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Thread: this is gonna hurt

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    84

    this is gonna hurt

    Morning everyone,

    ok so I tried to make this blanket chest.
    it does have its issues that I have to touchup,
    have a buggered dovetail which needs to be colored.
    I tried to polish finish and learned a lot during the process.
    any constructive criticisms and help would be appreciated.
    im still learning.

    regards Ericchest 2.jpgchest 1.jpg
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 06-24-2019 at 8:25 PM. Reason: fixed photo

  2. #2
    Don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone learns from every project, even the masters.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Longmont, CO
    Posts
    810
    great job getting in the shop and getting it done. It's a good looking piece.

    Many people go a lifetime thinking about completing a project like this, and never do it. YOU have done it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    Looks pretty to me!

    I'd add a chain, or some other means to prevent the top from opening too far, falling over the back, and ripping out the hinges. Make the chain long enough that the top can stand open without anybody holding it. Then you can use both hands to put stuff inside the chest.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Clarks Summit PA
    Posts
    1,733
    Eric, that is a very nice blanket chest. We all have some defects in our pieces. It is a learning process to disguise the larger ones.

  6. #6
    A thing of great beauty. We moderns probably spend a lot more time on our stuff than the cabinet makers of old. The
    small imperfection makes you the guy who produces...not dabbles.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    NE Connecticut
    Posts
    695
    I see the dovetail issues, but those are fixable. The rest of it looks great. I think you did a great job matching the grain and I like the overall design. Well done.


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    3,222
    It’s a nice piece Eric. Nothing wrong with being critical of our own work, cause that’s how we get better, but you should be proud of it. It’s hand made with some hand made character. Ever look at the dovetails on the side of an antique drawer? Nothing to write home about, but that’s what makes it special.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,645
    What's not to like? Beautiful wood, nice design, well finished. I only see a couple of DT's that aren't perfect and I think you can fix them w/o huge effort. Where the pins are little narrow you could run a handsaw in the joint on that edge and glue in a piece of veneer. Where the tails are chipped out in the back you might be able to cut a ramped recess with a chisel and glue in a wedge of matching wood. Flush everything with a hand plane and touch up the finish. Alternatively, carefully color matched putty would be an easier fix.

    John

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Ogden, UT
    Posts
    1,659
    Blog Entries
    1
    What's wrong with it?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Posts
    989
    I like the piece overall.
    What are your plans for it?

    My attempts to shim gaps did not end up invisible; but the work ended up solid and I’m happy to see it in use, even with the flaws. I would probably avoid using putty (not confident it would look better under inspection, but please post if you try it out and like the result)

    Matt

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Posts
    989
    I like the piece overall.
    What are your plans for it?

    My attempts to shim gaps did not end up invisible; but the work ended up solid and I’m happy to see it in use, even with the flaws. I would probably avoid using putty (not confident it would look better under inspection, but please post if you try it out and like the result)

    Matt

  13. #13
    I like it!
    Don't beat yourself. You'll get better with every project.
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
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    15,593
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    Those are not defects, they are character and signs that it was hand made.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  15. #15
    Nice piece. The "perfect dovetail" obsession is a modern thing; plenty of historical originals have chips around them. Sometimes I think that is why they often just veneered over them. To the craftsman of yore it was just a joint, and a quick and easy one not requiring a lot of accuracy. Historical texts mention dovetails along with other standard joints, but they don't have any of the quasi-religious reverence you see today, if anything, they note that finger joints are probably superior to dovetails due to having more glue surface.

    I think the whole "height of craftsmanship" nonsense comes from certain magazines (and craftsman) in the 1970s to today looking for ways to market themselves to the hobbyist market. Nothing against those magazines (or craftsman), I like many of them, but in the process, this particular method of joinery has been elevated far above its actual historical importance and functional utility. It is really just a way of attaching two boards together; nothing more, nothing less.

    Myself, I just fill the chips with wood that looks the closest. I also tend to start on the side that is most hidden, so I am in the most practice when I get to the seen side

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