Mike Allen1010
01-28-2014, 12:17 PM
For those who haven’t seen my earlier posts on this project, this is part four of a hand tool build of a cherry chest-on-chest from Glen Huey’s excellent book “Building Early American Furniture” (or something like that – exact title in previous post). Nothing fancy, just basic hand tool build pictures – which I personally always enjoy when others post them.
This build has been 95% hand tools since my bandsaw bit the dust (broken blade guide my Dad swears he can “braise” back together. I have no idea what “Braising” is - I’m probably not even spelling it right. But I love my Dad and if he wants to fix it I’ll wait).
If you'll excuse a brief digression for an explanation; I guess the reason I’m posting these build picture/descriptions, particularly here in the Cave, is I started woodworking as a kid during the 70’s in my Dad’s garage. My Dad is strictly a power tool guy – back then mostly woefully underpowered, benchtop Sears Craftsman tools (think radial arm saw, belt sander etc.) and that’s what I learned to use.
When I was younger with small kids, I gave up woodworking because I didn’t have any stationary power tools and I didn’t know that one could have fun and build nice projects using only hand tools. The first time I used a sharp, well-tuned handsaw (courtesy of my neighbor a crusty retired Navy Seabee), it was a revelation to me to discover I didn’t need a table saw! I could do everything I wanted with hand tools quickly (and frankly more accurately than with my crappy 7” benchtop table saw.)
Over the last 15 years, I’ve used almost exclusively hand tools, except for a bandsaw and I have never enjoyed woodworking more. I’m a self-taught, strictly recreational woodworker with a family and a full-time job. I’m posting this build because I hope it will encourage others about the possibility of hand tool woodworking.
In the other posts I finished the upper and lower case and the ogee bracket feet. This post is adding the solid top to the chest and moldings. Here are some pictures of an 8/4 cherry slab that I dimensioned and re-sawed for the book matched top.
281003281004
Before that this much ripping a little tune-up of the D-8 thumb hole was called for. Restoring, sharpening and tuning of vintage saws that has been neglected is a lot of work – I usually need to reshape the tooth line into a nice breasted curve, and re-profile the teeth (for a big rip saw like this I go with 5° of rake, 5° of fleam and 25° gullet angle’s. IMHO the correct set is crucial. Even .005” too much set makes for a much slower and less accurate cuts than a well-tuned saw). However, sharpening an already tuned saw is about 20 minutes and before this much ripping I think is well worth the effort. Ripping this plank took about 10 minutes and required fairly nominal tune-up with the jointer plane:
281005281006281007281008281009
This build has been 95% hand tools since my bandsaw bit the dust (broken blade guide my Dad swears he can “braise” back together. I have no idea what “Braising” is - I’m probably not even spelling it right. But I love my Dad and if he wants to fix it I’ll wait).
If you'll excuse a brief digression for an explanation; I guess the reason I’m posting these build picture/descriptions, particularly here in the Cave, is I started woodworking as a kid during the 70’s in my Dad’s garage. My Dad is strictly a power tool guy – back then mostly woefully underpowered, benchtop Sears Craftsman tools (think radial arm saw, belt sander etc.) and that’s what I learned to use.
When I was younger with small kids, I gave up woodworking because I didn’t have any stationary power tools and I didn’t know that one could have fun and build nice projects using only hand tools. The first time I used a sharp, well-tuned handsaw (courtesy of my neighbor a crusty retired Navy Seabee), it was a revelation to me to discover I didn’t need a table saw! I could do everything I wanted with hand tools quickly (and frankly more accurately than with my crappy 7” benchtop table saw.)
Over the last 15 years, I’ve used almost exclusively hand tools, except for a bandsaw and I have never enjoyed woodworking more. I’m a self-taught, strictly recreational woodworker with a family and a full-time job. I’m posting this build because I hope it will encourage others about the possibility of hand tool woodworking.
In the other posts I finished the upper and lower case and the ogee bracket feet. This post is adding the solid top to the chest and moldings. Here are some pictures of an 8/4 cherry slab that I dimensioned and re-sawed for the book matched top.
281003281004
Before that this much ripping a little tune-up of the D-8 thumb hole was called for. Restoring, sharpening and tuning of vintage saws that has been neglected is a lot of work – I usually need to reshape the tooth line into a nice breasted curve, and re-profile the teeth (for a big rip saw like this I go with 5° of rake, 5° of fleam and 25° gullet angle’s. IMHO the correct set is crucial. Even .005” too much set makes for a much slower and less accurate cuts than a well-tuned saw). However, sharpening an already tuned saw is about 20 minutes and before this much ripping I think is well worth the effort. Ripping this plank took about 10 minutes and required fairly nominal tune-up with the jointer plane:
281005281006281007281008281009