Recent project from one of the newbies

[Patrick Nailon]

Folks (I know, and am happy that it's not just guys here),

I just completed another project. I've only been into woodworking since about last November, and have thus far completed two credenza top bookshelves, a floor model two shelf bookcase for my wife, a walnut writing table with drawer for me, two walnut jewelry boxes for the daughters, a tavern mirror for the living room (which sold my wife and I on Mission/arts & crafts style furniture to decorate the house), and a new cupboard in our hallway with a frame of poplar, and poplar/birch doors.

My new project, is a Mission style red oak bookcase, with glass-framed doors. I just finished it last night, and brought it into the house and into the alcove at the end of the hallway where it was planned to go. I ran into a problem cutting the biscuit slots as my Sears Bis-Kit attachment for my router came out of alignment and cut CLEAR thru the oak plywood that made up the carcase. Not just on one end, but both, requiring the removal of two inches of height. I had to be very careful about this too, as I had already drilled the holes for the shelf pins. Even so, the bookcase came out looking beautiful, and more like a well preserved or restored antique than something built by a newbie woodworker.

Next project is a 3/4 scale copy of the Tavern mirror for my wife's granny, and then a schoolhouse calendar clock. I picked up some beautifully grained cherry today for the clock.

Here are the pics of the bookcase.

[Gary Lange]

Very nice I hope I can do that well someday.

[Andy Casiello]

Great work, Patrick! Show us the other pieces! I'd really like to see the tavern mirror (and all the rest).

You do really nice work. :)

[tim mathis]

hi patrick that looks great.

[Lon LeBlanc]

Bravo, Patrick. Very nice work. Inspiring to a novice like me. Keep up the good work.

Lon

[Patrick Nailon]

Great work, Patrick! Show us the other pieces! I'd really like to see the tavern mirror (and all the rest).

You do really nice work. :)

Thanks Andy, here's three of the pieces (I've actually made two of the smaller bookshelves shown on the right), and I'll have to upload pictures of the Tavern Mirror still and one of the jewelry boxes. I got kind of caught off guard by all the woodworking I've been doing, when I walked down the hallway, saw the new cupboard, the bookcase at the end, then into the bedroom and saw the walnut table (it's been under a pile of stuff waiting to go into the hall cupboard for weeks, so it just got uncovered today).

Nice to see so much of your own stuff in your own house, isn't it?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=83881&highlight=nailon

And for all the other newbies - I hadn't done woodworking since junior high, 30+ years ago. But growing up (an ongoing process), you learn that you have a lot to learn and every project will challenge you, humble you, and make you proud if you stick with it.

I can't wait to start on that clock!

[Bob Genovesi]

Pat,

Very nice indeed!

I like its proportions and the way the grain matches. The shallow bevel on the top is a nice feature too. Did you use mortise and tenon joints on the doors?

[Patrick Nailon]

Pat,
Did you use mortise and tenon joints on the doors?

No, the rails and styles on the doors are bisquited and glued. I learned a lot doing that, especially when I had to cut the biscuit in the ends of the rails. The biscuit cutter grabbed a couple of times and cut out to the end of the piece. Luckily, that only happened a couple of times and I made those the top rails so you'd have to duck down and look up carefully to see them!

The grain matched beautifully on the top. I was very lucky with that. I cut a deeper chamfer under the top than the instructions, but that resulted in a more traditional look.

Also, the base ended up a quarter inch wider than the carcase. To blend that in, I put in an eight inch chamfer on the base, which made it look like it was designed that way.

Always learning, that's what you have to be. :)

[Bruce Page]

Looks very nice Patrick, newbie or not!

[Walt Caza]

Congratulations Patrick!
Useful projects and great looking too...
These days, I just love putting furniture I built to use,
especially in my own home. Enjoy yours and be proud.

As you said, now when you walk by, just going about your busy day...
you will see things that you built with your own hands.
To me, that is the spirit of the arts and crafts movement.
Gus Stickley didn't just sell furniture, he also showed how to make your own
in his Craftsman magazine. You are doing great making your own!

I too would like to see pics of your tavern mirror.

Stay safe and keep up the good work.
Thanks for giving us a peek,
Walt

ps Any thoughts about building a Morris chair with us?

[Patrick Nailon]

ps Any thoughts about building a Morris chair with us?

Yes, I have the book with the Morris chair and will be tackling that, probably after the current project is done. It's something I'm looking forward to doing.:o

[Peter Pedisich]

Patrick,

That's a lot of work since last November!
I'm not showing this to my wife:D

Great work, and really nice doors.

Thanks for sharing,

pete

[Jason Tuinstra]

Patrick, great project. I can't believe you've been woodworking for such a short period of time. You do very nice work. Next time you build doors like this, if you're able to get a board wide enough, it's sometimes nice to take one board and cut it in half so that the grain matches from one door to the next - just a nice little touch that would make your work that much better. Overall, though, a really nice project for any experience level. Keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing your other projects.

[Jim Becker]

A fine project, indeed! Nice work, Patrick.

[Patrick Nailon]

...if you're able to get a board wide enough, it's sometimes nice to take one board and cut it in half so that the grain matches from one door to the next - just a nice little touch that would make your work that much better.

Jason - thanks! I hadn't thought of that (newbie, y'know). I will try that next time. I have some more mission style projects coming up. And I love to experiment - once I've spent my time learning the basics.;)

[Jerry Olexa]

Nice work, Patrick!!! Looks good...

[Greg Cole]

Patrick,
Very nice indeed! I am not usually one to say anything all that nice about red oak (here in Missouri red oak furniture is EVERYWHERE). But that is a very nice project. Taking a "mistake" and making it a design enhancement is a true skill, honestly it is something some people cannot do. Problem solving like that is necessary to keep the good spirits on your side in the shop.
As Walt says, there is alot of pride to be had walking through a home and putting your hands on things you have made. The Arts n Crafts movement was functionality and utilitarian at it's best. My goal is to live in a home one day I can say I have built everything inside from the doors, trim etc to the furniture...... "some day".:rolleyes:
For a "newbie" you have every reason to be proud of your work. Trust me on this one, that some of the above posters do some awesome work (Jason Tunistra's web site makes me drool)... receiving compliments from seasoned skilled woodworkers is reason to be proud.

Cheers,
Greg