Shaker Huntboard ---> Question & Suggestions

[joseph j shields]

I’m building a Shaker huntboard for my church auction. (See pic below)
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http://www.danarobes.com/retired%20pieces/mini.htm

I’ve built the carcass and top out of cherry. I have some nice curly maple veneer for the drawer fronts.
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But now I have questions about the drawers:
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#1. All the books say you should apply veneer to both sides of the board so they don’t warp. Do I really need to veneer the back side of the drawer fronts (I’m using ¾” maple for the front)??? (I don’t think it would look good)
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#2. I’m going to use half blind dovetails for the drawers and of course using contrasting woods really looks greats. What wood should I use for the draw sides if I’m using maple for the drawer fronts?
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Any suggestions???
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Thanks!
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-jj

[Mac McAtee]

I would assume that you are dovetailing the drawer fronts to the sides? If that is so, there is no way the fronts would warp.

The thing about putting veneer to both sides of something usually is when you are working on a large flat surface like a table top or dresser top or sides. Drawer fronts should not be any problem at all with the veneer on one side only.

Please be sure and post a photo of your finished piece.


And I cannot help myself, please don't be insulted by the following commentary.

That is a pretty piece of furniture. However I don't see Shaker and Huntboard being used in the same sentence. Shakers were not too involved in fox hunting. Huntboards are a Southern US style of furniture, most common on the Eastern Seaboard of Virginia, NC, SC and Georgia in a band that was no more than 150 miles inland from the coast. Mostly in the areas that were heavly influenced by the people that came to the US from England. They were the fox hunting crowd. A table that is 32" high can no way be a Huntboard. A fox hunter would fall off his or her horse bending down to get their sturrup cup off something that short, if they could even reach it.

[joseph j shields]

Hey Mac,

Thanks for the info on the drawers.

As far as the huntboard.... I'm just copying the design and I wouldn't know a huntboard if it hit me in the head :-)

Any suggestions on what wood to use on the draw sides???

Thanks

-jj

[Mac McAtee]

This is a photo of a Southern Huntboard that I made about 25 years ago from Southern Heart Pine. The wood came from leftovers of a house that was built around 1868 in Savannah, Ga. It is a copy of an original from around Augusta, Ga.

Don't know what woods you have acess to.Drawer sides, I like to use a soft wood for sides. Poplar is a good one, nice flat stable wood, good for drawer parts. I am making a piece right now that I am using Cypress for the drawer sides. You will find that if you have a hard wood front and use a softer wood sides, your dovetails fit together better. White Pine, Douglas Fir, go fancy with Mahogany.

[joseph j shields]

Mac

Nice work!

-jj

[Martin Shupe]

JJ,

First let me say I am not worthy of telling you anything about how to build your furniture.

I am planning to build this piece as well, check back in 5 years, and I might be done, but more likely just starting.:(

My thought is to use curly maple or BE maple for the drawer fronts, or perhaps some curly yellow birch I just got from Mike Mastin a couple weeks ago. (Thanks, Mike)

Your question about the drawer sides got me thinking. If I lived in the NE, I would try to find some quartersawn eastern white pine. Unfortunately, that is hard to find in my area, and wouldn't provide the contrast you seek anyway.

I have seen cherry fronts with curly maple sides, so how about vice versa? Maybe you could use quartersawn cherry for the sides? Or, here's a crazy idea....what about using black walnut, so that it will match the drawer knobs? (I'd lean towards the cherry, myself.)

Whatever you decide, I am sure it will be beautiful, and I can't wait to see the pics.

Martin, wishing he had more shop time and fewer obligations.

[Steve Wargo]

Please... Veneer both sides. Speaking from experience... veneer both faces of the drawer. You're only asking for problems if you skip this step.

[Alan Turner]

Joseph,
My favorite wood for drawer sides is hard maple, carefully selected so that there is no grain reversal, resawn for these drawers to about 3/8" to finish. These are traditional, inset drawers, which will need to be fitted after construction. Resaw the wood, sticker and stack, mill it oversize, sticker and stack, and then mill it a second time. By this time the stresses should be gone to where they will stay flat. Orient the grain on the sides so that you are planing uphill, front to back, and your final fitting will be much easier.

I personally prefer a lighter wood for drawer parts since I think they appear to be clean when they are clean, and thus impart a sense of confidence. Just my thoughts.

[Hunter Wallace]

Joseph,

I agree with the "veneer both sides" approach IF you're using
a water based glue to apply it. The moisture from the glue will
warp it. In those cases I use something called Unibond 800...
from a company in Maine I think. It's a plastic resin glue, so
there isn't technically "moisture" in it (or that's the reasoning
as it's been explained to me).

And I'm with Alan on the drawer box construction, especially with
taking the time to sneak up on the milled dimension.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Joseph, concerning the drawer sides, when I built a piece similar to this, I used cherry for the drawer sides to give the maple more pop. I don't know that I would do it again though. The maple/maple will still give you the necessary contrast with the end grain. Just my .02. Have fun and be sure to show us when you're done.