Small cabinet(?)—first hand-cut splines!

[Barry Dima]

Let's lead with the pic:


311617

Man, I hope that's large enough to see.

Anyway, the thing is overall rather poor compared with almost everything else on this site—but I was still riding a wave of pride for a couple days after completing it. The construction is 3x BORG pine with 1/4" oak splines. The picture is when the piece (a generous word) was still unfinished, but it's since been twice coated with some water-based poly.

The construction is all wood and glue. The splines are hand cut, which was the purpose of the project. For the splines, I used a 210mm ryoba and some used eBay chisels that I did a terrible job of readying. This project was also my first using chisels and laying out mortises. Not much info is online for hand-cut splines, so I went almost as blind as ignorant, which proved valuable. I built it all on my deck and in my kitchen with a Workmate and ad hoc clamping on the counter. I'm suuuuuper new to building save some pocket-hole stuff I've done (and am also proud of), so problems abounded. First, the unit was supposed to be about 1/3 bigger, but I messed up the miters the first time (and maybe second?). They also tore out in a couple of spots. Also, I didn't even bother with checking for square because 1) baby steps, people and 2) a lack of organization. Oh, and I had to shim a spline or two because they came out a tad too wide.

Still, I'm pretty dang happy.

If anyone has any tips on tightening up the joints, please let me know. I'd love to soak up some wisdom.

[Ted Calver]

Barry...Welcome to the creek! Glad you found us and shared your project. Nothing to be ashamed about here. Trying to hand cut precision joints in BORG pine is a challenge for any one and you did a great job.

[Barry Dima]

Thanks for the kind words! I've been lurking in the shadows for awhile, so I figure now's as good as any to actually voice up.

[Prashun Patel]

Barry, I love this project. You did a great job.

What I love best is your pride in your work. There's lots to be proud of here, even if there's lots you may want to strive for going forward.

Posting work is the only way we (and I count myself in this 'we') learn how to make things even better.

Nice work on the splines. You made them pretty tight.

For the dowel holes, you might try applying painters tape next time, and drilling through that. Also, if you use a brad point bit, you'll avoid some of that blow out.

You might also try working with Poplar too; it's a friendly hardwood also available at BORG, and a often easier to work with than pine when it comes to hand tools.

As for tightening up the joints, just practice measuring, marking, and cutting more. They'll tighten up with practice. I often look for tricks and techniques, but honestly, it comes down to practicing, making stuff, posting it for others to see, reveling in the compliments and learning from the criticisms.

Good luck! Bravo.

[Ryan Mooney]

Nothing to be ashamed about here. Trying to hand cut precision joints in BORG pine is a challenge for any one and you did a great job.

Amen preach it brother Ted!

Frankly for working with borg pine you're joints are pretty darn good!

Prashun has some good advice on the dowel holes - if that doesn't cut the mustard clamp another scrap board on top and drill trhough both at the same time will mostly solve the problem (makes layouts a smidge harder so the tape is easier to work with).

[Jim Matthews]

Nice piece.

If you have a sharp plane, you can get a really fine
finish on the jointed faces.

Next time you make one, recess the shelves in a dado groove.
No need for dowels with that joint.

FYI - Making a 45 degree miter like that, in something so large is REALLY difficult.
It's a joint I struggle to get right, and you've got four of them.

Kudos

http://norsewoodsmith.com/content/making-dados-hand-tools

[Barry Dima]

Wow, thanks so much, everyone. Coming out of my shell to post was a wise decision. My next project will definitely be much cleaner thanks to y'all.



As for tightening up the joints, just practice measuring, marking, and cutting more. They'll tighten up with practice. I often look for tricks and techniques, but honestly, it comes down to practicing, making stuff, posting it for others to see, reveling in the compliments and learning from the criticisms.


This weekend, I took your advice to heart and dug up a long scrap of 2x4 that I'm going to kerf, and kerf, and kerf. I hope it doesn't mind.



If you have a sharp plane, you can get a really fine
finish on the jointed faces.

...

FYI - Making a 45 degree miter like that, in something so large is REALLY difficult.
It's a joint I struggle to get right, and you've got four of them.


I have a plane in the mail and an old Stanley block waiting for me to refurbish it. That I don't have working one yet is a huge reason I used a chop saw. (Sorry for forgetting that in my post. I'm a dolt.) I'm not at all confident in my ability to saw a 45. I hope that 2x4 scrap will get me a little closer to a serviceable miter.


Next time you make one, recess the shelves in a dado groove.
No need for dowels with that joint.


Yea, the dowels are me trying to minimize totally FUBARing the project--but I do kind of like them aesthetically. Still, my next project with shelves will use dadoes, and I'm going to have that blog post nearby. Thanks for that! Now please excuse me while I dig around some more in it...

[Yonak Hawkins]

I like your enthusiasm, Barry. With that energy you'll be making museum quality pieces before you know it !

[mike mcilroy]

One thing we all learn is there's no perfect, mistakes will happen. As you/we do more the mistakes will happen less and a lot of the learning is how to hide the mistakes you/we make.

Also hand made objects should look like they were made by hand.

[Rick Potter]

First try? Nothin to be ashamed of there.