Finally???

Bill Arnold

1974
Staff member
Messages
8,622
Location
Thomasville, GA
Well, LOML said a few other things, but.....

Here's a photo of the chest of drawers that I just finished. Actually, we've used it for a couple of years sans drawer fronts but now I finally got those done. It matches the other pieces I built for our master bedroom: the king bed with storage, bedside cabinets, and dresser.

I started milling the material for the chest early in 2006 after finishing the dresser. Then, we decided to get out of Florida and started planning the move to Georgia. After getting my new shop in pretty good shape, I kept working at the parts for the chest and got it assembled, minus drawer fronts, in early 2008. One thing after another kept jumping up but now LOML has a finished piece, set and match! :thumb:

Edit: Material is primarily cherry. Base and top border are black walnut. Fronts will have to age a bit more to match the rest of the cherry due to me being slow. Thanks for pointing out that I needed to add this, Larry!
 

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what is it made out of bill ?? those drawer frnts look like curly cherry but its a touch to red for that??? nice chest of drawers and i can see why she was after you to finish them:) those women just dont seem to have a sence of humor sometimes do they:)
 
The drawers worked didn't they . . . always in such a rush. That is beautiful Bill. Like Larry, you'll have to remind me of the material and finishing schedule.
 
The drawers worked didn't they . . . always in such a rush. That is beautiful Bill. Like Larry, you'll have to remind me of the material and finishing schedule.

Yeah, the drawers worked! lol

I worked the cherry in my usual way. When a sub-assembly was ready, I took outdoors for a suntan and gave it a good rubdown with BLO/naphtha in a 1/1 ratio, rubbing it in, then wiping it off after a few minutes. I do that two or three times, then just wipe any oil that continues to seep out. I let the assembly dry for a couple of weeks, checking for any seeping. Next, I seal with a couple of coats of de-waxed shellac (Sealcoat), then sand and topcoat. In this case, I used NC Lacquer and applied three coats. After curing for a few days, I rubbed out with rottenstone.
 
also bill.. whats your secret to making a the walnut border on those pieces not open up the mitres on wet days or dry days? you have a wide panel between them and to me you should have some stretching in those panels on top which would open your mitres???
 
Bill, This is a great addition to the series. When I first looked at it, I was reminded of some of the really classy antique radio cabinets...very nice. Maybe it is more apparent on this narrower piece than the others in the set, but it seems there are about six inches of useable space being wasted by having such wide moldings on the sides of the carcase. Is that just an illusion?
 
Thanks to everyone for your comments.

also bill.. whats your secret to making a the walnut border on those pieces not open up the mitres on wet days or dry days? you have a wide panel between them and to me you should have some stretching in those panels on top which would open your mitres???

The "secret" is that the top isn't solid. I re-sawed two slices from a cherry board, book-matched them, and glued them to a 3/4" MDF panel for stability. None of the miters on any of these pieces have ever opened.


Bill, This is a great addition to the series. When I first looked at it, I was reminded of some of the really classy antique radio cabinets...very nice. Maybe it is more apparent on this narrower piece than the others in the set, but it seems there are about six inches of useable space being wasted by having such wide moldings on the sides of the carcase. Is that just an illusion?

You're correct about the space, Ted. It's a styling thing that requires a degree of dead space. Each piece of moulding is 3" wide for appearance.


Bill, I like the contrast between the drawer fronts and carcass. Beautiful craftsmanship, be proud, that is amazing!!! :thumb::thumb:

The contrast is a product of my slowness in completing the project. Although I suntanned the fronts before starting the finish process, they were in my shop with a sheet over them for a couple of years whiel the rest of the cabinet was in our bedroom getting outside light every day. They will gradually blend with the sides better.
 
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