Use it or lose it

[Shawn Pixley]

I haven't been making too many things as I have had to work long hours for the last several months. So two weekends ago, I had a full weekend without working so I thought I'd make a shoe rack for LOML. The shoe rack envisioned was pretty simple, essentially a bookcase / shelving unit. I could have knocked one together out of ply or poplar and painted it and be done with it in a day, but you know...

So I ended up scoring some "Natural Maple" (read as a mixture of sapwood and heartwood). There were a couple of nice pieces at cheap prices so away I went. After cutting it into manageable pieces with a nice handsaw from Mike Allen, I flattened the stock. I ripped by harnessing electrons but dove into the dovetails by hand. Well a couple of months without sawing with precision and you feel unskilled again. Eventually, I got it back and then chopped the waste from the pin sockets.

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I got the four dovetail ends and one Pin end done over the first weekend.

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I struggled getting the dovetail shoulders flat when chopping, so I went to removing the waste with the fret saw. So much better. I have a Set of chisels with 30 free bevels and a set with 25 agree bevels. I use the 25 degree for the paring cuts.

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Last Weekend, I knocked out the other pin ends and dry assembled the case. I had cut the dados with the stock square. The front is sloped an inch vertically, so I would be trimming off the flying shoulders.

[Shawn Pixley]

So for the shelves, they would have rabbets or rebates to let into the dados. I favor a router plane for this task but have used the shoulder plane, chisel, etc...

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The assembly was then dry fit and various joints / connections "tuned." My very embarrassing "bench" is shown here. It is 4 thicknesses of Particle Board with a couple of Tracks recessed in and an edge of Oak. It is however flat and heavy. There is a bench vise and dog holes. The top weighs about 130 lbs. It is lifted onto a couple of sawhorses when it is needed. Most of the time the shop is a garage. I should build a proper bench but it needs to slide under the general bench when the space is in garage mode.

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I got some extended open time glue for this assembly. It all came together and it squared up well. After drying, I'll trim up the joints and fabricate some shiplap for the back.

I need to ensure I keep a project going to ensure the skills don't degrade. Use it or lose it.

[ken hatch]

Shawn,

Looks good. You are correct on "use it or lose it", makes a difference if it has been awhile between operations. BTW, they call that "Country Maple" around here. Natural Maple/Country Maple....marketing is the same everywhere.

ken

[Frederick Skelly]

Nice work Shawn. Yeah, same loss of skill bites me too, though Im far behind you in handtool experience.

I noticed the blue painters tape in one photo. Could you please explain what you used it for?

Thanks,
Fred

[Shawn Pixley]

Nice work Shawn. Yeah, same loss of skill bites me too, though Im far behind you in handtool experience.

I noticed the blue painters tape in one photo. Could you please explain what you used it for?

Thanks,
Fred

I cut tails first. When marking the pins, I cover the pin board with the blues painters tape before scribing with a knife the tail locations onto the tape on the pin board. The lines are then transferred down using a knife and a square. The base line was previously cut into the tape. The blue tape can then be removed from where the pins aren't. I then cut the wood (where the dovetails go) leaving the blue tape on the pins untouched. It works for me, but there are many good ways.

[Jim Matthews]

You do such fine work, SP.

You actually finish projects.
That puts you ahead of the Game.

[Shawn Pixley]

Thanks. I take some pride in actually finishing projects. I try to live up to my grandfather's legacy.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I keep forgetting to try that blue tape method. I have some very dark mahogany for the next build. Sure would make it easier to see the lines.

The shelf looks nice. She is a lucky lady.

[James Pallas]

Well done Shawn. I know the feeling of loosing it . After a long lay off could hardly start the saw. Don't worry much about the bench. A good craftsman can do his finish work with a feather duster or do dove tails with a sharp screwdriver. That bench doesn't take away from your skills.
Jim

[Shawn Pixley]

James, you are too kind.

Re-reading my post, I can see how it could be interpreted that I was complaining about my bench. Only a poor craftsman blames his tools. My bench is embarassing but it is very functional. I am envious of the nice shops and benches that many of you have built.

I threw some finish on the case this evening.

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The curl is starting to pop but I found a blotch where a drop of glue ended somewhere improper. Ah, I love this sort of thing...

[Pat Barry]

Very nice project! That should hold about 30 pairs of her shoes.

[Brian Holcombe]

Looks awesome Shawn!

[James Waldron]

Where's she gonna put the other 30 pairs?

[Shawn Pixley]

Here is the Shoe Rack complete.

I added some feet from some maple scrap. The back is T&G Aromatic Cedar (per LOML's instructions) and unfinished. The finish is Waterlox on the maple.

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The wood shows a nice figure (especially considering I got this from the "bottom of the barrel" pile). Unfortunately what should have been a utility piece occupied two weekends and a couple of evenings.

The shelves are all QS with lots of "freckles." LOML likes it a lot.

[James Pallas]

Looks great Shawn. I believe when you use those "bottom of the barrel pieces" they call it art, don't they? You need to make another to sell to get more money for shoes to fill it up, uh oh never ending story.
Jim

[Don Kingston]

You sure do some nice work. And if that's all the time you spent, you aren't that rusty. That's a great 2 weekend's and a few evenings. I like the bench also, if you wanted a different one, you would have it.

[Greg Berlin]

how did you attach the back? Into a stopped rabbet or groove? It seems like no one ever takes pictures of that step. Haha