Walnut night stands done (pics)

[Rick de Roque]

Just finished these walnut night stands. They are solid walnut from some walnut trees I cut done 1 1/2 years ago. The drawer fronts were laminated from some figured walnut from higher up in the tree. The substate was less figured solid walnut. I used blind DT's for the case construction. The moldings were attached using dovetail keys. The drawer dividers use sliding dovetails with the web frame using loose tendons with the back tendon only glued to the runner for wood movement. The top endgrain was sanded to 320 so it would not darken more than the other parts. The drawers are graduated. The finish was BLO, shelac for the seal coat then waterlox for the top coat. These are the start of the bedroom set I'm making. We have had the same set for 25 years (from Levitz I think) and the wife wanted something new. Things that were a first for me on this project were:

1) Dovetail keys to hold the molding (I liked it - will do again)
2) graduated drawes (I like the look)
3) piston fit drawers (takes ALOT longer but like the feel when done)
4) Solid wood back (panel construction)

Well I'm off to make the chest of drawers to match. Thanks for looking.

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[Joe Unni]

Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

-joe

[Jack Ferrell]

Those are fantastic. Heirloom quality for sure.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Those ARE FANTASTIC. Can't find a thing distracting in them.

Bruce

[Vaughn McMillan]

Gorgeous doesn't quite describe your night stands, but it's the best I can come up with. Great job, Rick. I really love the figure in the drawer fronts.

- Vaughn

[Ted Calver]

Beautiful!! Can't wait to see the next piece. Thanks for giving us a chance to see super work.

Ted

[Jim Becker]

Wow, Rick! Those are beauties...especially the drawer fronts. Awesome walnut!

[Mark Patoka]

Absolutely stunning. That is going to be one good looking bedroom set.

[Sam Chambers]

WOW! What's not to love? Great workmanship, design and choice of materials.

[Frank Pellow]

Those are superbly crafted pieces of furniture Rick, particularly the drawer fronts!

I rate then as right up there with the very best furniture that I have seen here at Saw Mill Creek, and maybe they are the best.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick.........absolutely outstanding! Fantastic wood, design and excution! Outstanding!

[Von Bickley]

Beautiful Work... When can we expect to see the chest of drawers???:) ;) :p

[George Carion]

Those are nice.

[Andy Howard]

Those are great. I was wanting to make something very similar for myself!

Could you tell us dimmensions?

Also, are the dovetails hand cut, or machined?

Thanks,
Andy

[David Duke]

Don't know what I could say that hasn't already been said............but those are some BEAUTIFUL cabinets, can't wait to see the chest of drawers.

[Frank Chaffee]

Rick,
Your accomplishment in having produced these two very finely constructed pieces gives many of us something to aspire to.
And also, “WOW!”, and “Beautiful work!”
Frank

[Rick de Roque]

Beautiful Work... When can we expect to see the chest of drawers???:) ;) :p

Like I tell my wife... They will be done when they are done.:D This is a hobby and I only get weekends (sometimes not even that) so I set no deadlines. Thanks for the nice comments.

rick

[Mark Singer]

Rick,
Really great work!

[Rick de Roque]

Those are great. I was wanting to make something very similar for myself!

Could you tell us dimmensions?

Also, are the dovetails hand cut, or machined?

Thanks,
Andy

Thanks for the comments. They are not handcut DT's. I used the Leigh D-4. I would like to work towards handcut but I'm not there yet. I do like the D-4 though. The dimmensions are 18" deep, 22" wide and 27" tall.

Rick

[Jerry White]

Absolutely beautiful, Rick! Thanks for sharing.

[Ted Jay]

That is some Beautiful Work...! Even the back of the pieces look great. Can't wait to see the rest.

How long did it take you to complete these two beauties?

Ted

[Rick de Roque]

That is some Beautiful Work...! Even the back of the pieces look great. Can't wait to see the rest.

How long did it take you to complete these two beauties?

Ted
Took a couple of months to complete. The drawers and the feet took a long time. I enjoyed this project. (of coarse I enjoy all my wood projects:D)

Thanks for the comments,
rick

[Joe Meazle]

As always great work Rick.

[Roger Los]

Very, very, very nice. Wonderful wood and the graduated drawers really add to the pieces.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Great job Rick! They look fantastic. The drawer fronts lumber selection is just right. And the back is finished perfectly. Those feet look like the ones from Woodsmith. Might I be correct? I only made about a thousand of those :p I really enjoy the process of making them. Very rewarding. Have fun with the rest of the bedroom.

[doug webb]

Beautiful work.

[Martin Shupe]

Beautiful! I really like the grain matching on the drawers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Outstanding!!!

I'm sure they will outlast the ones from Levits :D

[Alan Turner]

Very nice, and you used terrific construction techniques. Now for those hand cut DT's.

[lou sansone]

great work... no one should argue that walnut is the king of the woods. You just can not improve on the natural beauty of that wood.
keep up the great work
lou

[tod evans]

very nice rick, classy!

[Matt Meiser]

Impressive! I love the grain on the drawer fronts.

[Mark Pruitt]

absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

[John Miliunas]

Wow!!! I think you hit both of those right outta' the park!!! :D Exquisite details, great design, beautiful wood... Sheeesh...I just don't get much better! Wonderful, wonderful job, Rick!!! :) :cool:

[Jim Hinze]

Man I love those drawer fronts... and the finish is wonderfull...

I love walnut.. especially the smell when milling :D

[Shelley Bolster]

When completed, you are going to have one amazing bedroom suite there Rick.......superb work!

[Pete Harbin]

Just stunning Rick! Very beautiful work.

Pete

[Don Abele]

WOW - those are beautiful. I love the look of walnut and those are excellent pieces. Thanks for sharing.

Be well,

Doc

[Marty Walsh]

Rick,

Everyone has already said it, but I had to add....ABSOLUTELY STUNNING CRAFTSMANSHIP!!

- Marty -

[Mike Waddell]

Wow, Rick. I haven't been on the site in a while, and when I come back I see Jason's wine cabinet and now THESE? I need to hang out here more often and feed off the creative juices of everybody's work!

Those are beautiful. I really like the finish. As I am beginning to learn, it doesn't matter if your work is top rate if you can't finish the work with skill and quality finishes.

You obviously can not only build quality pieces, but know how to finish your work too.

Great stuff,

Mike

[Martin Lutz]

Rick those are gorgeous! nice job.

[Mark Valsi]

Great work !!


Design, execution, and materials are all 100%

and, that it's made from your own walnut tree makes it all the better

[John Timberlake]

Love everything about them. The design, the wood, the moldings. Great job.

[Jerry Ingraham]

Rick, those are beautiful! Great legacy too, what with cutting the tree yourself from your own property. Family heirlooms for sure!

[Barry Bruner]

Rick great looking night stands. How did you do the profile on the front of the feet ? Seen Lonnie Byrd us a rectangle jig, then glue and spline the feet together in a L shape and cut the front profile on a bandsaw. Did you do it that way or running the board across at a angle and so on, which ever way you done it ,it looks great. I`ve made a couple that size, a couple 4 drawer ones and a 5 drawer, but yours is a step or two better. BARRY BRUNER

[Don Baer]

Very nice work Rick,

[Dennis Peacock]

Very beautiful Rick. You do some very nice work. I've seen these in person before they were finished. They were pretty then, but now? They are Beautimus!!!!! Hey Rick....did you use the Walnut that we cut and sanded here for the veneer? Looks great if you did.:D Looks GREAT even if you didn't. ;)

[Zahid Naqvi]

Nice work, Rick. Central Arkansas is just flowing with talented WW'ers. Hopefully I will get to meet you one of these days.

[Tim Barker]

Wonderful. You have alot of talent, from the design to the wood selection to the finish. Please post the other peices when you complete them.

Tim

[Ron Blaise]

Man! Those are beautiful pieces of funiture! You can buy ones like that in a furniture store, well done Rick.

[Rick de Roque]

Thanks for all the great comments. Sorry I have not posted replies but I have been out of town and the computer I was on could not log on to sawmillcreek so I couldn't post.

Dennis: yes those are the boards we sanded on your drum sander...Thanks. I have a project in mind for the burl you gave me just need to finish this bedroom set first.

Barry Bruner:Yes I did them on the band saw like Lonnie. I did some others on the table saw and wanted to try it this way to see which I liked best. I like doing them on the bandsaw the best.

again thanks for the wonderful comments.

Rick

[Frank Pellow]

Man! Those are beautiful pieces of funiture! You can buy ones like that in a furniture store, well done Rick.
Ron, don't you mean "you can not buy ones like that in a furniture store"? If you know of a furniture store that sells goods with this kind of quality, then you know of a very very good furniture store?

[Charles Bruno]

Rick,
Great work! How long did it take you to make them.How many pieces are you going to make for the full set? I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of them. I like walnut, its one of my favorite wood. Thanks for sharing!

[Joe Chritz]

Ron, don't you mean "you can not buy ones like that in a furniture store"? If you know of a furniture store that sells goods with this kind of quality, then you know of a very very good furniture store?

I believe that is what he meant. Like I say listen to what I mean not what I say.

There is a furniture store here that sells stuff as good as I could build. Raised panel backs on the shelving area, dovetailed drawers, beautiful fit and finish. When I looked at the price tag I needed an ambulance. I could pay myself 50 bucks and hour and come out ahead I think.

Nice work by the way and what bit did you use for the edging. I like that a lot.

Joe

[Jerry Olexa]

Very nice work. I'm getting interested now in using Walnut in my next project...Nice job!!

[Barry Bruner]

Rick, thanks for the additional info on the feet. Seeing a piece of furniture that good makes everyone want to start on something tommorow. Can`t wait to see more of your pics. THANKS AGAIN BARRY BRUNER

[Rick de Roque]

Rick,
Great work! How long did it take you to make them.How many pieces are you going to make for the full set? I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of them. I like walnut, its one of my favorite wood. Thanks for sharing!

It took 2-3 months to build. I need to keep track of how long something takes but I just do the woodworking then later can't really remember when I started... must be getting old:D
I plan on making, along with the night stands, a chest of drawers, blanket chest, sleigh bed, and an 18th century style slant desk.

Thanks for the nice comments,

rick