A crib and side table

Jerry Strojny

Member
Messages
13
Well, Ive finally done it. I finished a project. Ok, I've finished projects before, but everyone didn't ask me how it was going like on this one. LOML and I were graced with the gift of a beautiful baby girl last Sept. A few weeks early, which required me to shift the schedule of completing the crib a bit. As some may know, once there's a baby in the house, everything is different. While working on the finishing steps, LOML was not happy with the side table she picked out for the nursery, so in my infinite wisdom and apparently abundent free time I suggested to build one myself. Thinking to myself "It can't be that bad." And who could say no to this cute little face?
P1110032.jpg
So, last month when the child is turning 4 months old, and it's a few days before we were to have a houseful of people (her baptism) I finished them. Here they are.
P1100022.jpg
P1110027.jpg
P1110028.jpg
The crib is from plans, with some of my own design mods, and the side table is an original design. They are both made of alder (thanks for the suggestion Tod, I think it worked out great) with a red mahogany stain. Finish is one coat of dewaxed shellac, and 3 coats of GF Top coat poly.
 
Wow Jerry! What great work! That is one lucky daughter.

How did you shape the end piece on the crib? Its beatiful!

And how are the aprons on the end table attached to the legs? Did you mortise in from the corners??:huh:

Great work pappa!

Thanks Jesse,
The aprons on the side table are biscuited to the legs. I know, I cheated a little bit. My hands skills need to go to appreticeship school.

The end piece on the crib was an interesting surprise. I expected it to be harder than it turned out. You start with board about 7" wide, 30" long. Glue on 2 more boards 2" wide x 30" long. I then cut the corners off the 3 sides to start getting it closer to round. Clamped it in the bench vise and took the belt sander to town rounding over that end. After cutting the proper angle along the bottom, that peice was then glued to the side piece. Clamping the angled piece to the side was the challenge. I basically clamped some blocks (or cauls) to the ends and then clamped from the bottom of the side to the cauls. It looked ugly, but it worked great. I just had to blend in the transition with the sander. I also figured the sides were then going to be screwed to the legs, so there would be plenty of fasteners holding those pieces in place.
I wish I took more progress photos as I made it for the photo album. I had the best intentions. I have pictures of the pile of wood, after it was machined and cut, and then when it was complete. All the good stuff was missed. There are close to 100 mortises for the slats. I was about to go crazy. It was very rewarding though. I'd do it again in a heart beat.:D
 
Top