Not fancy...my latest project

[Donnie Raines]

I have made a number of these for a local country store.....people just flock to them for some reason. Cherry is the favorite, curly maple is a close second. Shaker quilt rack.

[Chris Padilla]

Real nice, Donnie. I assume M&T construction? Have you made any with the T poking through? I think that would look sharp.

[Dick Parr]

Donnie, what do you mean Not Fancy? :confused: That looks great. Glad you shared it.

[John Miliunas]

Yeah, what Dick said! That's purdy. Gorgeous looking wood and nice design. I like it. :cool:

[Jim Becker]

Very nice, Donnie. Beautiful finish, too.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Nice work Donnie. The finish on this piece is just right.

[Todd Burch]

Looks good Donnie. What's the stain/colors/dye that you use? Todd

[Waymon Campbell]

Yea Donnie - Come on, fork over some details...

Waymon

[David Klug]

I like it Donnie, simple yet elegant.

DK

[Howard Rosenberg]

Great looking result there, Donnie.

[Roger Barga]

Please tell us how you finished this beauty - it's superb!
roger


I have made a number of these for a local country store.....people just flock to them for some reason. Cherry is the favorite, curly maple is a close second. Shaker quilt rack.

[Wes Bischel]

I have made a number of these for a local country store.....people just flock to them for some reason

Well, I can see why - they have good taste. Not fancy - yet elegant and sophisticated. I'd buy one but I don't have any quilts. :rolleyes:

Wes

[Bob Lasley]

Donnie,

That may not be a fancy piece, but it sure is fancy wood! I like it...............alot! Great job.

Bob

[Kent Cori]

Terrific! Whatever finishing technique you are using sure brings out the beauty of the wood. Let us know what it is.

[Mark Singer]

Donnie,
Nice simple design!Practical ...very nicely done!

[David Blangger]

Simply beautiful....would fit in any home!

[Tony Sade]

Very pretty! Are you gonna share the finishing details or not? Us finishing amateurs (read frequent screw-ups) wanna know. ;>)

[Donnie Raines]

Thanks for the comments! It is M/T joinery, and I have not made any with through tennons....yet!

The finish is a number of things:

First off, I finished this prior to assembly. i find that when working with dyes on a small scale like this, its just easier to work.

I first started off with JE Moser water base dye, in Shaker Maple color. When useing a water bse dye you must raise the grain prior to applying it. I soaked the lumebr with warm water, and allowed to sit for about 10 minutes. Wipe off the excess and allow to dry. Now this step makes me a little diffrent then the way others use dye. Rather then sanding all the fuzzies off that are on the lumber do to the grain being raised, I flood the surface with the water base dye of my choice. Allow to sit for aprx 5 minutes....wipe off al the excess. Allow to dry overnight. At this point the lumber looks and feels aweful!!!....dont be discouraged. Use some 400 grit sandpaper to knock down all the fuzzies...being careful around all the corners not to take off to much dye. Once you have finished sanding, much of the dye will have been removed also...excpet for the dye that was absorbed into and around the figure in the lumber. I wipe down the item with more dye...this will even out the color and fill in any "voids" where you may have sanded down to far on the corners(...been there and done that). Allow to dry, and then use some scothbrite pads to soften the surface...there will be some more fuzzies do to you wipeing more water base dye over the lumber. At this point, if I am happy with the color, I apply a very liberal coat of Boiled Linseed Oil. I use some scothbrite pads to build up a slurry of linseed oil and "stuff" that comes off the surface of the lumber...again do not be afraid if some of the dye leached back up off the work item. What you are doind is pushing the oil deeper into the figure of the lumber, thus drawing it out more. Allow to sit fro 30 mintues and then wipe off.....let this sit for about 1 week(or until the odor of linseed oil is almost gone). At this point you are ready for a top coat. I use, during the summer time, HVLP to spray lacquer or shellac. For this project I used a wipeing varnish I mixed up in my shop. I used Pratt and Lambert #38 varnish thinned out 25% with mineral spiritis. It will build fast and to a hi sheen. I use scothbrite opads in between coats. When the final coat is applied and has cured, I use BEhlen's wool lube to soft the finish(however I do NOT use steel wool, i use scothbrite pads). Apply a good past ewa and you are done.

BTW, dont use steel wool when working with water base dyes....if any steel wool lodges it's self in the lumber it will rust, and quickly!

DonnieR

[Peter Stahl]

Donnie,

very nice. I'd like to steal I mean use you design. What are the overall demensions. Did you use 4/4 lumber because it looks to be thicker. I remember watching Normy when He was doing quilt rack and said it was a shaker design but the shakers didn't have quilt racks because they used their quilts, they did not display them. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Pete

[Donnie Raines]

Donnie,

very nice. I'd like to steal I mean use you design. What are the overall demensions. Did you use 4/4 lumber because it looks to be thicker. I remember watching Normy when He was doing quilt rack and said it was a shaker design but the shakers didn't have quilt racks because they used their quilts, they did not display them. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Pete
For what it is worth, this design came out of the "Shaker Legacy" book.....forgive me I forget the author's name.

The rack measures 30 inchs wide, by 30 inchs tall, by 10 inchs deep. The top tapers down to 8 inchs and the lumber was milled to 7/8. I wanted to added mass so that it would not tip if only one quilt was being stored on one stretcher.

DonnieR

[Duane Dennis]

Donnie,

That quilt rack is really beautiful! If my wife sees that pic, I'm done for... Your finishing technique sounds similar to the one recommended by Jeff Jewitt here:

http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/eamaple.htm

I recently used this technique in a couple of curly maple clocks I made as gifts, and was thrilled with the result. Thanks for sharing!