Recent project PICS- new bed and table

[Jeremy Chisholm]

Lucky man that I am, I was married a few short months ago, and have since been busy tackling my new "honey-do" list, which includes several pieces of furniture. I thought I'd share a few photos of what I've been up to...

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Bed is American cherry from the gents at Johnson lumber in Charlotte, MI (thanks for the tip Steve Ash and other SEMWW gang), with some outstanding tiger maple veneer from Berkshire veneer (thanks guys), and trim of shop-cut Jatoba veneer. "Sunburst" pattern for panels is of my own design. Finished with 7 coats of tung oil, rubbed out to satin with fine pumice. Over all, I'm very pleased with the result, though I hope my veneer skills will improve with practice...

which leads to my second veneer project:

[Jeremy Chisholm]

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Table is made with the "scraps" of solid cherry and maple veneer from the bed project. Joints are M/T, and the top is actually a torsion box: 3/4 MDF for the veneer substrate (mitred cherry edges splined on), with a frame of skinny Oak bits inside. Finish is 4 coats tung oil on the legs/apron. Following the inestimable advice of the inimitable Per Swenson (that I read in a post some time ago), the oil on the top is followed by a coat of epoxy and then a coat of Rock Hard, let set 2 weeks, and rubbed out. Though, unlike Per, I do not (yet) own any Festool, so I rubbed it out by hand:eek: That took a while!

Comments and critique welcome of course. Thanks for looking.

JC

PS- the Festool will have to wait until after I buy a jointer and planer (or jointer/planer)...all this timber was squared and leveled by hand, and the veneer was applied cave-man style with hide glue and elbow grease:eek: I didn't think the neanders would approve though...I did use the table saw a few times:rolleyes:

PPS: The following is in response to a question further down the thread about my finishing process. I'm moving the answer up front here where it's easier to find:

Cherry surfaces were power sanded to 220 bare; the maple panels on the bed, and the table top, were sanded to 320. The tung oil (both bed and table) I wiped on with cotton cloths. 2 coats wiped on to seal, no sanding after the first coat, then I hand sanded with 400 between coats. I averaged about 12 hours between coats, usually one in the morning, then one in the evening after dinner. After the final coat (7th on the bed, 4th on the legs/apron of the table) I hand sanded with 600, then rubbed with 0000 steel wool. That was it for the table legs, the bed was rubbed out with pumice.

For the table top I wiped on 2 coats of tung oil without sanding (12 hours between coats), basically to seal the grain and help it "pop." Then a coat of clear epoxy, allowed to cure for 48 hours. After that, brushed on Rock Hard, which I allowed to cure for two full weeks (the can says 96 hours, Per Swenson said 2 weeks, ... I let it sit 2 weeks. I've seen the pics of his work and they speak to the validity of his process). Then I sanded lightly with 400 dry (there were a couple little bubbles in the Rock Hard I had to level out), and then from 600 up through 2000 wet. I'm not sure if rottenstone is actually any finer grit than 2000 wet sandpaper, but I rubbed it out for good measure anyhow.

In retrospect, the 7 coats of tung oil on the bed was excessive, at least as regards the cherry parts (hence stopping at 4 on the table). The maple panels, however, really soaked it up, and I went to 7 because I wanted a perfectly level plane for a good even sheen when I rubbed it out. If I build more (I've had a few inquiries), I'm going to work on some pre-assembly finishing processes to address the disparity in apparent "thirst" for finish in the different woods.

I went with just oil on the table legs thinking that they're likely to get scuffed and scratched (it's in the kitchen), and tung oil is a very simple and quick finish to replenish as necessary.

[Mike Steinhilper]

Jeremy, did you see the movie "Meet the Parents"? Seriously, that is beautiful. Congrats. I'm sure your new bride is trilled.

[Jim Cook]

Looks great to me. Good eye for detail.

[Jeremy Chisholm]

I carved it from a solid tree trunk. I figure, Jesus was a carpenter, so what better [hobby], man:cool:

Now how many coats of shellac was I supposed to use?:rolleyes:

[Dan Gill]

Really nice work. The table top really shines.

[Al Willits]

Excellent projects, very nice.
Nice color combination.

Was the bed off a plan, or you at that stage where you don't need them? :)
I think the wife would like a bed like that, but I'm still at the, I need a plan stage of woodworking.
Thanks for posting them.

Al

[Travis Hirst]

Great looking stuff. I'm with Al on this where I need plans as well. I just sent you a pm regarding just that.

Thanks
Travis

[Jeremy Chisholm]

Al, thanks for the compliment. No, I did not use a prepared plan, though I did go through several sets of sketches before settling on the final version. Mom and Pop have a taste for all things Shaker-ish, so I grew up surrounded by cherry shaker furniture...some of that must have soaked in over the years. I'm not very "artistic" (my brother the painter/sculptor got those genes), but my attempts at furniture design are a great creative outlet for me; it's a part of the process I really enjoy. (Truthfully, I enjoy just about every part of the process but sanding. Me, and everybody else its seems:cool:)

If you'd like, I'll see if I can scan my drawings in once we get a new scanner here (hopefully very soon) and PM them to you.

[Jeremy Chisholm]

oops...cross posted with Travis. Same goes for you as what I replied to Al; thanks, it is my own design, and I'm happy to share.

Same for anyone interested actually, I'm glad to share. Shoot me a pm with an e-mail. Without a scanner at the moment, hope to remedy that within the week or so, when it's up and running I'll gladly send plans to anyone who'd like them.

I should probably dust off my CAD training ... that was ... lets see...before law school, before engineering school...yeah, about 11 years ago! Yikes! Is it still even called CAD? Oh well. I still draw by hand:rolleyes: Scans to follow the scanner post haste!

[Don Bullock]

I do hope that you new wife is impressed with your work. I sure am.

[Jerry Olexa]

Nicely done..I'm sure your bride is proud of you...

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Nice bed and Table Jeremy. The table inlays reminded me of 2 tables I just built. Keep up the good work.

[Jeremy Chisholm]

thankfully, though she wishes I'd move through the list faster:) As I've explained a few times now, faster means more efficient means bigger tools! Yeah, that's the ticket!

[Hans Braul]

Jeremy, I love the bed! Really great feel - simplicity and elegance.

Well done. It will definitely be one of the examples that I will draw upon when I tackle my next project, which will be our bed.

Congrats on your marriage
Hans

[Roy Wall]

Beautiful Jeremy...gotta love that Cherry and Maple combo!!

Can you give a little more detail on the finish....how long between coats, sanding, etc...??

Great work!

Did you make the bedside table?

[GERALD HARGROVE]

Great job on the bed and table. Cherry is such a great wood.

[Jeremy Chisholm]

Cherry surfaces were power sanded to 220 bare; the maple panels on the bed, and the table top, were sanded to 320. The tung oil (both bed and table) I wiped on with cotton cloths. 2 coats wiped on to seal, no sanding after the first coat, then I hand sanded with 400 between coats. I averaged about 12 hours between coats, usually one in the morning, then one in the evening after dinner. After the final coat (7th on the bed, 4th on the legs/apron of the table) I hand sanded with 600, then rubbed with 0000 steel wool. That was it for the table legs, the bed was rubbed out with pumice.

For the table top I wiped on 2 coats of tung oil without sanding (12 hours between coats), basically to seal the grain and help it "pop." Then a coat of clear epoxy, allowed to cure for 48 hours. After that, brushed on Rock Hard, which I allowed to cure for two full weeks (the can says 96 hours, Per Swenson said 2 weeks, ... I let it sit 2 weeks. I've seen the pics of his work and they speak to the validity of his process). Then I sanded lightly with 400 dry (there were a couple little bubbles in the Rock Hard I had to level out), and then from 600 up through 2000 wet. I'm not sure if rottenstone is actually any finer grit than 2000 wet sandpaper, but I rubbed it out for good measure anyhow.

In retrospect, the 7 coats of tung oil on the bed was excessive, at least as regards the cherry parts (hence stopping at 4 on the table). The maple panels, however, really soaked it up, and I went to 7 because I wanted a perfectly level plane for a good even sheen when I rubbed it out. If I build more (I've had a few inquiries), I'm going to work on some pre-assembly finishing processes to address the disparity in apparent "thirst" for finish in the different woods.

I went with just oil on the table legs thinking that they're likely to get scuffed and scratched (it's in the kitchen), and tung oil is a very simple and quick finish to replenish as necessary.

[Jeremy Chisholm]

oh, and no, I didn't make the bedside table. It's one of a pair that were a gift from LOML's mom and dad for our wedding. I didn't feel quite right telling my soon-to-be father in law that I'd rather have him buy me a new tool and I'd make the nightstands...though if I'd known before he bought them that he was paying as much as a decent 8" jointer you can bet I would have told him!

[Jim Becker]

Really nice work, Jeremy! And you have the best kind of honey-do list 'cause it involves shop time!!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Jeremy...that looks great!
-Jeff

[Al Willits]

Thanks, I'll send ya a email when I get home.
Anything will help, I may have a plan that's close to that I can use for basic measurements.
Also appreciate the finish description....lotta work, but looks great.

Al

[Jeremy Chisholm]

You are certainly right Jim. As long as the shop-time: not shop-time projects stays at or better than the current 2:3 ratio, I really can't complain :)

End table and desk are currently in progress, coffee table, new fireplace mantle, some bath cabinets in the offing... yep, I should be busy for a while. Good times!

[Jeremy Chisholm]

I've got dimensioned plans...just have to scan 'em.

Finishing was a lot of work. I think next time there are several pieces that will be finished before assembly, which will (I think) greatly reduce the effort involved, and should also improve the end result.