Accidental Woodworker

 I went back to the shop after dinner last night intending to spend a few minutes checking out the base/chest rocking issues. Those few minutes morphed into almost 2 hours. One thing led into another and I lost track of time. Figuring out why things were going south on marrying the chest to base started to consume me. In the end I still didn't have a clue as to what was going on. 

Instead of adding the pics from that session to tomorrow's post I am writing it up as a separate post for today. As soon as I post this I'll be returning to that headache and commence doing battle again.

the problem

The base has a teeny bit of twist over the sticks both top and bottom. IMO it is no where close to causing the headache with the chest and base being married. I was starting out first by checking the base and the chest for twist.

the flatness check

This is my preferred way to check for flatness and the chest ain't a rocking on either diagonal. I also checked with the sticks and they said no twist too.

hmm.......

Thinking about this I thought that maybe there was a hump on one or more of the bearers. There wasn't, all four were flat and straight.

light assist

I even shined a light behind the rule and no light peeked out on any of the four bearers. 

hmm......

Thought I had found the problem. Two corners had one above the other and two were the rule hit. I evened the ends were they met but that didn't make the rocking go bye bye.

one of the high corners

Both of the high corners were where I had the veneer. I really thought this was the fix boys and girls.

it wasn't easy

Of course where I had to remove some wood was against the grain. One corner torn out and looked ugly.

sigh

I had to shim the ugly torn out corner so the rule lay flat across corner to corner. Got zero joy when I put the chest on the base. If anything, the rocking was worse then before.

checking the offset

Next check on the hit parade was checking the bearer offset from the top of the base to the bearer. It was off less than a frog hair 360 in a few spots.

hmm.......

Clamped the chest to the base. The clamps pulled it flat and tight to all four bearers. I could see and feel them pull the twist out of base onto the chest.

no joy again

The chest ain't rocking on the base but the base is rocking. It wasn't rocking as bad as the chest unclamped but enough to be annoying.

back to square one

Starting over by checking and removing the twist on the base. I wanted to go forward from here with a known, good flat base.

the final check

When doing this I saw that two of the bottom corners weren't square in one direction. Squared those, flipped it and kept at it until there was zero rocking on the tablesaw. Repeated it for the other side. Base was now flat and not rocking on either the top or bottom.

removed

The bearers came off without any problems. I thought with them being glued that they wouldn't come off as cleanly as they did. The reason why I didn't extend the bearers from side to side was I didn't have any scraps long enough for the long side. When I replace the bearers again I will do that.

hmm.....

Still surprised after seeing this pic how easily this cleaned up. I used a card scraper to remove the glue residue. 

last check

According to the straight edge the top of the base is flat, straight, and all in the same plane 360.

hmm.......

This is not the look I was expecting. I put on a 2nd seal coat of shellac and once it was dry, I wiped on the ebony dye. I was hoping that it would be more dark and black. Maybe I can boost that happening with adding some black dye to the ebony?

accidental woodworker

 

I stuck to the plan

After dinner I went back to the shop and glued up the 2nd base. It was twisted a bit so I clamped it flat to the workbench. I wasn't expecting it to do anything but when I took off the red handled clamps, the base stayed flat on the bench. Nothing moved or shifted when I did that. Sometimes you get lucky.

cleaning up the base

It probably wasn't necessary but I planed and rasped the base cutout smooth.

it fits

I had built in wiggle room, R/L and F/B. However, it seems I added a wee bit too much R/L - it was 3/16". But that is what the cove molding is for - to cover any gaps between the base and the chest.

blurry pic

Just as well that this was blurry because the tails on this base have some of the ugliest gaps I have seen in many, many moons. This blurry corner had the worse looking ones.

the other end

This corner looks better but it still ain't good IMO. I will use it and shim all the gaps.

the best corner

This is what I was expecting to see on all four but that didn't happen boys and girls.

homemade putty

Gathered up some cherry sawdust and mixed hide glue with it. I filled in all the small gaps with this that didn't need a shim.

bearers done

I glued and screwed the bearers to the inside of the base.  I will screw up through them into the bottom of the chest.

too high?

The bearers are 5/16" down from the top of the base. That puts the plywood bottom a few frog hairs below the top edge. Not that matters much because the cove molding will hide it. In the pic it looks high to my eye, but in person it doesn't.

bottom on

I nixed just screwing the bottom on and instead I glued and nailed it. Flushed the edges of it to the chest.

lid sized

The lid is a 1/2" oversized on the front and sides. I may knocked that back to 3/8" because I'm not exactly in love with this amount of overhang. 

needs shims

I had 4 pin/tails to shim on this end. The other end I had to do 6. Overall I used 14 shims to close up gaps. 

shim stock

I picked through my cherry scraps and used those that closely matched the chest. The japanese dozuki did extremely well sawing the thin shims I needed.

more homemade putty

I shimmed what I could but there were still a few gaps that looked ugly. 99.9% of them were on the tails. I only had to fill two spots on the short ends.

the cove molding

The first step is to put a thin coat of shellac on so the dye doesn't end up splotchy. I put one spoonful of shellac into the container.

hmm.......

I added 3 spoonfuls of the alcohol from the brush container into the spoonful of shellac. That should thin it so the dye goes on even. I don't think the cove molding is pine but it looks like poplar to me. I don't know if this molding will act like pine does when it is dyed.

two of the choices

The plan is to dye it with red oak first. The right one didn't look like the cherry at all. After the red oak has dried I will apply another coat of shellac as a sealer. After that has dried I will apply the ebony as the 2nd dye.

happy with this

The color came out more even then I expected. It also doesn't look that bad against the cherry. (BTW when I was at Lowes there wasn't a drop of cherry dye in the store.) After dinner this will be dry and I'll put on the ebony. I want this molding to stand out from the cherry and that is why I'm using a dark ebony as the top coat dye. I'm hoping that the red underneath will peek out too.

hmm........

The chest is rocking in the base. The chest isn't rocking sitting on the bench. I stacked up some veneer on the low corners until the chest stopped rocking on the base.

it went south

Took the chest out of the base to super glue the veneer stack together. Put the veneer stacks on the bearers and put the chest in place. It was rocking again. Less than two minutes before it wasn't. WTF?

The chest lays flat on the tablesaw with zero rocking in any direction. Under the sticks it shows zero twist too. The bearers show a little twist but I don't think it is enough to cause the amount of rocking I'm seeing. I'll have to set this aside for now and think on it for a while. 

back thing doo dad or doo hickey

I have a book on furniture styles and the names of the parts of them. What I don't have is one thing that has anything like this. I like the look of it on the lid over leaving the lid flat and unpopulated. A back stop is what I came up with to call it.

accidental woodworker 

hmm.......

In pine this would have been a nice looking, deep rosebud. In cherry I can't feel even a hint of a depression from the clamp head. I'm pretty confident that these will disappear once I plane and sand the chest.

making cove molding

This is a 1/2" round nose bit and the cove molding it would make is too small. This is roughly about a 1/4 of being able to cover a 3/4" width. 

a bigger size round nose bit

The cove is bigger but still not big enough. I have a larger round nose bit but it is 1/2" shank and I don't have a router table for the plunge router. This road is a dead end.

hmm.....

I have two small cove molding planes - both of them are 3/8". The profile looks to my eye to be a wee bit too big. But the headache is and was, trying to run the plane on cherry. First I had to fuss for a bazillion years trying to get the plane to take a good shaving - not too shallow and not too heavy. A kind of Goldilocks and the three bears story.

Got that sorted out but I couldn't get a consistent cove on the entire length. The lead in wouldn't develop the full profile no matter what I tried. Decided that was ok as long I added about 6 inches of extra length for the lead in. But when I checked my cherry scraps I didn't have anything long enough to do that. Sigh.

I tried both molding planes and I wasn't happy with what I made with either one of them. I know both work well and make good moldings in pine but with the cherry I have it was garbage. Another big hiccup was the available cherry I had wasn't straight grained. It was mostly cathedrals I would have to plow through. Nixed this and decided on buying and dyeing ready made cove moldings.

working on the base

Molding problem solved so I moved on to making the base for the chest. I didn't know it here yet that I had a major brain dump that would bite me on the arse in the PM session.

not happy with this

I can remove some of this defect when I saw the half pin but not all. Thinking that I will plane a chamfer on the outside edge to remove what is left over.

I like this

If I flipped the board all this would disappear. The opposite face is 99% clear. I want this be facing out so I'll deal with the defect after the base is glued and cook. This is why the defect is on the outside face.

tails laid out

I did two tails at the corners vice one big one. I didn't like the look of a single tail and two didn't look crowded or too small.

one of 3 that came today

I saw these squares on a Fireball You Tube vid and pulled the trigger on the two pack. You can also get a 3 pack or buy the 3 sizes individually. I have a poor record with miters and I think these may help a wee bit.

hmm......

These 45's are substantial. They are made out of steel (?) and it is almost a 1/8" thick. They aren't flimsy feeling and have some heft/weight to them. Both sides have scales on them. I don't know if they offer them in metric. They are made for metal working but I can envision them working with wood with no problems.

I got half sizes

The big square is twice the size of the smaller one. Both will layout 45's, 22 1/2, and 90 degrees. The inside corner is rounded but the flange was dead square when I checked it with my 6" square. 

cove moldings from Lowe's

I got lucky as there were only 4 of these left. I hope my estimation won't bite me on the arse. The plan is to stain these and I have a few ideas percolating in the brain bucket with that.

hinges and handles

Bought a black oxide hinge for the chest from Horton Brasses. The bail handles I got from eBay for $42 including S/H. eBay is the cheapest price I've found this style of handles. 

grandson's art

Leo did the xmas tree when he was 3 years old. Miles's is on the right and he did his a couple of months ago. I hung them on my wall cabinets and snapped a pic of them. I sent it to their mother so she could show it to them. Both are waiting to see them hanging in the shop.

I'm learning

Chiseled a relief on the tails before I tried to dry fit the base.

yikes

This is not what I wanted to see at this point. Go back to the 5th pic and you'll see the boo boo that I totally missed. The long base pieces are short - they are on the inside of the short ends rather than out to the outside faces of them. Real big sigh.

one point for more

Got the short sides correct - so I get one of the two points available.

1 1/2" short

There is no way to fix this mostly because you can't stretch cherry. I can't see repurposing this for something else neither.

hmm.....

I got lucky finding enough wide scrap to get a new base from. This one is about a 1/4" higher and I'm keeping it as is. 

tails laid out

It was a strange feeling after finding my boo boo. I didn't have the urge to give it flying lessons. I'm getting better at dealing with my brain farts I guess.

stayed late

Tails sawn and ready to chop out the center waste. I plan to return to the shop after dinner and get the tails/pins chopped, dry fitted, and glued up and cooking. I want to keep moving on this and get it done ASAP. 

the store bought cove molding

I like this look and the coverage it will have on the base. The molding definitely needs some help color wise. It is too stark of a difference between it and the cherry.

accidental woodworking 

first end panel

Starting chopping pin waste a little after 0800. It took me about the same amount time doing this as chopping the tail waste.

hmm.......

It looks good. Only a couple of the pencil lines are still visible. The pin walls are plumb from the top edge. Batting next is checking the fit.

first corner

It didn't go off the saw. It might have but I didn't want to risk trying it. I rasped the pins until the fit went together with gentle mallet taps. It took 3 trim and checks before I got this.

first corner tail side

Got a gap across the board on the baseline. Wasn't sure what the headache was here yet. I just checking the fit before chopping the next set of pins.

starting on the 2nd corner

It took me over an hour to chop and fit the first corner. I didn't think I would break that record on the 2nd corner .

not easy

The pins initially seated and then stalled about a 1/4 of the way in. I could see which pins were tight and needed some rasping. I did those dance steps 5 times before the pins and tails mated.

I see a pattern developing

The baseline gaps are actually better the previous two attempts to seat them. I was getting a little frustrated trying to get the left 3 to close up but couldn't.

finally got it

Got all the baselines to go bye bye. It took a while but I finally managed to figure it out.

yikes

I rasped the pins too many times. The baseline gaps are history but I now have gaps on the pins. Sigh. 

the fix

I rasped the pins too many times. I was chasing my tail here because the pins weren't the cause of the gaps. The baseline gaps are history but I now have gaps on the pins. Sigh. But chiseling a relief on the tails is what got the them to seat gap free.

#3 corner

Some pins were tight and after rasping them once, I got this fit. I had already chiseled all of the tails. They seated gap free.

#4 corner

I rarely if ever, chisel my tails. It is me being stubborn and thinking it isn't necessary. Well boys and girls, I am still capable of learning and saying I was wrong.

Happy with the fit of the box. Except for the over rasped pins, all the tail pin joints look good. The top/bottom corners are within a frog or less of being flush.

hmm.......

I have my doubts that glue will swell these gaps shut. They might do one or two though and I'll deal with the ones that don't cooperate.

less than a 16th

It is square and it isn't rocking neither. Both the top and bottom are laying flat.

lid

I had forgotten that this lid is a two board glue up. It about 6" too long R/L and 2" F/B. I like the grain pattern in this a lot. No painting can match what nature does in wood.

hmm......

I found this blow out from chopping the waste. I'll glue it in when I glue up the chest. There is another blow up but that one is MIA.

some came

My order from Blacksmith Bolt came but a few didn't make it. I had gotten a refund a couple of days ago but I thought it was from a price issue. Turns out it was screws that weren't in stock. The kicker? - The #6 screws I bought were too small. The screws in the handle are a #7 or metric? 

I was ready

Initially I was going to do the glue up in the AM but nixed it. Got the brush, water jug, and wet rag in standby.

hide glue

I probably could have used yellow glue but I went with hide glue. I have never had a joint freeze on me with hide glue. Besides I didn't have to rush like an idiot to get the glue on and the chest together. 

needed some help

The tails would seat fully but they wouldn't stay. I clamped each tail on both ends. I had to clamp and unclamp this a couple of times because it kept going out of square. As soon as I clamped the top tail it would throw off the square. I had to start clamping from the bottom and work upwards for the chest to stay square as I clamped the tails.

quick Lowes run

This plywood panel was $20 bucks. The same panel in birch was $30. No brainer IMO. This panel felt just as stiff and strong as the birch panel. This face has quarter sawn grain which I like an the other face is white-ish.

the bottom is ready

I think I'm going to just screw the bottom panel on vice glue and nails. At least that is what the game plan is as of this typing.

accidental woodworker 

tail waste

Took my time chopping the tails/pins and kept my strop set up in the sharpening bench vise. There isn't any technique differences working in pine vice cherry. In pine it take no time to chop tails or pins. In cherry it took me over 3 times as long. Albeit I was being cautious but it still took a long time.

cleaning up the tails

I find sawing in hardwoods (cherry in this case) much easier to do. It takes a bit more effort than pine, but nonetheless easier then pine. I think because it is harder and slower, I am able to saw plumb better. 

I normally don't check the tails for square in pine but with cherry not being as compressible I checked all the tails square to the face.

hmm.......

For the most part the tails were square. The ones that were off were only about a frog hair. The tail slopes I sawed from the right were all square except for one. The tail slopes I sawed from the left were all a frog hair off square.

Initially I started correcting the tails for square with a chisel but that was slow going. Even though I only had to remove a frog hair, doing that with a chisel in cherry was going way too slow. I switched over to my modeler's rasp and knocked it out lickety split.

happy face on

The molder's rasp worked better than I thought it would. I didn't go past square and see saw and it took 2 to 4 strokes to correct each out of square. I was being anal about this because cherry if not as forgiving as pine - the pins will be squared also. I want the tails and pins to mesh without binding or other headaches.

the 2nd long side

This side came out the best sawing wise. Only 3 slopes were not square. One on the right and 2 on the left.

pin sawing

Pine or cherry, I don't have headaches sawing the vertical walls of the pin sockets. When I do have an errant saw cut it is usually in the waste side. 

pin sockets sawn

This is as far as I got today with the chest. I had to go out twice in the AM session to run some errands. I think I should be able to get the pins chopped and do a dry fit up of the chest tomorrow.

accidental woodworker 

 I wasn't expecting to get the box done today but I'm calling it done. I will have to wait a week or so for the shellac to set before I put the tills in it. A wee bit of a surprise but I knew it would be done after an hour into the PM session. Actually started on the cherry chest too.

2nd till done

The plywood bottom isn't that same as what I used on the first till. This plywood isn't that light, crappy chinese crap I bought. This one is white on both faces but it has a solid feel to it and it isn't flimsy or floppy. 

hmm......

The top of the 2nd till is a 16th above the bottom of the top till rail. Plenty of room to get my fingers underneath the 2nd till to get it out/in. I made this one a wee bit shorter then the first one.

they fit

Both tills fit and the lid shuts flush. No hiccups, no complaints, and there is much joy and dancing in Mudville.

happy face on

I really like how the hinges are installed on this box. I'll be doing it again on the next box like this I make.

hmm.......

Feet for the box? Thought about after I had spilled my coffee mug on the bench. I whacked out 4 pieces of cherry for them.

chamfered

I couldn't get four screws in the feet because the bottom plywood has two screws at the corners. I had to offset the screws in the feet to miss them.

done

I used black screws because I like how they look against the cherry.

one more to go

I got four coats of shellac on the bottom and sides. Two coats on the feet with two more to go.

another almost done

The tills have 3 coats of shellac and that is all they are getting. I still have to put shellac on the top edges to call them done.

tails sawn

While the shellac was drying, I jumped on the cherry chest. Sawed the tails individually. I usually gang saw the tails but nixed doing that because this is cherry and not pine.

hmm......

The tails line up pretty good. 

the other end

Did almost as good on this end. The 3rd and 4th ones from the left are a frog hair off. 

pit stop

Before I got to chopping the waste I sharpened/honed the four chisels I'll use. Yes, I still haven't rehandled the split handle on the 1" chisel.

handles came

Amazon said they would come today but I wasn't expecting them. These only came in black and I would have preferred brass. The handles on these are spring loaded - they fall back down against the sides of the box. They came with screws too.

hmm......

The handles look good. IMO they look like sturdy toolbox handles. Would have been better if they were brass but I digress.

hmm......

Looks different with the feet. You can't really see them because they are inset about a 1/4" from each side.

one more

The tills are done, I got 3 coats on the tops of both of them. I have two coats on the inside of the box with one more to go.

half pins

Stopping here with the cherry chest. It was 1430 and I didn't want to start chopping and then stop a half hour later. I'll jump into this in the AM.

hinge template

The width of the template is the width of the box. The top of the hinge plate is 3" down from the top of the box. 

worked flawlessly

I didn't screw things up and use the template upside down. But if I had, the handle plate would have hidden the four extra screw holes.

hmm......

Handles are done and I kind of like them. I had settled on these because all the brass ones looked like crappola IMO.  I will use these again on another box. At $8 for two and no S/H from Amazon they are a bargain.

wow

I don't ever remember having left over screws that came with hinges before. They are phillips heads that I don't like - tossed the extras in the catch all bin. I have black, slot head screws coming the Blacksmith Bolt later this week to replace them.

1st glamour pic

Both tills fit with no hiccups. The shellac needs to cure for a while before I can let the tills stay in the box.

2nd glamour pic

I'll pass this on to one of my nephews out in Indiana.

from the good hinge stash

I have two sets of these hinges that I was going to use on the cherry chest. Both of them have ball ends which I like to use on doors but not lids. I ordered bail handles from eBay that are coming this week. I might as well buy a set of flat end hinges from Horton Brasses.

accidental woodworker

first till

Last night after dinner I had glued the bottom on the first till. This AM it was ready to be flushed up.

hmm........

The inside depth of the first till is 1 1/6". I put some tools in it that were on the bench to eyeball it. It passed with flying colors. This is deep enough for the tools I tossed in it. And tools can stick above the top of it too because there is wiggle room under the lid.

done

Planed and sanded baby butt smooth. I am going to set the top of the till down from the top 1/8". 

problem solved

I had thought about how this till could be taken out of the box. I had to shorten it to allow for the chain lid stay. I added a couple extra frog hairs to get my fingers in here. No hiccups with lifting it out freely.

2nd till rails

Made a slight miscalculation with the second till rail. The inside vertical wall of the rabbet is directly in line with the top till rail. No wiggle room but I can still get the till in/out but it is awkward. There is zero wiggle room. I should have made the 'rabbet' wider than it was tall. That would have bumped it out toward the interior and given some wiggle room.

fixed

I added a 1/8" thick piece of cherry to the outside of the 2nd till rails. The first till rails I nailed on but the 2nd one I glued on. I didn't want to because removing them if needed will be a bit of a PITA. 

did better

Did much better on the dovetailing with the 2nd till. All the tails/pins came out snug. I glued them and let them cook for an hour before gluing and nailing on the bottom. However, this till was twisted more than the first one. Didn't think to check the stock for twist before dovetailing them. I ignored it because the stock was short and not too wide.

tomorrow

I hope to get going on the cherry chest in the AM or PM session. The box is essentially done woodworking wise. I ordered some hinges - black finish - from Amazon that I'll get tomorrow or maybe not. Tomorrow is Memorial Day. I filled a few voids in the tails with putty and I'll be ready to slap on shellac in the AM for sure. Fingers crossed on that happening as planned..

accidental woodworker

 So far the router box turned into a toolbox is moving along swimmingly. I'm on the fence about making a new box for the plunge router but we'll see what shakes out when I'm done with this box and the cherry chest.

I spent the day in the shop but when I killed the lights I was surprised by how little I had accomplished. I was expecting to see a lot more done based on the time I had spent in the shop. 

hiding the plywood

Used the LN 140 to plane a rabbet for the cherry banding. The cherry was left over from Leo's desk. I glued it in the rabbet with yellow and super glue.

last one

Because of the thinness of the banding I didn't miter it at the corners. I used butt joints and they are small enough that they aren't that noticeable.

top done

I picture framed the top of the box in cherry. I banded the inside of the top in cherry too. 

done

I thought of putting banding on the lid/bottom joint line but didn't.  The big thing IMO was hiding the plywood edges at the bottom. Thinking ahead after looking at this was what about handles? Should I put one on the top or on the sides. This is a substantial box with a 1/2" bottom so it will handle a lot of weight. So handles on the sides gets the cigar.

single dovetail

I am going to put two tills in the box. The box is deep and the two tills will make stowing things in more efficient. The top till will be about 1 1/4" high. the 2nd one beneath it will be about 2" high but that is subject to change.

hmm.....

Went together off the saw with one corner a wee bit loose. These single, small dovetails have always caused me problems. The 1/4" plywood bottom will be glued on and that will add a lot of strength to the till.

it fits just shy of snug

The fit should loosen up once I plane it after it has cooked. Both of the tills won't extend fully R/L because of the chain lid stay. The till beneath this one will also be shorter on the width so it can be lifted out/in.

sigh

I thought the plywood I had was enough to both till bottoms but it wasn't so boys and girls. The left over was wide enough but 1 1/2" short on the length. A Lowes run is upcoming.

waiting

Haven't forgotten the cherry chest. I managed to get one tail board in the Moxon and then nada. I turned my attention back to the toolbox build. The idea was to work on the two together but that ain't happening so far.

accidental woodworker 

 It is actually a left turn project for one, and a new start for the 2nd one. The left turn one started at as a box for my plunge router that turned into a possible toolbox. That one is progressing nicely. The 2nd project is a miniature cherry chest. I have churned out a few of these lately in pine, This will  mirror what I have done but in cherry. Looking forward to how this one turns out.

repurposed box

I had to fill in 8 holes left from plowing the top lid groove. I didn't bother to try and bury it in the tails/pins. I don't mind the look of the plugs.

1/2" bottom

I glued the bottom on rather then installing it in a groove.  While this was cooking I started on the cherry chest.

breaking down the cherry

I had two wide cherry boards for the main carcass and two smaller width boards for the base. I think I have a cove molding plane that I'll need for the molding on top of the base. If not I'll look into buying a cove bit.

hmm......

Put the chest together to eyeball the dimensions. When I laid the corners for dovetailing the size of the box looked awkward. I was thinking of making it smaller in the height but changed my mind after seeing it like this on the bench. 

done

Took me a while to layout the tails. I didn't want a boatload like I have the repurposed dovetailed box. I settled on 6 tails and 5 pins. Not too wide apart and not to close together. 

went with quick and easier

I had about a 16th overhang of the bottom all around to flush. I started planing it and stopped. Planing this 1/2" plywood felt like I was trying to plane stone. Zipped it flush with the small battery router and a flush trim bit.

adding screws

I didn't use a lot of glue securing the bottom on. To make sure it stayed home and played nice nice, I added screws.

hmm.......

The bottom is flat and not rocking but the top still has a wee bit of it. I'm leaving that as is. There isn't any compelling reason to knock it back. Nothing will be married to the top so it doesn't matter.

awkward

Cleaned up the outside of the box with the #4. I planed half this way, flipped it, and planed the other half. Didn't get any appreciable tear out and I followed the planing sanding it with 80 grit.

lid is free

I was going to saw the lid off by hand but nixed it. I couldn't figure out any way to secure it so I could do that. Zipped the lid off on the table saw. Bonus is I didn't have to plane the lid or the bottom to fit.

hmm.......

A couple of weeks ago I watched a YouTube vid on someone making a display case where he surface mounted hinges like this in shallow mortise. That left the hinges flush with the surface. I decide to give that try on this box. Unfortunately these hinges set me back almost $50 and I was a bit reluctant to use them. But they were the only hinges I had on hand that weren't thin stamped crappola. 

done

I like this look a lot. They look so much better than just being surface screwed to the box. 

flush

I was concerned about this aspect of the hinging. The lid is flush with the bottom 360.

ta da

Opens and closes smoothly. No binding, creaking, or complaints.

yikes

I went searching for a latch for the box and this box that has my threaded rod clamps fell off the drill press cabinet and this end popped off. I had to make a detour and glue it back together.

latch installed

This brass latch was the only one I had. It has a locking option that I really didn't want. I had 5 sliver ones but the hinges are brass so the latch has to be brass.

cherry off cuts

I'm going to use these on this box. The first will be to cover the plywood edges of the bottom. Thinking of picture framing the top in cherry also. I have the time and I want this box to look nice. Also thinking of putting one or two tills in the box.

accidental woodworker 

first one fitted

Off the saw the pins and tails were too snug. It took a while before I got it to come together.

hmm......

Tried sawing the pins a different way and it didn't work out. All of the left side cuts were tapered. Some I could straighten and remove, a few I couldn't.

better pic

I usually saw the left vertical saw cut by looking at the saw on the right side. These cuts I looked on the left side of the saw as I made the cut. I sawed the other end cuts the way I usually do and had better cuts. Need more practice sawing on the left.

sigh

The glue up looked good but it is a wee bit short. Note to Self - double check eyeball measurements with a rule/tape.

off the saw

This side was easier to fit. It fit off the saw but I wasn't happy with the tightness of the pins and tails. I didn't think I would be able to glue it up with yellow glue. I felt the glue would swell the pins/tails and make it impossible to seat the two. Trimmed all the pins with a rasp to loosen the fit.

yikes

Had a brain drain on the measurements. The R/L should have been 11 inches but this is 9 5/8". The edge guide fits but barely. There is zero wiggle room but it will still work.

one more to go

No trimming needed for this one to come together. 

hmm......

Last one fitted, box together, and the guide still fits. The plan was to put this in the underside of the lid.

won one, loss the big one

The long rods fit in the interior. These were planned to keep the guide in the lid company. The big loss is the router. It is too tall to put in the box upright but that wasn't a problem. The plan was to lay it down on the bottom.

nope

Remember the R/L being 9 5/8"? Well it is biting me on the arse here. The router is wider then the width of the box. The router won't fit upright and it won't fit laying down. I couldn't think of anyway to salvage this for the router.

got lucky

Found a piece of 6mm and 1/2" plywood for the top and bottom for the box. At Lowes yesterday a 2 foot square piece of 1/2" birch plywood was $22. The 6mm will be used for the top and the 1/2" for the bottom.

rocking

I don't understand where this is coming from. All the corners are flush or less than a frog hair off. It is rocking on the high corners a healthy amount. Removing the rocking was batting next.

doesn't fit

I have a 6mm iron for my Lee Valley plow plane, The 6mm panel doesn't fit in the groove I plowed.

groove width

 

plywood thickness

It ain't going fit. I wonder if my fellow metric woodworkers have these same headaches?

plowed a shallow rabbet

I ran the rabbet plane 3 times on each side. It was a self supporting fit.

glued and cooking

Needed some help seating the pins and tails. Because of the snug fit and the number of tails, I used hide glue. Hide glue doesn't swell the pins/tails like yellow glue does.

Leo's desk

I'm happy with the dowel joinery I used on this desk. It feels as solid as mortise and tenon joinery. The only downside is what will the desk look like in 20 years?. Will the dowel joinery hold up as well as mortise and tenon joints do.

glamour pic #2

I like the front drawer rail a lot. It doesn't look out of place (IMO) with the rest of the desk.

glamour pic #3

I didn't know if the desk will be up against a wall or not. The back is finished so it can be if needed.

side by side

Both of the grandsons wear the same clothes and share a lot of other same things. The desks hopefully won't be a sore point between them. I don't what one thinking the other got a better deal him.

accidental woodworker

 It has been unseasonable warm for the past 3-4 days. For the past two days the temps got into the low 90's with today topping out at 96F-36C at my house. The official temp for Rhode Island is taking at T F Green airport. That temp was 88F-31C. Normal temps for this time of the year are a high of 69F-21C. According to the blurb I read the temp rarely exceeds 82F-28C. This mini heat wave is supposed to break tomorrow. Fingers crossed on Mother Nature cooperating.

this ain't going to work

 Realized after I got screwed in that it won't stop the drawer from being pulled fully out. It needs another stop between it and the biscuit.

done

Got both of the drawer stops installed without any hiccups. I should have done this on Miles's desk - putting the stop on the tilt rail. Something to remember for the next one.

sigh

I really like how the drawer pulls look against the cherry. Unfortunately the supplied screws are phillips heads which I don't like. I had #5 slotted oval head screws but the heads are too small. I'll get some #6 ones on order ASAP because I can't give this desk to Leo with phillips head screws.

sigh

I was hoping to post the glamour pics of Leo's desk today but that ain't happening boys and girls. I had put a moving blanket on the workbench before I had put the desk on it. There are two drag divots on the top, one small and thin with the other being longer and wider. I couldn't see anything on the moving blanket or something underneath it on the bench that caused it. Regardless I will have to deal with it and for it delaying posting glamour pics.

can you see the router box?

Went to Lowes and bought three 1x12 x 4ft pine boards. The box the router came in gave me the minimum measurements but I had to up them some. There are two router fence guide rods that are 15 inches log - that drives the minimum interior dimensions. The OD measurements are 17x 13x 11 (roughly).

split

I was able to get both long sides and one end from one board. This end had a split that went across the entire width. I broke it in two cleanly and glued it back together. I will let this cook until the AM. 

hmm.......

I hope I never tire making dovetails. It still revs my motor sawing and chopping on two different boards and then having them come together at 90°.  Usually I layout dovetails with a larger pin but I went for a smaller ones because I will be sawing the lid off after the box is cooked.

one side done

When I sized the sides, I did it so any knots or other defects were 4" or more from the dovetails. In hindsight (which sucks sometimes) I should have done one wide tail where the lid would be sawn out.

long sides done

Been a while since I have done so many tails on the ends. Pins on in the on deck circle.

pins laid out

I am a little wary with these boards. Most of the time pine boards I get from Lowes do stupid wood tricks within a day or two. Fingers crossed that these will behave themselves. The remaining two boards will be used for the top and bottom - I'll thickness them down around a 1/2" or so.

The plan is to return the shop after dinner and at least saw out the pins. If I feel ambitious I'll chop them out. Pics on the 11 o'clock news update.

accidental woodworker 

fresh batch

Mixed up some shellac after dinner last night. Brought it to my desk to shake it so it would be ready in the AM.

done

Got the right drawer fitted moving in/out smoothly. This one went quicker than the left drawer did. Next batter was flushing the front face flush with the rail.

ready

The on hole  centers is 3 3/8". Center punched the holes for the screws now. I'll install the pull after I'm done applying the shellac. 

easier

Gravity at my age sucks pond scum. Rather then do my dance steps trying to kneel and slap shellac on the base, I put it on the workbench to do that. It made for a slow day getting 3 coats on it to finish it up.

hmm.......

Attaching the top was so much better and easier then doing Miles's. Predrilling and attaching the table top clips paid dividends. I only had to use this ratcheting wrench on 4 clips. 

Got ahead of myself on attaching the top again. I wanted to get the drawer pull out stops installed before top going on. Totally forgot about them and it is going to be a PITA to do it now. I'm not looking forward to that.

hmm.......

I forget how many coats of shellac I have on the top already. Regardless I smoothed the top with a card scraper first followed up with a good rub down with 4-0 steel wool. Put on a coat of shellac. I'll evaluate it later to see if I'll slap on another one.

hmm......

I got 3 coats on the inside and outside and I'm calling that done. There are four coats on the front and I'll be doing one more before I attach the pulls and calling the drawers done.

Already thinking ahead to the next project. It will either be the miniature cherry chest or a box for my DeWalt plunge router. Or it could be something else thrown in from left center field.

accidental woodworker

 Wasted the first part of my day with a ghost appointment at the VA. The appointment call was in the system but the actual appointment with the doc didn't exist. What a waste of gas and time. At least I was able to straighten out were my missing Rx's were. Got back to the shop a little after nine.

On a brighter note I am getting real close to the finish line on Leo's desk. Just the drawers need to be done, slap on some shellac, and attach the top and fini. I wonder how long that is going to take me?

I got a quote to ship Leo's bureau and the two desks to North Carolina and the estimate didn't disappoint me. I figured about 2500 to 3000 and the estimate came in at 2800. It is making me rethink renting a U haul driving it NC and flying back home. I'll have to crunch the numbers.

blurry pic lead off

The left drawer is glued and square - less than a 16th off. The blurry pic fits in with the start of my day. The tails were snug and I didn't need any clamps.

oops

Had a mind fart thinking it was through dovetails. Easy fix to knife the proper line and then saw and chop the waste again. The only boo boo is the double knife line. One will be hidden in the pin socket but other won't. Not sure if I'll remove it when I plane the sides to fit the drawer opening.

sawing to the new baselines

Easy going - just laid the saw against the existing tails and sawed down to the line. Chopping the waste was super easy too.

hmm.......

What awaits me when I chop the waste? I filled up the voids with super glue - it is the whitish, gray spots. Chopping the same stuff on the other drawer was drama free but this drawer is worse.

hmm.......

No problems so far. This pin socket has most of the defect crappola. No headaches or hiccups chopping the waste out. 

wee bit too snug

I think I could have made it fit but why risk cracking/splitting a tail? I trimmed the pin socket because I could still see a wee bit of the knife line. That eased the fit enough that I left the tail alone.

the other end

Snug fitting again. These I seated and had a small chip out on the right tail. I trimmed the tail this time and left the socket as is. Glued the chip when I glued up the drawer.

back tails

I was more confident sawing the back tails this time. I double checked myself by eyeballing the first drawer before sawing.

off the saw

Snug and gap free even on the half pins.

loving this prefinished plywood

I don't know what the finish is but it shiny (I like) and tough. This has been hanging out in the shop for months and nada. The finish is still pristine and it looks good as the drawer bottom.

yikes

Houston we have a problem. Both sides taper out from the front to back. The drawer bottom is dead nuts square but I couldn't get it to seat in the drawer front groove without pushing the sides out of the front pin sockets.

what I thought the problem was

I would have bet the ranch that the back length matched the front. Obviously I didn't do that. I don't mind me-steaks like this because they are easy to recover and don't involve free flying lessons and making a new part.

happy face on

I only had to do the pins a wee bit deeper on one side only. Both sides are now dead square to the front.

done

Dry fitted and the diagonals are less than a 16th off. Got it glued up and set aside to cook. Like the left had drawer, didn't need clamps on this one neither.

didn't forget

This is something I usually miss and forget to do before I glue up. I only plane in between the tails - I don't plane in or off the board.

back fits

The top/bottom has breathing room but the sides don't have any. 

hmm.......

The front fits on this side but doesn't on the other one.  I'll try and get this fitted after dinner today. That will give this about 4-5 hours to cook.

sigh

I put the left drawer on the bench to start planing it to fit and stopped. It was rocking a healthy amount. I didn't notice and didn't check this after I glued the drawer up. Planing the twist off isn't the problem. The problem is how much I'll have to plane and if that will make the drawer margins too large. I don't have any figured cherry to match this if I have to make a new drawer.

fitting the left hand drawer

I knocked down 90% of the twist off the bottom. I want the bottom to be flat across the bottom of the drawer opening. I left that and worked on planing the sides and the top getting the drawer to slide in/out easily.

took a while

It took about 30 minutes before the drawer slid into the drawer opening. The drawer front fits snug but I'm not entirely happy with the margins. The flops a bit R/L too that is annoying.

hmm.....

There is still a wee bit of rocking but if I address that I think my margins will go south on me. The drawer slides in/out easily as is so I'm leaving it as is.

checked the right drawer

It has a small amount of twist in it but no where near what its sibling had. I'll hoping that planing it to fit will make it go bye bye.

hanging a bit

The drawer runner shifted on me. It is a wee bit out of square and the drawer is binding around the last 2-3 inches of the back of the drawer. The 073 shaved a wee bit off and removed the binding headache

because of the twist?

This was the best I could get trying to flush the drawer to the front rail. It is either caused by the twist or the small amount of bow in the rail. I marked it so I could plane it fit flush.

hmm.......

I installed the drawer stops now so that the taper I have to plane doesn't change on me. I should have used this drawer stop on Miles's desk.

got it

I wanted the large part of the taper facing me. I stood to the right of the drawer pulling the plane towards me. I was better able to keep an eye on the pencil lines this way.

done - ish

Not 100% happy with this drawer. The margins aren't even and change as the drawer slides in/out. The front face isn't quite flush on the left side end and it is a few frog hairs inset on the right end. As I am looking it from 3 feet away it looks acceptable. Big sigh......

accidental woodworker

last night

I came back to the shop and filled in the screw holes with unfinished golf tees. I wanted to start from square 1 in the AM which I did.

clamped front and rear

I added a clamp in the middle holding the blade against the drawer guide. Screwed the front one first, nailed the back, and finally added a screw.

done

I like this drawer guide assembly a lot. It is simple, easy to make and install. It is also hard to screw it up. And I don't have to allow for any expansion or contraction.

test cuts

Doing the tilt rails for the drawers. I made on cut on each end of the tilt rails centered on the width. However, the corresponding biscuit slot on the desk rails aren't centered. 

marking the slot

I had marked the position of the slot off of the tilt rails. This block was for checking/setting the distance from the top edge for the slot. 

done

Nailed the position just right IMO. The bottom of the tilt rails are exactly two frog hairs shy of being flush.

done

A one inch #6 FH screw secures the ends of them. It is a strong connection - I picked the desk up with the two tilt rails and shook it with no hiccups. They will get much less abuse then what I subjected them to.

hmm.....

With the drawer guide assemblies done it was time to start making drawers. I didn't know what to expect from this discolored spot. On the other drawer was open and split. I chopped through it without any headaches. It wasn't completely solid but it also didn't crumble or disintegrate neither. Fingers crossed the other drawer will behave just as well as this one.

underside

I am putting two coats of shellac on the drawer guide assemblies. I knocked that out while doing the half blinds.

snug fit

Not entirely happy with the fit. I chopped one pin socket off the knife line on the wrong side. Sigh. Other than that it is a good fitting joint.

ditto for the other end

Snug fit with teeny gaps but I am hopeful that glue will swell them shut.

yikes

My mind went totally blank on this. I had to get one of Miles's drawer as a visual aid that did diddly squat for helping me. The right side above the drawer bottom groove is what is messing with me. I couldn't picture it my mind even after taking a coffee break.

hmm.......

Miles's drawer is a wee bit smaller than Leo's. It is close enough that you will have to measure it to confirm. 

figured it out

I got it once I had chopped the first tail. I'm glad I didn't make this vertical saw cut after the the first tail was sawn.

good feeling

Got a double rush - one for the fit and another for the getting it right.

expected

Only this corner fits in the opening. As it should because the drawer is slightly oversized.

done

Dry fitted and it looks good. Debating whether or not to leave the drawer bottom long at the back. There is plenty of room for it and it would aid in removing it if necessary down the line.

improving the fit

Tails were a shade too tight and were slightly proud. I chamfered the underside of the tails and that helped a lot. The proud disappeared and the fit loosened a wee bit.

sigh

I got half pin gaps top and bottom to deal with. Glue ain't going to swell them closed.

I'll get this glued up in the AM and get started on the 2nd drawer. 

accidental woodworker 

 

looking good

A bit of rocking but the deck here but the deck is as flat as a plowed field. It feels solid and there aren't any gaps at the rail/leg joints. So far I can't see or feel any difference between dowel joints and traditional mortise and tenon ones.

gap fillers

I had plenty of scraps to get the gap fillers for the sides. To balance it out I am also putting another one on the back.

helping hand

The side fillers have to be flush with the tops of the legs so they will cover the gap at the top of the rail. I clamped the filler on top of the board I have clamped across the tops of the legs. I tried to do it without it but with glue on it, it was impossible to clamp and keep it flush. I glued it on with yellow and super glue.

back drawer guide rail

I tried to get this installed with the desk on the bench but it was too awkward. I was fighting the urge to give it free flying lessons. After the desk was back on the deck I got it installed dry - just screwed on.

top attached

I got the table top clips installed with no hiccups. I outlined the leg positions with blue tape so I can put it back together as it is now. 

One of the problems I had with Miles's desk was drilling starter holes for the clips under the drawer guides. No hiccups screwing them in. Once the drawer guide assembly is installed drilling them ain't happening. 

hmm......

I like the look of the black screws against the cherry. I'm thinking of painting the table top clips black now. I've got the time.....

drawer guides

The first one I installed went south on me. I screwed the front down and the rear one shifted. It threw it off square from the front rail. Then I remembered that on Miles's desk I had nailed the back first and then drilled a pilot hole and screwed it. I'll come back to this in the AM.

tilt rails

I had to look at Miles's desk to see how I had installed them on his desk. I used a biscuit jointer and I'll repeat that for Leo's desk. These will installed last and just before the top gets married to the base. 

came a week early

This was scheduled to come on the 22nd. It is for 6mm dowels of which I have a couple of hundred. It is complete with everything that came with the imperial 1/4" jig.

I had room for it

My finger is pointing to the 6mm drill block. The 1/4" one is in the dowel jig and the drill block on the right is 3/8". The styrofoam block holds the 6mm accessories. I might redo that with a wooden version. BTW - the left drill block was for the 1/2" one. I doubt that I would ever use 1/2" dowels.

90° drill block

The only other accessory I don't have for the Dowel Max jig is the 45° plate. My OCD has been quiet on that so I doubt I'll be adding it. I have used the 90° twice already.

accidental woodworker 

2 coats

Decided to shellac the sides and the back before I did the glue up. It is way easier to do as much of that now then after it is glued up.

7 coats

I'm calling this done, for now. It is smooth and I couldn't see any hiccups in raking light. It is going to be a while before it gets married to the base. I may have to do a touch up after the marriage happens.

hmm......

Doing another dry fit before I apply any glue. The drawer rail fit yesterday but today there is a slight gap. I drilled out the holes a wee bit deeper.

done

The back rails fit flush as did the other end of the drawer rail.

ready to glue up

The plan is to glue this up in stages. First stage is to glue one end. I will let that set and cook for an hour or so and then I'll glue the other end.

not quite....

The countersink isn't deep enough and the head is a frog hair proud. I need both to be below the surface so that they don't interfere with the drawers.

done

I got it recessed enough that it won't interfere with the drawers going in/out.

better

Some of the bow in the drawer rail is gone, not all, but some.

prepping

Getting my ducks in row for the upcoming glue up. These 3 sticks are for ensuring a good glue spread in the drilled holes. Planing the sticks thinner to fit in the holes. Got the 6 clamps set and ready. The final step was getting a wet rag and a small container of water.

survived

Clamped up and cooking with no hiccups. I did a few other things while this cooked for an hour.

squaring them up

I like how these little corbel like doo dads look on Miles's desk. I am repeating the same on the Leo's desk. This time I will put two on the back rail - didn't do that on Miles's.

poor mans mitering jig

I've been making these for years now and I still can't get the 45's dead nuts (getting closer) and I have no better luck with the 90. The evidence of that is in the pic above. Easily taken care of with a shooting board.

hmm.......

Good fit and ready to glue in place almost.

hmm......

FYI - initially you can glue bare wood to shellac but it will not last. I speak from experience on this. I scraped the shellac off where I was going to glue this before I did that.

need some help

When I was scraping one of the spots, I had some blow out on the outside face edge. After the corbel is glued I will have to fill the gap. The plan is to use cherry sawdust and super glue to fill it in.

&&#^&%%&^(*)(*^&*^%$( gap

It still amazes how little of gap will make my OCD go into turbo assisted overdrive.

mind fart

I didn't need to glue in dowels here but I did. It shook hands with me when I went to put this end on. The glue had already set and I couldn't pull any of them out. I had to drill them out again which went surprising very well. The biggest headache was cleaning out the crappola that got stuck in the flutes of the drill.

cooking

Survived the last glue up.  I will let this set and cook until the AM. Then I'll get the final coats of shellac on it and then I'll start on the drawers.

oh what a relief

I wasn't sure if these parts for the drawer guides would be long enough. All 8 parts are several inches over. 

nice touch

I got #10 x 5/8" sheet metal screws for the table top clips. Got a 100 of black ones that I think will look good against the cherry. And the cherry on the top is the included screw driver wasn't expecting that.

I like these screws for table top clips over wood screws. These screws have larger heads for a broader bearing surface. The threads are coarse, grab tenaciously, and pull tight without stripping, and I have yet to have one fail on me. 

silver ones too

I saw the black ones first but decided to get the same size in silver. These aren't stainless steel according the write up on Amazon. Stainless steel ones were over twice the cost of these.

accidental woodworker 

done

I got three coats on the underside yesterday. First thing this AM I put a 4th coat on. It looked ok but I felt one more coat would give me a warm and fuzzy. 

first coat

I used a cotton T shirt rag balled up. It went a lot easier than I thought it would. No drips or runs and no brush marks.

drawer rail

Glued on the bottom drawer guide rail. Debated whether to just screw it on dry over gluing it. Another one of these will go on the back top rail and serve as support for the drawer guides.

hmm......

Testing to see if my reverse countersink will work. This scrap of cherry is the same width as the top drawer rail. First step was to drill a hole straight through top to bottom.

lift off

I replaced the tapered drill that came with the Fuller pilot screw/countersink. A #18 drill is the same size as the tapered drill bit. I first tried drilling it in forward but nada. I had to drill it with the drill in reverse as I pulled upwards.

it worked

It is a little deeper than it should be but the important thing is I have a countersink. If this hadn't worked I would have chopped a 'square' countersink.

prepping the drawers

I found two four foot long, 1/2" thick poplar boards in the shop. I also had enough poplar leftover from Miles's desk for one drawer. I also made a Lowes run and bought two 1/2" thick maple boards for drawer bottom runners.

drawers are ready

The lengths of the drawer parts are a wee bit oversized. I'll do the final sizing when the drawer guides are done and I start making the drawers.

hmm......

Rolled up the same T shirt rag I used to apply shellac to the slats and used it to apply shellac to the tabletop. I brushed on 4 coats and there were a few hiccups with the first rolled on one. There were a few drips and droplets that shook hands with me. I think I had too much shellac on the rag and squeezed it too tight a few times. 

Other than that, I was happy with how the rolled on coat looked after 15 minutes (sans the hiccups). I'll put on a couple more rolled on coats before I put a check mark in the done column.

I got 4 coats on the slats and they look good. I wasn't sure how the coverage would be on them with a rag doing it. The coverage is smoother than a brushed coat but the build seems to be a wee bit less. I'll put on a couple of more coats and evaluate it again.

accidental woodworker

fixing the slots

I let all of the slot fillers cook over night before sawing them off. Flushed them with a blockplane next. The new slots are a frog hair above the first one. I went a little nutso doing slots on the drawer rail to help with the bow in it.

back rail

The back rail and the drawer rail I could do with the plunge router.

new slots

Did the first ones on the wrong side of the layout line. I put super glue in the filler just in case. 

hand chopped

On the sides I could use the plunge router to do the center slot. I had to chop the two outside ones by hand. Practice makes perfect, these 4 are almost as clean as the routed ones.

prepping the top

Sanding the end grain wasn't working. It was smoothing it but the scratches from the saw were still visible. I used a card scraper to remove them and smooth down the end grain ends. I still sanded them after that up to 220.

wooden #4

Used this to smooth the two long grain edges. I have never really warmed up to this plane or any other wooden bench plane I have used. I prefer metal Bailey planes but this one did leave a better surface then the 5 1/2.

sigh

Go fast, go slow, take a shallow run, it didn't matter. The cherry burned on the end grain ends (expected) but it also burned some on the long grain too. Cleaned the burn marks with the blockplane, sanding sticks, and a card scraper. Of the 3, the card scraper worked the best.

The top is ready for shellac. I sanded the face side starting with 80 grit and ending with 220.  The bottom I only did with 100 grit or was it 80?

arris work

What a difference in the feel after knocking the edges back. Before it felt like the edges of the slats could slice my fingers open. There are zero sharp edges on this desk now.

first coat of shellac

The underside of the top is getting 3 coats. I should be able to get 3 on before I hit the rack. Tomorrow in the AM I'll start on the top which will get at least 5-6 coats.
 

sapwood

I think I'm one of the few that likes sapwood. IMO you can't paint a better picture than what Mother Nature does in wood. My best friend hates it and he is a magician with hiding and blending it in with the heartwood.

leg bottoms

I used to do the chamfers on leg bottoms with a blockplane or a chisel. I now do them with the Shinto rasp. Quick, easy, and almost as smooth as a chisel or blockplane would leave. After rasping them I followed it up with a 120 grit sanding stick.

It is supposed to rain until saturday in my part of the universe. However, the sun did come out today but the wind was blowing and gusting pretty good. I wanted to spray shellac the slats outside but it didn't happen. 

Rather then sit and wait with my thumb in my A-hole I will shellac the slats with a balled up cotton T shirt rag. I really want to get Leo's desk done and in the boneyard before the next weekend comes around.

accidental woodworker 
 

 Yesterday when I quit the shop my lower back hurt and my joints were achy. I thought after a good nights sleep that all would be well in Disneyland. Well boys and girls that didn't happen. I woke up stiff, still achy, and my right foot hurt like hell. I think my days of going balls to the wall are over. Or maybe if I do more of them I'll get used to it again.

It took a while before the back and joints stopped aching. The foot took a while longer. I went slow and easy for most of the AM/PM sessions. I killed the lights early and I'll probably repeat today's routine tomorrow.

didn't fit

I  had to drill the dowel holes a bit deeper. I only did it in the legs. After that the drawer rail fit tight to the leg.

back rails dry fitted

It took a couple of taps before the rail aligned top and bottom. I moved the top rail only to make sure the bottom of the slats were fully seated in the bottom rail mortises. There is about 3/16" of dead space in the top rail mortises. 

flushing the epoxy

The mound of epoxy was still proud of the top. Removed the bulk with the blockplane and cleaned/smoothed it with a card scraper.

underside

I am not going nutso on the underside at all. I flushed the glue joints with the #4 first and sanded it with 100 grit.

done

Smooth and clean. I kind of like this side of the top - there is a shimmering quality to all 3 boards in the glue up. But I'm leaving it as the underside.

sigh

Made a boo boo doing the slots for the table top clips. I routed on the wrong side of the layout line. The table top clip wasn't bearing down on the bottom of slot - it wouldn't work for holding the top down tight to the rails.

a ways off

The bottom line was the first slot position. The top one is where it should be. 

before I committed again

Used a couple of scraps to test the slot position. This one was iffy. The clip wasn't bearing down on the slot sufficiently. Micro adjusted the slot upwards a few frog hairs.

made a test slot

This one was too high and there was a gap under the clip where it screwed to the board.

3 times was the charm

The 2nd one was still too high. It was like the 3 bears fairy tale.

I had to glue in fillers in the slots I did earlier. I will let them cook until the AM and redo all the slots.

The plan for today, sans the aches and pains, was to bring the side and back slat assemblies topside to the driveway and spray shellac on the slats. The over spray goes everywhere in the shop and it leaves fog. Yesterday was sunny and I don't know what tomorrow will be like. I want to spray the slats before I glue the back and drawer rail to the sides. Fingers crossed tomorrow will cooperate. 

accidental woodworker 

chamfering the holes

This doo da does an acceptable job chamfering the dowel holes.

problem

I initially knocked down the top of the holes with a chisel but I could still feel a wee bit of a raised bump. The hand chamfering tool got rid of that. I didn't want anything to keep the rail from laying up tight to the legs. It also gives a little relief for glue.

sigh

I need to chamfer for the head of the screw I intend to put here. I have off set screwdrivers for driving the screw but no offset chamfer doo da. I have an idea percolating in the brain bucket. It is a trick I saw on a Popular Woodworking You Tube post. Fingers crossed that it will work.

back rails

I had to take the back rail slats out again to plane/clean up the top edge with the mortises.

two taps

Doing the last dry clamp before gluing it up. I put a piece of blue tape on the leg face that the side rails will be glued to.

hmm.......

The offset that I knew about shook hands with me. Rather than glue a piece on the top I am leaving this as is. I will glue a thin piece of cherry over the face like I did on Miles's desk.

ditto

The other rail has the same offset. 

less than a 16th difference

survived the first one

Paid attention this time to getting all the glue squeeze out cleaned up on both sides of the rail. Had a slight panic attack due to glue freeze. It took a while to get glue applied to the dowels and the in the holes. The clamps pulled the legs tight to the rails.

2nd one done

No hiccups with this one. A bit of a PITA getting the squeeze out cleaned up. Noticed that I forgot to do the slots for the table top clips.

sigh

Had a mind fart. Initially I glued one end of the rails to the wrong face of the leg. Even though I had put blue tape I still managed to ignore it and screw up. Lucky for me I noticed that the offset on the rail  with the leg wasn't correct. I caught it within a couple of seconds. I had to clean out the glue in the holes. Before I glue up the back rails I will run a drill through these holes again.

another oops

I assembled this and the diagonals were OTL (out to lunch). One was 38 3/4" while the other was 39 1/2". The distance between the two rails was 14 5/16" R/L. I had a parallelogram. The top and bottom mortises were misaligned. (Don't know why I have four fingers here - can't remember why).

success

Aligned the mortises correctly and checked my diagonals again. This time they were both dead nuts on 39 1/4".

missed it

The first time I assembled this I noticed that the center wide slat looked crooked. I assumed that it was because the rails were slightly offset R/L from each other. Should have checked for alignment then rather then assembling the entire thing.

sigh

I had glued the chip now missing here with superglue. It didn't last at all. The chip missing is on the top rail so it will be difficult to see, if at all.

the misalignment

This is the result of not centering the layout stick. I had centered it on Miles's desk and had no hiccups with his.

aligned

sizing the top

The top has to lose about 2" off one of the long edges. This last board is a little more than 7" wide. That will leave this at roughly 5". hmm...., don't like that much.

the other option

If I take 2" off this edge it would balance out the two outside boards better. However, it would remove this knot defect that I want to keep. Sucked it up and sawed 2" off the other edge.
 

hmm.......

This was surprising because the 'hole' didn't look that deep. It had been less than a minute and it had already sunk. FYI - You don't need a pound of dye mixed in with the epoxy. I used less than a 1/4 of what I used previously. The color is still deep and with no clear spots.

first saw cut

Used my cordless skil saw to do both the long rip and cross cuts.

yikes!

Where is all this epoxy going? Less than 5 minutes after doing pour #2, I had to do a 3rd one.

hmm.....

The diagonals are off by 1/8". You can't see that amount eyeballing the top. I doubt anyone would throw a square on it or break out a tape and check the diagonals.

no choice

I had no choice. I couldn't fully lower the blade below the top. This mess has a 'hole' that the gear extends into when raising the blade up/down. It was packed full and it was a solid blob of saw goo. I dug that out thinking I had fixed the problem but I was wrong.

tight quarters

This rod (I removed the handle and nut) turns a worm gear which engages a half circle toothed gear that raises and lowers the blade. Everything from this view point seems to be working as it should.

sigh

That looks a lot like a hole for a pin that would keep the worm gear from spinning as the handle turns it. And spinning is exactly what the worm gear is doing. It will spin forward, stop, engage the toothed gear, and lower/raise the blade. What it won't do is lock down and keep the blade at a specific height. Which the problem I have had with this saw for a while now.

time flies

I came to the shop just before 0800 and worked through lunch. This was the time when I checked it. Been a long time since I worked this much and missing filling the pie hole. I kept on trucking.

4 times filling this

It has been over an hour and the epoxy is still raised. When I checked it again before I killed the lights it was the same. Hopefully it will be same in the AM.

side drawer guides

Used the scrap from sizing the desk top to get the four guides. Fingers crossed that I won't use them for something else without thinking of them.

1/2" maple

I've had this piece of maple in the shop for 5+ years. I can get 3 bottom supports for the drawer guides from this. I'll address the cup after I rip out the pieces.

hmm......

Planed the hump first and then I attacked the cup. Started with the #3 criss crossing and switched to the #4. I thought it might be difficult to remove the cup on such a thin width but it wasn't. 

done

I got all three flat and straight. I'll need to make a Lowes run and buy a 1/2" maple board for the 4th guide.

accidental woodworker