The start of a build

[Derek Cohen]

I thought that the build might begin with preparing the panels, since there has been some interest in the past shown in the shorter Hammer K3 sliders. Mine has a 49" long slider and a 31" wide table for the rip fence.


The build is an entry hall table for a wedding present for a niece. Her choice was this mid century modern piece, which will be the basis for the build. My job is to re-invent it somewhat.





She wants Jarrah, and I have managed to find something spectacular ... a subtle fiddleback (curly) set of boards that will make a book match (as they are only about 9" wide each).











Most imagine that the value of a slider lies with cross-cutting. It certainly is so. However it is the rip using the slider - rather than the rip fence - which is so amazing.


One side of each board was to be ripped on the slider, before being jointed and resawn. Ripping on the slider is such an advantage with life edges. No jigs required. No rip fence to slide against. Just clamp the board on the slider, and run it past the saw blade. The long sliders can complete the rip in one quick pass. It occurred to me that I should take a few photos of ripping to width since the boards are longer than the slider.


Here you can see that it comes up short ...





In actuality, with the blade raised fully, there is a cut of nearly 54" ...





The solution is to use a combination square to register the position of the side of the board at the front, and then slide the board forward and reposition it ...





... and repeat at the rear ...





The result is a pretty good edge, one that is cleaned up on the jointer in 1 or 2 passes, and then ready for resawing ...





This is the glued panel. It is long enough to make a waterfall two sides and top section (still oversize) ...





The following photo shows the lower section at the rear. What I wanted to show is the way boards are stored. Since I shall not get back to this build until next weekend, all boards are stickered and clamped using steel square sections.





The steel sections are inexpensive galvanised mild steel. These are covered in vinyl duct tape to prevent any marks on the wood and ease in removing glue ...





Done for the day ...





Enough for the case (top/bottom and sides), which will be through dovetailed with mitred corners, the stock for 4 legs (yet to be turned), and rails for the legs (the legs will be staked mortice-and-tenon) and attached with a sliding dovetail.


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Kris Cook]

Looking forward to seeing the progress. Thanks.

[Patrick Walsh]

Beautiful stock Derek,

What I’d give to add those boards to my collection.

[Doug Garson]

Looking forward to the build also, thanks for sharing. I'm puzzled about the long rip on the slider. Understand how it would work for the second edge but how did you rip the first edge?

[Mel Fulks]

I think the frame around the drawer and the legs would look better with sharper edges. Would show better ,cleaner,
shadows. And I KNOW I will enjoy watching progress.

[Patrick Walsh]

I agree with a sharper edge.

This piece has inspired me a bit Derek.

I started a piece last winter to house one of my dogs that passed last fall. It’s a Krenov type piece. The base is finished but the top case has not even begun although I have a working drawing. As is now it is planned to be miter wrapped using hidden dovetails. I have yet to attempt them to dat and plan to construct the piece from Satin wood lol. I think I will add the chamfered edge as in this piece but also chamfer the doors and drawers to seat perfectly flush with the carcass.

I’m sure you will be done with five project before I finish my single project.

I think the frame around the drawer and the legs would look better with sharper edges. Would show better ,cleaner,
shadows. And I KNOW I will enjoy watching progress.

[Derek Cohen]

Looking forward to the build also, thanks for sharing. I'm puzzled about the long rip on the slider. Understand how it would work for the second edge but how did you rip the first edge?

Doug, exactly the same way - simply slide the board past the blade. That is the advantage of the slider. You can rip without a reference edge. Of course, the longer the slider the longer the rip. Still, I rarely need the capacity of the big sliders as I work with solid wood and not ply.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

I think the frame around the drawer and the legs would look better with sharper edges. Would show better ,cleaner,
shadows. And I KNOW I will enjoy watching progress.

Mel, here is a close up of the original table ...



Thoughts?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Prashun Patel]

Dumb question: where are the pulls located for this case? I like that mitered, inset face frame. The more I look at it, the more I realize I haven't seem much like that, and that it would be deceptively challenging (for me) to make.

I am sure your version will be crisper yet.

[Derek Cohen]

Prashun, indeed, where are the pulls?

I discussed this on the hand tool forum a little while ago. The original design appears to use slides and push-it mechanisms. In the end I decided that I would build traditional drawers and add handles. They will be discrete and in the same wood, and so will disappear.

The case is planned to be through dovetailed with mitred ends.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Gibney]

Derek I enjoy that your posts like this one have a magazine level presentation, with good photographs and clear text. Looking forward to the rest of it.

[Paul F Mills]

This is going to be a great looking piece. I am getting ready to build a bedside table that will have a similar drawer/miteres case look.
What is the purpose of clamping the panels with the steel stock? Is it to keep them from warping after you have cut and released stress?

[Doug Garson]

Doug, exactly the same way - simply slide the board past the blade. That is the advantage of the slider. You can rip without a reference edge. Of course, the longer the slider the longer the rip. Still, I rarely need the capacity of the big sliders as I work with solid wood and not ply.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Still not getting it. In your op, you show using a tee square to reference the opposite edge (reference edge) as you move the piece forward to finish the cut, how does that work if the opposite edge is not straight if you started with live edge slabs? I understand that with a slider you don't need a reference edge if you make the cut in one step but you are using a straight edge as your reference to relocate the piece to complete the cut. I would think you would have to use the first cut edge as your reference to relocate the piece to finish the cut.

[Derek Cohen]

Still not getting it.

Doug, it is a matter of using something to measure the position of the board at each end, so that when you silide the board forward, the positioning is maintained.

I use a set of combination squares, each extended to reach from the side of the slider (which is square and a reliable reference) to the edge of the work piece. Make sure you mark this position on the work piece. Do the same at the other end of the board.

When you slide the work piece forward, use the combination square to return the board to the same position. The shape of the side of the workpiece does not matter since you have taken this into account with the combination square.

Regads from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

...
What is the purpose of clamping the panels with the steel stock? Is it to keep them from warping after you have cut and released stress?

Paul, the cauls are to minimise movement while the boards are waiting to be worked again. This could be a week or more.

All wood moves. And then relaxes. I attempt to ensure that it relaxes in the shape I want it to be. Keep in mind that I observe all the usual precautions for air flow around the boards, etc.

Regards from Perth

Derek