giant butterflies

[sunnybob]

well, 1 actually.

10" wide x 6" x 6".
too heavy to fly.
Walnut, bubinga, and padauk drawer fronts.

Apologies to custard, he very kindly sent me some exotic pieces of wood for the fronts, but the grain and rippling in them was too strong and regimented and they overpowered the box. So I used up some of my precious scraps of padauk.

 

[custard]

Very tidy work, the way you've juggled your boards to incorporate the grain of the Padauk into the design is a real sign of quality.

=D>

 

[sunnybob]

you recall I originally wanted to use maple to give a coffee and cream contrast. The rippled sycamore was the closest in colour to what I wanted, and I actually cut out 2 fronts in it, but the grain was so strong it looked liked a child had ruled lines across the box.

My supply of padauk is down to small scraps now, I dont have enough to make anything with it, but maybe a few more drawer fronts.

I started this in July, and almost scrapped it a dozen times as i just couldnt get it to look right. Then i had my normal high summer temp problems with the top coat. i had to sand off bubbled and streaked varnish 4 times, eventually using 0000 wire wool over the entire outside, and then wiping on neat poly.

I made a mistake gluing up, and crossed the grains. The bubinga is magnificent on the sides but very subdued from above. It looked very dark in the workshop and I was not sure it would look at all well in a lounge, but 'er indoors has given it the seal of approval by letting it stay on the sideboard.
And I have to get some sanding sealer for the end grains. nobody here has ever heard of it.

I'm trying to think of the next project to use those pieces you gave me. They wont be wasted.

 

[custard]

I'm trying to think of the next project to use those pieces you gave me. They wont be wasted.

Don't worry about it, next stop was the woodburner! On any boards that are a bit out of the ordinary it's a good idea to live with them for a while, you'll understand them better and you'll know when you've got the right project.