Federal Style Sideboard Build – Lots of Pics

[Mike Allen1010]

Nice work and GREAT pics,,I believe that is a G. Huey project...

Jerry you are absolutely right, the design/plan for this piece came from Glen Huey's excellent book "“Building 18th-Century American Furniture”. I built for the pieces described in his book and the pictures and build descriptions are excellent. Everybody has a different idea of styles that appeal to them, but I think all the pieces in Glenn's book are classic designs and fun to build.

Cheers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Jim and Derek, thanks for your comments and suggestions regarding half blind dovetails. I have 2 challenges;

1)how to orient the work piece on the workbench so that I'm able to align the saw plate with the layout lines. Currently I position the work piece vertically in my face vice and end up kneeling on the floor to try and get the saw plate aligned with layout lines. Aside from the uncomfortable posture, I'm hoping there is a better way to get a solid work piece with clear sightlines.

2) removing the waste between tails is always time-consuming and fraught with the danger of inadvertently breaking through the show surface when chiseling. Currently I remove the bold waste with a Forstner bit in the drill press and then start chiseling. I think your suggestion about using a small router bit is interesting and something I will give a try.

Thanks, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

This is an old post of mine involving half blind dovetails:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?258465

Two points on mine are sawing a kerf in the middle of the waste and using a tool to extend the kerf to the base of the socket of all three kerfs.

jtk

Jim thanks for sharing your very informative post on dovetails. Through dovetails for me are a lot easier/faster than half blind DTs. Your suggestion about making the dovetails 5/8 the thickness of the drawer front is a helpful guideline. I've had problems clearing the waste between tales and breaking through the show surface. I'll give your ideas a try. Thanks for sharing.

Best, Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Jim and Derek, thanks for your comments and suggestions regarding half blind dovetails. I have 2 challenges;

1)how to orient the work piece on the workbench so that I'm able to align the saw plate with the layout lines. Currently I position the work piece vertically in my face vice and end up kneeling on the floor to try and get the saw plate aligned with layout lines. Aside from the uncomfortable posture, I'm hoping there is a better way to get a solid work piece with clear sightlines.

2) removing the waste between tails is always time-consuming and fraught with the danger of inadvertently breaking through the show surface when chiseling. Currently I remove the bold waste with a Forstner bit in the drill press and then start chiseling. I think your suggestion about using a small router bit is interesting and something I will give a try.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike

1) This is a situation where a Moxon vise would change your experience forever. The Moxon vise will raise your work piece about 6". Better lighting always helps as well. Lastly, ageing eyes was the reason for using blue tape when transferring dovetail marks, and this makes such a difference, I cannot go back to not using it.

2) Removing the waste on through dovetails: use a fretsaw to 1mm above the base line, then pare the last bit ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...ovetails3.html










Next I saw off the ends. Once again, as close to the line as possible. At best, there is no waste to pare away. At worst, this takes a couple of strokes.












Half-blind dovetails: I have been using a router increasingly .. http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...vingWaste.html










Or, use a kerf chisel and drill the waste .... http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...hBlueTape.html





Split it out ...




Regards from Berlin

Derek

[J. Greg Jones]

Outstanding work Mike, thanks for sharing the details and pictures! I’m sure Glen would be very impressed with what you have created.

[Mike Allen1010]

Derek thanks much for the link to your website explaining how you router half blind DT's – like all your website content, super helpful! Your facility with tools is extraordinary – I'm surprised you're not an engineer (no disrespect to your chosen profession of pediatric psychology – definitely super impressive!).

The results you achieve are exactly what I'm looking for – super efficient removal of bulk of the waste which allows for final pairing with chisels. I confess I couldn't 100% follow the associated tool/work holding jigs. I'm guessing if we had 5 minutes together in the shop something that would be intuitively apparent. Bottom line for me is I am going to try using a router next time I do half blind dovetails. I very much appreciate the inspiration and direction.

All the best, Mike

[James Pallas]

Beautiful work Mike.

[Christopher Charles]

Mike,

Many thanks for the New Year's treat! Your build threads are one of my favorite things on the site and you've taken it to a new level with this build. And I always pick up a good trick from all of your photos, so definitely not too many.

I agree with Derek that a Moxon or similar arrangement would be a game changer for both getting the workpiece to the right height and also for stabilizing the end of the board.

Now for the important question: what drink will be served first?

Best,
Chris

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike,

Many thanks for the New Year's treat! Your build threads are one of my favorite things on the site and you've taken it to a new level with this build. And I always pick up a good trick from all of your photos, so definitely not too many.

I agree with Derek that a Moxon or similar arrangement would be a game changer for both getting the workpiece to the right height and also for stabilizing the end of the board.

Now for the important question: what drink will be served first?

Best,
Chris

Chris, thanks for the endorsement of the Moxon vice I guess I really need to give that a try.

Regrettably, sideboard is still taking up space in the shop until the LOML can find time to find exactly the right piece of stone for the top. Personally, I just want it out of the shop and am ready slides some bricks in there and call it done.

As for the first drink, I have a bottle of 30-year-old Lagavulin single malt I've been saving for one of the Boys to get married or maybe even grandkids. If I succeed in getting the boss to let me move this out of the shop and into the house, I might have to cracked the seal.

Cheers, Mike

[Oskar Sedell]

very nice Mike! thanls for sharing!

[glenn bradley]

Wonderful work Mike. Thanks for taking the time to share your methods and all the pics.

[Steve Jenkins]

Wow. Impressive and very nice

[Mel Fulks]

That is the neon sign of sideboards ! A wonderful example done perfectly.
Fun Fact: before modern plumbing sideboard doors often concealed a pee bucket. The REAL reason the ladies went to
another room to "allow the gentlemen to talk politics".

[Patrick Walsh]

Is that true.

If so I’m putting a pee bucket in my dinning room sideboard.

This had me so excited..

That is the neon sign of sideboards ! A wonderful example done perfectly.
Fun Fact: before modern plumbing sideboard doors often concealed a pee bucket. The REAL reason the ladies went to
another room to "allow the gentlemen to talk politics".

[Mel Fulks]

Yes, it's true. But I get the feeling you don't find it important. And that's OK. There were also urinals that were decorative
and stayed out in a dining room corner all the time. And Samuel Pepys made a diary entry about coming home from work and walking through the dining room and
seeing a lady friend of the family "doing something upon the pot".