Mike Allen1010
10-22-2014, 6:59 PM
This is a continuing series of posts about the mostly neander build of a Chippendale Lowboy from Franklin Gottschall’s book “Building Masterpiece Furniture”. Personally I enjoy hand tool build pictures. Nothing really exciting here and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m posting for those simple neanders like me to enjoy mindless woodworking pics.
I like Gottschall’sbook because I enjoy the various furniture style/pieces represented. I recommend it for fairly experienced woodworkers as each project description is no more than a couple pages of text plus measured drawings. The author pretty much assumes you know what you’re doing when it comes the construction details (certainly a mistake in my case).
I wanted to build Garrett Hack’s sideboard, I love his shaker style pieces with the beautiful detail/design elements he adds. I ended up with this piece because the LOML wanted “something with more curves and carving”. I’m an inexperienced carver. I’ve done no more than a half a dozen shells and this is my first large-scale carving attempt.
This bottom apron on the front of the case is the first of three major carved elements. Based on advice from my fellow neanders here and in the carving forum, I used a #2 sweep gouge and a card scraper to flatten the background and remove the more prominent gouge marks (which I kinda liked). On this bell shaped central element I’ve completed the right side, while the left side still needs to be done.
298818298819
When I asked for some advice about whether I should sand background smooth, one of our fellow neanders here recommended I not sand and graciously sent me some stocks of a plant he uses to smooth carved elements. Apparently the reeds absorbs silica from the ground which gives an abrasive quality. I’m not sure I’m using them correctly, but it seemed to work fairly well (thank you Mel!).
298820
I enjoyed joinery lot more than, which is pretty laborious for me (I’m really slow!). Here are the side of the carcass joined via M&T’s dry fit together. I ran out of steam taking pictures of this, but I think there are some on an earlier post.
298821
The rails for the carcass fit/with the face of the legs and are joined with three shoulder M&T’s. I have a hard time getting my mortises uniform size so I like to use my cheap calipers to transfer the width of the Tennons. I saw these a little bit fat so I can plan the surface to a nice, flush fit.
298822298823
The shoulder is the show surface of the joint so need this to be nice and square. I use a paring chisel to establish a shoulder next to the layout line for the saw.
298824298825
I like Gottschall’sbook because I enjoy the various furniture style/pieces represented. I recommend it for fairly experienced woodworkers as each project description is no more than a couple pages of text plus measured drawings. The author pretty much assumes you know what you’re doing when it comes the construction details (certainly a mistake in my case).
I wanted to build Garrett Hack’s sideboard, I love his shaker style pieces with the beautiful detail/design elements he adds. I ended up with this piece because the LOML wanted “something with more curves and carving”. I’m an inexperienced carver. I’ve done no more than a half a dozen shells and this is my first large-scale carving attempt.
This bottom apron on the front of the case is the first of three major carved elements. Based on advice from my fellow neanders here and in the carving forum, I used a #2 sweep gouge and a card scraper to flatten the background and remove the more prominent gouge marks (which I kinda liked). On this bell shaped central element I’ve completed the right side, while the left side still needs to be done.
298818298819
When I asked for some advice about whether I should sand background smooth, one of our fellow neanders here recommended I not sand and graciously sent me some stocks of a plant he uses to smooth carved elements. Apparently the reeds absorbs silica from the ground which gives an abrasive quality. I’m not sure I’m using them correctly, but it seemed to work fairly well (thank you Mel!).
298820
I enjoyed joinery lot more than, which is pretty laborious for me (I’m really slow!). Here are the side of the carcass joined via M&T’s dry fit together. I ran out of steam taking pictures of this, but I think there are some on an earlier post.
298821
The rails for the carcass fit/with the face of the legs and are joined with three shoulder M&T’s. I have a hard time getting my mortises uniform size so I like to use my cheap calipers to transfer the width of the Tennons. I saw these a little bit fat so I can plan the surface to a nice, flush fit.
298822298823
The shoulder is the show surface of the joint so need this to be nice and square. I use a paring chisel to establish a shoulder next to the layout line for the saw.
298824298825