Stu Pollack
01-08-2006, 1:15 AM
Although I joined SMC about a year ago, I've only visited the site a few times. I'm relatively new to woodworking - probably an advanced beginner in skill level, but slowly improving as time permits. I enjoy seeing what others have made, so I thought I'd share my first two projects here for your interest.
The first is a mirror for our powder room made of mahogany and wenge (with a 3/16" cherry ply removable back), sort of in the arts-and-crafts style. It is a fairly simple project, which took me a few of days to make (I took my time). The mahogany is 3/4" and the wenge is 1", which I had to laminate from two 3/4" pieces (which is all I had at the time). Prior to this project, I had done only construction-type building and handyman stuff. Many basic techniques were new to me such as miling stock, laminating, glue-ups, rabbeting, finishing, etc. I made some minor mistakes, but they are subtle and not easily visualized.
I spent much of my subsequent time working on developing a suitable shop (e.g., I needed a jointer) and practicing on my tools to become more comfortable and facile with them.
My second project was a considerably more complicated one, perhaps TOO complicated for my level, but it turned out quite well, surprisingly enough. The project is a triangular corner table my wife and I wanted for our family room, to fit between a sofa (with a 45 degree end) and the adjacent wall. The table consists of a hard maple frame, a inset top made of band-sawn bubinga on top (mahogany on the underside) in a pie-wedge sunburst pattern, and gabon ebony inlay at the junction between the top and the frame. I had some superb instruction on band-saw veneering and access to a vacuum press for making the top, which took about 30 hours by itself. The joinery is floating tenon and the glue-up was hair-raising because I couldn't clamp the angled apron and legs as easily as I did during a dry-fit. Nothing a bit of swearing couldn't solve, though. The project took me over 60 hours to complete (I admittedly take my time, measuring twice and thinking thrice before cutting)! I think I'll stick to some easier stuff for the next several projects, so I can actually have a bit more to show for my time.
Currently, I am working on a small powder room cabinet (so the additional toilet paper rolls don't have to be in plain view) to match the mirror I made, made from mahogany and wenge. If anyone is interested, I'll post some photos when done (or along the way if anyone cares).
From time-to-time, I note that there are other woodworkers (e.g., in FWW and PW magazine write-in's and on SMC) in my locale of Bucks County, PA (near Doylestown). Do any of you get together? Are there any local woodworking clubs? I'd certainly be interested in hooking up. By her own admission, my wife has little interest in anything but the final product of my woodworking efforts (not that I fault her for it).
I look forward to participating in the forums.
Thanks and happy new year to all!
Stu
(I hope these images display properly)
mirror 1 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/P1080084a.JPG)
mirror 2 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/P1080086.JPG)
table top after veneering (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1589.JPG)
table 2 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1687.JPG)
table 3 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1688.JPG)
table 4 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1690.JPG)
table 5 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1691.JPG)
table 6 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1698.JPG)
The first is a mirror for our powder room made of mahogany and wenge (with a 3/16" cherry ply removable back), sort of in the arts-and-crafts style. It is a fairly simple project, which took me a few of days to make (I took my time). The mahogany is 3/4" and the wenge is 1", which I had to laminate from two 3/4" pieces (which is all I had at the time). Prior to this project, I had done only construction-type building and handyman stuff. Many basic techniques were new to me such as miling stock, laminating, glue-ups, rabbeting, finishing, etc. I made some minor mistakes, but they are subtle and not easily visualized.
I spent much of my subsequent time working on developing a suitable shop (e.g., I needed a jointer) and practicing on my tools to become more comfortable and facile with them.
My second project was a considerably more complicated one, perhaps TOO complicated for my level, but it turned out quite well, surprisingly enough. The project is a triangular corner table my wife and I wanted for our family room, to fit between a sofa (with a 45 degree end) and the adjacent wall. The table consists of a hard maple frame, a inset top made of band-sawn bubinga on top (mahogany on the underside) in a pie-wedge sunburst pattern, and gabon ebony inlay at the junction between the top and the frame. I had some superb instruction on band-saw veneering and access to a vacuum press for making the top, which took about 30 hours by itself. The joinery is floating tenon and the glue-up was hair-raising because I couldn't clamp the angled apron and legs as easily as I did during a dry-fit. Nothing a bit of swearing couldn't solve, though. The project took me over 60 hours to complete (I admittedly take my time, measuring twice and thinking thrice before cutting)! I think I'll stick to some easier stuff for the next several projects, so I can actually have a bit more to show for my time.
Currently, I am working on a small powder room cabinet (so the additional toilet paper rolls don't have to be in plain view) to match the mirror I made, made from mahogany and wenge. If anyone is interested, I'll post some photos when done (or along the way if anyone cares).
From time-to-time, I note that there are other woodworkers (e.g., in FWW and PW magazine write-in's and on SMC) in my locale of Bucks County, PA (near Doylestown). Do any of you get together? Are there any local woodworking clubs? I'd certainly be interested in hooking up. By her own admission, my wife has little interest in anything but the final product of my woodworking efforts (not that I fault her for it).
I look forward to participating in the forums.
Thanks and happy new year to all!
Stu
(I hope these images display properly)
mirror 1 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/P1080084a.JPG)
mirror 2 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/P1080086.JPG)
table top after veneering (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1589.JPG)
table 2 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1687.JPG)
table 3 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1688.JPG)
table 4 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1690.JPG)
table 5 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1691.JPG)
table 6 (http://www.ptrads.com/snp_images/DSCN1698.JPG)