Pennsylvania spice chest

[Barry Bruner]

This is my second try. The first time it turned into a jewelry chest. A friend of mine gave me enough walnut that was too bad to make a larger project because it had a lot of knots. I started cleaning up my shop after completing this one and before I knew it I was cutting out more bracket feet. Now all I like is the door and drawers on number #3 but I want a real narly piece of walnut for the tombstone door. BARRY BRUNER

[John Thompson]

Extremely nice, Barry. Hard to believe no one has commented yet but week-ends are not the best time to post pictures and more will see it latter.

In the first picture my first thought was the upper molding under the top was a bit massive... but in the second picture it looks balanced? I think this is not un-common for forum pictures as they seem to give illusions since most of us are not professional photographers for sure.

Well done and pleasing results...

Sarge..

[Lars Thomas]

Looks like great attention to the finer details. Lars

[Dewey Torres]

Very nice work!

Dewey

[gary Zimmel]

Like Dewey said, very nice work...

[Barry Bruner]

Extremely nice, Barry. Hard to believe no one has commented yet but week-ends are not the best time to post pictures and more will see it latter.

In the first picture my first thought was the upper molding under the top was a bit massive... but in the second picture it looks balanced? I think this is not un-common for forum pictures as they seem to give illusions since most of us are not professional photographers for sure.

Well done and pleasing results...

Sarge..
John, I accidently posted it on the design forum originally and they got it moved to woodworking projects. The only two spice chest I could find in books had a good bit wider molding, so I went back to three that was posted on this froum earlier and tried to get close. Thanks to each one of you for your replies. I would like to see a few more of you make one, I need some more ideas. Barry Bruner

[mike holden]

Barry,
I am finishing up a run of five (lots of hand cut dovetails - 60 drawers!)
But here are some pics.

The 5shells shows the five carcases.
Cherry01 and 02 show the first finished chest
Cherry 03 shows a concealed compartment in the bottom of the center drawer
Cherry04 shows the hidden drawer accessed from the back after removing the bottom drawer and releasing a key which lowers the back revealing the hidden drawer.
Mike

92035

92036

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92039

[Barry Bruner]

I was making two at a time and never thought of making five at a time. That would be neat if a drawer was too snug for one chest, it might fit another. I will try your drawer configuration on the next one. I like making these because any piece of wood that is three inches long can be used somewhere. The hide-away drawer is a neat idea. I would like to ask what height and width are yours? Everyone I have made is a different size. Thanks for the pics I enjoyed them. Barry Bruner

[John Thompson]

I think Barry, that when you shoot a shot from off-center right or left... it will distort the big picture somewhat. Therefore good balance in the front shot and the side shot having an optical illusion. I was getting barrel effects until Jeffery told me about getting on the same level as the piece before shooting.

I am not much of a photo-grapher and pretty much what I take is pure pot luck with some being much different in actual viewing than what appears in the picture. But... that's the way it is and I just roll with the punch. :)

Sarge..

[mike holden]

Barry,
The carcases are roughly 14 inches wide by 19 inches tall, depth varies from 9 to 11 inches depending on the board. The plinth adds about 3 and 3/4 inches to the height.
Drawers would NOT be interchangeable between carcases because the drawer fronts are cut from two boards, the bottom three drawers from one and the top eight from another, allowing the grain pattern to flow uninterrupted across the drawer fronts.
It is a subtle thing, but adds a lot to the looks.
About the top molding, it is about 1 and 1/2 by 1 and 1/2 inches. The lower molding is 3/4 by 3/4 and is an inverted version of half of the upper molding. The additional overhang at the top is balanced by the ogee feet on the bottom. If I had used bracket feet, the upper molding would be smaller.
Mike

[Dewey Torres]

Barry,
The carcases are roughly 14 inches wide by 19 inches tall, depth varies from 9 to 11 inches depending on the board. The plinth adds about 3 and 3/4 inches to the height.
Drawers would NOT be interchangeable between carcases because the drawer fronts are cut from two boards, the bottom three drawers from one and the top eight from another, allowing the grain pattern to flow uninterrupted across the drawer fronts.
It is a subtle thing, but adds a lot to the looks.
Mike

Mike... why so many? Are you selling these?

Dewey

[Mark Hulette]

Guys- those are really nice! Thanks for sharing!

Barry- love that good ol' Kentucky walnut!!

Mike- nice work keeping the grain flowing across the drawer fronts!! Neat effect. Love that cherry, too.

Just curious but where do you put one of these chests? On the floor? Countertop? I haven't seen one in it's final placement and just wondered.

[mike holden]

Mark,
Thanks for the kind words.
The ones I make are to be put on a counter or atop a dresser. The spice box form also comes in freestanding style - usually with cabriole legs. Or smaller and much less ornate - I really like this oak one with the hinges held on with clinched nails!

The one on legs is by Gene Landon and can be seen at the Olde Mill
Shoppe, the oak one is from an antique catalog.

Mike

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92168

[mike holden]

Dewey,
Not for sale - NOT!
At the rate I work, I would be in the poorhouse before they were done.
No, they are Christmas presents. There is a story behind this and when I have all five done, I will post pics and the backstory (and what happened to the sixth -teaser)
Mike

PS - your marquetry post has me considering adding some to these chests, mh

[Barry Bruner]

Guys- those are really nice! Thanks for sharing!

Barry- love that good ol' Kentucky walnut!!

Mike- nice work keeping the grain flowing across the drawer fronts!! Neat effect. Love that cherry, too.

Just curious but where do you put one of these chests? On the floor? Countertop? I haven't seen one in it's final placement and just wondered.

Mark, the jewelry chest ended up in the bedroom and I had to put the spice chest in the dining room. It did not look right in the kitchen and it looks a bit large in the dining room the first one was a more suitable size, it was 18 inches high. Thanks for the reply. BARRY BRUNER

[John Keeton]

Barry and Mike - great work! Only trouble I see with Mike's is that his shop is so neat and clean it distracts from his work! Barry, on the other hand, takes his inside to photo so we can't see the TRUTH about how his shop looks. I'm in Barry's camp - you won't see many pics from my shop.