Finished Project.. Southern Cross Chest of D's

[John Thompson]

A hobbyist attempt at most with lack of skills but no lack of enthusiam to create something simple.. clean.. and functional from local woods. A simple man has simple taste and needs.

Carcass.. Storm-kill southern red oak Drawers.. scrap poplar Runners.. scrap soft maple.
M&T front and rear face frames... drawer slides all wood attached with hand joinery. Drawer knobs from scrap hand cut and dimentioned to drawer size. Drawers are hand cut DT's front.. box joints rear.

"When you see the Southern Cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day"

Sarge..

[Lori Kleinberg]

Very nice chest. I am partial to red oak, I really like the look when it is finished. I don't consider anything with DT,
box joints and wooden runners to be a simple project. Thanks for sharing.

[Mike Heaney]

thats's a lot of good looking hand cut dovetails- great job!

Mike

[Ken Massingale]

Beautiful work, Sarge. Thanks for posting the pics.
ken

[Greg Cole]

A simple man has simple taste and needs.
Sarge..
Words of wisdom there and much truth to it for me anyway.
Very nice Sarge, I remember you saying something about you have a few hundred DT's to cut...
Well done.

Greg

[Jim Becker]

I think you did a great job on this project!

[Duncan Potter]

Good job, esp the DT's.

You ought to cross link this to the Neander forum....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Sarge.... Nicely done Sir! I like the looks of red oak.

[Ralph Okonieski]

"A hobbyist attempt at most with lack of skills..." I'd call that modesty to the extreme. The chest of drawers looks outstanding to my eye. Very, very nice !!!

[Jim Chilenski]

Ah, someone else who appreciates Crosby, Stills, and Nash!

Great looking chest as well! :)

Jim

[John Thompson]

Thanks to everyone that has replied with all the kind words after veiwing. I am not a photographer and made some rookie mistakes according to my more intelligent member of my duo. I took these shots in the shop with full Georgia sun-light streaming through. I faced it looking into the sun according to her and had to crawl around machines and another project scattered to get any angles. She suggested waiting until I got it up-stairs in place where the light is more even next time.

She is probably correct as I had to turn the over-head neons off to keep the glare down to reasonable. What was a soft satin done with shellac turned to a high gloss in the pics. The color is a bit lighter in real life also, and some details are probably hidden.

The drawer fronts are book-matched.. which is hard to tell. The hand cut drawer knobs are proportioned to the 1/2" difference in each drawer from top to bottom. There is an 1/8 variance going up in both width and height that gets lost in the pics. It forms a very thin pyramid if you could see it physically.

The top is very well grain matched.. but the glare from the sun was so bad I decided not to bother with an attempt. Maybe photo-grapher will appear on my resume in my next life. After I started concentrating on finish two years ago as the first 34 years were lost (my finishing in the past were similiar to an "Earl Schieb's" auto paint job in the 50's and 60's.. $29.95 includes bondo). But.. the photography thing has eluded me as my skills with a computer. :)

My lovely did lighten one of my shots to get a little better idea of true color, but the sun-light cannot be removed she says. A pic at bottom should show it a tiny bit better.. but details have been lost for which I was dis-appointed. But... that's life and we move on to the promise of a new day which is a tall chest version that will get started Monday.

I don't sit idle often...

BTW.. Duncan... I may venture over to Neanderthal but the word strikes to close to home at 60. And they would probably kick me out if they found out I sold an LN Independence DT saw for my trusty $19 Irwin pull saw. And chop out waste with a set of "Blue-beaters" (Marples purchased in 1974 when Marples had quality) in lieu of my Ashley Isle's. :D

Regards to all that replied...

Sarge..

[Lee Koepke]

Well Sarge, looking at the pictures I gotta say "real nice" ... reading your description it becomes WOW. I still want to get up to have you help me with handcut dovetails. I tried doing a couple for my little table, but couldnt quite get it to work on my scrap pieces ...:cool:

[John Thompson]

The main thing IMO Leo.. is learning your particular saw and how it performs.. how to start the cut with it and the proper arm action to keep it cutting straight. And stance comes into play with proper arm action. And the fact that a lot of practice using the correct techniques will finally get you there. You can practice a zillon hours.. but if the technique was bad, you are just wasting time. :)

BTW.. I have seen Frank Klaus cut them in seminar twice. His are not always perfect.. but he can cut them blind-folded with lightning speed and he doesn't even mark them out. Just eyeballs and "away we go". So.. with that said, a hand-cut DT doesn't have to be perfect as it is a "signature joint" and random and im-perfection is actually more desirable on that particular turf as I see it.

A perfect set of DT's as a machine would cut DT's is a dead give-away that a machine was used. Efficient.. but no personality IMO. ;) Look at a original piece of museum quality furniture.. and if you look at the guts and and drawers in general... you will see flaws that our fore-fathers made. A perfect reproduction becomes just that.. a perfect reproduction and a tip-off that some modern machines played a role.

Regards to you and yours...

Sarge..

[J. Z. Guest]

Doesn't look so simple to me John! Very nice. The dovetails are so nice-looking, it looks like you drew them on with a brown magic marker, hehehe.

[John Thompson]

Doesn't look so simple to me John! Very nice. The dovetails are so nice-looking, it looks like you drew them on with a brown magic marker, hehehe.

A very clever idea that would save time, Jeff. Actually you caught me red-handed as the fronts are actually nailed with bent 16 penny nails I have been saving in a mason jar for whatever came up! Took some straightening on an anvil, but they came up pretty straight considering! ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

I used dark stain on the end grain after masklng them off to high-light the show end. When you are using poplar for the drawer sides on hand.. some was almost clear white.. some brownish and some greenish. After seeing the rain-bow effect that gave, I opted in this case to stain the end grain dark to get uniform. And to aid in showcasing them as they didn't turn out too bad for an old man with a cheap saw. :)

Regards...

Sarge..

[J. Z. Guest]

One tip for Sarge and anyone else who might be looking: Cancel the flash on your camera and brace the camera on a tripod or place it on something immobile and shoot the shot with the self timer. Then, the camera will use a slower shutter speed instead of using flash. The colors will come out more natural and the photo will have more depth.

But that is not project-related. Just a way to make the project look better online. ;)

Keep up the excellent work.

[John Thompson]

One tip for Sarge and anyone else who might be looking: Cancel the flash on your camera and brace the camera on a tripod or place it on something immobile and shoot the shot with the self timer. Then, the camera will use a slower shutter speed instead of using flash. The colors will come out more natural and the photo will have more depth.

But that is not project-related. Just a way to make the project look better online. ;)

Keep up the excellent work.

Thanks for the tips.. but I doubt my cheap auto digital is set up for the professional approach? I was once interested in photography in the 60's and did some reseach. That was long before digital and the pro camera's at the time almost required a degree with lighting and shutter speed.

I suppose the reality is at this stage of the game I will just have to live with a cheapie giving other than professional results. But.. the tips were good as the idea of stabilizing as I would a weapon back in my sniper days is very sound.

Regards...

Sarge...

[John Thompson]

BTW.. If you happen to read this Ken Masingale... I was wondering if you had dropped off the face of planet earth. Haven't seen you around in a coon's age. Good to hear you are live and well and thanks for the compliments.

I have a feeling you stay kinda busy also and can't cover but so much ground.

Regards from just down the road...

Sarge... jt

[randall rosenthal]

very nice job!!.....i really agree with you about how hand cut dovetails are a "signature".....and my boat is named "southern cross" so im with you there too.

[John Thompson]

very nice job!!.....i really agree with you about how hand cut dovetails are a "signature".....and my boat is named "southern cross" so im with you there too.

Thanks for the compliment, Randall. I love to cut DT's (about any joint for that matter) by hand. I do have a 750 lb. floor mortiser (long story.. small price) I cut mortises with.. but the tenons get hand cut. Go figure!

I love the Southern Cross and use some form of it somewhere for my personal signature on every piece I have built since 1972. It was pointed out to me by Aborigines in Australia back in 1969. They have a reverence for it and I developed one.

Smallest of the 88 constellations.. but one of the most significant for seaman, etc. navigating the southern hemisphere. But.. you already know that...

Again... thank you sir....

Sarge..

[randall rosenthal]

i just use a cheapo point and shoot with pretty good results...no flash and a tripod are the ticket...........................and photoshop.

[Richard Venturelli]

John great job! Always liked the look of red oak. Getting ready to build a Mission style bed in red oak. Hope it comes out half as nice as your Chest of Drawers. Love the comment from poster about painting on the dovetails, hahaha And the words sound of Stephen Stills song I believe.

Thanks for the kind words,
Rich

[John Thompson]

John great job! Always liked the look of red oak. Getting ready to build a Mission style bed in red oak. Hope it comes out half as nice as your Chest of Drawers. Love the comment from poster about painting on the dovetails, hahaha And the words sound of Stephen Stills song I believe.

Thanks for the kind words,
Rich

And thank you, sir! I just finished a bed before the chest.. Not mission style but kinda.. well.. ugh... how about Southern Trailer Trash for lack of a better decription as my wife wanted a book-case in the head-board. Had to customize the height also so she can sit and swing onto it.

She lost a portion of the nerves in her ham-stings about 10 years ago.. so I just customize to fit any special needs she has as that.

The Stephen Stills is appropriate as I include some form of the Southern Cross (smallest constellation of the 88.. but an important one in the southern hemisphere) after it was pointed out to me by Aborigines while down in Austriala a long time ago. Kind of my signature to do so.

Open the show-thread to see the Heinz 57 if you wish...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=712755&postcount=1

Sarge..

[Mark Stutz]

You've given me inspiration, Sarge. My son just requested a small dresser for his apartment, and this looks like a great size. I haven't cut as many as you, but I agree on the DTs.

Mark

[John Thompson]

You've given me inspiration, Sarge. My son just requested a small dresser for his apartment, and this looks like a great size. I haven't cut as many as you, but I agree on the DTs.

Mark

Thank you kindly, Mark. I just answered your PM with demensions and etc. Would be an excellent size as a stand alone for apartment IMO. I got a tall 5 drawer coming to accompany it.. but perfect for a guy and apartment as large enough and not too large.

I also explained the Southern Cross connection there. Smallest of the 88 constellations but very significant for quite a number of countries in the Southern Hemi-sphere. Also in the Aborigine lore as that is how I came to know it originally in 1969 while there.

Again thanks and all the sizes I believe are in the PM. Any further questions please PM or just call. The welcome mat is always out around my shop. Just a southern thang. :)

Regards...

Sarge.. jt

[Matt Meiser]

John, it looks great!

[curtis rosche]

very nice!. you dont need skill to make a great project, just patience and persision, like one of the signature ive seen, "it took a team of professinals to engineer the titanic, but one man to make the ark"

i cant beleive you cut all the dove tails, that wouldve made me stop right there, this project looks awsome

[John Thompson]

Thanks you kindly Matt and Curtis. I love to cut any joint Curtis, as I use M&T's on face frames where they may not truly be required for strengh. The base piece is attached at the front corners with secret mitered DT's (a form of full blind) even though they are hidden. I learned to cut them from Ian Kirby.

I still use my own wooden drawer runners I make as that was about all that was available when I started. DT center slide with side supports attached with bridles and M&Ts. It gives me an excuse to cut more joints by hand. I had rather cut joints all day long than spend 15 minutes applying finish. Ugghhh.. especially chairs with lots of slats.. nooks and crannies.

I didn't post picture of the inside runners as you are limited to 5 here, I believe.

Again... thank you guys very kindly

Sarge..

[Mark Valsi]

a comment by a guy who almost never does hand cut dovetails.

If you took the time to do all those, I would have advised you to alter the spacing.

At first glance, they looked to me as if they were machine made, with all the same spacing.

If a craftsman is going to take the time to do hand cut dovetails, the option of spacing is very important to the overall aesthetic of the piece

[John Thompson]

a comment by a guy who almost never does hand cut dovetails.

If you took the time to do all those, I would have advised you to alter the spacing.

At first glance, they looked to me as if they were machine made, with all the same spacing.

If a craftsman is going to take the time to do hand cut dovetails, the option of spacing is very important to the overall aesthetic of the piece

Thanks for the suggestion and I do agree with the comment, Mark. The spacing was not really intentional as I don't mark out but rely on eye as I was taught years ago by Klaus in seminarand re-enforced by Ian Kirby latter in his school at the time. You won't notice in the picture but they are not the exact same width but are very close as my instincts seem to be symetric by nature when not intentionally shooting for random.

You won't notice in the picture that the 3rd one in is smaller in general than the others.. but you would if you saw them in person. You probably wouldn't notice that the knobs on front are hand cut to match the 1/2' increments difference in height on the drawer fronts.... and each drawer front has a 1/8" difference in both width and height increment from top to bottom. But.. you would if you saw it in person.

This chest was made for my own bedroom and not for show. If I had built it for exhibition with Georgia WW Guild and it would appear at a WW show.. then the spacing becomes critical as you pointed out and that point would be emphasized by me in an attempt to space them more random intentionally. Many will see and examine closely under those conditions. But.. to post on a forum with pictures and then appear only in my bedroom... I won't really bother as very few will actually see the inside of the drawers at that point.

Non professional pictures don't often do justice as I have already pointed out and I noticed you just did in another thread you posted a picture of. The color is distorted in most and it hides detail that is obvious when viewed by actual eye. I have concluded that is good if there are major flaws as it camouflages them. But if minute detail was strived for bad pictures will often cover them up also.

A final point that has to be considered as I see it personally is the clients wishes. The client in this case is my lovely. She is also very symetric thinking in nature and really doesn't care for the random look as she doesn't appreciate what it represents. She really could care less about the proper approach but in what she wants.

Bottom line in this case is simply... If I want to paint it green and she wants to paint it blue... I'll paint it blue as if I don't, I will never hear the end of it until it gets painted blue. :D

But.. you made and excellent observation that needs to be clearly understood by those that decide to do hand-cut DT's as I have for 36 years. I could cut them with a machine as most... but I never will as it's just the way I was taught and the way I have always done it. And I love to do it, I guess that counts as a vote also. :)

Again thanks for the critique...

Sarge..

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Very handsome.
-Jeff :)

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I'm trying to figure out how "hand cut dovetails" and "lack of skills" can be in the same posting! :)

Very nice piece!

[John Thompson]

Simple John... some of that reverse psychology I stumbled across in the early 70's. :D

If you state you have a lack of skills or your work is junk.. you have your bases covered for those that don't care for it. But.. those that like it will comment... "are you kidding" and you just grin. I have always referred to my work as "junk with pride" as I use a lot of scraps.. storm-kill and local not sought after species. I love simple design with clean lines that equates to very functional.

And I most definitely do have a lack of skills after 36 years of butchering wood. I have never inlayed.. I cannot carve.. etc. etc. I only tackled round about 7 years ago when I built a custom wood 100' show-room counter and my first set of chairs only came about 4 years ago. BTW.. chair-makers rest easy as I have no intention of trying to compete with you and your job is very secure.

But to say you have a lack of skills is only a single statement and not necessarily the entire interpretation. I also have picked up a few along the journey and have extreme confidence as making precision joints by hand and the ability to fix a mistake if one was made. They may be a few more hopefully... :)

And thank you very much...

Sarge..

[John Thompson]

Very handsome.
-Jeff :)

Thank you Jeff. I have a small project (simple BR TV stand) headed to finish today.. I have been advised that a chest on chest to match the new bed and that chest will follow. The wood is sitting in the rack acclimating.

I suppose she has a ton of Daisy Duke shorts that will fill two chest, but for whatever reason "she said so or else". :D

Sarge..