Mahogany Credenza - Build Update - Done

Bill Arnold

1974
Staff member
Messages
8,622
Location
Thomasville, GA
I recently started a new project - real woodworking this time! No doubt, I'll get sidetracked with more landscaping or whatever, but for now I'm making sawdust. The main project is a credenza that will serve as an entertainment center in our family room. Your comments are welcome. Here's the overall design objective:
 

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me to:) what are you using for your vacumn system? also what radius do you feel needs to be resin glue rather than TB II??
My vacuum pump is a unit made for evacuating A/C systems. A friend who was downsizing sold it to me several years ago. I got all the information I need from Joe Woodworker and built what he describes on his website as:
"Here's the monster press by Bill Arnold of Thomasville GA. Bill used a Robinaire vacuum pump to drive this excellent system."
Two photos of my system are shown there.
I attached them here - they're the ones taken outside in the sun. The third photo I attached shows where I now have it installed - in a corner of my shop near the ceiling.

As to adhesive, I prefer plastic resin glue for all bentwood project now. The container I had when I started these parts was old and wouldn't mix up properly, so I just used Titebond II. This project has a nominal 83" radius, so it's pretty soft. On the compass table I built, the apron is a 16" radius. I used plastic resin glue on it and had absolutely no springback when I removed it from the form.
 

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I've added a little more to the journal on my website, but wanted to get your comments on the direction we're heading with the top panel layout. We have decided to put the flat screen TV on a wall bracket (when we get it in a few months) and use a more decorative veneer on the field of the top.

I have several pieces of olive ash burl veneer that I rescued from the dumpster at a cabinet shop a few years ago. I matched up some pieces to get the following:
OliveAsh_raw.jpg


I cropped the photo as follows:
OliveAsh_sm.jpg


Then, inserted the cropped image into the drawing for the layout of the credenza top:
Top_graphic1.jpg


The olive ash veneer covers most of the top. I'll use bubinga (or similar) veneer to create a sunburst at each end of the top with a narrow separator of mahogany.

The journal on our website is something LOML has wanted me to do for a long time. I usually take a few photos at various phases of a project but she wanted me to fully document everything it takes to create and finish it. It's mainly for friends and family who don't know what's involved but should be of interest to others as well.

I look forward to your comments.
 
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As of today, I've cut and assembled the parts for the top frame and started milling processes for other solid mahogany parts. I'm also working on some of the veneered components such as the door panels.

I assembled the radius front rail of the top frame using biscuits and appropriate clamping. The radius is three pieces cut from one board for grain continuity.

The MDF substrate for the top panel veneer is pre-cut. I need to continue to smooth the radius edge, then cut a rabbet in the inside edge of the top rail assembly. I'll cut the rabbet to a depth equal to the MDF thickness plus the thickness of the veneer. After the MDF matches the frame perfectly, I'll attach the veneer to it.

Curved parts for the top apron and the door rails are formed and ready for final dimensioning.

One set of door panels has been veneered; the second set is in my vacuum press and will come out about 2pm today.

I started the finish process on a sample of sapele pomelle veneer. The photos show the difference between dry veneer and a coat of BLO/MS. After it cures a few days, I'll seal with shellac, then topcoat with lacquer. The final finish schedule might include a light wash of brown dye to tone down the pattern a bit.

More as it develops! :)
 

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A little more work on our credenza. This from Saturday: After the second set of door panels came out of the vacuum press, I put the two flat end panels in after applying veneer to both sides.

sap_pnls1.jpg

The top row are the curved door panels; the bottom two are end panels.

LOML spent about an hour using the shop vac to clean the shop for me while I continued on some credenza parts. When she was finished, we looked at the sunburst segments I formed from cherry veneer and looked for something to fill the corners. She found a couple of scraps of olive ash veneer and we decided to use them because of their swirly grain pattern that resembles a sun.

This morning (Monday) I made a cutting guide from 1/4" ply and made the veneer cuts.

sun_crnr1.jpg

After cutting the corner out of the cherry veneer and inserting the olive ash, here's the result:

sun_crnr2.jpg

I cropped the photo and inserted it into my drawing file for the credenza top.

top_graphic_z.jpg

This graphic now comprises photos of the actual veneer components with the drawing elements for the mahogany frame. My next step will be routing a rabbet on the inside top edge of the frame and fitting the MDF panel.
 
Beautiful work Bill! So do you cut the straight lines on fanned pieces by hand as well? I've never done any veneer work, but it's inspirational to see it done so well, you make it look easy.
 
Beautiful work Bill! So do you cut the straight lines on fanned pieces by hand as well? I've never done any veneer work, but it's inspirational to see it done so well, you make it look easy.

Thanks, Darren.

For the fan (sunburst) segments, I wanted the common point to be the outside rear corner of the area. Referring to the graphic below, the line between 2 & 3 splits the segment in half from the pivot point to the point between the separator strip and the radius front rail. Then, I ran a line from the pivot to a point halfway back to the outer edge of the segment. I made section 3 the same size as section 2 by setting the angle of the line separating 3 & 4. The line between sections 4 & 5 is halfway down the remainder of that segment.

sunburst_pattern0.jpg

I copied the graphic to a drawing page scaled at 1/1 to make a full size print.

The full size print was attached to a piece of 1/4" birch ply using re-positionable spray adhesive. I chose a piece of ply that would be a couple of inches larger than the paper to give me some excess to work with and extended the lines onto the ply. I cut the sections apart on the bandsaw and sanded the edges smooth. I used a piece of paper-backed quarter-sawn cherry veneer for the radials, aligned each pattern piece with the grain, then cut around the pattern with a razor knife.

sunburst_pattern.jpg

After cutting the individual radials, I sanded the edges in pairs to be sure they were smooth, then back-beveled the back sides a little. Then, I blue-taped them together on the front side, first across each seam in 2 or 3 places, then ran tape the length of the seam. After compressing the tape, I applied yellow glue to the back of the seams and let it set up. After removing the tape, you get what you see. :)
 
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Tuesday was spent prepping the top panel. I used some paper-backed veneer that isn't really fit for view as the backer for the MDF substrate. After making sure I had a good fit between the MDF and mahogany frame, I applied Titebond II to the MDF, laid on the veneer, taped it in place and put the assembly in the vacuum press. While that was in the press, I sanded the outside of the radius front of the frame to final dimension. Next, I finished prepping the veneers for the top of the panel by taping them together.

Then, I applied Titebond II to the substrate:
top_venprep0.jpg

Aligned the veneer to the substrate:
top_venprep1.jpg

After taping the edges of the veneer to the substrate, I placed the assembly in my vacuum press:
top_venprep2.jpg

While the panel was in the press, I did a little more sanding on the frame radius and made sure all parts were smooth. Then, I started routing the profile on the front and sides. (Note: the table edge router bit is larger than the opening in the factory router base, so I had to make a custom base with 1/4" birch ply). I cut the profile in five passes to reduce the chance of tear-out. When I was satisfied with the results, I made another final pass with the bit no more than another millimeter deeper for a final clean-up.

Here's what I have so far:
top_frame0.jpg

..and a closer look:
top_frame1.jpg

LOML arrived home from work about 5:30 and had to take a look, of course. The panel still needed to stay in the press about another hour, but she was pleased with the frame. About 6:30, we came back to the shop and she helped me take the top panel out of the press. So far, so good!

top_venprep3.jpg

I had several errands to run this morning (Wednesday), so I'll only have about four hours of shop time today, which is still better than none! :)
 
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Nothing particularly worthy of pictures on Wednesday. My shop day was shortened due to catching up on errands after going to workout at the YMCA.

I did some final tweaks to the rabbet in the top frame so the veneered panel will sit flush at all points. It's pretty much ready for glue-up but I'll do a few other things first. I milled up the mahogany for the case bottom; again a radius front rail and straight sides. Cutting patterns are attached to the mahogany and I'll band saw them Thursday morning.

Two deliveries Wednesday: FedEx dropped off a package with a 4x8 sheet of mahogany veneer I'll use on some of the internal surfaces of the credenza. UPS brought a box with a tub of plastic resin glue powder and some glue rollers.

I'm hoping for a full, productive day on Thursday! :huh:
 
Ah, she's lookin' fine Bill. Beautiful work as usual. Thanks for taking the time to post the build pics. Always a pleasure and an inspiration.
 
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