wooden tray

[cerdeira]

Hi

about 3 years ago I've pruned an old cherry tree and saved a branch about 1m long and 150mm diametre. clearly not big, but I thought it could be used for something after seasoning. I've resawed it with my bandsaw and stacked the planks.

now time has come to see what it could be used for.
after planing and thicknessing two of the planks and cutting off some defects (old worm holes) I was left with

not much and the sapwood is pretty extensive, but I have to make do with that and decided to build a tray.

cutting the tails:

and the pins:

those dovetails were a bit of PIA to clean because the only chisel I have that could fit in was a 4mm carving chisel which is not very adequate because its sides are
not bevelled.

then I've made the base out of laminated ash offcuts about 6mm thick. I've tried to match the grain but
one of the strips was quarter sawn, oh well.

after some workout:

the handles are also ash and were shaped on the router table (the cove and rounding over), bandsaw (the top curve) and a judicious use of rasps and sandpaper.
they are fixed to the tray sides with a sort of dovetail.

here's the finished tray after 3 coats of finishing oil:

far from a masterpiece, but I'm quite pleased with the result given that I only used offcuts and low grade timber

thanks for looking

 

[Racers]

Hi, cerdeira

Very nice, you can't beat using wood you have cut and seasoned your self.

Pete

 

[richburrow]

That is fantastic!!!!!!

 

[richburrow]

Sorry pressed enter by accident.
What I was going to say was, that looks really well made and a very satisfying piece of furniture, especially as the tree is still in action.

 

[Ian down london way]

Very neat hand cut doves, well done.

 

[wallace]

I likes it

 

[MARK.B.]

Very nice,like the handles.

 

[mseries]

I think that is ace, mainly because you did it from the tree which I presume you grew. It's something I'd do.

 

[Tierney]

Very nice, lovely dovetails.

DT

 

[Melinda_dd]

Hi just a quick question from a newish cabinet maker....

You mentioned that the sap wood was extensive.....
When making.. anything, can you only use the heart wood, and have to cut the sap wood off? or can you use the sapwood, it just doesn't look as nice to have the difference in colours?

Forgive the stupid question, but if I don't ask these questions i'll never learn.

 

[Orcamesh]

That's a lovely tray Cerdeira, and well executed. Always nice to make use of every scrap you have in the workshop.

Melinda, you might want to take a look at this...

http://woodworking.about.com/od/typesofwood/p/Heartwood.htm

hope it helps?

cheers
Steve

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Melinda, you might want to take a look at this...

http://woodworking.about.com/od/typesofwood/p/Heartwood.htm hope it helps?

cheers Steve

There's incomplete information in that link Steve. It's true that in some species, especially those with dark heartwood, it's sometimes the case that sapwood may be less desirable. In other species it's a positive, and this often applies to species such as ash, maple and sycamore where creamy, pale or white colour is commonly desirable. Having said that, the sapwood immediately under the cambium layer in all species is usually very soft and porous and one way or another is frequently discarded. This sapwood of course is the newest xylem laid down, and it is the most efficient at transporting sugars down the tree from the leaves. This softness, porosity, the amount of sugar making liable to attack by bugs and fungi tends to make it undesirable for many projects. Older sapwood xylem is a less efficient nutrient transport vehicle, and begins to take on heartwood xylem characteristics, but it can sometimes take decades for freshly laid down sapwood to fully convert to heartwood xylem. Cutting out all the sapwood from a piece of American hard maple, for example, could result in a significant loss of high grade material. Slainte.

 

[Graham Orm]

You did some grumbling about it, but it looks superb to me! Excellent job with lots of character. =D> =D> =D> What finish did you use?

 

[Gary Morris]

The tray looks wonderful, what does it for me are the Dovetail joints, they look so uniform and precise.

Gary

 

[disco_monkey79]

Lovely work. I recently used a piece of a tree from our garden (only a humble key hook, nothing like your handiwork), but it's lovely to think the donor tree grew only a few yards away.

 

[Orcamesh]

Melinda, you might want to take a look at this...

http://woodworking.about.com/od/typesofwood/p/Heartwood.htm hope it helps?

cheers Steve

There's incomplete information in that link Steve. It's true that in some species, especially those with dark heartwood, it's sometimes the case that sapwood may be less desirable. In other species it's a positive, and this often applies to species such as ash, maple and sycamore where creamy, pale or white colour is commonly desirable. Having said that, the sapwood immediately under the cambium layer in all species is usually very soft and porous and one way or another is frequently discarded. This sapwood of course is the newest xylem laid down, and it is the most efficient at transporting sugars down the tree from the leaves. This softness, porosity, the amount of sugar making liable to attack by bugs and fungi tends to make it undesirable for many projects. Older sapwood xylem is a less efficient nutrient transport vehicle, and begins to take on heartwood xylem characteristics, but it can sometimes take decades for freshly laid down sapwood to fully convert to heartwood xylem. Cutting out all the sapwood from a piece of American hard maple, for example, could result in a significant loss of high grade material. Slainte.

OK thanks for the comprehensive feedback Slainte. I'm certainly no expert on the subject and was just trying to help with some search results. But it is great to get this more accurate and detailed help so thanks. Personally, I was aware that some blond timbers were more difficult to differentiate the sapwood from the heartwood due to the colour being the same or almost identical. Obviously in something like walnut this is much easier to determine.
cheers
Steve