Bedroom Bubinga set in progress...more pics

[John Scane]

Here's the latest of the bubinga bedroom project. I've been working on the nightstands and hope to finish them this week.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_top_glued_template.jpg

one of the tops with the template to show the shape.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_legs_top_rough.jpg

very rough top and legs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_legs_top_template.jpg

Gives a better idea of the shapes and design of the nightstands and the side leg of the headboard.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_top_angle-jig.jpg


This is the jig I made to cut the dados in the two tops. They needed to be at a 3 degree angle. I made a base for the router with a 3 degree wedge then the fence for it to ride against.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_top_dado.jpg

Top Dados cut at 3 dgrees and ready to be shaped. The legs will be glued and fit into these.

[Alan Turner]

John,
Thanks for documenting your project so well. A couple of questions. How will you fix the legs to the top? I see you are making an angled slot, and I assume you will make angled shoulders for the legs. (I don't envy you these several cuts.) But, how will the legs be fixed to the top? Glue? A mechanical device? A couple of cross members, perhpas DT'd into the legs, and then screwed to the underside of the top? Perhpas there is an understructure?

It looks like you will be using the sapwood for the top. Do you plan to color it to match? I played with Bubinga sapwood a bit, and it did take a color, a red brown dye, that seemed to match, but I didn't finish enough to really know. Seemed a bit softer than the heartwood.

I have a slab of 13/4 bubinga, and 3 other planks from the flitch, ending with a 1/2 round plank from the edge of the tree. Only the last and widest board is 13/4. The two other boards are thinner, perhpas a heavy 8/4, but the tree edge plank is about 4" thick, and 19" wide, nearly all sapwood. The thick piece is 34" wide. All are at 7' in length. It is certainly heavy stuff. I have had this wood for a couple of years, and still have no plans for it. Maybe I will start a line of furniture called "Forkift Furinture" and try to sell it into hurricane territory. I could market it as a design specially conceived to anchor an otherwise lightweight house in the event of foul weather. Anyone want some anchor wood?

One other comment, having gone back and reread all of these bed project threads. If you have a heavy shaper (think old iron), you can get a 6" tall, by 4" dia., Byrd shaper head, and pattern shape the legs in 6" or so chunks before glue up. I have a PM 26 and run a 3 x 3 head with ball bearing rub collar, and it works quite well. Just a thought if this design of yours takes off and produces additional commissions.

[Dan Forman]

Isn't there some kind of law against wood with that much figure? :D

Can't wait to see the finished product.

Dan

[Sam Blasco]

Looking good, as usual, John. Any reinforcements planned for between the legs? Or will it remain open as in the pic with the mock up top?

[John Scane]

Well here are some pics of what I did today. I cut and rough shaped the tops and fit the legs into the dados. Then I made the piece for the back between the legs. I also made a template for the bottom shelf which you can see in some of the pics. The drawer will be on 2 wood glides and have a curve to the bottom. I'm not sure if i will make the drawer face bubinga or the bottom shelf....right now I'm leaning toward the shelf ? ? ? ( any ideas ?)

Alan, thanks for the suggestions about the shaper, I really would like to use something like that...maybe I will find one when I have some more money, It sounds like a tool I would use a lot. Also, that bubinga is HEAVY STUFF!!! I always have planned on using the sap wood because I like it but there may be a few places where there isn't enough showing and I'll color it.


"Isn't there some kind of law against wood with that much figure?"

Yea the law of common sense.....This is the most difficult wood I have ever used...but I think it's gonna be really nice when it's done.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_dryfit_1.jpg

#1 nitestand

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_dryfit_2.jpg

#2 nitestand

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_dryfit_3.jpg

with template for bottom shelf

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_dryfit_4.jpg

[Joe Blankshain]

That is some nice work. I found some highly figured bubinga in wide 4/4 and 6/4 stock at Woodworkers Source in North Phoenix about two months ago. They also managed to secure for me a 6/4 slab with bark on one edge about 7' long and 24" to 32" wide. They get it in from time to time and John and Howard are great to work with. I have spent a load of cash on materials with them and intend to continue as the fine hardwoods are becoming more and more scarce.

[John A. Williams]

Nice Work!!! That is gonna be some bedroom set!

John

[John Renzetti]

Hi John, Very nice work. Bubinga is my favorite wood. Did you run into much wild grain in this project, that required a lot of hand scraping.
take care,
John

[Sam Blasco]

I'm not sure if i will make the drawer face bubinga or the bottom shelf....right now I'm leaning toward the shelf ? ? ? ( any ideas ?)

I think you are on the right track. I would say the shelf, too. Maybe a bubinga pull on the drawer or some sort of bubinga accent to help pull it all together.

[John Scane]

Thanks,

Well i went with a bubinga shelf and maple drawer face. I should get them glued and assembled tomorrow so i'll post more pics.

[Karl Laustrup]

I think the shelf looks good. At first I wasn't so sure, but the more I looked at the pix with and without, the shelf makes the piece. Well, other than that beautifully figured top.

As good as that looks now without a finish, I'd almost be tempted to jump ahead and put a finish on it just to see how much more beautiful it will be.

Thanks for the tutorial. Your documentation of the process has been great.

Karl

[John Scane]

well I got them glued up today. pretty simple, I used plastic resin glue so i had plenty of time. The tricky part was getting them square and parrallel with the 3 degree angle. I hope that when i flip them over they sit flat....keeping my fingers crossed.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_glueup_1.jpg

#1 with bottom shelf wedged in to keep things square.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/js040667/ns_glueup_2.jpg

#2

I fit a piece in the front to help keep it aligned.

thanks for looking.

[Mark Singer]

John,

Looks great...it is really coming along very well!

[Mike Vermeil]

John,

They're looking great. Can't wait to see the wood with some finish applied. Thanks for posting all the pics. Just curious - what was your inspiration for the shape of the legs - the flared out bottom? Hint of the bottom of a cabriole leg, ball & claw?

Mike