Curly Maple Chest Build

[Mike Allen1010]

This is a kind of truncated build thread of a Curly Maple chest. I hadn’t planned on posting, so I neglected to take pictures of some stuff, but I hope what pics I have will be of interest to some of my fellow Creekers.

This is a chest for our 21-year-old son, and who in his infinite wisdom is moving into a house with 8 of his teammates on the water polo team, but most importantly into a room that has no door.
There must be some upside to this that completely escapes me. One thing that’s clear - it would be helpful if he had someplace to secure his most important possessions (as limited as those might be). Which was my motivation for the project.


Here is a compass rose that will be inlaid into the chest top. I’ve tried this a couple times before with varying degrees of success. What seems to work for me is saw out with a fret saw, 1/8”thick inlay material, pare/sand to desired dimensions and glue up the elements of the compass rose inlay with super glue.
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When this is done, use that to outline the recess in the chest top it. Lee Valley offers small diameter bits that fit a dremel that I find really helpful to create the majority the recess. The hardest part for me is creating the recess for the points of the cardinal directions. I’ve had the most luck with using an exacto own knife.
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Here’s a picture of the result.
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Sawing the dovetails for the carcass. I went with a nonlinear pattern: wider tales in the middle and narrow tales on the side. Looks probably asymmetrical here because there laid out to match with a baseboard moulding.
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Midway into the project, I decided was time to resurface my benchtop. It was a lot more work than an old, fat guy like me needs (benchtop is Maple), but the unanticipated benefit is the lighter color of the newly planed benchtop makes it a lot easier to see what I’m working on – who knew!
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[Mike Allen1010]

I am a novice Carver, but struggle with the skill because I like the detail/embellishment it can add to projects. My only insight about carving is bigger is easier.
A lot of the thin elements of this had to be done with a carving knife
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.
Next was the baseboard molding. I’m trying hard to learn to use hollows, rounds and molding planes. My only woodworking related trip to the ER involved an electric router (totally my fault), so I try to avoid them at all costs. I’ve done okay with molding planes in softer woods, but in this curly maple it was more of a challenge. Turned out okay.
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Here is the glue up of the carcass:
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I decided to make the sliding till out of something called “Carob (sic?)” I found at my local wood indulgence – Tropical Exotic Hardwoods of South America (come on you have to admit that’s a great name for a lumberyard).
All I can tell you is I thought the color might look good with Maple, the slab had lots of difficult to plane end grain. Not my first choice for future hand tool projects. Here’s the completed till before and after finish:
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[ken hatch]

As always, beautiful work Mike.

I expect your panels will pull up much better than mine did. If they do not, I've found a great "pooky". :D

ken

[Mike Allen1010]

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I like frame and panel construction and using hand planes to create the profile on the frame and the fielding of the panel. In this case I was limited to 4/4 quarter stock and that meant to have the depth I wanted on the top of the chest, a simple groove in the frame wouldn’t allow enough thickness on the bottom of the frame to give the strength I wanted (I’m guessing people are going to be sitting on this chest). So I just rabbited the back of the frame and added mitered, reinforcing strips. Our youngest is 6’4,” 230 so odds are it’s probably going to break anyway.
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The bottom is plywood with aromatic cedar glued on top.


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Here is the half mortice chest lock and layout for the hinges. Hinges are one of my latest least favorite elements of any project. I’ve historically had a high screw-up rate. My preference is first mortice hinges to the door and then scribe the hinges into the carcass. Not sure that’s right, still struggle for me.


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[Mike Allen1010]

Here’s some pictures of the finished project. Finish was oil/varnish mix (Watco Natural) sanded with 600 grit (I’m not really sure why I do that, theoretically I’m hoping it fills some of the open pores in the grain). Next is Amber shellac. This is kind of my “go to” finish, which only means I have marginally less chance of screwing it up.
I really tried to use a French polished technique using a “pad” (linen fabric filled with cotton batting) to not only apply the shellac, but in the latter stages with a couple drops of mineral oil to “scratch” the shellac into us with their/my glossy finish.
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Finishing always seemed like voodoo to me, but I'm pleased with the way it turned out.
Thanks for looking,

All the best, Mike

I wasn't going to include this, and it's highly likely there is a bit of whiskey talking here, but I'm genuinely frustrated/confused and looking for some help. I love SMC and clearly if if the cost/benefit ratio were negative, I just wouldn't participate anymore (in the true spirit of Homo Ecominicus for you economists out there). I confess I'm a technological ludite. However, I do communicate via multiple technology platforms professionally for living. There are a couple IT things about SMC I don't understand, and would very much appreciate any advice or suggestions:

1) Why do we have to upload one picture at a time? It would certainly save a lot of time if we can upload multiple pictures.

2) Why do loaded pictures appear as a "thumbnail". Reading the text of the post and then clicking through the photograph separately and trying to sink the two is horrible Communication. Why can't the pictures just appear full-size in the post directly adjacent to the relevant text in the post?

3) When I upload pictures and then click "insert", why do they in fact not insert, and then I must go to the "manage attachments" drop-down and manually click on each picture to get them inserted into the post?

I don't want to be a jerk, and I am sure my complaints expressed above are largely related to my own ignorance. That said, it's a Ton of work (for an idiot like me) to post stuff to SMC and unless it gets easier, I'm out. Okay I'm sure I sound like an A. hole now. I reserve the right to disavow this post when I sober up (I'm sure I'll regret this later). I'm just saying – can somebody help a brother out here?

All the best, Mike

[ken hatch]

Mike,

First don't go :).

Second I'm not sure about multiple photos but for single full sized photos if, and I believe this is a big if, you upload from a URL like photobucket or such there will be a small check box under the URL line. Un-check the box and your photo will appear in the correct spot and sized correctly. From your personal computer I believe only thumbnails are available.

BTW, have one for me....I'm on the wagon for a couple of months,

ken

[Mike Cherry]

Looking good Mike! You always use amazing lumber in your projects! I don't know about the picture posting thing, Every once in a while I figure out how to post one.

[Mike Cherry]

Mike,

First don't go :).

Second I'm not sure about multiple photos but for single full sized photos if, and I believe this is a big if, you upload from a URL like photobucket or such there will be a small check box under the URL line. Un-check the box and your photo will appear in the correct spot and sized correctly. From your personal computer I believe only thumbnails are available.

BTW, have one for me....I'm one the wagon for a couple of months,

ken
Your still having tacos though right? I got a friend who works for Stone brewery....very dangerous relationship that one! I like my whiskey mainly though, I'm from Tennessee originally after all haha

[Jim Koepke]

Awesome chest Mike.

I also sometimes wonder about the inefficiencies of the V-Bulletin software that runs this and many other sites.

Then it comes to me that software costs money to write.

It is possible to up load two images at a time. Just use the + next to the upload button to get an option to load another image.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Your still having tacos though right? I got a friend who works for Stone brewery....very dangerous relationship that one! I like my whiskey mainly though, I'm from Tennessee originally after all haha

Mike,

When I can sneak one past the food nazi :-). BTW I found a fish taco joint here in The Old Pueblo that is as good as any in Mexico, that's the good news, the bad is it is only a couple of blocks East of Casa Chaos. or maybe that's good news as well.

ken.

[Brian Holcombe]

Mike, this chest is gorgeous!

8 ppl and no doors? That's gotta be fun for about 10 minutes.

I host my stuff on photobucket, then post up using image tags. Still tedious but less so.

[Frederick Skelly]

That chest is really beautiful Mike - the wood, your work, the inlay, the carving and your finish really come together into a lovely "whole".

Finishing is like voodoo to me too. I tend to find something that works and use it over and over. (Right now it's clear shellac. Used to be Tung Oil Finish.) Bob Flexner's book helped me understand the processes better and get better at doing it. But I'd still rather build something than finish something.

Fred

[Chris Hachet]

Awesome work, mate!

[Pat Barry]

... Finish was oil/varnish mix (Watco Natural) sanded with 600 grit (I’m not really sure why I do that, theoretically I’m hoping it fills some of the open pores in the grain). Next is Amber shellac. This is kind of my “go to” finish, which only means I have marginally less chance of screwing it up.
I really tried to use a French polished technique using a “pad” (linen fabric filled with cotton batting) to not only apply the shellac, but in the latter stages with a couple drops of mineral oil to “scratch” the shellac into us with their/my glossy finish.
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Finishing always seemed like voodoo to me, but I'm pleased with the way it turned out.
Mike
I love woodworking and I hate finishing because it seems that's the point where the greatest stress lies also. For example dye or stain and the onset of blotchiness or discovering glue residue, etc, etc, etc.

You project looks very nice and very natural. I am though confused though by the formula to your success. When you mention oil and varnish as a first coat could you provide more detail please? For example is this BLO and varnish? What varnish, ie: Minwax polurethane or? What ratio of oil to varnish? I am equally confused by the shellac over the top of the varnish especially the shellac and mineral oil mixture. Like I said, the chest is beautiful but how in the world did you get that recipe?

[george wilson]

A wonderful chest,really! But,I would wonder what is to keep someone from carrying off that wonderful chest! It is a highly desirable object,regardless of what might be inside!! No kidding.

[Normand Leblanc]

Beautiful work. I like the compass rose!

[Andrew Hughes]

That's some beautiful work Mike,The curly maple is outstanding. Did you feel the need to surface your bench flat to gain a advantage over hand planing the maple?.Oh I know how tricky curly wood can be.

[Mel Fulks]

Love that early 19th century sea captains chest look! As for your son, the no door thing could mean they are setting up some sort religious order.

[Patrick McCarthy]

DO NOT LEAVE. DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

Absolutely gorgeous work, again.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Mike

Firstly, great chest. You have an eye for proportions and balance.

Secondly, think 'black coffee'.

Thirdly, use Photobucket - that makes it simple to post multiple images (as I do).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dave Beauchesne]

Mike:
# 1: Please don't leave.
#2: very nice box and overall finished product. We appreciate the time you spent on showing us the process.
Thanks again--
Dave B

[Lenore Epstein]

Second I'm not sure about multiple photos but for single full sized photos if, and I believe this is a big if, you upload from a URL like photobucket or such there will be a small check box under the URL line. Un-check the box and your photo will appear in the correct spot and sized correctly. From your personal computer I believe only thumbnails are available.

Just as an FYI, many of us (if not all) can only see inline photos on mobile devices; thumbnails don't appear in the "mobile default" view. I'd explain how Manage Attachments window settings could keep photos from appearing as thumbnails, but I really can't suss out how it works. Maybe making them "Inline" (the button at the bottom right of the window) does it, but I haven't gotten around to running test posts to find out. My bad...


I host my stuff on photobucket, then post up using image tags. Still tedious but less so.
Another FYI: photos on Photobucket's site are virtually unviewable on mobile devices because swaths of the top and bottom of the image are hidden by photobucket site stuff.

I know, I know, first world problems!

[Stew Denton]

Mike,

Beautiful job, and I agree, the carving does add a lot, wish I could carve, but have things that are more basic to learn first.

Stew

[Brian Holcombe]

I haven't had any trouble viewing photo bucket pictures on iPhone/pad/ect.

[Christopher Charles]

Mike,

Fabulous work as always. Will look forward to any future posts you decide to send our way!

[Lenore Epstein]

I haven't had any trouble viewing photo bucket pictures on iPhone/pad/ect.
I can see them, they're just largely obscured by stuff.

Can you see thumbnails on mobile devices?

[Brian Holcombe]

I can see them as well, and i can enlarge them by clicking on them.

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike,

First don't go :).

Second I'm not sure about multiple photos but for single full sized photos if, and I believe this is a big if, you upload from a URL like photobucket or such there will be a small check box under the URL line. Un-check the box and your photo will appear in the correct spot and sized correctly. From your personal computer I believe only thumbnails are available.

BTW, have one for me....I'm on the wagon for a couple of months,

ken


Hi Ken, I'm not going anywhere. I was being childish and petulant, which I have to confess, has been known to happen when I'm frustrated with technology issues. I very much appreciate the advice you, Brian and Derek offered about Photobucket. Brian has graciously suggested this to me in the past and I have tried without success. I will try again.

Take care of yourself friend. Being on the wagon is not so bad, especially considering you discovered a new spot for authentic fish tacos just outside your front door!

Best, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Awesome chest Mike.

I also sometimes wonder about the inefficiencies of the V-Bulletin software that runs this and many other sites.

Then it comes to me that software costs money to write.

It is possible to up load two images at a time. Just use the + next to the upload button to get an option to load another image.

jtk

Jim, thanks for your kind comment and the suggestion about uploading multiple pictures. My ridiculous rant was way more about me than the software. I love the Creek and am grateful to everyone involved for making this Forum possible.

[Mike Allen1010]

Finishing is like voodoo to me too. I tend to find something that works and use it over and over. (Right now it's clear shellac. Used to be Tung Oil Finish.) Bob Flexner's book helped me understand the processes better and get better at doing it. But I'd still rather build something than finish something.

Fred

Fred, +1 to your comments about building is waaaay more fun than finishing. I appreciate the suggestion and will pick up Bob Flexner's book.

[Mike Allen1010]

A wonderful chest,really! But,I would wonder what is to keep someone from carrying off that wonderful chest! It is a highly desirable object,regardless of what might be inside!! No kidding.

George, like everyone here on the Creek, I'm in awe of your experience, knowledge and talent! I very much appreciate your kind comment – made my day!

I'm hoping my son's house guest will have much better things to do then contemplate carrying off a chest that frankly weighs a ton.Although stranger things have been known to happen in a house full of college students.

Cheers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Did you feel the need to surface your bench flat to gain a advantage over hand planing the maple?.Oh I know how tricky curly wood can be.

You're exactly right Andrew, the interlocking Graham the Maple was a bear to playing without terror out and resurfacing the benchtop made it easier to grip the work securely between the bench dogs. I had the best results with 50° bed angle, tightly fitted chip breaker and using narrower width blade planes that were easier to push. I also got lots of practice sharpening/ using my card scraper.

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Derek Cohen;2559054]Hi Mike

Firstly, great chest. You have an eye for proportions and balance.

Secondly, think 'black coffee'.

Thirdly, use Photobucket - that makes it simple to post multiple images (as I do).

Thanks Derek for the kind comments and the suggestions about photo bucket. It goes without saying I'm a huge fan of yours and an avid reader of your site "in the workshop".

Design is one of my biggest challenges. After many years of building things so ugly that my wife wouldn't let them in the house, I've arrived at a couple basic rules:

1) Find a design I like and slavishly copy it without apology. I think there's a reason why some "classic" designs end up in museums; there are generations of woodworkers much more talented than me that have a gift for envisioning and creating beautiful things. I would much rather find one of those and copy it than try and design from scratch.

2) When forced to stray beyond the bounds of rule #1, follow the advice of George Walker and Jim Tolpin in their book "By Hand and Eye" and think "whole number ratios".

[Mike Allen1010]

You project looks very nice and very natural. I am though confused though by the formula to your success. When you mention oil and varnish as a first coat could you provide more detail please? For example is this BLO and varnish? What varnish, ie: Minwax polurethane or? What ratio of oil to varnish? I am equally confused by the shellac over the top of the varnish especially the shellac and mineral oil mixture. Like I said, the chest is beautiful but how in the world did you get that recipe?


Hi Pat, I did a terrible job of describing the finish in my original post. I first apply Watco Natural color (which I believe is an oil varnish mix). While still wet, I sand with 600 grit sandpaper and wipe clean. I usually apply a second coat the following day.

As to the "French polishing", there are much better descriptions then I can provide. What I do, after waiting a couple days oil/varnish to dry hard, I put a Golf ball sized wad of cotton batting (I think that's what it's called – big white puffy stuff you can get at a fabric store) inside a small square of Linen. I use squeeze bottles to apply a small amount of shellac and alcohol to the cotton ball and then begin applying. Tried to glide the ball on and off the workpiece without coming to a stop anywhere. These thin coats of shellac dried very quickly and you can do many coats in a day. After I built up enough coats to give the finish a little depth, I add just a couple drops of shellac and very little alcohol to the applicator ball and increase the pressure. When the applicator begins to dry and no longer glide smoothly over the surface, I add 1-2 drops of mineral oil (no more) to the surface which allows the applicator to continue to glide smoothly.

My understanding is the last bit of rubbing with increased pressure, relatively little shellac/alcohol and the mineral oil "stretches" the top surface of the shellacked to yield a smooth, glossy surface. Please don't take my word as I am not anywhere close to an expert! As I mentioned, I'm not good at finishing and there are certainly much better sources of expertise on the subject. I hope that helps answer your question.

[Pat Barry]

I've got a project that I should try your finish process on. First I need to clean the dust off it.

[Martin Shupe]

Wonderful chest! Well done! Bravo!

Please don't leave.

I've always wanted to inlay a compass rose in a table top, but looking at your project makes me want to try it on a blanket chest.

I agree, posting pics is more difficult than it should be, but you have impressed many woodworkers with your post, so thanks for the extra effort.

[Ron Bontz]

Mike,
What can I say, except beautiful. My compliments sir. :)