should I trash this project?

Frank Fusco

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I wasn't real happy with the way this bandsaw box project was going from the start. My bandsaw cuts weren't smooth or nice at all.
Then I ran into what is probably a project killer.
The kerf spaces just won't close up at all. This is 2 1/2" thick maple and it won't budge. If it were 1 1/2" pine, no problem. But, on this, those spaces are there to stay.
What say the jury?
Burn pile?
Or finish up and leave the spaces?
 

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Frank,

the rough outside can be fixed up with a spindle sander, I would wager, if you have one.

Not sure about the kerfs. Can you cut a sliver of maple and fit it in the kerf? Or could you cut a matching kerf on the opposite side and then pull down both sides of the project to glue it tight? (did that make sense?)

edit: actually I just took another look at the photo. I don't think my second idea would work.

...art
 
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Frank,

the rough outside can be fixed up with a spindle sander, I would wager, if you have one.

Not sure about the kerfs. Can you cut a sliver of maple and fit it in the kerf? Or could you cut a matching kerf on the opposite side and then pull down both sides of the project to glue it tight? (did that make sense?)

edit: actually I just took another look at the photo. I don't think my second idea would work.

...art

Yes, I was planning on using a sander to re-configure the outside.
As for filling the kerfs, dunno. The idea is to make the cuts as invisible as possible. Filling might just replace the obvious spaces with obvious fillers.
Pulling down is not possible, that's the problem :(
 
Frank,
If you cut the slivers so that the grain direction matches the kerf, and use a glue that dries transparent (Elmers?) you ought to be able to make a nearly invisible 'patch.'

If it all goes South on you, you can always PAINT it! :D :D
 
Frank - sorry but that looks HORRIBLE.

Nah really - I am just kidding.

Well - yes it does need work.

I bet you could cut a sliver of some contrasting wood color - maybe even make the saw kerfs wider and fit the slivers in place. Sand to blend. I might go as far as to make the grain orientation NOT match.

Make radiuses arould the edges of the drawers and the drawer spaces so the extra sanding will not show as much.

Make some felt pads for the outside of the bottoms of the drawers to take up some of the extra space.

DON'T burn it - LEARN from it.

Fix it up - finish it - learn from it.

Throwing it away will eliminate any opportunity to learn.

Stuff like that is what really fetches the BIG bucks at art shows.
 
I agree with Dan's agreement of Rex's agreement with Leo. :D I'd accentuate the kerfs by adding some, fill them all to contrast, and smooth out the curves. May not be what you started on planning to make*, but I suspect it'd be nice.










*As a turner, you should be accustomed to that concept by now. :p
 
Leo said, in part: "Stuff like that is what really fetches the BIG bucks at art shows."
Good point. Look at all the stuff Vaughn makes and sells. Bowls that leak, have cracks in them, etc.......and he sells as art. :rofl:
It's on my bench waiting for me to get re-enthused about it. We'll see. Thanks y'all for the input.
 
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