Amboyna Burl Pen

Here is a pen I just finished a couple days ago for my Managing Editor who retired after 45 years on the job. A very good man who will be greatly missed, I hope he will enjoy his pen.

Fixing some old chairs

Remodel update

We've just about got the front room all done, here is where we are to date.

House remodel

We are destroying our house, here is a photo from a few days ago.

Laundry room Cabinets finished

They are finally finished and in.

Laundry Cabinets

I'm now starting a cabinet project that has been in a holding pattern for way to long.  My wife has wanted real cabinets over our washer and dryer since we moved into this home, and I'm finally getting around to making them.
This has been one of those things in the house that for some insane reason I've just put off doing.
She has been extremely patient with me and just let me doodle around the real needs of the house. But now its time to get them done.

She is going to kill me, but here is a photo of what it looks like now.

Hall Entry Table Complete

Here it is, finally.
I now have an order from the little lady, to do another for the kitchen. This time with an enclosed bottom with doors and shelves.

For the most part this turned out good, I keep learning that I need to be more patient and take the time that is required to get a better result.

Finishing

I'm working on the finish today, I hope to have it done by tomorrow.  That's if I don't foul it up again!

Let me explain, I did what I told myself not to do and it bit me in the rear. I used a Transtint dye mixture and General Finishes Brown Mahogany water base stain. Well I told myself that I should spray on the top coat of General Finishes High Performance, but I got dumb and started wiping it on.
Well you might know what started to happen, the water based stain began to come up and the lighter wood underneath started to show through.
The thing is, if the little lady inside the house didn't want it to be dark I might have just gone on ahead with the entire piece because I kinda liked the look I was getting, but I am under orders to have it be dark.
So I let it dry and sanded it back down and re-applied the stain and went back to work, this time spraying on the top coat and boy does it look good.
I can't for the life of me figure out why I'd try wiping on the finish, when you can get that kind of look and feel by spraying.
I'll have a few photos in the morning of the finished project.

And then onto the next one.

Cabinets for the top of the stairs computer area.

Hall table update

I'd hoped to be further along than I am before going back to work this next week, so now this is going to take a bit more time.
I hope to have the drawer slides hung and the drawer fronts stained this week and then final sand the entire project and get it all stained, we'll see.


This is the dovetail design I decided on for the drawer fronts.

The drawers in the case.

The drawer details.

I decided to add some molding to the drawer fronts, they were just kinda boring without it.

Two sections of the top glueing.

The test pieces of molding with the original drawers.

Both top sections glued and clamped.

My WoodRiver #3 plane after going to town on the back of the top after the glue-up.

All three drawers with the new molding in place.

And as the table sits today. Like I said, it will probably be like this for a few days now.

Hall table getting closer

Here is the latest photo of the project.

The Skeleton

As of today December 28th.

Hall Table

Here is the table as of today, Saturday December 21.

SketchUp of Hall Table

Here is a drawing of part of the table, I'm still working on sections of it but I thought I'd toss this out for you to see.
I hope to get this done by the 20th if all goes good.

Bookcases and Chest in their home

Here are the finished bookcases and the chest in their home at the top of our stairs.

It was snowing outside so the light coming in the window wasn't very good.
Thanks for looking, this was a fun project.

Hall Table

Well this is a project that I've been wanting to do for probably two years. I finally started it with getting the legs glued up and turned. Here are a few photos from the process.
It's easy to turn one, the hard part is duplicating the first. I have to say, these turned out better than I thought they would. Now I'm trying to figure out how I want to join them to the case. 

These are from my phone camera, not that good but they are better than nothing.

Sharp Chisel

A sharp chisel is a great thing until you stupidly jab it into your finger.

Wood River #7 Bench Plane

So here is what my new #7 plane did wright out of the box. All I did was wipe off the shipping grease and adjust the depth of cut, put a zig zag of wax on the bed and went to town. I'm so impressed so far with this tool.
I'll be using these planes on a new project so I hope to get a good feel for them.
I finished the bookcases and will have a few photos of that in a day or so.

Confession

I said I'd nevvvvver put a piece of this furniture in my home but this past week my wife showed up all smiles and proudly said, I bought a chest of drawers from a super store from Sweden will you put it together? I have to now say that I'll be turning in my Woodworkers club card.
This thing looks good until you see how it goes together. I said as I completed it, I will never be putting another one of these together in my house again. I know that projects sometimes take some time to complete but I don't care how long it takes, this is the last piece from the super store from Sweden that comes into this house!!!

Bookcases

The cases are done except for the paint, now for the box/bench to go between them.