey guys, hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

Here's some pictures of my first real attempt at federal furniture. A close cousin to this piece is housed at the MET in N.Y and at the peabody essex in salem, MA.
http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/7151/sideboard10a7dac0ku8.jpg
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/5008/sideboard1mj2.jpg
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/4587/sideboard2sv3.jpg
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/253/sideboard6rx4.jpg
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/492/spectacularblocklogo001bi2.jpg

I got the commission to build this piece in 2005. I wasn't very familiar with the construction elements of this type
of work at all, veneering, counter-veneering, coupard doors, 300+ bellflowers, spade feet, banding, cockbeading, and all the pitfalls related with gluing veneer... Man, was I over my head! This piece took about 6 months of hair pulling agony. And the scariest part was it was the 1st piece in a 2 piece set including the sideboard and the breakfront.

I really struggled through the sideboard, but got to really enjoy and express my interpretation through the construction of the breakfront. Notice the wild drawer fronts and wicked barred doors? Man, they were tough. The bars are 4 veneered and banded bent-laminated curved pieces that are half-lapped and tenoned together to make the circles. These 2 pieces compliment each other perfectly because with all my work, I had enough of the same material to build both pieces. Also, the originals were built by the Seymour's.....cool huh?

I hope you like them.....

[Ted Calver]

Amazing!! What a wonderful piece!!

[Bob Rufener]

A work of art. Extremely well done.

[Jeff Hallam]

Wow, that level of craftsmanship so far eclipses anything that I even dream about doing right now. You must really have an aptitude for all of the techniques involved. Where do you go to learn this level of work, or are you self taught?

Jeff

[jim sauterer]

what else can i say.simply beautiful

[Rob krokus]

WOW - I'd love to see the two pieces side by side.

[Russ Boyd]

Absolutely beautiful work.

[Larry Fox]

Thomas, that is an absolutely stunning piece. Nicely done.

[Wayne Morley]

Well you may have felt that you were in over your head, but the results show otherwise. Very nice!

[Jim Becker]

That's a really beautiful piece, Thomas! And any challenge within a project is good for learning as well as keeping you focused!

[Jack Camillo]

Well, I guess if it's your first, I can say it aint bad. LOL!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Holy smokes! First attempt, you say?!

-Jeff :)

[Narayan Nayar]

Mr. T Chisel,

Been a viewer of your video podcast for quite some time.

This piece is amazing. The amount of detail and precision in the inlay--superb!

Any idea how long it took the "old pros" to crank one of these suckers out? 6 months seems like not a lot of time to me, particularly given the skillful detail work, which really can't be replicated by machinery.

Congrats, Thomas. This one is even more spectacular than the bombe.

[Thomas MacDonald]

thanks for the responses guys ...i get afraid some of you would think i was trying to show of of something....i am not...i am just like all you guys..except i decided to go after this with everything i have ..i knew i could never compete with all the others guys out there...so i set out to build the best...with that said...not me or my ability ...but guys like the Seymour's and chippendale,heppelwhite,and the list goes on and on.....you gotta put yourself in the times when thinking about this work...these guys had 100s of employees working for them at all skill levels...i bet they cranked this stuff out by the week ... 1 guy made legs all day.or bellflowers,banding,veneer,drawers, and guys did nothing but mill all day ...thats the way it was...for me it is very different ..i have power tools and we think it is better ...but i gotta be honest..a table saw cant learn or teach or help me with a problem i am stuck on....i know a 10 year old kid who has done nothing in a shop all day but toast bellflowers could show me in 2 seconds....and this is where all the time goes when making a piece like this...it isnt the work its the information and trial and error that is unavoidable... and for me..its either right or wrong...period..thankfully i know guys like steve brown to help me ..i have no wife or kids...no longer a mortgage ..heck i dont have an apartment ....i have done nothing for 3 years except try to be the very best i can be at this thing we call woodworking...i know i am no different than any of you ...and you can do the tasks it takes to build pieces like this...you just dont have the time to do it all on 1 piece like i do..this piece at its core is 2 dovetailed boxes held together by a sub top and a through tenoned bottom behind the arch with 4 legs glued on..its just the legs have a ton of embellishment on them that needed to be figured out...the drawers are solid with veneered,banded,cockbeaded fronts ...now all that had a learning curve too...do you guys see what i am getting at when i say the hand work is easy on stuff like this...i can make simple things all day long ..say like the bed set ...but pieces in museums like this one challenge me and my ability to understand what true woodworking is....and for me ...well i just let my work speak for its self ..and think that if i ran into john seymour or whoever they would say well done...or at least think it...the fed table videos and pdf are all embellishments i took off of the sideboard and breakfront i encourage all of you to check it out and at least give the fan a shot...or the drawer front...all the info is there for you...and the only one who paid for it is me...and you if you decide to dedicate yourself to the struggles of the learning curve ....;)


thanks again.

if you guys want i can post some other pics of my work for discussion..or whatever...

[Roy Wall]

Thomas -

This piece is absolutely stunning. The grain in the veneers - the fit and finish.......flawless. Perfection is obtainable.

When you say :

"i have done nothing for 3 years except try to be the very best i can be at this thing we call woodworking...i know i am no different than any of you ..."

I can certainly appreciate the effort and dedication you are showing us all.
You are using your skills and talents to be the best, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is admirable to be truthful. That's what Sam Maloof has done in his lifetime, among others.

Now back to my feeble mind and a queston...

On the 'bellflowers'.....did you assemble a 1/2-3/4" piece containing the full pattern and then resaw it into strips to be placed around the legs?

BTW - thanks for the info on how a Seymour shop may have been run. I had NO IDEA that many people could be involved. It makes sense though. To divide the 1-200 tasks up so that one person dilligently perfects their one sequence of the project is Brilliant. To you and the many that make these types of repros on your own.......it is very impressive!!

[Matt Crew]

I can not express in words how amazed I am with your work.
I appreciate your sharing this and your other work with us.
I am always impressed with the fact that I could post my basement creations on the same forum as the quality work you and others have shown us.
Thank you

[Jacob Mac]

That is outstanding. And I really enjoy your site. I'm not up for something like this, but I am going to give the blanket chest a go in a couple of months. Thanks for your site, and sharing all of your knowledge.

[John Thompson]

There is no need for me to extend volumes of accolades on work you do Tommy... as the pieces pretty much stand out and speak for themselves.

So.. exquisite and let it go at that.. :)

Sarge..

[Allan Froehlich]

Tom, that is a wonderful piece.

Could you provide a close-up of the edging for the top? I have a strong preference for federal furniture too, but the edging always seems to get me.

Also, could you provide any references to books that might have aided you in designing that piece?

[DENNIS BURNS]

Thomas, Your web site has really turned me on to hand tools. I especially enjoy your sense of humor and willingness to show your mistakes. Keep the videos coming. Thanks Dennis

[glenn bradley]

Your pain and suffering have been rewarded. That is a real looker.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Wow Thomas, stunningly beautiful. I would say your first foray into Federal style furniture was a success..

[Stephen Ash]

Wow, that is spectacular! Yes by all means, please post more pictures :)

-Steve

[David Keller NC]

Thomas - Very nice, and an authentic representation of the Seymour piece in Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour.

But - do you have pictures of the breakfront? We'd love to see it (or was that posted earlier and I missed it?)

[Bob Farrell]

Lemme get this straight...you took the commission without really having any experience with actually making the critical elements of the piece?!!

I have been very impressed by your craftsmanship and web site and videos, but holy cow, none of those compare with how I'm impressed by the size of your cajones! :eek:

[John Schreiber]

What can I say on top of what everyone else has already said. Wow. I can imagine just sitting and looking at that for days.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Hey, I just discovered your website a few weeks ago! Great stuff! You crack me up. I've spent hours watching your videos. You're providing a great service and your furniture is stellar! I just wanted to say thanks. While I prefer the Shaker style (BTW nice article in FWW), I like craftsmanship of any kind and you've got the chops. Keep up the good work!

[Thomas MacDonald]

thanks guys..i am working on getting some other pictures up ...i got the desk all done...its pretty sweet

[Mark Singer]

Fantastic work! I really admire the crafstmanship!

[Allan Froehlich]

Hey Tom-

Your work is exquisite!

I think you should be humbled for displaying your work because it truly gives me a spark of inspiration that seems to be more difficult to come across these days.

I am intrigued by federal and hepplewhite style furniture and I have been working on projects that get progressively more complex. I have built nothing close to that sideboard, but I think I will be capable of the same some day.

I've been watching your videos and I noticed a few simple techniques that I would have never been able to find elsewhere.

Keep up the good work.

[M. A. Espinoza]

Thomas,

Thanks for sharing the photos, that piece is sick! I don't usually go for all the embellishment but Federal is just awesome. Feel the same with the Ruhlmann stuff, can't say why I like it but it works.

Awesome work, I would love to try some of those techniques but don't think I'll ever get to that point.

I also recently found your blog and really have been liking it. Its cool to see high end work presented without such a monastic attitude. Reminds me of a couple of better shops I've worked at; great builders but knew how to have fun working.

And while I love working on my own, it is great to have a some really good builders in the same shop you can get an opinion on; helps clear the fog.

Congrats on the commissions, nice work.

[Thomas MacDonald]

hey M.A. thanks and i gotta tell ya....you live in the most beautiful place on the planet ...i stayed in Hanna for 2 weeks...going around the island tons of times smoken stogies...by myself..i talked to god at the church on the backside of the island...it had been a while.....a friend backed out on his wedding last minute so i took his honey moon package:)..it was a blast..i got dive certified on the big island....i meet some great people....saw a local play in Hanna ...i will get back there soon .i hope....i like the weird ruhlmann stuff too ..maybe its the island woods he used that i like ..have you seen the palace furniture ...i love the Polynesian carving mixed with empire styles...i dont really know why it seems to work... but it does...at least on the island it does....Aloha!

[Todd Bin]

I think you mean Shwweeeet and not sweet. And how long did it take you to get that thing done. And I bet it was "worth it in the end". Did you have to smash out anything with a hammer along the way?

Love the show,

Todd

[willie sobat]

I am awed. You are an artist.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I'm shamelessly bumping this back to the top for another look. Absolutely stunning!

-Jeff :)