Birch Vanity

[Leo Graywacz]

Just finished this up today. 2 long days to get it to this point. Still need to do the interior, but that's pretty easy, just some prefinished maple ply and a back. Going to be stained a dark brown.


http://www.fototime.com/00CA472953FD5C3/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/B4F7A7A366C97BF/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/7E027D02D4F12FC/orig.jpg

[Peter Widders]

Very nice job Leo. 'Gotta say - 2 days is pretty good going for what you have there (IMHO). Finished pics also please.
Well done!
Peter Widders
Sydney, Australia

[Leo Graywacz]

Hour wise it was about 2 1/2 days.

[George Bokros]

Looks fantastic. What is the finish going to be?

[Lee Schierer]

Very nice. Be sure to show us the finished photos.

[Phil Thien]

That looks fantastic. I am also interested in seeing pics of it when stained/finished.

Two days is impressive.

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful work, Leo!

[james glenn]

Great work! Curious how you returned the "rope" trim where the vertical legs protrude from the cabinet face. It looks like a small and difficult detail to make it look so good.

[Phil Mueller]

Very nice. Ditto on the rope trim return question...well done.

[Mike Wilkins]

Looking good. I have a bathroom re-model in the planning stages and the Mrs. wants a smaller vanity. Something like this would fit the bill nicely.

[Leo Graywacz]

Great work! Curious how you returned the "rope" trim where the vertical legs protrude from the cabinet face. It looks like a small and difficult detail to make it look so good.

Very small mitered pc. Just kept cutting until it looked like it matched. Did the center pc first so it was the same on both sides and just continued around.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nicely done Leo! Please post finished photographs!

[Bruce Page]

Nicely done! The rope trim looks so good I thought it was a rope clamp until I read James's post!
Good thing I have an eye appointment next month.. :o

[Leo Graywacz]

Got the finish on. I can't seem to get a good picture of it. Lighting in the shop makes it look glary and lack of contrast. It's a pretty dark stain so the camera has a hard time dealing with it. Using a flash doesn't help much because of the reactivity of the birch. Some parts light up while others stay dark. Going to have to see if I can get a picture outside. This is the best pic I've gotten and it's pretty bad. Looks way better in person, way better.

http://www.fototime.com/2176E9330D12292/orig.jpg

[Phil Thien]

I think the picture looks pretty darn good, if it looks much better than that in person I'd be afraid to use it in a bathroom.

So what was the finish schedule?

[Leo Graywacz]

Glad you think so. I play with photography and I really think the pic is pretty sub standard, plus it's a cell phone pic to boot.

As for finishing everything is made by ML Campbell. Birch is blotchy so it needs to be conditioned. I used WoodSong II stain base as a conditioner. Applied it and let it soak in. If a spot goes dry, wet it again until it stops absorbing the conditioner. Then you wait for 2 hours.

We used a stain that was a stain match from another company. Picked it off a sample at my suppliers wall. But it had a red tone to it so I tried to shift it and added a Walnut Microton Dye in a 1:1 ratio. Applied the stain and immediately rubbed it around, then let it sit for about 1 minute. While waiting you wipe off any end grain like panel bevels otherwise they'll go really dark.

Then apply a clear coat of KlearVar. Scuff sand it.

Then because it still had some of the red undertones in it I needed to shift it. The toner is just the Microton Walnut Dye, but to shift the red I added some green dye. 1 gram per 1 oz of dye. Then applied 3 box coats of the toner with a very dry mist, it flashes almost instantly. The toner was made from 18 oz of fast lacquer thinner 2 oz of finish and 2 oz of the toner mixture.

After the toner is applied I immediately followed that with a clear coat of the KlearVar conversion varnish. Satin sheen.

[Von Bickley]

GREAT job Leo...... You sure can be proud of that one...

[George Bokros]

Beautiful. I would like to know the finish schedule too.

[Al Launier]

Simply gorgeous!!!!! 5 Stars for sure*****

[Phil Thien]

Beautiful. I would like to know the finish schedule too.

He posted it above, post #16 if using linear thread views.

[Leo Graywacz]

OK, Got a good picture of it. Man, it's not that easy to get one which it looks like it does in front of you. Sometimes the camera just doesn't see what you do.

In normal conditions it looks darker. having the bright room really shows off the color.

http://www.fototime.com/F3CA34F011CF83B/orig.jpg

[Michael Weber]

Great job. I especially like how you cut in the leg relief just below the cabinet. Bottom. Gives the cabinet a floating appearance.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Leo, ditto what Mike said about the leg detail. Very nice indeed. Patrick

[Jim Becker]

Really outstanding!