BradNaylor
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- Joined
- 17 Oct 2007
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I've done a couple of this sort of thing in the past; an elderly client who bought an elaborate cabinet for their telly 30 years ago now wants to upgrade to a big flat screen jobby and wants a cabinet for it the same as the old one. But nobody makes them anymore.
Except I do!
This one is to be in walnut. This is the cabinet I've got to copy;
And this is another piece in the same room that the new cabinet has to match;
The top and the doors will be made from MDF lipped all round in walnut and then the fronts veneeered with burr walnut and cross-banding. The backs will be veneered with American Black Walnut.
My initial thought for the carcass was to use English or European walnut veneered MDF. A couple of calls to board suppliers however, revealed that such a thing does not exist.
No problem, I think. I'll get some veneered board made up locally. Unfortunately I could not find anyone with suitable veneer in stock - I would have to buy a full bundle of 20 or so sheets; far more than I will ever need.
So I started ringing round hardwood suppliers in search of English or European walnut with a view to building the carcass in solid wood. I couldn't find anyone in the north of England with any in stock.
So I then contacted other cabinetmakers to see if anyone either had any to spare or could give me any leads. I was just about to make the trip to Chris Tribe's place when I got word of a tree surgeon only 20 minutes away from me who might have some.
I arrived at a farm in Cheshire to find an entire tree felling and timber conversion operation. Rummaging around in the attic of one of the barns we unearthed these two slabs of locally grown walnut which had been air-dried for 6 or 7 years.
They were around 55" x 16" x 2.5" Tentatively I suggested that he might slice them in two for me as what I needed was 1" boards
This is when I met the Wood Mizer. I want one!
As the blade reached the end of its cut I really expected the boards to go 'ping' and move all over the place as always seems to happen when I resaw timber on the bandsaw.
Absolutely nothing. Both halves of each board stayed completely flat.
What a find this place is. I'll be back.
I paid £50 a cube.
Back at the workshop I stickered the boards to condition for a few days and will make a start next week.
All in all a rewarding afternoon.
Cheers
Brad
Except I do!
This one is to be in walnut. This is the cabinet I've got to copy;
And this is another piece in the same room that the new cabinet has to match;
The top and the doors will be made from MDF lipped all round in walnut and then the fronts veneeered with burr walnut and cross-banding. The backs will be veneered with American Black Walnut.
My initial thought for the carcass was to use English or European walnut veneered MDF. A couple of calls to board suppliers however, revealed that such a thing does not exist.
No problem, I think. I'll get some veneered board made up locally. Unfortunately I could not find anyone with suitable veneer in stock - I would have to buy a full bundle of 20 or so sheets; far more than I will ever need.
So I started ringing round hardwood suppliers in search of English or European walnut with a view to building the carcass in solid wood. I couldn't find anyone in the north of England with any in stock.
So I then contacted other cabinetmakers to see if anyone either had any to spare or could give me any leads. I was just about to make the trip to Chris Tribe's place when I got word of a tree surgeon only 20 minutes away from me who might have some.
I arrived at a farm in Cheshire to find an entire tree felling and timber conversion operation. Rummaging around in the attic of one of the barns we unearthed these two slabs of locally grown walnut which had been air-dried for 6 or 7 years.
They were around 55" x 16" x 2.5" Tentatively I suggested that he might slice them in two for me as what I needed was 1" boards
This is when I met the Wood Mizer. I want one!
As the blade reached the end of its cut I really expected the boards to go 'ping' and move all over the place as always seems to happen when I resaw timber on the bandsaw.
Absolutely nothing. Both halves of each board stayed completely flat.
What a find this place is. I'll be back.
I paid £50 a cube.
Back at the workshop I stickered the boards to condition for a few days and will make a start next week.
All in all a rewarding afternoon.
Cheers
Brad
