sculpted lyptus bench

[Andrew Hughes]

Here's another lyptus piece i delivered this weekend.I only 40'' long and about 19 wide.I used false miters or masons miters to get the joinery to flow.I shaped the legs and strechers and legs with files and spokeshaves.The top and bottoms were shaped with a wooden plane.A little shorty one with a curved bottom.Lyptus works nicely with hand tools.I darkened the color with garnet shellac and a few drops of mahogany dye mixed in.The top coat is a varnish spray from a rattle can. Its will not see rain or sun but live outside.
It was more work than i expected.Glad its done. Thanks for looking Andrew

[Sam Murdoch]

Nice one the joinery flows and the finish looks good to. I'd be happy to have it by my front door.

[Jim Matthews]

This stuff is likely to become the go-to lumber for many reasons related to production;
is it a species you would choose, if there are alternatives?

Any observations about handling to pass on?
My first foray with Lyptus sourced from Downes and Reader was a splinterfest.

[Prashun Patel]

Nicely done!
I love sculpted joints. Jack-miters, mason's miters, Maloof joints, whatever you call it, I love making and seeing them.

Sculpting those curves does take a lot of effort though. What were your weapons of choice for that?

[phil harold]

sweet
I like the flow

[Mark Valsi]

Very nice design and execution thereof ! I like it !

[Andrew Hughes]

Thanks for the great comments,I was thinking of ask you the same thing Pashtun,I have fine rasp from Auriou that I used for the inside corners I was surprised to see the finish was very nice for going across the grain.The other rasps i used are 49 and 50 from Nicholson.Then small and large spoke shaves.
I don't see any reason to use lyptus any more.I would rather spend I little more for Honduras mahogany .Save time on finishing .Thanks Again

[Gus Dundon]

This is a beautiful carving. That is a sweet job. Love how it looks

[Prashun Patel]

If you ever attempt this again (I can't seem to stop) then invest in an angle grinder and a carbide cutting wheel. It takes some touch, but it makes the rough work go easy. Then I use spokeshaves and planes and rasps to final shape. Lastly I use a ROS with a soft backing pad for the smoothing.

Your jack miters are really great. I've not tried that; I usually dado my joints straight in. How did you cut those miters?

[Andrew Hughes]

i thought you might say a grinder with a abrasive wheel. I cut my tenons with a bandsaw and used guide block from mesquite with a perfect 45.Hope to get a cabinet saw this summer.Maybe then i'll be ready to try a maloof joint. Heres some pic of the guide block and the male part of the joint.The time spent squaring the stock gets a good fit on both sides.Thanks for being interested esp with the wheel thread going its way more interesting. Andrew