A little table that took a whole lot of work. (Pix)

[John Fry]

First I want to thank everyone who visited and responded to my last project post;

"Opposing Arches", a glass top display table (pix) (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=42730)

and, as always, I welcome your comments AND critiques on this latest project.

This small commissioned occasional table is known as a “drum” table. This one is made of Indonesian rosewood and wenge.

I knew there would be many forms, jigs, and fixtures for this project so I decided to build two tables, one for the client (this rosewood piece) and one to keep for my showroom/gallery. The table I’m keeping is striped Asian ebony and wenge. I haven’t quite finished the ebony table yet, I will put up pictures when I’m done.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/final%201.jpg

It has a 21” diameter at the top, and stands 23” tall. The main cylinder has an 18” outside diameter. The curved side panels are all bent laminations, and veneered with the final wood choice.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/final%20open.jpg

The curved door is mounted with three barrel hinges and the drawer is “piston fit” into the upper carcass compartment.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/top%201.jpg

The top is a veneered sixteen segment starburst pattern with a solid wood wenge border and profile.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/resaw%20veneers.jpg

All the veneers for these tables are shop sawn at 3/32” thick and drum sanded to 1/16” inch final thickness.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/veneer%20panels.jpg

The veneers where laid out for the most attractive “slip” match appearance and then were edge jointed and glued into panels. There are five panels, three for the outsides of the three permanent side panels, and one for the door and drawer front, and one smaller one for the inside of the door.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/lower%20case%201.jpg

The structural design is plywood disks that are trimmed in either solid wenge, or in the case of the base, veneered wenge. The main lower carcass is made up of a round torsion box, that is wrapped with bending ply and then veneered with wenge.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/lower%20case%201a.jpg

This is the bottom the carcass. I formed a recessed base that is veneered with wenge and cut the inlay hole for my signature medallion. These clamps are holding the edge trim wenge, the outer bending ply was laminated using three band clamps.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/lower%20case%202.jpg

Four layers of wenge are veneered over the bending ply to create the base. I went this thick because the top of this wenge will be routed into part of the base’s profile.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/segment%20cut.jpg

Next, it was time to start making the disks that complete the complicated curved profiles. Each disk will have eight solid wenge edge segments. The inner radius MUST be absolutely perfect to match the outer curve of the disks. I used a router trammel to make the cut.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/disk%201.jpg

There are five disks in each table, counting the top, and they are of three different thicknesses.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/disk%202.jpg

Once again the router trammel is my friend when trimming the outer diameter.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/disk%203.jpg

A cove bit and the trammel created this profile which becomes a part of the overall profile on the base.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/base%20press.jpg

Two different profile disks are vac pressed onto the base carcass to ensure a flat and good glue up. The secret to keeping everything aligned is the center holes in each component.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/panel%20form.jpg

It’s time to move on to the curved panels. I built a form with a radius that will result in the outside dimension of the panels equaling an 18” diameter. This form will be covered with bending ply to provide a good solid surface for the panels.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/panel%20press%201.jpg

Using four layers of 1/8” bending ply and one layer of 1/16” veneer, my panels will be 9/16” thick. I cut the plywood sheets to be 2” oversized, and trimmed the veneer panels to match. This allowed me to use centerlines and screws to hold the stack to the form with no shifting.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/panel%20press2.jpg

Here you see one of the Asian ebony panels sucked down to the form. The short pieces of blue tape are to protect the bag from the round head screws, and the long piece you see crossing the lay-up, is the line where the panel will be cut to separate the upper and lower panels and yet maintain grain continuity.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/segment%20sled.jpg

While the eight curved panels for the two tables were being pressed, I moved on to the veneered starburst table tops. I have a sled that is adjustable to tweak perfect 12 or 16 segment pie shapes. After carefully selecting the book-matched pairs, I started cutting the wedges for both tables.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/segment%20glue.jpg

The matched wedges are taped on the back and edge glued together. Clamping pressure is attained by forcing them in between the edges of this simple form. And then weight is applied from the top to insure flatness.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/top%20glueup.jpg

The eighths are then carefully fitted and glued into quarters, and then into halves, and then into one complete top.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/veneered%20top.jpg

The top is veneered and trimmed to the round substrate. I used a maple backer veneer.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/segments%20top.jpg

Just like the thinner disks, the 1” thick top is surrounded by an eight segment frame. Each piece is carefully and individually mitered to match the starburst seams in the top’s veneer. In my opinion, anything less than perfection here looks terrible!

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/bevel%20sled.jpg

I made a beveling sled to trim the edges of the curved panels.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/panel%20trim.jpg

The tops and bottoms were trimmed square on my table saw sled. The blue tape still marks the upper cut line to separate the upper and lower panels. I had to trim to “perfectly square” before cutting the panel in two. This was all a bit nerve wracking. One mistake and it would be very difficult to go back.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/mortise%20jig.jpg

This is a jig to cut the mortises for the stiles in the base, top and center disk. I actually made a jig to make this jig. Once again, everything is “registered” through the center of each component.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/mortise%20dry%20fit.jpg

This is the dry fit of all the mortises and tenons. You can see the second table carcass on the bench in the background.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/stiles%20shape.jpg

All of the vertical members, needed to be gently rounded on the outer face to mate up with the molded curves of their mating surface. I did this on the bench with a rasp and a card scraper. I left everything a little proud to be able to do a final, after glue, sculpting.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/panel%20tenons.jpg

I needed to cut curved rabbets on each face of the tops and bottoms of each panel to create a ¼” curved stub tenon. I used this set up with just the round guide to cut the inside rabbet, and then added the opposite form (as shown) to cut the outside.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/disk%20grooves.jpg

Once again, the router trammel was used to cut the curved groove in between the mortises on all the plates that the stiles and panels would be joined to.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/top%20bead.jpg

The top’s profile was cut with a roundover bit in the router, but there was no way to cut the fragile ¼” bullnose profile on the top’s bead without poking a hole in the center of my veneered top. I used a Lie-Nielson No.66 Beading tool to form the bead.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/double%20dry%20fit.jpg

This is the final dry fit of both the tables. After cutting 1/8” grooves in all the verticals, I used 1/8” splines to align the stiles and panels.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/glueup%201.jpg

Once everything was fit, I sanded everything to 180 grit, stained all the inside surfaces dark, and began the glue up from the bottom up. I used West Systems Epoxy for this project. In this picture all the panel’s sides, splines, edges, and all the bottom mortises and tenons are glued. The center horizontal divider on the top, is not yet glued, but used as a register to be sure everything is in line, and as a clamping block.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/upper%20glue%20up.jpg

The drawer box side walls were cut and fitted and the top carcass was glued up next. To insure the drawer box was true and square, this was actually done in three stages.


http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/final%20door%20fit.jpg

The door was carefully fit and installed. The curved drawer front would not fit in my Leigh D4 jig, so I hand cut the dovetails. The drawer bottom and sides are solid white soft maple, and the box was planed and sanded to a perfect fit.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/L%20drawer%20cl.jpg

Here are a few final detail shots. This shows the hand cut dovetails.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/molding.jpg

The molding profile and the fit of the stiles.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Drum_table%252edb/Medallion.jpg

And, of course, the Chisel And Bit medallion inlaid in the inside drawer side. The piece is signed and dated next to the medallion on the bottom of the table.

This project required a lot of accuracy. There were many very stressful times when one wrong move could have caused problems that would have been almost impossible to correct.

It was extremely challenging but very enjoyable. I will post pictures of the Asian ebony table when I get the finish on it, I think I like it better, but don’t tell my designer.

Thanks for looking,

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow! That is just gorgeous. Rosewood is one of my favorite exotics and you knocked this one out. Beautiful craftsmanship and it looks like it was a lot of work. Thanks for sharing it.

Corey

[Reg Mitchell]

Hi John. Thant is very nice work. I am not sure it would have been very "enjoyable" to me considering the amout of work and close tolerances you have discribed. More like shakeing jitters to me. But I guess that come with experiance and lots of patients. I am suer the client will love it. If not I can send you my address and I will pay the shipping :D
Reg

[John Kendall]

You're my hero! Wow... Someday when I grow up, I hope I can build something that nice! :D

[Al Killian]

Exellent job on that table. Your keen eye for detail definitely shows in this peice. Can not wit to see your other table.

[Mark Singer]

This is a difficult piece and you handled many different challenges with great skill and care! Excellent work!

[Norman Hitt]

John, what a challenging project, and you approached it Magnificiently. It is Beautiful and the planning and execution was Excellent. Thanks for a wonderful play by play documentation of the buildup. Can't wait to see the pics of the other one when it is "Finished".

[Joe Jensen]

John, Awesome work, and a very enjoyable post with great photos. I have a couple of questions if you would indulge me.
1) How many hours to do both pieces? If possible estimate planning and design separate from the total.
2) Could you have made enough money if you only built the commissioned piece?
3) Can you share where you procured the medalians?

Thanks...joe

[Alan DuBoff]

Like always, amazing! Nice piece of work.:cool:

[Philip Duffy]

An amazing achievment in artestry of wood. Thank you for sharing the experience and showing us all how to museum quality work! Phil

[Guy Germaine]

Well John you know, woodworking isn't for everybody. Maybe you should find another hobby. WAIT A MINUTE.... Maybe It's ME that should find another hobby:eek:

As usual, it's incredible. Like others here, I can only dream of producing things that nice. My hat is off to you once again!

[Hans Braul]

A level of craftsmanship that is rarely seen. Beautiful work, and lots of it (work, that is!). Which explains why we see so few round or other curved objects made of wood. Lots and lots and lots of work.

Hans

[Mike Weaver]

Well John you know, woodworking isn't for everybody. Maybe you should find another hobby. WAIT A MINUTE.... Maybe It's ME that should find another hobby:eek:

As usual, it's incredible. Like others here, I can only dream of producing things that nice. My hat is off to you once again!

Yeah, what Guy said - this is excellent!

And, quite humbling to me. You handled a very complicated project VERY well and are truly an inspiration.

Thanks for sharing,
-Mike

[Bob Childress]

Just amazing. I'm particularly impressed with your well-thought-out approaches to various stages of the project. It's pointless for me to be envious--I could never reach that level. But the tutorial will help me incorporate certain techniques into my own projects. Great job!

[Jay Knoll]

John

Thanks so much for sharing your craftsmanship, what a beautiful job! Hang on to those jigs, I suspect you'll be using them again!

Jay

[Steve Wargo]

That is an excellent piece. Very well done. Just excellent.

[Gail O'Rourke]

John, these tables are gorgeous - as well as your photography. I love the round, and the top - you are right, nothing less than perfection. I love seeing the step by steps - otherwise, I would be saying, how did he do that?

Awesome.

[Karl Laustrup]

Beautiful piece of furniture John. And thanks for the tutorial of how you arrived at the finished product.

I'm thinking that either this one or the other one your doing should be submitted to FWW. Perhaps as a tutorial or at least for the readers gallery.

Karl

[Alex Berkovsky]

John,
What an amazing piece! Maybe in my next life I will be able to create a piece of art that resembles something like this. I always enjoy reading your posts since you take the time to describe and show a pictorial of the construction process.
How did the customer come up with the idea for this table? Did he/she see it somewhere and said "I want that"?

[Neil Lamens]

John:

Appreciate the photo's and allowing us the visualizing exercise. Excellent Construction Engineering. And your glue-up approach was perfect execution.

If you get a chance I do have a question or 2:

1. When compiling the 4 layer veneer skin to the base, did you use
west expoxy there also?

2. When gluing the veneer to the base did you have a particular structural layout
as to seam location??

3. The 1/8" spline used to attache the panels to the stiles, is what
material??

4. How do you; run the groove on the panels to accept the spline???

Again.......wonderful work with a wonderful essay.

Neil

[Jeffrey Makiel]

John,
Your post should be nominated for some kind of an award...
1. One of the most artistic pieces;
2. One of the most challenging pieces;
3. One of the best documented posts.

On another note, I personally shy away from project's that can be severely ruined by one simple error as you mentioned. Instead, I try to incrementize my projects so errors can be fixed and I can relax while building them (I'm only a hobbyist, so relaxation is the goal). However, this requirement often hurts the design, but better suits my skill level.

Again, beautiful work!

-Jeff

[Rennie Heuer]

Ditto the praise that everyone else has offered. This is so far out of my level of experience that I just marvel at your skill.
Thanks for sharing these!

[Ed Nelson978]

John,

That is a very impresive piece of work, but then again I have been impressed by everything you do. The progress pics are wonderful! While your skills and equipment far exceed what I have, the pictures show what is possible and offer challenges to strive for. Thanks for the posts and please keep them coming!

[John Bush]

Hi John,
Incredible piece and inspirational technique!! Thank you for spending the time to document for us all. I think you should consider creating an instructional DVD for a piece of this level of complexity, more to demonstrate how you design and fabricate the jigs for difficult joinery. thanks John, JCB.

[Al Navas]

...This project required a lot of accuracy. There were many very stressful times when one wrong move could have caused problems that would have been almost impossible to correct...
Terrific, John, and a wonderful outcome to a series of complicated operations.

Thanks for sharing!


Al

[John Piwaron]

:D Awesome work. I'm humbled by the outstanding level of craftsmanship.

[Roy Wall]

John,

Master Class - Thanks for posting!

[Fred Woodward]

Beautiful work John. Inspirational. Thanks for the great pictures and step by step tutorial.
I also agree that you might consider submitting this to FWW.

[jerry cousins]

a beautiful piece. thanks for taking the time for the posting.

jerry

[Kristian Wild]

Thanks alot for that step by step breakdown of those pieces. I've read several of your others and really appreciate seeing how something complicated like that comes together.

Being new to this, a piece like that seems completely overwelming mostly because I have no idea where one would even start, let alone the order that certain things have to be done in.

Thanks for taking the time to document the process so carefully and share it with us all!

Kris

[Jerry Ingraham]

Nice tutorial and an outstanding piece of craftmanship! Can't wait for the Asian table. Thanks for posting the article.

[Jim Becker]

Um...'Wow'!!! Very useful information, too as I'm "considering" a curved surface on one of the possible designs for the cabinetry for the master suite in our proposed addition.

[Rich Torino]

Outstanding Work.....

[Dan Lee]

Really nice work. Thanks for taking the time and sharing the techniques

[Jim W. White]

Just phenominal!! ..thanks for posting.

Very inspirational! ...maybe if I live to be 130??!!:rolleyes:

[Lincoln Myers]

Great piece and I really appreciate the time you took to document and share it with us. I am truly impressed with your ability to produce this type of detail.

As I think we are all familiar with how many things can go 'wrong' in a typical project, the amount of pitfalls to be avoided in your project seems to be about 1000 times more. Looks like you avoided all of 'em.

Thanks again for sharing.

-Linc

[Dave Ray]

John, this is magnificent work. WOW... is the only descriptive word. Thank you for posting it and all the pictures/narrative.

[Mike Spanbauer]

Stunning work John, like everything else I've seen you produce. These pieces are gallery quality, no question. The attention to detail to achieve that incredible 16 point top is amazing and after having experienced the challenge with an 8 point top I can imagine how much more painful it is.

Fabulous piece, no question and I think I like the Ebony table better too from the coloring in your pics. Can't wait to see that piece finished up.

Mike

[Paul Zonneveld]

John once again you amaze me. I would like to know however how you get your inspiration for these pieces? I will sometimes get thoughts by visiting other peoples houses or even funature stores. I am just curious how you get the ideas for these pieces?

Paul

[Rick Bullick]

Breath-taking

[Al Willits]

I was wondering how long it took to build also.

To say it was an excellent project, would be a understatment.

Have to remind myself this is a hobby for me, looking at stuff like this could be depressing....:)

Some day........hopefully.

Al

[Tom Andersen]

John, it's very, very impressive! Isn't it hard to find customers that are willing to pay for quality nowadays?

[Zahid Naqvi]

all I can say is WOW
and thanks for the ste by step

[John Fry]

Wow everybody,

Thanks for all the kind words.

To answer some questions;

Joe Jenson,
1)How many hours to do both pieces? If possible estimate planning and design separate from the total.
2) Could you have made enough money if you only built the commissioned piece?
3) Can you share where you procured the medalians?

I have about 140 hours in both tables. As far as I'm concerned price wise, I only made one piece, so yes, I figured the time to make only one piece at about 80 hours. The way I look at it, I got the labor to make the jigs for my table paid for.
I get my medallions made at a trophy shop for about $2.50 each in a quantity of 75 pieces. They are made from a stock, 2", enamled brass plate, and I recess them with a 2" forstner bit and epoxy them in.

Alex Berkovsky,
How did the customer come up with the idea for this table? Did he/she see it somewhere and said "I want that"?

I'm not sure, this piece was designed by a professional interior designer. I might add that it is the fourth piece I've done for this client.


Neil Lamens,
1. When compiling the 4 layer veneer skin to the base, did you use
west expoxy there also?
2. When gluing the veneer to the base did you have a particular structural layout
as to seam location??
3. The 1/8" spline used to attache the panels to the stiles, is what
material??
4. How do you; run the groove on the panels to accept the spline???


1) No, I used PVA and a roller. Three band clamps were used for pressure.
2) Eachs piece was 3-1/2" wide by 58" long. I rotated the seams to make them all different and made sure the last seam was centered in the back.
3) Shhhhh! don't tell anybody, Its 1/8" hardboard. Its real sole purpose was strictly for alignment during assembly.
4) I did it on the table saw using my full kerf flat top rip blade. I made an auxillary fence with an elevated, horizontal runner, that acted as a shim to maintain support of the curved stock. I ran it through on edge. Did that make sense?
5) Good questions Neil!!


Paul Zonneveld,
I am just curious how you get the ideas for these pieces?
I can't take the credit for this one, it was done by a designer.

[Jason Tuinstra]

John,

Great job on this table. As said, the craftsmanship on this is first rate. That's for the post.

Jason

[Neil Lamens]

Hey John:
edit - JEEZ........sorry John...we must of been typing at the same time....and yes I understand your EP spline machining. John your drum table is a tough disciplined piece that I appreciate.


I thought there would be more questions but I don't see any. Did I miss a post of answers....I went slow???


I have never worked in wenge, like the look of the veneer then did a google read:

Question:

** Research mentions wenge being an open pore wood, what was your finishing schedule on this piece????

Last question (although I wish others would ask):

** How did you cover the bending ply in the top/bottom edge of the drawer and the the door????


Thanks..........Neil

[Jerry Olexa]

John, that is extraordinary work !!! Great results and enjoyed your pics of the process...Thank you..

[Jerry Strojny]

VERY COOL!!! Someday I hope to have an eighth of the talent it takes to do work like that.

[Scott Vigder]

I don't know what is more impressive; the piece itself or remembering to photograph each step of the process! Congratulations on the outstanding results.

[Mark Singer]

John,
Again great work and very well explaned... just a couple of questions..With the bending ply construction....did you insert solid stock at the drawer for the dovetails to be cut from solid wood? If so, does the veneer lay over the solid infils? Top and bottom of drawer front ....is that also a venner edge band ?
Thanks!

[John Fry]

Question:

** Research mentions wenge being an open pore wood, what was your finishing schedule on this piece????

Last question (although I wish others would ask):

** How did you cover the bending ply in the top/bottom edge of the drawer and the the door????

Thanks..........Neil

Neil,

Yes, it is very open pored, (splintery too), I padded one coat of 1.5# amber shellac on the whole piece. I wanted to tone the rosewood just a little bit to more closely match the two year old sample I'd presented to the client. Then I sanded back with 600 grit. It still left the wenge slightly open, but so was the rosewood, so I went ahead and used four coats of a commercial oil/varnish blend and left it slightly open.

I wanted an all rosewood lamination for the drawer because of the DT's. The drawer front was first laminated of eight layers of rosewood (no ply). I made it 5 inches wide and bent it on the form. I cut two one inch strips off the rough lamination (to be used later to trim the door) to get my three inch tall drawer front.

Then, for the door, I made the lamination of the four layers of ply only. I trimmed it under sized, on both edges, and edge glued two 1/2" by 1" solid strips of rose on the sides. A light sculpting to align them with the curve of the panel. Next, I trimmed the length to be undersized by 1" and then took the curved cutoffs from the drawer bent lamination, and edge glued them on the top and bottom. Then I veneered both the inside and outside faces of the door and trimmed it to fit, after the final glue up.

The piece of excess length, veneer sheet that was cut from the top, outside of the door was veneered to the outside of the drawer front for grain continuity. Then, finally to beef up the drawer front for halfblind dovetails I laminated six more layers of rosewood veneer to the inside curve to maintain the outside radius and thicken the whole thing.

I think next time I would do an all rosewood bent lam for the door too. Probably easier.

[John Fry]

John,
Again great work and very well explaned... just a couple of questions..With the bending ply construction....did you insert solid stock at the drawer for the dovetails to be cut from solid wood? If so, does the veneer lay over the solid infils? Top and bottom of drawer front ....is that also a venner edge band ?
Thanks!
Hey Mark,
We were typing at the same time, I just explained that to Neil. Becase of the dovetails, I chose to go with an all rosewood bent lam for the drawer front, and would probaby do the same on the door next time. I think I just made more work for myself trying to use the ply for the door.

[John Miliunas]

John, the Creek's TOS won't allow me to put down here electronically what is on my lips right now! Holy smokes, man! :eek: I feel I've been very privileged to see some fantastic work here at the Creek but, I have to place those pieces in my personal "Top 10" list! :) Stunning, gorgeous, classy, beautiful,....Aw heck, I just don't have enough adjectives right now to accurately describe what I'm seeing! :o And your wonderful "how to" presentation kicks some serious butt! Excellent workmanship and thank you so very much for allowing us to be a part of it! :) :cool:

[Dave Shively]

John, As usual you show that you are a fine craftsman. Very nice design.

Dave

[Doug Shepard]

Awesome job John. I love looking at your How-To pics. One pic has me scratching my head a bit - the one showing bandsawing the veneers. Is that a powerfeeder or something on the RH side of the pic? And the fence doesn't look like any I've seen. Just curious what the BS setup is.

[John Miliunas]

Awesome job John. I love looking at your How-To pics. One pic has me scratching my head a bit - the one showing bandsawing the veneers. Is that a powerfeeder or something on the RH side of the pic? And the fence doesn't look like any I've seen. Just curious what the BS setup is.

Yeah, I agree about a bit more info on the BS setup, including, what flavor blade do you use? Thanks! :) :cool:

[lou sansone]

great piece and very informative post. thanks for taking the time to put the tutorial together
lou

[Gary Herrmann]

Breathtaking. The tutorial was well done too. Thanks for sharing.

[John Fry]

Awesome job John. I love looking at your How-To pics. One pic has me scratching my head a bit - the one showing bandsawing the veneers. Is that a powerfeeder or something on the RH side of the pic? And the fence doesn't look like any I've seen. Just curious what the BS setup is.
Here is a pic of the original setup before I bought the plate fence you see in the current pictures. This is a power feeder made by Comatic. They private labeled for almost every tool maker that wants to sell them. It is mounted on a Laguna 16HD bandsaw and I run 1" carbide Resaw King blades.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/John_Fry_Photos%252edb/woodin2.JPG

The difference between a bandsaw feeder and a regular power feeder that is used on a flat machine like TS or shaper, is its spring loaded pressure that holds the material against the fence, not the table. It does not need to be reset after each cut. You can start with an 8/4 piece of flumber and slice all the way down to the final 1/16" and the spring moves the rollers closer to the blade and maintains pressure against the fence and keeps feeding.

Its greatest benefit is holding the material against the fence (very expensive finger board :D ) and its consistancy of feed rate, even though sometimes you need to help on very wide boards.

I purchased the heavy "plate fence" after I owned the feeder and ran it for a while and have never gone back to the Laguna fence.

I have both the toothed aluminum rollers and the neopreen(sp.) rollers. The rubber ones are supposed to be best for smooth and the other for rough, I dont know which is best, and its too much trouble to switch back and forth.

HTH