Allan Brown
07-24-2008, 4:57 PM
I finished this about a month ago, and have been hesitant to post any pictures, but I'm getting too excited about my daugher's first child (and my first grandchild -- a girl) -- and just gotta say something! :D
This was my first significant project, and I took my time...wanted everything to be as nice as possible for her first home. It was a pleasure doing the bulk of the work with hand tools, although a bandsaw helped to ease some of the labor.
The base and basket ends are curly maple; the sides are tiger maple. I used pre-turned spindles from LV, although for my next one (?), I'll likely turn my own. After smoothing with a card scraper, I used 4-5 coats of Tride & True Varnish Oil, allowing a full 5 to 6 days per coat to dry. I used 4/0 steel wool after the first and final coats, finishing with two coats of paste wax.
Because cradles typically become heirlooms, I wanted my maker's mark on it, but couldn't find a suitable spot to strike. The base was the only area that I dared use -- and then only because I could place it over a steel plate without fear of causing undue stress somewhere else. Anyway -- not exactly unobtrusive, but my daugher doesn't mind...
I always swore that I wouldn't become a typical "Grandpa" -- and I likely won't be...but I can already tell there's going to be something quite mystical in holding this new baby girl...
Thanks for looking...oh, Iris isn't due until August 10, but my daugher says it's going to be sooner! And she's put in an order for a small bookcase to match the cradle. I'm already on it...
Allan
This was my first significant project, and I took my time...wanted everything to be as nice as possible for her first home. It was a pleasure doing the bulk of the work with hand tools, although a bandsaw helped to ease some of the labor.
The base and basket ends are curly maple; the sides are tiger maple. I used pre-turned spindles from LV, although for my next one (?), I'll likely turn my own. After smoothing with a card scraper, I used 4-5 coats of Tride & True Varnish Oil, allowing a full 5 to 6 days per coat to dry. I used 4/0 steel wool after the first and final coats, finishing with two coats of paste wax.
Because cradles typically become heirlooms, I wanted my maker's mark on it, but couldn't find a suitable spot to strike. The base was the only area that I dared use -- and then only because I could place it over a steel plate without fear of causing undue stress somewhere else. Anyway -- not exactly unobtrusive, but my daugher doesn't mind...
I always swore that I wouldn't become a typical "Grandpa" -- and I likely won't be...but I can already tell there's going to be something quite mystical in holding this new baby girl...
Thanks for looking...oh, Iris isn't due until August 10, but my daugher says it's going to be sooner! And she's put in an order for a small bookcase to match the cradle. I'm already on it...
Allan