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Thread: Bonnet Top High boy Tutorial

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Bel Air, MD
    Posts
    111
    I’ll let everyone digest this and ask questions and add another installment either this evening or tomorrow morning.
    Diamanwoodcrafters

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Clinton Township, MI, United States
    Posts
    1,554
    Dave,
    What was the reasoning behind cutting the joints on the legs after shaping?
    Most instructions have you putting the joints in while the leg blank is square.
    Mike
    From the workshop under the staircase, Clinton Township, MI
    Semper Audere!

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Bel Air, MD
    Posts
    111
    Quote Originally Posted by mike holden View Post
    Dave,
    What was the reasoning behind cutting the joints on the legs after shaping?
    Most instructions have you putting the joints in while the leg blank is square.
    Mike

    Because you place your mortise joints relative to the leg block size. Since these are shaped by hand the leg blocks will not all be identical no matter how hard you try. If you put your mortise in the wrong location relative to the outside of the block you will be doing a lot of work with a hand plane. It is much faster to just locate the mortise joint after the leg block is formed.
    Diamanwoodcrafters

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702
    This thread will be bookmarked for sure.
    Thanks for taking the time to do this.
    With only a couple of posts there already is a ton to absorb....

  5. #20
    I'm humbled by yr work - and equally by yr detail to documenting!

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Grand Forks, ND
    Posts
    2,336
    Fantastic Dave, you should really write a book, with your talent and the detail of the tutorial...I'd be a subscriber!! Also its great to see your tools in the pics also...it gives me some hope....I have alot of the same tools, but my project outcome is slightly different.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Atlanta , Ga.
    Posts
    3,970
    Your tutorial is extremely well organized Dave, so your talent goes well beyond the build itself IMO. I am a decent mechanic after 39 years but have picked up a few goodies here and there as the one mentioned about locating the mortice location after the fact. I design and mainly do A & C so there are few instances that have hand shaped legs as most is rather straight forward design.. so I would probably have over-looked the fact the legs won't be exactly the same in a hand made situation. Even though that is obvious if you give it thought.

    Keep up the outstanding tutorial and BTW, I'm not close to top notch by any means but... I take great pride in my joinery and from what I have seen your's is most definitely first class from the "git-go".

    Regards...
    Sarge..

    Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia
    Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

  8. #23
    this is great dave... thanks for sharing your trade secrets... I think you will get a lot of followers from this tutorial... I know that I will stay tuned.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Saratoga Springs, Utah
    Posts
    863
    Awesome Thread Dave !! I am learning tons as I go. Thanks for the effort.
    Sawdust is some of the best learning material!

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    200
    Dave,

    I'd like to echo the others here who have thanked you for posting your work and so much detail about how it comes together.

    If you're willing, I'd love to hear about how you source your materials - local hardwood supplier, mill or some other established relationship? Are your boards picked by hand for the various components of your project or do you decide later how you'll harvest each piece? With so much of your work using highly figured wood, not only must the up front cost be immense but the selection of quality pieces in the lengths, widths and thicknesses you need could be a challenge. Do you "store" quite a bit of choice material or do you purchase just what you need project to project?

    Thanks,

    Mike

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    441
    Great thread. The Queen Anne Bonnet Top Highboy is my pinnacle project. Someday I hope to be so skilled.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Bel Air, MD
    Posts
    111
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Zilis View Post
    Dave,

    I'd like to echo the others here who have thanked you for posting your work and so much detail about how it comes together.

    If you're willing, I'd love to hear about how you source your materials - local hardwood supplier, mill or some other established relationship? Are your boards picked by hand for the various components of your project or do you decide later how you'll harvest each piece? With so much of your work using highly figured wood, not only must the up front cost be immense but the selection of quality pieces in the lengths, widths and thicknesses you need could be a challenge. Do you "store" quite a bit of choice material or do you purchase just what you need project to project?

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Mike,
    I typically buy from a few select sawyers and tend to stay away from big mills. When I buy material I buy flitch sets in most cases so I know all the material will match. Everything in my storage is color coded by tree as well as dated and numbered so I can put the log back together. On occasion I will buy big batches of material 500-1000 BF and cherry pick it for the best of the best and sell the rest at my cost which usually ends up being a great deal for someone. I am really picky about the material I use and only keep the absolute best figured and widest material. I have some tiger maple sets with boards up to 24” wide and some Honduran mahogany up to 40” wide. I always have around 2000 Bf at any one time. I buy when I find something worth buying. When you are picky about the material you use you have to buy it when it is available so you don’t end up scrambling at the last minute looking for something. When that happens you will usually pay a big premium and in most cases you will not get the best material..
    Diamanwoodcrafters

  13. #28
    Superb tutorial!! Dave, I know this takes a tremendous effort and and an immense amount of time, and it is appreciated. Your skills are well honed, and you have the ability to convey your processes - not an easy task.

    Well done!! I look forward to future installments.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    1,740
    Dave,

    This is great stuff. Can you talk about how you prepare to build the piece, what type of research of any, what type of wood, how you are laying out the wood to match the grain, etc.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    1,429
    Dave,
    Another thanks for taking the time to do this, since this is time you would normally spend making money! It will be a while before I can tackle this...hoping to finally unpack my tools and set up shop in another month. Period furniture has long been a goal of mine, but having a map always makes an unknown journey easier.
    I'm assuming the dimensions are such that the lowboy could be used as a finished piece by itself. Any changes that should be made for that application? Thanks.

    Mark

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