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Matt Meiser
03-19-2006, 7:33 PM
I completed these night stands and stained them today. Still need to put on the finish (Minwax wipe-on poly) but they won't look any different in the pictures so I figured I'll post them now.

My wife has been asking for a bed side table for most of the 5 years we've been married. I had built a small shaker table before we were married that I've been using night stand. The finish is terrible, so instead of building another, I thought I'd make a set of something different. These are my own design, and get their styling cues from an amish-made oak dresser my parents bought us as a wedding gift. The sides and back are raised panels, and I tried hand cutting the dovetails for the drawers using my new Adria saw and Ashley Iles chisels, both of which were a pleasure to use. The dovetails turned out decent. Could have been a better but I'm pleased for a first time. I took a picture of one of the best, and one of the worst.

The stain is a custom blend of Minwax stains that I came up with to match the stain the Amish furniture makers use.
Tom Pritchard
03-19-2006, 7:38 PM
Great job Matt, the night stand looks beautiful! I really like the finish, it compliments the style of the night stand. I'm sure your wife will be thrilled with such a great looking piece of furniture.

Your dovetails look great for any attempt, especially your first! I'm not even close to attempting them yet, thank goodness for pocket holes:) .

Way to go!
Jim Becker
03-19-2006, 8:14 PM
The night stands turned out very nice, Matt! Nice job.
Todd Davidson
03-19-2006, 9:44 PM
Nicely done Matt!

In peace, Todd
Jack Ferrell
03-19-2006, 9:58 PM
Really nice Matt! You even went to the trouble to make raised panels for the back. Excellent!
Christopher Stahl
03-19-2006, 10:22 PM
Fantastic job Matt! They do look great.

chris
John D Watson
03-19-2006, 10:27 PM
Great job Matt, I like the style, Real nice.
scott spencer
03-20-2006, 6:28 AM
Nice work Matt! That's the inspiration I need to get our night stands done!
Ken Fitzgerald
03-20-2006, 6:33 AM
Beautiful night stands Matt! Always at the level that we've come to expect from you.
Jason Tuinstra
03-20-2006, 9:51 AM
Very nice, Matt. The "custom" finish looks good. I really like the look of the panel sides. Nice job all the way around.
Mark Singer
03-20-2006, 9:53 AM
Matt....Looking good! Nice work and good start on the dovetails..
Bob Oehler
03-20-2006, 10:04 AM
Very nice work.
Dovetails take time trust me I know :rolleyes:

The love put in will last forever. I made my wife a shaker style table that she keeps little things on and every time she opens the draw she sees what I wrote on the inside of the left side.

I hope it will be int eh family for generations.

Keep on making chips
Bob Oehler
Tyler Howell
03-20-2006, 10:24 AM
Now that's a dovetail!!!!
Well done Matt.
Julio Navarro
03-20-2006, 10:25 AM
Beautiful work, Matt.

Out of curiosity, did you run the stile bit all the way through the stile on through the legs?
Matt Meiser
03-20-2006, 10:30 AM
Out of curiosity, did you run the stile bit all the way through the stile on through the legs?

Actually I just cut the stiles with a straight cutting bit. I did a stopped cut ending just before the taper on the leg. The ends of the rails were cut with a dado set on the TS and fitted with a plane.
Julio Navarro
03-20-2006, 10:36 AM
Actually I just cut the stiles with a straight cutting bit. I did a stopped cut ending just before the taper on the leg. The ends of the rails were cut with a dado set on the TS and fitted with a plane.

I meant the rails, sorry.

They do look very nice, thanks Matt.
John Miliunas
03-20-2006, 10:51 AM
Well done, Matt! I'll bet the LOYL is thrilled with it! :) :cool:
Lee Schierer
03-20-2006, 12:34 PM
Nice job Matt. Those look like they turned out well. I like the raised panel sides.
Rich Torino
03-20-2006, 1:20 PM
Great job Matt... I especially like the look of the raised panels...
larry merlau
03-20-2006, 1:22 PM
nice job matt, how did you cut the panels? router table or table saw? you have to much free time to make saw dust:D
Matt Meiser
03-20-2006, 1:30 PM
nice job matt, how did you cut the panels? router table or table saw?

I used a RP bit in the router table. The nice thing about that is that you get a flat area where the panel enters the frame.


you have to much free time to make saw dust:D

For now. Come spring (which just started :eek: ) my free time goes down with yard work and other activities.