It's looking great! I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.
It's looking great! I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.
~mike
happy in my mud hut
Look at it this way, most people, including me, have not even started yet.
Thanks gentlemen. Thomas, hope you've started yours
Have completed dovetailing the drawers and have them fit to the carcass. Here's my set up using some scrap cut to length for the narrow drawers supplemented for the longer drawers:
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Right now they are too tight and need to go back and finish dialing them in. Can be a bit loose since we're in our dry season--any thoughts on how snug to keep them?
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
I normally make the sides and back a little lower then tune the fronts for a good fit.
Hi all,
I think I'll call this chest the "journeyman's chest" because all the journeys inside and outside the shop that have transpired since I started it! The latest distractions in the shop have been upgraded dust collection and 13 windows worth of interior trim. Decided I better get this one done before the next round of house projects is assigned.
I fitted the drawers, making them snug but not piston fit. I used the 'be able to close it pushing with one finger on a corner' guide. Pretty sure I saw that from George Wilson here on SMC.
I also picked up some antiqued brass knobs from LV for a reasonable price. I bought three sizes and some extras because I wasn't sure what size(s) would look best. Here's a couple configurations:
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It's subtle, but there's a difference.
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
Drawers look good Chris. Drawers that fit perfect usually end up getting stuck in summer. Good decision not to go for "piston fit".
I built a tool cabinet with sliding trays in it over this winter (dry season) and got them to slide easily just as the spring thaw was starting. Now that I am coming to the end of my wet season my sliding trays are tighter than they were in March. There is one I definitely need to take down a hair, a couple I am going to leave alone.
I used at least three coats of SCJohnson floor wax on all the load bearing bits, red oak. My shop is somewhat climate controlled, usually +55dF and 5-10% RH in winter, +70 to +80 dF in Summer with ambient RH, 70-80%. They really didn't move that much, but I was fairly selective in the grain patterns I chose for both the slips on the sliding trays and the guides attached to the cabinet walls.
Yes my sliding trays are a little tight in the wet season, but I don't want them too loose in the dry season either. Figure out where you will take the next shavings from and wait for it is my advice.
Thanks Scott. The next couple weeks will tell as we start to get rain again in October. Expect the drawers may need another swipe or two, but they are close now.
Thomas, hope you've finished your dust collection and I agree the design holds a surprising amount, which was revealed when making the drawer bottoms.
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
Getting close to the finish line (pun intended).
I used traditional ~1/8" thick drawer stops, attached by lining up the drawer front and reaching in from behind through another drawer to glue down. Required two rounds for the four rows of drawers.
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And a couple evenings hiding my sins:
before and after cover some gappy dovetails with tapered wedges:
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And a bit more embarrassing was when, I don't remember how, I either mis-marked or mis-sawed one of the corners on the back mitered dovetail corner. Sigh-at least it wasn't on the front-LOL...
I cut and chiseled out a clean spot and glued in a fitted wedge. We'll see how noticeable it is in the final piece.
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Currently finish planning and will start finishing next week (family travel this weekend). Thanks for following along.
Chris
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
First coat of finish is always my favorite moment of every project (one coat of BLO and then shellac and wax).
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Can also see the drawer stops here. I will note I did have to re-level a couple drawers to the carcass face after the stops dried in place. I did make sure to set them even or a bit proud.
Was able to get about 5 coats of shellac on this weekend and the next installment will be the completion photos.
Best,
Chris
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
Chris, that beautiful figure is starting to pop. That is going to be - already is! - a wonderful chest.
Where do you plan to keep it, and what will go inside the drawers?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Hi Derek,
Thanks for the kind words. I too am excited to see the figure starting to pop.
Originally, I planned to keep it under my bench with tools. However, I have since decided that it will live in the house as a 'gentlemen's chest', which is a fancy way of saying it will be a way for me to keep track of bits and baubles around the house . Since the pandemic, i've been working from home quite a bit more but don't have a dedicated office. Should be a good size for a laptop, the few number of bills that still come in as paper, notebooks, pencils, etc. We haven't settled on the final spot, but are also in the middle of interior updates, so it will likely move around for a while.
Best,
Chris
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
Hi all,
I was able to complete the chest over the weekend. The final step was to take a few fine shavings off to loosen a couple of the drawers. Here are some gratuitous glamor shots
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This was the original conception as an under-the-bench chest.
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The insert to repair the mis-cut miter can be seen on the back corner here:
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The chest will reside, at least of the time being, on one side of the living room (aka, my home office...)
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Thanks for following along.
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
--Yogi Berra
Beautiful work Christopher. Amazing how the simplest of finishes really amplifies the natural beauty of the wood.