Neander Chest- On- Chest Build Pics- Part 2

[Mike Allen1010]

Here are some pictures from the second part of a mostly Neander cherry chest-on-chest I'm building from Glen Huey’s book “Building 18th-Century American Furniture". The first series of pictures is a separate post which I think you can still see?

These pictures are of the Cabriole feet and some moulding. Warning -- this post contains gratuitous hand tool pics for no real purpose other than I really enjoy hand tool build pics from other Creekers and thought I would make a contribution:



Laying out the cabriole feet on some 10/4 stock. I really need a better material for making templates -- this thin cardboard-like stuff I got from an art store is really hard to cut with an exacto knife and takes too long -- any suggestions?


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For crosscutting thick stock like this I have a Disston D-8, thumbhole, 5 PPI X-cut that is probably overkill, but handy when you're old and fat like me.

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Here is the cross-sectional profile of the feet and beginning to establish the cove with plow plane, rip saw and gouges. I'm sure the table saw or router would be easier, but a little too scary for me. I've seen those big 1 1/2” inch out cannel gouges and wondered what they were for -- would work well for this.278469278472278473278470278471


Smoothing of the curved profiles with half-around rasps and files. I've only recently invested in some decent rasps and don't know how I got by without them before.

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[Chris Griggs]

Sweet work my friend! What is that plow plane you are using?

[Mike Allen1010]

Once the curved profiles are done it's time for mitering the feet. This is something I always thought I needed a TS for, but don't have that or a decent miter box so did freehand, probably sounds tougher than it is.


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After the miners are spline and assembled, used a scratch beader here to put 1/4 inch profile on the bottom of the feet. My Dad is in his 80’s, an engineer by training, and of the generation when homeowner -- style power tools were first readily available (I grew up with a garage full of Craftsmen benchtop-style power tools). When he visited over the holidays he said "Son, that's what router bits are for".
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The pieces that joined the rearmost feet at the back of the carcass are some of my favorite hand tool jobs – a "non-show" surface that you can bang out pretty quick and dirty. These are the tools I use for laying out a piece of scrap to the appropriate width and my absolute favorite ripsaw -- and Atkins 400 with the "perfection handle" -- for me this handle puts my hand close to the cutting edge and just makes it easy to quickly rip straight and square stock.

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[Mike Allen1010]

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I suck at math (something my coworkers my professional life would not appreciate hearing!). To divide this stock in half, I use a sector and dividers, then bench hook:

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I gang the pieces together for cutting tails -- total will reappear is probably 1.5 “, a bow saw with its long strokes makes this quick work (I rotate the blade within the frame so I can see the cutting edge versus the layout line). Gramercy both saw -- great for cleaning out ways between
dovetails:

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One of the hand tool "tricks" that has helped me the most is when carrying a layout nice line around an edge (in this case for the shoulder of the dovetail), I no longer squint and try and line up the square with the existing knife cut -- just put the blade in the existing reference cut and slide the square against it. With a little practice, dovetail shoulder should go together right off the saw blade, with no need for chisel cleanup.
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This is the full width, quick release tail vice on my current bench -- I'm surprised how much of my time I spend here versus the shoulder vice. I'm not a bench expert, but if I ever build another one, I would definitely include a quick release, full with tail vice (I would rethink the dogs -- mine are simple ¾” diameter dowels that don't really work so well).

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[Mike Allen1010]

Next is the horizontal frame that transitions the lowercase into the upper case. Here's my set up for crosscutting in shooting "frame like" components like this:

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For the miter corners -- I don't have a biscuit Joiner so went with dowels (I think Dowling jig is the first "joinery" tool I ever bought back in the 70s). Also some M&T joints for the back stretcher. I never really have enjoyed cutting mortises by hand
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[Mike Allen1010]

Once assembled, final cleanup of the frame is easier with planes that work both directions from the joint:
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Before the frame is installed on the case, time for some final cleanup with the polishing plane before the frame is installed with buttons:



Finally some molding for trim. I enjoy doing most things by hand, but have to confess I am miserable with my vintage molding planes; I spend lots of time getting them sharpened and tuned and they don't seem to stay that way very long. If I hit the lottery, Matt Bickford is at the top of my list. For planing narrow stock like this, I use a tiny machinist vise I inherited from my uncle (appropriately enough a second-generation machinist), that is held in the tail vice to keep the narrow stock flat against the benchtop.

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Finally some pictures of the lowercase assembled:

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Thanks for looking; I hope I'm not abusing the privilege by posting too many pictures here. Personally I really enjoy these, but certainly don't want to bore people.

To tell the truth, posting pictures and descriptions is waaaaay more work than I thought and makes me really appreciate all the selfless woodworkers I have learned so much from who do this on a routine basis. I'm done.

All the best, Mike

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Loving this build! Please post all the pics you can. Once my new shop is set up I want to recreate this piece that my grandfather built. You are inspiring me. He used cherry, local to him in Mississippi. I want to use local (to me) mahogany.

[Christopher Charles]

Looks great, thanks for the effort to share and please keep the pictures coming!


Cheers,
C

[Paul Saffold]

Mike, thanks for posting all the pictures and the descriptions. I like how you hold the narrow stock with a clamp in a vice. I will definitely give that a try but with a wood screw camp. Nice project.
Paul

[Maurice Ungaro]

Chris: that's a Record 44C plow that Mike is using. It looks a LOT like the basis for LV's version. I've got one, with all the irons, but have not fiddled with it much. Would love to find out from Mike how he likes it.

Mike: for your mouldings, you should make yourself a "sticking board". Easy to make and set up, and more secure in use too.

[Chris Griggs]

Chris: that's a Record 44C plow that Mike is using. It looks a LOT like the basis for LV's version. I've got one, with all the irons, but have not fiddled with it much. Would love to find out from Mike how he likes it.


Thanks Maurice. Didn't realize they made them with plastic handles. I've never seen one of that type. Does look a lot like the LV small plow. The 44s I've seen all look like this

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(44 vs 44c, i guess?)

Thanks for the info.

[Brett Robson]

Laying out the cabriole feet on some 10/4 stock. I really need a better material for making templates -- this thin cardboard-like stuff I got from an art store is really hard to cut with an exacto knife and takes too long -- any suggestions?


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I like to use some 1/4 plywood for templates. I start by drawing the foot on a sheet of paper. Once satisfied, transfer the lines to the plywood by using an awl to poke a series of small holes through the paper all along your lines, into the ply. Then you just connect the dots on the ply and saw out the pattern.

Your chest is looking great by the way! Funny we're both building similar pieces at the same time. I spent the weekend shaping ogee bracket feet too!:)

[Jack Curtis]

I like to use some 1/4 plywood for templates. I start by drawing the foot on a sheet of paper. Once satisfied, transfer the lines to the plywood by using an awl to poke a series of small holes through the paper all along your lines, into the ply. Then you just connect the dots on the ply and saw out the pattern....

Me, too, on the plywood; but only if I plan on building more of the same piece. Otherwise it's one-off mat (matte?) board, like that used for art mounting/matting.

Mike, your work is great, loved reading this thread.

[Mike Allen1010]

Loving this build! Please post all the pics you can. Once my new shop is set up I want to recreate this piece that my grandfather built. You are inspiring me. He used cherry, local to him in Mississippi. I want to use local (to me) mahogany.

Malcolm, your grandfather's chest is Awesome -- Looks like a great project - best of luck with the build!it seems that your grandfather's chest and the one I'm building are quite similar, I'm thinking of maybe a carved shell for the top, middle drawer, in place of the hardware that's on my version -- what do you think?

[Mike Allen1010]

Chris: that's a Record 44C plow that Mike is using. It looks a LOT like the basis for LV's version. I've got one, with all the irons, but have not fiddled with it much. Would love to find out from Mike how he likes it.

Mike: for your mouldings, you should make yourself a "sticking board". Easy to make and set up, and more secure in use too.

Hi Chris and Maurice, always great to hear from you -- thanks for your kind comments and best wishes for a very Happy New Year!

Maurice is absolutely correct -- the plane is a Record, circa about 1975. I got it from the Garrett Wade catalog, when that was one of the few sources of quality hand tools available. Interestingly, the irons are in a plastic sleeve labeled Marple's. It works fairly well (any limitations are probably the user); the irons hold good edge. I can't seem to make the depth stop work (highly possible I lost some parts along the way). The fence locks securely but isn't square to the sole of the plane, requiring an attached wooden fence to compensate and get everything back to square.

Maurice, I too am a big fan of the shooting boards. However, in the build pics, the molding was created on the edge of a wider board and then ripped by hand saw. I'm planing that ripped surface which is the widest part of the molding (the edge that will be just adjacent to the carcass), which means the narrow, profiled edge is on the bench top, which is why shooting board wouldn't really work - at least as best as I can figure.

I just finished the uppercase -- had to "do over" several of the sliding dovetail horizontal dividers as I rushed assuming they were all the same length and ultimately discovered, of course I was wrong which meant I had to spend more time making replacement parts -- as I think Joshua would say -- the false economy of being "being in a hurry".

Hopefully I'll post some pictures in a few days. I have to confess, the technology part of posting pictures is a big job for me and I will have to psych up to see if I can get it done.

Best wishes for a very happy 2014 to all my fellow Creekers!

All the best, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

I like to use some 1/4 plywood for templates. I start by drawing the foot on a sheet of paper. Once satisfied, transfer the lines to the plywood by using an awl to poke a series of small holes through the paper all along your lines, into the ply. Then you just connect the dots on the ply and saw out the pattern.

Your chest is looking great by the way! Funny we're both building similar"s at the same time. I spent the weekend shaping ogee bracket feet too!:)

Hi Brett,Thanks for your comments. You're too gracious to point out I was using the wrong term -- as was writing "cabriole" feet something about it didn't sound right -- upon reading your post I now realize the "ogee bracket feet" is the correct description I was looking for.

Cheers Mike

[Andrew Hughes]

Looks great Mike,Not sure if you already mentioned the finish schedule,are you going to work on finish as you build or wait till the end? What great weather were having right now been 70 past week here.
Sorry east coast couldn't resist.:p

[Maurice Ungaro]

Mike: funny you should mention the plastic sleeve for the irons! I've got that too. As for the depth stop, I think that's what gave me some problems last time as well. Thinking I might have to rough up the texture of the depth stop rod to give it some tooth.

[Jim Koepke]

The project is looking great.

For templates shop scrap is often cut into thin pieces for all kinds of uses. One of those uses is to make templates.

Just drill a hole and mark them with a Sharpie so they can stay on a nail until next time.

jtk

[Mike Allen1010]

Looks great Mike,Not sure if you already mentioned the finish schedule,are you going to work on finish as you build or wait till the end? What great weather were having right now been 70 past week here.
Sorry east coast couldn't resist.:p


Hi Andrew, great to hear from you.

I am still thinking about the finish, but will probably go with some kind of a "vintage Cherry" dye to darken the overall tone, some oil to pop the grain and then pad on shellac – I'm thinking about using Behlen's Qualasol (sic?), versus the blonde shellac flakes I typically use. I would appreciate any suggestions/feedback from anyone who's used Qualasol for French polishing before. I'm reluctant to "try out" a new finishing product on this project – it wouldn't be the first time I've screwed up a decent build with a crappy finish!

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I would appreciate some advice on a aesthetic design question: the drawers in the chest will have applied cock beading. The original has a uniform finish, but I was thinking about ebonizing the cock beating to highlight the pocket fit of the drawers – what you think?

The original also has what I think are Chippendale style brass hardware around the drawer lock escruthcens in the centers of the drawers (I think to look visually similar to the pulls?). There is a picture of the original that shows the hardware in the "Neander chest on chest build pics part 1" post, but I can't attach it here. I won't be including locks on the drawers and was thinking about carving a small applied fan/or shell for the top center drawer and eliminating the brass hardware in the middle of the rest of the drawers - will that work or will the lack of a central visual feature on all the other drawers look unbalanced?

I really stink at design (which is why I tend to stick close to existing pieces), and again very much appreciate any feedback and suggestions from my fellow Neanders.

Thanks in advance for your help!

All the best, Mike

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I tried ebonizing cock beading once; from a distance it just ended up looking too much like a crazy gap. The same look did work well with the cock beading on the inside of some frame and panel doors, though. No way to tell but mock something up with the woods you want to use.

[Andrew Hughes]

I haven't tried Behlens ,finishing is already vexing enough for me I just keep it simple with shellac I have several colors garnet and apricot, blonde.
I agree with Joshua a dark bead might look like a gap.I think beading is a subtle detail that's a nice surprise when it catches your eye.Making it the right size is the hard part at least for me.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Malcolm, your grandfather's chest is Awesome -- Looks like a great project - best of luck with the build!it seems that your grandfather's chest and the one I'm building are quite similar, I'm thinking of maybe a carved shell for the top, middle drawer, in place of the hardware that's on my version -- what do you think?

Thanks- grandad was one amazing woodworker. I like the carved shell idea. It would be an interesting challenge.