Can I post a metal working project?

[Jeffrey Makiel]

No! And that's why it's made from poplar!

Here are some pics of our most recent project. It is a decorative door treatment that has a faux metal look. The fabrication went fairly quickly, but the finishing took a long time. That's what the two fuzzy headed guys (my brothers) are doing.

cheers, Jeff

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/DSCF0404.jpg


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/BrightenedGrille.jpg


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/DSCF0385.jpg

[Steve Clardy]

Hey!! Looks very nice!!:D

[Dan Rider]

Nice work on the door, but that coffee cup on the jointer is making my stomach turn!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Chris Barton]

All I can say is, WOW! That looks great!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Nice work on the door, but that coffee cup on the jointer is making my stomach turn!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Actually, it was the coffee in the cup, on the jointer, that made my stomach turn!

:) Jeff

[Mike Evertsen]

Actually, it was the coffee in the cup, on the jointer, that made my stomach turn!

:) Jeff

that is a nice door.

wait till you gotta clean the rust ring off the jointer:eek: .

I don't and nobody better set and cup,glass,can on any metal surface in my shop don't would get you slapped upside the head.:D

[Frank Chaffee]

Jeffrey,
That is a very, very beautiful door… and nicely tiled deck too. The dining/living room that it leads to looks very comfortable.

That you can provide your brothers with a project that focuses and challenges their skills is priceless.

Wow!
Frank

[Dave Richards]

So you talked your brothers into doing the sanding? Wish my brother was that gullible. :D

Nice door.

[Jamie Buxton]

Quite something!

Tell us about the joints among the pieces of wood in the grill. Are there "real" joints like mortise and tenon, or what?

[Jeffrey Makiel]

The dining/living room that it leads to looks very comfortable.
Frank...It's one one of those dining rooms that are for looks only. In 18 years, I only used it 5 times. No Joking. As you can guess, we are not much of entertainers. Mostly because my family and friends are quite happy, and capable, of eating out of a wooden trough. Now the couch in the living room...that's another story. It's the place were I do my best work!

As for the other folks picking on my coffee cup, please be advised that I love that coffee cup! It goes where I go. I'm very proud of it and I made sure that it was in the picture before I took the shot.:p

Remember, a man's best friend is his coffee cup!...Jeff

[john mclane]

yeah
tell us more about this job. As a true beginner I would have no idea of how to start a job like that. I really like it and imagine it must have been hours getting the pieces cut right and lined up.

RI has more coffee shops per capita then any other state. good coffee too. Was probably the naval influence.

[Jim Becker]

"Wow!" Beautiful work, Jeffrey! Thanks for sharing it.

[Frank Pellow]

The door looks great Jeffery, and it looks like you found a way to get good help.

I, too, would be interested in more details about how the door was made.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

After the design was refined, I made a CAD drawing that would then be used as a template on one of the six openings (or panes). Poplar was chosen because it's strong, light and paints well.

Even though it may not be evident, all curved pieces have the same 36" radius bend. A homemade router base was fastened to a plunge router having two pivot points: one at 36", and one at 37" (36 + 3/4 material + 1/4" router bit). A bunch of small arcs were cut from 3/4" poplar boards. The arcs all had the same exact same radius, and the routed edges were very smooth.

The exterior frame was then made by simple half lap joints in the middle and butt joints on the ends. The frame has 6 openings...all the same size.

A full size template of one opening was printed out and the arcs were cut on a bandsaw and sanded to fit. Then the cut arcs were placed into the frame with screws and glue (and some brads also).

A final frame was added for mounting to the door. All holes were epoxy filled, and sanded, sanded and sanded. Then paint was sprayed via spray can.

The final product was very ridgid and light. Here are some drawings...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/GrilleDrawing1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/GrilleDrawing2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/GrilleDrawing3.jpg

[Frank Chaffee]

Jeffrey,
Thank you for the detailed description of how you made and laid your curved pieces in the frame.
Two questions that I have for you are, first, did you use a drafting plotter for your template, or a printer?
And second, if you used a plotter, how dimensionally true is its output?
TIA,
Frank

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Frank...I used a cheap home quality inkjet printer and plotted onto several 8 1/2 x 14 (legal size) paper sheets. I had to use 4 sheets to fit the entire pattern by taping them together with the aid of some witness marks that were also drawn to help alignment. When printing, the actual size is perfect. I have done this several times in the past on many projects. It's like a super accurate story board created directly from the drawing.
cheers, Jeff

[Keith Outten]

Jeffrey,

The door is beautifull.

I agree with you about the coffee cup.

Although I don't set mine on my iron surfaces it's your shop and your iron...rest your coffee cup anywhere you please :)

[Dev Emch]

Very nice job! I like the ebonizing that you did. Excellent.


But one of our fuzzy haired guys needs to be taken behind the woodpile! Who left the coffee cup sitting on the jointer table? Hopefully you dont have one of those round ring stains in the table now. I always tell folks if your going to do that, PLEASE USE the latest CD or DVD from microsoft as a coaster. In my shop we do this because were linux heads.:D