Blanket Chest

[cedarwood]

Just finished this today made from American white oak left over from building SWMBO's sewing desk, (the lid, the long rails front and back) salvaged oak given to me by a local farmer (the legs and vertical rails) oak from the farm I used to work on (the infill panels) and the base is western red cedar (picked up yesterday from Robbins in Bristol by SWMBO).
Outside is Bison clear waxed 2 coats so far, first coat quite heavy and left to soak in overnight then buffed and a second lighter coat and buffed, the inside left as is planed and just sanded by hand to remove rough edges.
(got lots an lots of brownie points )

 

[dickm]

That is a beauty. Really like the simple design, combination of timbers and the provenance of the oak.

 

[DTR]

Very nice

 

[n0legs]

Nice proportions. I really like the arched lower rail, nice touch =D>

 

[ED65]

That looks very nice indeed.

Question about the breadboard ends, are they for looks or to help ensure the top stays flat? I do like how they look on things myself but I hate when seasonal movement makes their ends proud or sit in from the panel. Saw a particularly bad example of this recently at a craft show, where a side table only about 40cm deep had shrunk in from both ends of the breadboards by about 2-3mm.

 

[cedarwood]

That looks very nice indeed.

Question about the breadboard ends, are they for looks or to help ensure the top stays flat? I do like how they look on things myself but I hate when seasonal movement makes their ends proud or sit in from the panel. Saw a particularly bad example of this recently at a craft show, where a side table only about 40cm deep had shrunk in from both ends of the breadboards by about 2-3mm.

Actually the reason for them in the first instance was because I didn't have timber that was quite long enough from the left over bits, so it was a way of lengthening the top. For a 40 cm wide board to of shrunk by 2/3 mm I would say it wasn't dry enough before use.

 

[ED65]

Actually the reason for them in the first instance was because I didn't have timber that was quite long enough from the left over bits

For a 40 cm wide board to of shrunk by 2/3 mm I would say it wasn't dry enough before use.

That does seem likely.

TBH I think the maker should have used riftsawn or quartersawn planks to minimise movement, or just skipped the breadboard ends as unnecessary. But at least the fact that it hadn't cracked shows they installed the breadboards correctly.