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Thought I'd show a few pics of my latest flatwork project. It's a pool cue case that I made for Pete Simmons. I made a similar case for myself last year, and Pete saw pics of it then. A while back he asked me if I'd be willing to make another one, as he wanted to give one as a gift. I told him that when I made mine, the woodworking was comparatively easy, but getting a good lacquer finish busted my chops. Using his shrewd negotiating skills, he talked me into making another one, but to sweeten the pot, he offered to do the finishing and interior flocking.
In the end, I made the case, the velvet-upholstered inserts, the interior divider, and a matching plaque to go inside. (Pete's going to do some type of laser magic to the plaque.) He's going to flock the dividers, apply the finish, and attach the hardware. I wiped it down with mineral spirits and took a few quick snapshots before crating it up to mail to Pete.
The case is made of jatoba and quilted maple, with purpleheart pinstripes. The top and bottom are about 5/16" thick and solid...I decided against the veneer and substrate idea.
Here's a detail shot of a corner, showing the box joints and pinstriping. (And the lid really does line up with the bottom...they were skewed a bit in the pic; there are no hinges on the case yet.)
The divider will be flocked in black (so I didn't bother cleaning up all the yellow glue). The 1/4" ply I used for the dividers is a bit wavy, but it'll straighten out once it's got pool cue pieces in place.
Here's a (pretty poor) detail shot of the plaque that'll go inside. The top layer is a piece of Timeless Timber birdseye maple. Pete had a piece on hand, so he sent it to me to slice on the bandsaw...for this as well as other projects. It's some pretty stuff, and the pics don't do it justice. The remaining layers are jatoba, purpleheart, another jatoba, and some plain maple.
When my part was all done and ready to send to Pete for completion, I had to figure out a way to box it up for shipping. Instead of spending all afternoon Sunday looking for enough cardboard to make a decent box, I went to the local mini-borg and picked some cedar fencing and 1/4" ply. A few minutes with the pneumatic stapler and some wood screws (so the top can be opened) and I had a crate in about 15 minutes. I stretch-wrapped the case and floated it in about 2 to 4 inches of foam peanuts. It should survive the ride. The guy at my local post office was impressed.
I met Pete at SMC, and he's a member here, too. Last year we did several cutting boards together, where I made the blank board, and Pete used his laser to do superb wood inlays on the cutting boards. He has also done some very nice laser engravings of some wedding pictures and other assorted gifts for me. If you need laser work done, look him up. He's good people.
In the end, I made the case, the velvet-upholstered inserts, the interior divider, and a matching plaque to go inside. (Pete's going to do some type of laser magic to the plaque.) He's going to flock the dividers, apply the finish, and attach the hardware. I wiped it down with mineral spirits and took a few quick snapshots before crating it up to mail to Pete.
The case is made of jatoba and quilted maple, with purpleheart pinstripes. The top and bottom are about 5/16" thick and solid...I decided against the veneer and substrate idea.
Here's a detail shot of a corner, showing the box joints and pinstriping. (And the lid really does line up with the bottom...they were skewed a bit in the pic; there are no hinges on the case yet.)
The divider will be flocked in black (so I didn't bother cleaning up all the yellow glue). The 1/4" ply I used for the dividers is a bit wavy, but it'll straighten out once it's got pool cue pieces in place.
Here's a (pretty poor) detail shot of the plaque that'll go inside. The top layer is a piece of Timeless Timber birdseye maple. Pete had a piece on hand, so he sent it to me to slice on the bandsaw...for this as well as other projects. It's some pretty stuff, and the pics don't do it justice. The remaining layers are jatoba, purpleheart, another jatoba, and some plain maple.
When my part was all done and ready to send to Pete for completion, I had to figure out a way to box it up for shipping. Instead of spending all afternoon Sunday looking for enough cardboard to make a decent box, I went to the local mini-borg and picked some cedar fencing and 1/4" ply. A few minutes with the pneumatic stapler and some wood screws (so the top can be opened) and I had a crate in about 15 minutes. I stretch-wrapped the case and floated it in about 2 to 4 inches of foam peanuts. It should survive the ride. The guy at my local post office was impressed.
I met Pete at SMC, and he's a member here, too. Last year we did several cutting boards together, where I made the blank board, and Pete used his laser to do superb wood inlays on the cutting boards. He has also done some very nice laser engravings of some wedding pictures and other assorted gifts for me. If you need laser work done, look him up. He's good people.