Mission Entertainment Center Complete [PICS]

[John Hedges]

I finally got the large TV I've always wanted earlier this year so it was time to build something for it to sit on. After 5 months (never said I work fast) it's finally done and in the house before the holidays. It is my own design and probably violates true mission style design in a number of ways. It is made from Quartersawn White Oak and finished to match some other pieces already in the room. The interior is all bookmatched veneers which really turned out nice (although they look blotchy in the first photo, they are actually not), but it kills me that you don't really see them in the finished piece (oh well). The legs were built to show Quartersawn Oak on all 4 sides. I used a Leigh FMT to cut the M&T and it was a very nice tool to have for a piece like this as I used M&T's everywhere including the joints on the face frames (I counted almost 70 M&T total). The thing I wrestled with in the design was how to integrate the slats on the side with the shelves, and ended up deciding on the effect of floating shelves, when viewed from the side.

My wife likes it so I'll call it a success. We will be changing out the drawer pulls as we're not wild about the ones on it now. There are 2 things I'm not happy about in the finished piece. The first is the wood on the drawer fronts ,which doesn't quite blend as well as I'd like with the frame around it, it really bothers me because I spent so much time trying to pick pieces of QSWO that would blend. The second is the design of the bottom of the sides which is more shaker style, as it causes too much cross direction grain in a small area which can be distracting to the eye. Here are some pics

A pic in the finish room before the top was permanently attached.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2436.jpg?t=1229350528

A full view of the installed piece
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2449.jpg?t=1229350600

And a closer view
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2453.jpg?t=1229350674


A view of the side, showing the floating shelves. I borrowed the design of the corbels/finials (whatever their called), and the treatment at the bottom of the legs from a recent Settee in Fine Woodworking magazine that I really liked
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2452.jpg?t=1229350711

A closer look at the sides, showing the legs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2454.jpg?t=1229350846

A closer view of the grain and the finish
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2455.jpg?t=1229351109

And finally a shot of the drawers. I used full extension slides so we would have access to the back of the drawers. I got a really good deal on the side mounts, so I used them, but I would have preferred to use undermounts as I think they look better with dovetailed drawers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/EntertainmentCenter/IMG_2458.jpg?t=1229351159


Please let me know what you think, Good or bad, all input is welcome.

[William OConnell]

I would definately call that a success. Very nice use of the grain:):):):)

[Jason Whitaker]

that is pretty magnificent!! I actually like the drawers and how they "pop" a little fwiw

What finish did you use?

[Eddie Watkins]

It's beautiful, John. Great job!!

[Dennis Peacock]

Nicely done and the overall design application looks very good. Success it is for sure. Beautiful piece. :cool:

[Clifford Mescher]

Great job. Can I ask about your finishing schedule? Clifford

[Bob Marino]

Very, very nice. What is your finish?

Bob

[Elijah Fontenot]

Very nice. I do agree on what you said about your drawer fronts, however it is still a beautiful piece. You should be proud of it, especially if the wife approves.

[Brian Effinger]

That is a great looking piece of fine furniture. No wonder your wife approves :)

[Paul Gatti]

Well done!

[Jude Tuliszewski]

Excellent .... great use of the quarter saw oak.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi john, an excellent job, very well done.

I don't normally provide design comments since I'm hardly a world famous designer, infamous would more accurately describe my design skills........However........

- the colour and gloss of your very nice, not as dark as traditional A&C stuff, more to my liking in fact

- the number of slats on your gables is an even number, something I always find unbalanced, I like to use an odd number.

- it's your design and looks great, however I wouldn't have used a corbel on the front of the legs

- it's difficult to tell from a photo, however I use 1 or 1 1/4" thick tops on A&C pieces, just because I like the look.

- the curvature of your front bottom stretcher is nicely proportioned, well done.

In closing, very nice work, you should be proud of that piece.

regards, Rod.

[Lori Kleinberg]

John, that is a great looking piece of furniture. I love the AC/Mission syle. I also love your use of the QS oak. The drawers
came out great, but I agree that the undermounts would have been better.
As a few have already asked, I too would be interested in your finish schedule and also the overall dimensions of the piece.
Thanks for sharing.

[Gary Lange]

That is a fine looking piece of furniture! Good job.

[John Hedges]

Bob and Cliff for the finish I used the Jeff Jewitt schedule, (see http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/pdf/mission_oak_rev4-2008.pdf). Basically some dye (in my case a mix of Transtint vintage Maple, Red and Dark Mission Oak), Followed by a 1# cut of dewaxed shellac, followed by a coat of Bartleys Dark Walnut Gel Stain, and finally 1 coat of Original Waterlox (3 coats on the horizontal surfaces) followed by 1 coat of Waterlox Satin. The last coat was applied with 4 0000 steel wool to rub it out. I think i must have made 50 various samples before I found one that my wife and I both liked. I would have liked to try the fuming method but as I mentioned earlier I was trying to match some existing pieces we have in the room.




- the number of slats on your gables is an even number, something I always find unbalanced, I like to use an odd number.

- it's difficult to tell from a photo, however I use 1 or 1 1/4" thick tops on A&C pieces, just because I like the look.


Rod, Thanks that's some great input, as far as the number of slats I went back and forth on that. The piece is not deep and I tried several variations and found in the sketches that I liked 4 slats the best, but I usually agree with you that I prefer an odd number, just didn't work in this piece.

AHHH the top, I really agree with you there. I really had a nightmare doing the top. I started with a couple of beautiful 8/4 boards so I could resaw a bookmatch, but when I resawed them in half they released some nasty tension and were unusable (lesson learned there), not to mention that one board was full of knots on the inside even though there was nothing visible on the outside, cant say I've ever seen anything like that before. So I went with some 5/4, as I couldn't find any 6/4, but because it was so long, by the time it was milled flat it was thinner than I would have liked (5/8"). I would have liked something thicker in the 3/4 - 1" range, but that's how it goes sometimes. I ended up adding a spline to the joints for alignment and strength.

[Jason Beam]

How the heck did my TV end up in your living room????

Man that's nice lookin, John. I've got plans for one of these myself - I'm going with cherry and more of frame & panel look but I struggle with the same issues on shelves meeting sides as you did. Floating isn't half bad for how you did it. Are the shelves adjustable any?

I love the drawer fronts, though. They might not blend with the adjacent members, but I'm not sure that they should. It's a very subtle contrast that I personally find appealing. I agree on the hardware, though. Those pulls somehow seem a little too modern or something. My wife and I have been pleased with the dark versions of these (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&cat=3,43520,43521,43557&p=49257) from Lee Valley. Maybe the hole patterns will line up?

The finish is fantastic, would you share your recipe? You've got just the right sheen and texture, I think. Edit: Woops, you covered this while I was typing! :D

I really like the look and I don't think you strayed too far from the traditional look at all. That's a very fine piece! :)

[John Thompson]

Very nicely done. I find there is no cut and dry rules with Mission, John. Odd-even slats are a matter of choice as long as proportion is maintained. I usually taper the inside of the bottom portion of the legs.. again just a matter of choice as I have seen them both ways.

So... if the wife likes what you did the matter would be laid to rest and I would move on to what the wife wants next and hope she likes it also. The bottom line is beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...
Sarge..

[Rick de Roque]

John,

Well done. You put a lot of thought into this piece and it shows.

Rick

[Saul Broadfoot]

Beautiful job. Any chance you could post a pic of the detail to the bottom of the feet? I seem to have missed that issue of FWW :(!

Saul

[Brent Ring]

Very Nice Work - I am impressed and love the Shaker/AC styles as well.

[John Hedges]

Any chance you could post a pic of the detail to the bottom of the feet? I seem to have missed that issue of FWW :(!


Saul, Here ya go.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/TV%20Stand/IMG_2319.jpg?t=1229438175

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I love the design and the finish....very nicely done!

Quartersawn Oak is a beautiful wood. I once saw a fireplace mantel made of it. The guy wanted to match it with a solid bookcase system 25 feet long. Imagine his face when I told him it would cost close to $20k!

[Gary Elore]

Excellent work! Definitely a keeper.

Gary

[Saul Broadfoot]

Thanks John for posting the pic -- that's exactly what I needed.

Saul

[Chris Padilla]

AHHH the top, I really agree with you there. I really had a nightmare doing the top. I started with a couple of beautiful 8/4 boards so I could resaw a bookmatch, but when I resawed them in half they released some nasty tension and were unusable (lesson learned there), not to mention that one board was full of knots on the inside even though there was nothing visible on the outside, cant say I've ever seen anything like that before. So I went with some 5/4, as I couldn't find any 6/4, but because it was so long, by the time it was milled flat it was thinner than I would have liked (5/8"). I would have liked something thicker in the 3/4 - 1" range, but that's how it goes sometimes. I ended up adding a spline to the joints for alignment and strength.

One thing I'm doing on my Tansu (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=9239) project in order to get thick-looking pieces is veneer. Since you did some resawing, I assume you could potentially resaw < 1/8" pieces for such work. I'm having a lot of fun resawing my 8/4, 10' long walnut down into enough veneers for this project. However, a drum sander and vacuum press help make this go along more nicely.

[Colin Giersberg]

Very nice. What are its dimensions. I estimate that it is around 60" long

Regards, Colin

[Eric Schniewind]

...is that Pittsburg was beating Baltimore as captured in one of the photos.

Great piece.

[John Hedges]

One thing I'm doing on my Tansu (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=9239) project in order to get thick-looking pieces is veneer. Since you did some resawing, I assume you could potentially resaw < 1/8" pieces for such work. I'm having a lot of fun resawing my 8/4, 10' long walnut down into enough veneers for this project. However, a drum sander and vacuum press help make this go along more nicely.

Chris, I originally debated doing a veneered top but decided against it because I really like the look of a solid top on these pieces. There this actually a lot of veneer on this piece. The interior panels and the rear panels are all hand resawn bookmatched veneers using Ply as the substraight.

Colin, the piece is 36" tall x 71" wide x 26" deep.

[Chris Padilla]

Chris, I originally debated doing a veneered top but decided against it because I really like the look of a solid top on these pieces. There this actually a lot of veneer on this piece. The interior panels and the rear panels are all hand resawn bookmatched veneers using Ply as the substraight.

If you edge-wrap a substrate in hardwood and then veneer over it, with careful planning, I think one ought to be able to achieve solid-looking boards. I'll give it a shot and see how I do. :)

[Russell Tribby]

Saul, Here ya go.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/hedgehog55/TV%20Stand/IMG_2319.jpg?t=1229438175


I love the design on the feet. I'll have to echo what a lot of people have said and that's that the finish looks great. I am not very good at finishing so I have a lot of respect for those that have managed to master that skill. Have you ever thought of using undermount slides? They're typically all I use now when I use slides. It changes the dimensions of your boxes a bit but it always seems like a shame to cover up some beautiful dovetails with slides. I've recently started purchasing the Hettich soft-close undermounts. They've worked well for me and they're reasonably priced.
Great job overall. Thanks for posting all the pics.

[Dewey Torres]

John,
I am building the Morris chair in the group build so you can critique me back when I get done with it.

I love the piece as it is beautiful to say the least. I have to DIG to find a critical point and you have been a very good critic so far anyway.

1) I don't mind the shaker features you pointed out. That never occurred to me as displeasing even after you pointed it out.:)

2) I agree with you about the drawer extensions. The Blum under mount ones would have allowed you that show off of those DTs.:(

3) I agree on the hardware of course and I think that one was a gimmie becasue it is not arts and crafts style. :(

That's it. Awaesome work. I hope my chaor turns out half as good. I am forced to fume my finish beacuase of my use of inlays so please wish me luck.

I really like this design and so much so that I may just bookmark this one for futute design ideas. :)

[Dewey Torres]

Almost forgot:

http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/clasmispulan.html

[Andy Casiello]

John, that is really a superb piece. Great work. That is so far beyond my current abilities that I can offer no constructive comment at all - just offering my praise and appreciation. Nice job.