Finally I got a little more shop time for the pulpit project.....Updated pics..

[Terry Hatfield]

Howdy folks,

Well, I finally got a bit more done on the pulpit project. Ya'll probably remember the beginnings of it a few weeks back. Here's the thread.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=46125

I got the center section glued together one evening last week. Here it is.

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There is zero storage in the old pulpit, not even a place to set a bottle of water so hopefully this will serve those that preach a little better.

The construction of the upper octagon unit is a plywood top edgebanded with solid white oak. I have taken extra steps throughout this process to reinforce all these miters so hopefully they will stay tight. I actually pocket screwed the edge band to the plywood top.

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Today I spent a full day in the shop!!! :D It is so nice to be able to do that every once in a while!!!Here is the upper octagon together.

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continued.......

[Terry Hatfield]

I continued by putting the base octagon together. It is a bit different construction from the upper. It is 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together with cove molding covering the edge of the top piece and 3/4" sides for strength. This thing is going to be really heavy!!!!!

Here's the base put together.......

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I could not resist setting it all together of course. :D It's just dry fit but I think it's going pretty well.

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The actual bible rest is sort of like a shaker writing desk. It will have a piano hinge so there will be more storage there also. The base of the bible rest is made from 1/2" white oak and it's dovetailed together.

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I have really tried to match everything up as best I could and made the wood wrap the corners everywhere possible.

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I'm going to try and get everything permanently together tomorrow and get the crown molding on it. I tell you one thing for sure about this project.....it gives new meaning to the phrase "I carefully mitered the corners"!!!! :D Man, it has been quite a chore to fit all this together and I am not really looking forward to doing all that crown!! I am cheating a bit through...my best buddy from church is a trim carpenter and he's coming over in the morning to assist. He's put up a few miles of crown so that should help.:D

I'll post some more soon.

Thanks for looking and everyone have a great Christmas!!!!!!!!

Terry

[Rick Gibson]

Looks great Terry. It will be appreciated.

[Jesse Thornton]

Looks really good. I've used pocket screws (and glue) in the same way for thick edge banding, and it worked really well. Sounds like it will be a huge improvement over the old pulpit - any chance you have pictures of the one it's replacing?
Thanks for posting, and a Merry Christmas to you too!

[Terry Hatfield]

Looks really good. I've used pocket screws (and glue) in the same way for thick edge banding, and it worked really well. Sounds like it will be a huge improvement over the old pulpit - any chance you have pictures of the one it's replacing?
Thanks for posting, and a Merry Christmas to you too!

Jesse,

Thanks!!! I do have a pic of the old one.

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Sure looks pretty wimpy compared to the new one. :D :eek:

[Jim Becker]

Very nice work, Terry....and yea, the angles have got to be killer!

[Terry Hatfield]

Very nice work, Terry....and yea, the angles have got to be killer!

It was/is quite a process my friend. I made a sled for the tablesaw that worked out really well for all these straight 22.5's but it is still a ton of trips back and forth to sneak up on every one of them and if you cut one too short then the grain wrap deal that I worked so hard on is out the window. No pressure of course. :D :D

BTW...nice "do" on the avatar. :D

t

[Jim Becker]

If you don't have a slider, a sled is the way to go...and you can cut each angle on the opposing corner for an exact mate.

[Terry Hatfield]

If you don't have a slider, a sled is the way to go...and you can cut each angle on the opposing corner for an exact mate.

I used this sled for squaring panels before I got the Exaktor. It's a "Norm" one. I mounted a toggle clamp on the fence and just cut the edge to 22.5 with the first pass and it worked great.

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Turned out to be a good use for something that was just taking us space in the shop.

t

BTW....Cheryl sends hugs and kisses to you and your family. I just send a friendly wave and a hand shake. LOL....Hope ya'll have a great Christmas!!!!

[Jack Diemer]

Looks great!!!!, you coming up to KC for the woodworking show? Its Feb 2-4th this year. Let me know.

[Terry Hatfield]

Looks great!!!!, you coming up to KC for the woodworking show? Its Feb 2-4th this year. Let me know.

Hey Jack!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am planning on coming to the show. I'm really looking forward to it!!! I'll shoot you an email a little closer to time so we can nail down the plans. Sure will be nice to hang out with you guys!!!! I really missed not getting to go last year.

t

[David Duke]

Looking good Terry, my BIL has asked my wife if I would build one for his church............hasn't asked me yet but I think that I'd better be coming up with a design, yours looks great and will be a good place to start.

[Boyd Gathwright]

.... Looking good Terry, looking good :).

Boyd


I continued by putting the base octagon together. It is a bit different construction from the upper. It is 2 pieces of 3/4" pluwood glued and screwed together with cove mouling covering the edge of the top piece and 3/4" sides for strength. This thing is going to be really heavy!!!!!

Here's the base together.......

53259

I could not resist setting it all together of course. :D It's just dry fit but I think it's going pretty well.

53260


The actual bible rest is sort of like a shaker writing desk. It will have a piano hinge so there will be more storage there also. The base of the bible rest is made from 1/2" white oak and it's dovetailed together.

53262

I have really tried to match everything up as best I could and made the wood wrap the corners everywhere possible.

53261

I'm going to try and get everything permanently together tomorrow and get the crown molding on it. I tell you one thing for sure about this project.....it gives new meaning to the phrase "I carefully mitered the corners"!!!! :D Man, it has been quite a chore to fit all this together and I am not really looking forward to doing all that crown!! I am cheating a bit through...my best buddy from church is a trim carpenter and he's coming over in the morning to assist. He's put up a few miles of crown so that should help.:D

I'll post some more soon.

Thanks for looking and everyone have a great Christmas!!!!!!!!

Terry

[Roy Wall]

Terry -

Hey man......that look terrific! Your carful attention to all the grain, miters, etc...really paid off - LOOKS GREAT! (Well, it's gotta .....lots of people looking at it every week....:D :D :D :cool: )

Nice trick on the Pocket Hole Jig to hold the molding......that's a great tool isn't it!!!

Hey - just in case - I'll remind you to double check little holes and slots and such for electrical , microphone, lighting, etc.... If your doing any of that stuff..........

Last thing- glad your coming to the KCWW show this Feb 2-4 : that will be fun. I'll see you at breakfast, lunch, and in between at the LN BOOTH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TERRY!!!!!:)

[Terry Hatfield]

Looking good Terry, my BIL has asked my wife if I would build one for his church............hasn't asked me yet but I think that I'd better be coming up with a design, yours looks great and will be a good place to start.

David,

We just googled pulpits and printed a bunch of pics for the pastor to look over. He picked one he liked and I reverse engineered it from the pic making lots of mods to suit his needs and to match the decor of the church. I have really enjoyed the project.

t

[Terry Hatfield]

Terry -

Hey man......that look terrific! Your carful attention to all the grain, miters, etc...really paid off - LOOKS GREAT! (Well, it's gotta .....lots of people looking at it every week....:D :D :D :cool: )

Nice trick on the Pocket Hole Jig to hold the molding......that's a great tool isn't it!!!

Hey - just in case - I'll remind you to double check little holes and slots and such for electrical , microphone, lighting, etc.... If your doing any of that stuff..........

Last thing- glad your coming to the KCWW show this Feb 2-4 : that will be fun. I'll see you at breakfast, lunch, and in between at the LN BOOTH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TERRY!!!!!:)

Roy!!!!

How are ya my friend???

The only 'lektrical is for the mic. I'm just re-using the one form the old pulpit. It'll be mounted in the flat part of the top of the bible rest. I'll drill all the necessary holes tomorrow before it all gets together for real and mount the mic and fish the wire when it gets moved to the church.

Looking forward to seeing you at the WWing show!!

t

[Jim Becker]

Terry, it can be very convenient to have a utility power outlet availabe in a big lecturn like this. It would not add too much complexity to add one, assuming your pulpit area has floor outlets available or nearby. A rubber cord can stay coiled in the base when it is not in use and the outlet concealed in the "storage" area. Both of the lecturns in the synogogue I associated with years ago had the outlets and they did get used.

[Terry Hatfield]

Terry, it can be very convenient to have a utility power outlet availabe in a big lecturn like this. It would not add too much complexity to add one, assuming your pulpit area has floor outlets available or nearby. A rubber cord can stay coiled in the base when it is not in use and the outlet concealed in the "storage" area. Both of the lecturns in the synogogue I associated with years ago had the outlets and they did get used.

The stage area has several floor outlets. One is right beside the pulpit location. I have never seen it used but I suppose there is always a first time. :D Every time there is any special things going on...like the Christmas program...they always move the pulpit so the entire stage ara is open. It'll take a couple more guys to move this one. LOL!!!! Everyone that preaches wears the little "side 'o the head mics" and they very, very seldom ever use the pulpit mic. I wouldn't even put the mic in it if it were up to me. :D The less holes in the project the better I like it. :D

t

[Jim Becker]

Yea, but you need the fixed mic for when folks are invited up to speak or when the headset suddenly goes on the fritz in the middle of sometime interes...err....important... ;) As long as it's there, you'll have few problems with the wireless system. But the minute you take away the wired mic...our friend Murphy smiles down upon you!

I know about the moving things around things for events. I even built an insert to eliminate the center stages in the institution I mentioned before so that for concerts or during high-holidays, there was a bigger raised surface to meet the needs of the occasion. It even had matching purple carpet...

[Don Bullock]

That is a beautiful piece. Your wood choice is excillent. The way you "wrapped" the grain around the piece truly shows off your great selection of wood and the high quality of your craftsmanship.

[Terry Hatfield]

Man am I beat. My buddy Matt and I spent the entire day doing the crown molding. What a chore!!!!!!!!!!! I would have been forever and a day getting it right if it weren't for Matt's expertise.

I did manage to get the bible rest done and attached as well. All the actual woodworking is done now and all there is left to do is about 2 months of sanding and staining and such. :D

Here's today's pics......

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I am very pleased with the overall project even though my fingers are just about to sore to type right now. :(

Hope everyone had a great Saturday!!!!

t

[Terry Hatfield]

That is a beautiful piece. Your wood choice is excillent. The way you "wrapped" the grain around the piece truly shows off your great selection of wood and the high quality of your craftsmanship.

Thanks for the kind words Don. I've tried super hard to really do my best on this project....not that I don't always...but this one is very special to me.

t

[glenn bradley]

She's a beaute. I really like the proportions; creates a solid presence without being overbearing.

[John Miliunas]

Gee, for someone we don't see 'round these part too often anymore, you sure come back with a vengeance, don't 'ya?! :D That is most beautiful, Terry and I just about can't imagine tackling all those complex angles! Great detail, my friend! :) BTW, I still say your shop is too clean! :D :cool:

[Art Mulder]

... all there is left to do is about 2 months of sanding and staining and such. :D
...
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Terry,

I would like to echo everyone. I think you've done a beautiful job on this. Thanks for posting the in-progress pictures. I find it very useful to see how the "layers" build up to make the whole piece.

It's funny how different people like different things. In our church we are casually discussing redoing the pulpit furniture. Our pastor would go the opposite of yours. We have a pretty substantial lectern now, and he would prefer something much less bulky.

In the quoted photo I want to point out how the "cathedral" grain is centered in the front panel. Great job on that detail! I also saw the dovetails, and they look great, and I can't spot a single gap in any of the joints. Putting storage inside the top "lap desk" portion is also a nice touch.

My one question/concern is the grain on that piece. The grain on the front of that seems much more wild/wavy than the tighter grain on the rest of it. Was that intentional? Aside from the main front panel, most of the grain seems pretty straight and tight to me. But on that "lap desk" piece you've got wavy/circular grain. Of course, the photos are not huge, so I can't see really close in details.

Again, thanks for showing off this work in progress.

What kind of finish are you planning on?

best wishes,
...art

[Howie French]

Terry,

what a great looking piece, I really like the design/size/proportions.
you really did a great job, thanks for sharing.

Howie

[Terry Hatfield]

Gee, for someone we don't see 'round these part too often anymore, you sure come back with a vengeance, don't 'ya?! :D That is most beautiful, Terry and I just about can't imagine tackling all those complex angles! Great detail, my friend! :) BTW, I still say your shop is too clean! :D :cool:


Thanks John!!!

I knew it would be a challenge but I never dreamed it would take the amount of time it has to do all those miters!!!!! I'm so very glad that it is this close to done.

t

[Terry Hatfield]

Art,

The bible rest base and the sides of the upper octagon are actually from the same board. I intentionally use straight grain for the stiles and rails and more interesting grains for the raised panels and for highlights on most of the pieces I build. I used the wilder grain on the bible rest as sort of a crown for the piece. We'll see if it was a great idea or a not so great idea after the finish is on. :D

The finish is one that I have used on my mission style pieces for our home. It matches the existing woodwork in the church very closely. It is Minwax oil stain that is a 50/50 mix of cherry and dark walnut followed by several coats of satin poly. I thin the poly and wipe it on.

Here is the top of our coffee table I made last year that is also white oak and finished with the same formula.

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t

[Terry Hatfield]

BTW.....Matt and I decided to see how much it weighs. Believe it or not.....285 lbs!!!!!!!!!! The music minister asked if he was going to be able to move it by himself once it was in the church. I said, "Sure, just call me and I'll get a few guys and be right over"!!:D

t

[Tom Hamilton]

Very nice Terry. Fine carpentry for a humble carpenter.

Merry Christmas, Tom, in Houston

[Jesse Thornton]

Looking grand! Thanks for posting the 'before' pic - yours will indeed be a fine upgrade. I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks with the finish. Keep up the good work!

[John Schreiber]

Terry, that looks really really good. When I go to church, I spend far too much time admiring the woodwork instead of paying attention to what's going on. That pulpit would keep my attention for a long time.

My only problem would be that if you provide space for a water glass, some preachers might not come down for hours.

[David Rose]

I wish pics could show what this thing looks like in "real life". I got to see a bunch of early cuts laid out together. It is awesome!

Thanks for giving the weight, Terry. That should keep me from having to build one. :D Ours is very ugly, IMNSHO, acrylic. But it can be lifted with one finger and gets moved a LOT. Of course, the feets ball players at our church might enjoy the "lift". ;)

Our pastor doesn't have to be kept "watered". If his voice starts failing in an hour and a half, he will ASK for a glass of water. :rolleyes:

David

[Terry Hatfield]

My only problem would be that if you provide space for a water glass, some preachers might not come down for hours.

We have that problem already. :D We just go up there and kick him in the shin about 12:30 if all else fails.:D

Seriously, We have a REALLY BIG clock pointed right at him at the front of the sancuary so he can see what time it is. Sometimes that helps...sometimes not...and sometimes some of us needed the extra preaching. :)

t

[Terry Hatfield]

I wish pics could show what this thing looks like in "real life". I got to see a bunch of early cuts laid out together. It is awesome!

Thanks for giving the weight, Terry. That should keep me from having to build one. :D Ours is very ugly, IMNSHO, acrylic. But it can be lifted with one finger and gets moved a LOT. Of course, the feets ball players at our church might enjoy the "lift". ;)

Our pastor doesn't have to be kept "watered". If his voice starts failing in an hour and a half, he will ASK for a glass of water. :rolleyes:

David

Thanks David!!

Hopefully this one will only have to be moved a few times a year. I'm sure I'll be around to help. :D

t

[Art Mulder]

My only problem would be that if you provide space for a water glass, some preachers might not come down for hours.

Nahhh, drinking water is in itself a sort of "clock". Unless your pastor is wearing "depends", they're going to need to stop soon... :eek::cool:

[Terry Hatfield]

Nahhh, drinking water is in itself a sort of "clock". Unless your pastor is wearing "depends", they're going to need to stop soon... :eek::cool:


LOL...zakly. :D