changing table finished

[Dewayne Baker]

I have made a changing for our baby which is due in July. I busted this one out in just over a week as I wanted to get it finished before my surgery. Sorry no progress posts as I kept my nose to the grind stone on this one. I drew the plans myself but borrowed some of the design and shapes from a furniture set my wife wanted to order on line.
STOP!!!! I said I can build that stuff way better than that. But I want it to look like that she said. No problem I said.
Here's a pic of what she wanted and she has ordered a crib that matches this style as I don't have time to build everything.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1115451/changingtableatwalmart.jpg

I call it the changing table that changes because after it has lived its brief life as a changing table it will be converted in to a 4 drawer chest. Beth wanted an open shelf design with one drawer like the pic. I wanted a chest of drawers so it would serve a functional purpose in its after life.
This was my solution. The front rail is removable paving the way for a solid top to be installed. At the same time I will build and install 3 more drawers and turn it in to a dresser. This shot demonstrates the lift off curved rail. I routed mortice's and glued tenons to the rail only and they just slip in to the face frame rail.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1115451/HMWYK-Changingtable001.jpg
I convinced her to cancel an order on a matching dresser as I will build that when I recover from surgery.
Product info says (sturdy hard wood construction) then below it says made with pine and cam lock joinery. ...please.
How about Q sawn white oak, curly mahogany veneer with hand crafted purple heart pulls. Dado, mortise and tenon, biscuit and pocket screw joinery with a rude and crude finish. Toung and groove Frame & panel sides. 1/2" ply panels are cherry veneer on the interior. I finished the interior with shellac for a non stinky interior.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1115451/CXXTK-Changingtable004.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1115451/OJUKQ-Changingtable006.jpg

One little thing that bothers me is I don't really like the pulls. I posted my first pull design failure you may have read. out of disgust I just whipped these out on the drill press with a 2 1/8" forstner bit and a lot of sanding. I am considering making all new drawers with a different design when I build the remaining three. What do you think?
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1115451/XEUIE-Changingtable013.jpg
Pardon me if I don't respond to your replies as I will be laid up in a hospital bed for a couple days. I will have my wife print your replies and bring them to me. I'll be back when I can.
Thanks for reading, sorry so long.

[David Duke]

Dewayne, I really like your design changes, a great improvement from the "factory" piece and the craftsmanship is fantastic. Since you asked for opinions on this I have to agree with your assesment of the pulls being a little out off with the rest of the piece. I like the style but think that the purpleheart is out of character, also I think if you stay with the same style of handle you should do away with the crossbar at the drawer face.

[Jim Dunn]

Dewayne it just beautiful. Good luck on you impending surgery. Tell your wife not to work to hard while your away. And congrats on the up comming event in your lives.

[Jack Hoying]

I like the project very much, but your thoughts about the handles are probably correct. The design and craftsmanship of them is great, but the wood selection just dosen't seem to work. Hope you don't mind, but I changed the color of the pull in Photoshop to see how it would look in a darker wood.
http://users.adelphia.net/%7Ejmhoying/pull.jpg

[Dewayne Baker]

Interesting color change trick there jack. can you make them red like red mahogany? I was pretty much working with what I had on hand and was concerned about the purple heart being out of place. I also think they stick out to far. I also made a cradle of Q-sawn white oak and purple heart and intend for them to be a set. I picked up the veneer at the wood show last year without a clue what I was going to do with it.

What do you think about some pulls of probably a more subtle style being made of red mahogany to match the veneer?

[tod evans]

dewayne, the pull shape looks good but the cross grain worries me? how about laminating them to avoid the weakness of crossgrain? .02 tod

[Tom Jones III]

Wow, beautiful work. Great curves and good wood choice.

[Tom Drake]

Wow! Very nice work Dewayne.

[Pete Harbin]

Really nice Dewayne! I like it better than the catalog piece. That mahogany veneer really pops!

Pete

[Alan Burhop]

I like your design much better then the original. I like the shape of the pulls but would match them to the panel color.

[Andrew Shaber]

That table is really cool. I have a little one due in June and thought about a changing table. My wife convinced me to make a rocking horse instead. I"ve gotten as far as buying the band saw ;) I'll show her this pic though.

[Eddie Watkins]

Really nice! Be sure to take some pictures of the baby on it so 30 years from now you'll have memories of your work with the one you did it for. Best wishes on your surgery.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Dewayne, real, real nice! It's a keeper. Hard to believe something so beautiful will be used to clean up something so, well..., stinky :D :p Good job.

[John Miliunas]

Awesome, Dewayne! Hah...and there's no way the LOYL could get anything even close to that out of some stupid catalog both, in looks and quality!!! :) Great job! As for the handles, I really like the general design, although the Purple just sticks out too much and grabs the attention from the rest of the piece, causing one to miss a whole lot of beautiful work and wood! Tone the handles down and you'll be doing just fine. :)

And, best of luck on your surgery!!! Hope it's nothing too intense and that your recovery is swift and complete. You're going to need to be up to 110% upon the arrival of your newest achievement!!! :D :cool:

[Dewayne Baker]

Thanks for the comments and feed back folks. I have plenty of time to ponder the pull alternatives before I build the dresser and remaining drawers for this piece.

Although I rarely make matching furniture as I like to try different things and give each piece its own personality.

I'll likely pick up some red mahogany to make the pulls or possibly just a recessed finger grab in the drawer face.

Thanks,

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful, Dewayne! I actually like the pulls...they are quite different.

[Eila Jordan]

Bravo to your nice looking wood construction design.

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