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Thread: Mission Shoe Bench In Quartersawn White Oak

  1. #1
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    Mission Shoe Bench In Quartersawn White Oak

    Designed and built this arts and crafts style bench for a couple’s entry hall, essentially as a shoe bench with a shelf. Quartersawn White oak. I glued up the each leg as five pieces to have quartersawn faces on all sides. I’m still debating if it’s actually worth all the time, and clamps! Yeah, probably is.

    I finished it using Jeff Jewitt’s mission finish process - dye, SealACell, dark stain wipe on and off, ArmRSeal satin. Worked very well, love the results but it took longer to do the whole finishing process than it did to actually build it.

    It’s a small piece but complicated with all the joinery and through tenons of a larger piece (like a coffee table) but compressed. Not the most profitable piece but a lot of fun, and I learned a ton. I’ve never done a full-on mission piece like this. They now want a tall sideboard with glass doors in a matching style. Glad I took notes on the dye and stain process!

    A82B9BCB-7F7D-4C09-8ED8-AB4517D0EDB5.jpg
    Don't ask me how I know that!

  2. #2
    Most A&C stuff is too clunky and grim for me. But I like the moderness and refinements of this one. Congratulations on
    new commision too.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    Most A&C stuff is too clunky and grim for me. But I like the moderness and refinements of this one. Congratulations on
    new commision too.
    Thanks! And I get you, I’m usually more of a shaker or modern craftsman (I’ve heard “Northwest Craftsman” around here) guy myself but this was a lot of fun, and of course, what the client wanted. They wanted something bombproof, and I thought I might have gone a bit heavy on this ... but it’s sturdy!
    Don't ask me how I know that!

  4. #4
    Very nice!
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

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  5. #5
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    Well crafted and very clean work!

  6. #6
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    Very nice! The lines are elegant and soft yet the piece is sturdy. What are the dimensions? Thanks for sharing.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Utterback View Post
    Very nice! The lines are elegant and soft yet the piece is sturdy. What are the dimensions? Thanks for sharing.
    It’s small. 30”L x 13”W x 17”T. I bought the quartersawn white oak sight unseen as part of a larger mixed species order. Next time I’ll hand pick to get more ray flake to my liking. The grain has to be really close to 90 degrees to the face for the best figure which, to me, seems fairly important in mission pieces. I saved the best for the top and the legs but spent a lot of time resawing and milling the rough stock to maximize figure. Better off to pay more and waste less, I think.
    Last edited by Tom Hyde; 10-12-2019 at 12:13 PM.
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  8. #8
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    Gorgeous piece! The amount of time & work building and finishing was well worth it.
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  9. #9
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    Its beautiful, nicely done!

  10. #10
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    Nicely done. I'm a big fan of the style. Do you have any more photos?
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  11. #11
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    Tom, I definitely like that look, but am confused. How does it work with seemingly crossed up protruding tennons on the lower end stretchers and the lower shelf? Kind of like the arrow going on one ear and exiting the other? Those of us possessing double digit IQ's want to know please. Like Rob, I'd like to see more photos if available. I need a bench like that for sure. Kind of ties in to the Bob Lang book "shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" I just received last week.
    David

  12. #12
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    Rob and David, a couple more pics and an excerpt from the drawing I did prior. I did modify the bottom end rail a bit during construction (adding height and the squares) but the basics are the same. I never used to draw things up in such detail, and now I can't remember half the things I've built let alone how I built them. So I'm trying now.

    The angle detail on the bottom of the legs was the one significant design item requested, other than size and general style. I wasn't really a fan but it's grown on me a bit.

    IMG_8196.jpg

    IMG_8200.jpg

    Benchplan.jpg
    Last edited by Tom Hyde; 10-16-2019 at 3:57 PM.
    Don't ask me how I know that!

  13. #13
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    Thanks Tom. Nice, nice work. Thanks for sharing.
    David

  14. #14
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    Superb work, Tom. I like and can appreciate that style, but like you I'm more of into the Northwest style, though my design leanings seem more Scandanavian influenced.

    BTW, I'm on the western side of the Cascades. Are you in the neighborhood of Seattle at all?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Hyde View Post
    Rob and David, a couple more pics and an excerpt from the drawing I did prior. I did modify the bottom end rail a bit during construction (adding height and the squares) but the basics are the same. I never used to draw things up in such detail, and now I can't remember half the things I've built let alone how I built them. So I'm trying now.

    The angle detail on the bottom of the legs was the one significant design item requested, other than size and general style. I wasn't really a fan but it's grown on me a bit.

    IMG_8196.jpg

    IMG_8200.jpg

    Benchplan.jpg
    Thanks for the photos. I like the detail on the leg bottoms. I made a hall table a few years ago (thread here) that uses the same basic joinery as your bench, albeit scaled up. That detail on the legs would have been a nice addition
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

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