Scraping.

[Derek Cohen]

The second cabinet was glued up today. While the glued dried I got on with cleaning up the exterior of the first cabinet.


Looking at the finished result, I was struck by the contrast with the, now, rough look of its original state. I think that one of the joys of woodworking comes when the finished state started to emerge, like a flower unfolding.

The second cabinet glued up minus clamps ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping1.jpg

I particularly love it when planing down dovetails and they sharpen in profile and detail. Here I first used a block plane straight across the grain, working one side to the centre, and then the other side to the centre.

I am very concerned about break out at the dovetails, and for this reason prefer to smooth the wood with a cabinet (card) scraper than a smoothing plane. I find there is more control with a cabinet scraper as it is possible to lift the blade just before hitting the dovetail.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping2.jpg

The finish off a scraper is not usually as reflective as from a smoother, but I was happy with the finish here (although it is interesting how the camera lens shows up all the flaws in the surface) ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping3.jpg

I was also very happy with the way the dovetails came out. Hardwood to hardwood dovetailing is for masochists. There is no give and no leeway for error.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping4.jpg

A few final shots for now.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping5.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Scraping6.jpg

Regards from Perth
Derek

[Dave Beauchesne]

Very nice Derek: you could park a truck on that carcass !! The dovetails look very tight from the photos.
You chaps down under have some very sweet wood available to you - the finished product will be divine!

Dave Beauchesne

[Jim Neeley]

"Hardwood to hardwood dovetailing is for masochists."

Maybe that's what Pat Benatar was thinking of in her 1980's lyrics of "Come on baby, make it hurt so good!"???

That is looking mighty sweet there, Derek!!

Jim

[Dave Anderson NH]

Well done Derek. What you consider "flaws" in the surface after scraping are to me signs of hand work. I personally don't expect, nor want, a handmade piece be absolutely perfectly planar on its surfaces as if it came off the production line at even a top end furniture manufacturer. That is not to say that sloppiness, tracks from the corner of a plane iron, oodles of tearout, or other major "true flaws" are acceptable. Again, from your pictures, the surfaces look as I would hope they would be.

[john brenton]

Pins on the outside, huh? Is that your usual preference? If so, any reason, or you just find it aesthetically pleasing.

I know it's a common practice and not just some wild idea of yours, but I just can't visualize it on my own cases. To me it just doesn't look right...as if it's not closed up right. But it looks good here. I might have to give it a go.

[John A. Callaway]

After looking at his case, and comparing my case.... I sorta think that when you have a case sitting horizontally like this, that you are getting the most strength out of the joint the way Derek cut the joint... It would seem that most of the stress to the case would be from the sides, from weight pushing down against the top... If something heavy is set upon it... And in this configuration, the joint seems as though it locks.... Where as with them turned the other way, ( as in the pic below ) in theory, and with out glue.... the joint could just slide apart.... realistically that wont happen due to friction, but the wedge action is not there...

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j87/trainman0978/DSCN2651.jpg

I guess I am trying to say that the sides just slide into the top and bottom in this configuration, and the top and bottom cant just " fall out " but the sides .... could.... and turned the way Derek has it.... the top or bottom could " fall out " but wont because the bottom sits against a floor and the top has gravity on its side.... and the sides of the case are locked into the structure because of the nature of the joint...

then again... maybe its just done different ways because we are all different...

[john brenton]

I was referring to the very first and last end of the joint being a pin instead of a tail. I like to have the tail on the end, not the pin...as far as I know that is completely a matter of preference.

That's a nice looking case you did there, and reminds me of the cabinet you added to your workbench. I think you probably would have done a little better with the pins going up into the tails, locking the bottom into the top, as the wracking you get on a freestanding set of drawers is side to side. The way you have it here would be preferable for a wall hung though.

That's a butt load of dovetailing dude. I'm sure it'll be solid as a rock no matter what you did. I'm guessing that's the blood wood from your Atlanta trip...it's gorgeous wood.

[Prashun Patel]

That was John Cougar (now Mellencamp). Besides, I was more thinking of Prince's opus, "When Dovetails Cry".

[Tony Shea]

I was referring to the very first and last end of the joint being a pin instead of a tail. I like to have the tail on the end, not the pin...as far as I know that is completely a matter of preference.


To me the ending with a half tail is the configuration that seems off. In all honesty I rarely have ever seen this config. and feel there may be reason behind this. Ending with a half tail seems like it may cause a weak point. I also think that a half pin is much more asthetically (spelling?) pleasing, seems a little more natural. If I'm catching what your saying correctly John. I may misunderstand what your referring to. I'd be interested in seeing some of what you describe.

[John A. Callaway]

John, actually that is the chest under my bench now... that was just before It got all dusty and put to use....

The Atlanta wood yielded a far better project.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?167132-Arts-and-Crafts-style-Bridal-chest...

[Derek Cohen]

The issue of the half tail is not really an issue. The corners are to be enclosed with brass corners pieces.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tony Shea]

Derek, I don't believe I see where you have half tails. Looks as though they are all half pins. Maybe I'm missing something though.

[john brenton]

They are half pins, I'm sure he meant that. I know I had to edit my posts a few times cause I kept saying the wrong thing.
Derek, I don't believe I see where you have half tails. Looks as though they are all half pins. Maybe I'm missing something though.

[Derek Cohen]

Pins on the outside, huh? Is that your usual preference? If so, any reason, or you just find it aesthetically pleasing.

I know it's a common practice and not just some wild idea of yours, but I just can't visualize it on my own cases. To me it just doesn't look right...as if it's not closed up right. But it looks good here. I might have to give it a go.

Hi John

Here is another view. It is intended that the outer verticals create a boundary for the horizontal pieces, as one would find in most (e.g. door) frames ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Frontview1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Military%20Chests/Frontview2.jpg

Not a case of right versus wrong - just a preference.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Neeley]

Oops, you're right, Prashun.. John Cougar it was!!