Whoopy Hardwood at last!

[mailee]

Well I am actually starting to build something in hardwood at last. It has been a long time since I used any hardwood for a project I was beginning to think I never would again. Anyway I have made a start on a cutlery canteen for a customer and her choice of wood was Oak. I intend to build it on a chest of drawers design with an opening lid at the top and classic plinth at the bottom if all goes well.
Today I got started planing and thicknessing the wood I needed from my hardwood pile.

Next I glued up some panels for the sides and top of the box.

I also managed to get the drawer frames cut and joined using some pine to save the expensive hardwood for where it will be seen.

At the end of the day I had managed to get all four frames in glue up along with the panels. Will see what tomorrow brings as I am still working on the garage door frame at the moment too! :wink:

 

[Philly]

Excellent! Love the smell of oak, too.
Philly

 

[Rich]

Keep the pics coming Mailee, that's a beast of a table saw, I can see your happy when your busy,
Rich.

 

[mailee]

Managed to get some more work on the canteen today. I sanded the side panels down and cut the housings (Dado's) for the drawer frames.

Yes the old balding bu**er is me hard at it. :lol:
Got two sides finished and cut to final dimensions.

By the end of tonight I had managed a dry fit with the frames in.

Another good day tomorrow should see the top started and maybe even some work on the drawers too, we will see. :wink:

 

[Rich]

Hi Mailee, that jig for housings looks very handy, perhaps you could post a few pics or a drawing, after your present project of course.
here's looking for the next pics of the canteen.
regards,Rich.

 

[Anonymous]

Coming along very nicely (and quickly) mailee. Love oak, possibly my favourite wood, and the smell is gorgeous :wink:

 

[BradNaylor]

Hi Mailee,

How are you fastening the frames into the housings?

If you glue them all the way along the housing there is a cross-grain problem and your panels are likely to split sometime in the future.

I have encountered this problem in the past and now get round it by routing dovetailed housings in the side panels with corresponding dovetails on the edges of the frames. The frames are slid in from the back with the help of a rubber mallet and glue only applied on the front corners as they are tapped into place.

If the housings are made ever so slightly tapered it makes tight fit easier to achieve.

This system allows the panel to move across its width unrestrained by the drawer rail.

Another way would be to screw the side of the frame in place with slotted holes cut in the drawer rails to allow movement and only use glue at the front.

My apologies if this is a grandmother sucking eggs situation!

Cheers
Dan

 

[mailee]

Didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked tonight but did get the plinth assembled:

I have fitted the face frame to the carcass too and this now needs sanding as does the plinth:

Yes I do know all about the cross grain situation with this sort of construction Dan. My solution to it is to glue just the first third of the frames into the housings and at the rear there are small screws in slots through the frames and into the sides to allow it to move. I have used this method many times and it works quite well for me. Normally I would use brads at the rear but as this is Oak I didn't want any steel in contact with it just to be on the safe side. I should add that the screws are brass too. :wink: Yes it is a bit Grandmother sucking eggs but no problem as this is how we learn and we are never too old to learn. Only other item I managed tonight was to cut the top to dimentions ready for the details to be routed in. I shold get some more done tomorrow evening if all goes well.

 

[motownmartin]

Good going Alan, I must try and make something myself one day

 

[DavidE]

Hi Mailee,

That is looking good - the table saw is a beast too! I really like the plinth.

Cheers
David

 

[soundaz]

Hi Mailee,

The project's looking fantastic, a beautiful wood to use.

I know this may sound a bit stupid, but I'm still learning so humour me please. Why shouldn't you use steel hardware with oak?

 

[motownmartin]

Hi Mailee,

The project's looking fantastic, a beautiful wood to use.

I know this may sound a bit stupid, but I'm still learning so humour me please. Why shouldn't you use steel hardware with oak?

There is a chemical reaction and it blackens the wood, I think thats right, if not someone will correct me.

 

[soundaz]

Thanks for that Martin, very handy to know. Is this problem unique to oak or are other species of wood affected in a similar way?

 

[Chris Knight]

Alan,

I'm struggling to see the face frame. Is it strips of wood over the web frames on the side of the cabinet?

 

[Digit]

The tannic acid in Oak corrodes any Iron based metals, this rapidly ruins the fixings etc and produces a black oxide stain on and in the Oak that is quite immovable!
I use the same method as you Mailee for fixings and I'll confess now that it's an idea I got from Norm.
I also like Oak and have built a number of sizeable projects in it, which are awaiting glazing WHEN I FINISH THE DAMN WORKSHOP, but I find it a terrible wood to finish well. I normally oil and wax, what do you do?

Roy.

 

[mailee]

Well thanks for the nice comments guys. Roy is correct in that it is the tannic acid in Oak that corrodes steel.
I have worked in Oak before but a while ago now, do like the wood as it cuts so well and produces a nice clean edge. I shall finish this project with Oil as it will bring out the grain better IMHO. No problem about gaining tips from Norm Roy I too have learnt a few things from him too. It is one series I can watch over and over again....Luckily as they continue to show just the repeats. :roll:
Sorry Chris I just remembered your question. Yes it is strips of wood over the frames and sides. they do tend to dissapear into the sides a bit on a photo.

 

[Shultzy]

I know you shouldn't use steel with oak but apparently the guy in the Great British Workshop on The Woodworking Channel used them in his oak step stool - a glaring mistake?

 

[Digit]

Only if he's worried about stains, if not, then no problem.

Roy.

 

[Roger]

Soundaz - here's all the details on Tannin and Iron, giving all the types of wood and the details:

Tannin and Iron

 

[mailee]

Tannin and Iron, tell me about it! I have just finished cleaning the cast iron top of my table saw as it was starting to rust! :shock: I had to give the thicknesser bed a good going over too as it had stains on it. Maybe that's why I use softwood most of the time.