Elm Sideboard

[Imperial]

I've been making an Elm Sideboard and posted a picture of the bookmatched top in another thead, Elm cabinet 2. I've just started cutting the dovetails on one end having now glued up all the required panels for the carcass. It's murder to work with as far as movement is concerned
but the end result I hope will be worth it. I'll post updates if anyone is interested, but only have pictures of the panels and the Veneer for the door panels at the moment.

Tried to change the picture sizes, not too big I hope?

 

[woodbloke]

Looks like this is going to be a good piece...keep us posted on progress - What are the conditions like in your 'shop to help minimise movement in the elm? - Rob

 

[Imperial]

Its been in 3 different places, and some of it has moved some not! I'm going to use through wedged tenons on the bottom shelf of the carcass to hopefully pull in the lightly cupped sides, and the through dovetails at the top should do the same. 3 Doors on the front, with bookmatched Elm Burr panels on Lipped MDF , sort of Shaker, they will be flush at the show side with a 3mm reveal round the edge. The 3 drawer fronts above are from one plank and will also have through dovetails to match the top detail. Have the design on Sketchup but have not figured out how to save as a picture to upload.I cut the waste from one end of the top and used the method, for the first time, where a wood block is clamped above the scribed shoulder line and the chisel rests against it to keep the bottom nice and square, It works a treat and I'll be using this method everytime from now on. Can post a pic if anyone does not know what I mean? Been using a Japanese Saw for these dovetails but will have a LN saw next week to cut the drawer fronts, it'll be interesting to see if it's easier, or better, a LN No4 in iron with High angle frog too, sorry little gloat there..

 

[Imperial]

Started cutting the pins on the top and was very pleased to get this fit straight off the saw. The more eagle eyed among you will see the tails are sticking out a little! This was due to resizing the stock, the cupping issues, after already cutting the tails. Will be planing them flush after glue up. Was quite time consuming to do all by hand.

 

[woodbloke]

Better to have the tails sticking out just a fraction than the other way round, makes it easier to just flush them off when the joint has been glued - Rob

 

[Imperial]

Started making the housing for the bottom shelf which will have through wedged tenons. Used a router in between 2 length's of mdf clamped to the panel as I did not have the correct width bit to fit the shelf. Takes ages to cut the mortises, trying to keep the cuts clean and inline. I did one side fully and I'm half way through the other side. Drilled out some of the waste with a 12mm forstner bit to make it a little easier.

 

[devonwoody]

Put me down as an interested party to your workpiece.

Have to congratulate you on your hand made joints, you must be a younger man than me!

 

[Imperial]

I'm posting the pictures as work is progressing, I cut rails and stiles for the doors on Friday but trying to get the Elm to match up in colour and grain is making for a lot of waste. I practised making a few holes in the waste with a Festool Domino, Can't decide what type/size to use or the fit! There are tight, loose or very loose settings which means I could fit two of the tenons next to each other with a little play, or just one big one, seems a little small. Rails are 60mm x 20mm and the biggest tenons are 22mm wide x 10mm thick x 40mm long I think! I'm still trying to get the hinges and runners for the drawers which will have no handles, push to open fittings. I just got a LN Dovetail saw, so will be cutting all the through dovetail joints on the drawers with that, it will be interesting to see if it makes a better job then the Japanese one use for the top? I think I'll have quite a lot of small offcuts left at the end of construction would anyone be interested?

It doesn't all look as nice as this piece though!

 

[lucky9cat]

Lovely wood and superb looking dovetails. It's going to be a really interesting looking piece.

Keep us posted, Ted

 

[Anonymous]

Lovely work bloonose - like the mortises and sympathise with you for all the effort involved in those and the dovetails (DTs by hand are a pleasure to make, by router a chore)

 

[Imperial]

Finished cutting all the tenons using the same method as the dovetails to remove the waste and keep the seats and shoulders square, used the new LN dovetail saw, very fast and quite a clean cut, its much easier to stay on your lines, does not seem to wander , but I'm still getting used to it.

I stuck the 4 panels together to get a feel for the size and look, quite happy so far.

I've cut all the rails and stiles for the doors, they will be joined with domino biscuits 1 third to 2 thirds ratio depth of hole, but could not resist getting out the veneer to see what they will end up looking like. The panels will be book matched inside and out consecutively, cant afford to make any mistakes though as only have 12 leaves!!!! The tenons will be diagonally wedged and a friend has given me some rosewood which be used for that.

 

[Imperial]

Been lipping the door Panels which are 9mm MDF in some Elm too boring to show pictures of, so posting a couple of pictures of a Table Top I made which I'm learning to French Polish. Its difficult to take the pics as the shine reflects anything and everything but it makes the Burr show up really well.

 

[Digit]

It's a terrible shame IMO BN that people avoid French polish as old had or difficult to do, it really is a beautiful finish.
My wife was totally against the idea till I polished a sewing machine case, I've now been allowed! to polish two other small items.
For those who think it's difficult to do, it isn't but, it not only highlights the figure in timber it also highlights the slightest defect in your workmanship! I know!

Roy.

 

[devonwoody]

Nice work and pictures up there.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Lovely work 100 out of 100 for workmanship. Nice combination of different woods. =D>

 

[TheDudester]

Been lipping the door Panels which are 9mm MDF in some Elm too boring to show pictures of, so posting a couple of pictures of a Table Top I made which I'm learning to French Polish. Its difficult to take the pics as the shine reflects anything and everything but it makes the Burr show up really well.

Very nice workmanship and pictures.

If you can take pictures without the flash at times you will be able to compare .

Without flash does is more natural.

D

 

[Paul Chapman]

Those veneers are really stunning.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Imperial]

Been using the Festool Domino, to make the connections between rails and stiles for the doors. It was very quick once the layouts were decided upon. I chose to have 20mm in the stile and 28mm in the rail, so a different depth stop on the machine made that easy, the tenons are 8mm thick. They are a very tight fit but a slight rub on some sand paper or leaving the biscuits in a hot place will sort that. I have left about 5mm from the top and around 10mm from the grooved side to allow me to have a 6mm rebate for the panel to float in. The panels will be flush to the front but have a 3mm x 3mm reveal all the way round hence the panels being lipped in solid before veneering the burr on top of a 9mm MDF substrate. A big thanks goes to Dom who used to post here for the use of his workshop and Domino.

 

[Imperial]

Just some new pictures and a little detail, doors now ready for the panels, panels have been lipped and flushed to the substrate ready for the veneer to be applied. Did that with a block plane. Just glued on no biscuits, too thin for that. Mitres cut on the table saw then a little shaving if rq'd on a shooting board.

Please let me know if this project's progress is of no interest and I'll just post the result? or if anyone wants more detail same goes.

 

[TheDudester]

I love seeing the progress and pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

D