Bucket list

[Palletmangler]

Does anyone have a list of things they want to make?

Top of mine is a Morris chair, just because of how they look, I've never even sat in one!

I've got a pile of oak and beech waiting for when I'm ready and skilled enough, but probably more than I need.

So for inspiration I thought I'd ask if anyone had ambitions to produce something special like that or maybe you've already done something you're especially proud of?

 

[marcros]

a bracket clock, and the elusive kitless fountain pen that is perfect in form and function.

 

[thetyreman]

I'd like to make a box for my own ashes to be put it, that would be hilarious as my last project. Seriously though, as a guitarist, I really want to build both an electric guitar (at least one) and a classical guitar, and possibly an oud, I know that's a long way off, but it's also not impossible.

 

[Fitzroy]

Dining table and chairs. I think that's my vanity tho, I'm always looking for validation so to sit eating a meal with friends and them cooing over the table and chairs I would secretly love. Something just for me? A box for my watches, I have two but may have three in the future, super tight dovetails, highly figured timber, leather lined. Not sure I'll ever have that level of skill.

F.

 

[custard]

I've made circular tables but never an oval table. I've made sliding doors but never a tambour. I've laid sunburst veneers but never it's "opposite" a spider's web veneer. I've built a boat but never made a musical instrument. I've french polished but never done a scorched Oak finish.

That's the beauty of woodworking, there's always something new to sink your teeth into!

Most of all I want to make something that'll win a Guild Mark. But it's a race against time, arthritis runs in the family and if I follow the familiar pattern in ten years time I'll begin to be limited to simpler builds.

 

[lurker]

I'd like to make a box for my own ashes to be put it, that would be hilarious as my last project. Seriously though, as a guitarist, I really want to build both an electric guitar (at least one) and a classical guitar, and possibly an oud, I know that's a long way off, but it's also not impossible.

Ive got a mate who trained as a stone mason.
In his workshop is a massive (grave stone size!) black granite slab table.
He uses it for a dead (pun intended) flat sharpening station.
On the underside it's carved with every thing but his date of "departure".

Needless to say he is a Scot and wants value for his money
:shock:

 

[Racers]

I have a few boxes in my head that I want to make.


Pete

 

[No skills]

Frame and panel chest
Table
Some chairs
Bed
A real nice toolbox/chest for myself

Other than that I'd like to make a few boxes or chests for the kids/family, hopefully something they would keep and remember me by.

 

[No skills]

Maybe a coffin as well

 

[custard]

Dining table and chairs. I think that's my vanity tho, I'm always looking for validation so to sit eating a meal with friends and them cooing over the table and chairs I would secretly love. Something just for me? A box for my watches, I have two but may have three in the future, super tight dovetails, highly figured timber, leather lined. Not sure I'll ever have that level of skill.

F.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but your post makes an important point. Relative newcomers to woodworking consistently misread the level of difficulty involved in projects.

If your table had a folding central extension leaf, and your chairs were the real deal with compound curves and compound angled joinery, then you're right, that's tough.

But a good quality watch box with super tight, London pattern needle dovetails, inlayed escutcheon, fully fitted interior, and leather lined? Actually, not so much. If you focussed exclusively on that objective, and were prepared to make a few mistakes on simpler challenges along the way, then at ten hours a week you'd have cracked it after a year, maybe sooner.

By the way, if your table was a basic farmhouse construction, and your chairs were windsors instead of "jointed", then you'd have the skills to make that in a year too, provided of course that's all you did.

It's when woodworkers start fretting about sharpening, or whether Japanese saws are better than Western saws, that it all goes off the rails. That woodworker can spend a lifetime of weekends at the bench and still not have so much as a decent breadboard at the end of it.

Good luck!

 

[marcros]

Most of all I want to make something that'll win a Guild Mark.

What is involved in this, custard?

 

[NazNomad]

Setting my sights rather high, I would like to produce something, anything, and no matter how hard I look I can find no fault with it.

I'm probably asking too much.

 

[Palletmangler]

Oh yea, I'll add a real quality electric guitar too, something les Paul like because I've already got a fender.

And a big solid bed, a four postery type, bit lord if the ringsy/ hobbitish.

 

[custard]

Most of all I want to make something that'll win a Guild Mark.

What is involved in this, custard?

A piece that's "of the present time" (so no antique reproductions or derivative designs no matter how well made), constructed and designed to the very highest standards. The awards committee includes some hugely accomplished makers, so when they say "highest standards" they mean just that.

Interesting, a submission can no longer include any CITES timbers, a ruling that's already having an impact on what woods the very top makers are now using.

 

[rafezetter]

Most of all I want to make something that'll win a Guild Mark.

What is involved in this, custard?

A piece that's "of the present time" (so no antique reproductions or derivative designs no matter how well made), constructed and designed to the very highest standards. The awards committee includes some hugely accomplished makers, so when they say "highest standards" they mean just that.

Interesting, a submission can no longer include any CITES timbers, a ruling that's already having an impact on what woods the very top makers are now using.

Does that mean something essentially unique in design? That's not going to be easy, let alone the construction.

I've never really considered a bucket list of woodworking, but it could be a good idea as until now I've just bounced around building "whatever stuff" - whatever's in my head at the time or asked of me.

I would like to make a mans large valet case for my collection of watches, cufflinks and other valuables, again good dovetails, lined etc etc and I even have the Pippy oak or Paudauk veneers ready (or solid rosewood), however maybe out of naivete or arrogance I've never really considered it a bucketlist type of build, merely a "not yet" build; just the same as I've been storing some very old 12" wide reclaimed boards for a farmhouse table, simpler, yet for me still out of easy reach.

I've already made my own bed, but already have it's successor floating around in my head - a four postery type as well but fantasy style with secret compartments for my precious's.

Beyond that, well there's enough out there on the internet to pique my interest for many lifetimes so it's more like what don't I want to build.... strangely not a traditional table and chairs, unless I'm paid.

 

[SteveF]

i always wanted to make a chessboard
one day

Steve

 

[worn thumbs]

Nothing comes to mind actually.I can't get interested in making something thats already been done.I liked the wooden Bentley in the Donington museum and wish I had made it,but somebody else did.Maybe a wooden aircraft that moves the technology on a touch.If a twenty first century Frank Costin were to design a wood based high performance car,that would be fun.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Guitar for me too, (an electric bass) but the recent uke build thread has got me thinking i should try one of those first (although I'm thinking that a solid body electric instrument is actually probably easier?)

 

[Ttrees]

Actually , a bucket would be pretty cool ...
Although you'd have to make a barrel after that , or you would just be
thought of as a failed cooper

 

[thick_mike]

I think you've just got to jump in, people overthink these things, like they have to create an heirloom quality artefact the first time they make something. I built a guitar (Rickenbacker style) a few years ago. I was a complete woodworking novice, but I thought I'd give it a go and blunder through. I made the whole thing from scratch including the fretboard, it turned out pretty nice and plays in tune too. It wasn't so hard and I didn't need too much in they way of fancy tools either. By no means perfect, and certainly not professional quality...but if I made another one, it would be better.

If you're interested you can see my build by googling "building my first guitar ric style"