Hand Cut Dovetail Class at the HatchSpace

Just before all of the social distancing that we are now experiencing, I was lucky to be able to teach my Shaker Bench- Making Hand-cut Dovetails.  I am not sure when I will be able to offer this class again but it was great fun to be teaching again especially with this very nice group of people.

This class took place at the HatchSpace in Brattleboro, Vermont.  They have a very professional setup staffed by quality people. See more about the HatchSpace.

In this two day class, students each make a "Shaker Bench" while learning how to cut dovetail joints by hand.

I do hope to also teach out of my shop but will definitely teach again at the HatchSpace when opportunity allows.  Take a look at my Classes page on my website to see information about this class  and also about my Build Your Own Cod Rib 12 Double Paddle Canoe.

Here are some shots from this last class.

photo by Peter Smichenko

photo by Peter Smichenko

Stay well!
Tim

Painted Sideboard #2

I have finally finished this sideboard that I have had underway for some time.  This piece ended up with a finish that looks a lot like another recent sideboard of a different design. The difference is that this piece is made of poplar with two coats of barn red milk paint followed by 2 coats of black milk paint and then worn a bit so that highlights of the red come through.  The previous sideboard, or Huntboard as I call it, was made of cherry with black milk paint.  You can see that here on my website.

The red paint and the red of the cherry achieve a very similar look under the black paint.

As with the Huntboard, I am very happy with how this piece looks.  I wish that I could have them both in my house.  I'd need a bigger house though.

Each cabinet has one adjustable shelf.  The interior is the same barn red milk paint that is underneath the black.
The finish of the interior is shellac over the milk paint to leave the interior smelling fresh.

The drawer sides and bottoms are pine and are sealed with shellac for a fresh interior smell.

This Cod Rib side chair is the first of a bunch of various chairs that I need to get cranking on now that the sideboard is done.

37 degrees and snowing today.  Feels like spring.

Chairs Delivered, Drawers Dovetailed

 Today, I delivered this set of Waltham chairs to a client who lives only 20 or so minutes away.  A nice change from the usual need to pay a shipper to deliver or to plan on a two day trip.  The chairs have a nice new home with great natural light and will spend their days around a nice table that was made by a friend and competitor, Paul Donio.  I'd put a link to his site here, but we are after all, competitors.  He can be found on google.   He does nice work.  Don't tell him I said that though.  

Anyway, it was nice to see the chairs in a modern clean setting.  They seem to work well with traditional or modern decor.

On to the sideboard-

Below are the hand cut dovetailed drawer parts for four drawers all ready for assembly.

Here, the sideboard is finally ready for final sanding and painting.  (The drawers do still need to have their joints planed.)  The knobs for the drawers and doors will be added after the painting is complete.

It is hard to see in this photo but there is a nice thumbnail detail on the edge of the top that I just shaped today after and before my chair delivery and before picking up my son from school, taking him to  his guitar lesson, picking up my daughter from her after school drawing class, taking them home and then taking her to a swimming lesson. The days do fill up quickly.

Next up are all of the chairs and stools that I mentioned in my last post.

Enjoy the sleet, rain and wind.

Tim

Huntboard with Milk Paint Finish- All Finished and Delivered

This weekend I just delivered this Huntboard.  Here are a couple shots of it in place in its new home in Virginia as well as a few with a backdrop in my shop.  It looks great in place and is in good company with many other great pieces of furniture, that I did not make, however two of my Waltham Rockers are also there. (see photo below) As I mentioned in my last post, I am very happy with how the construction and the finish on this piece came out.  Upon arriving at their beautiful mountain home, I was treated to a light meal and great conversation by my generous hosts.  Meeting them and seeing where the piece would live, topped off the whole project for me.

If you have not been following this piece, the piece is made of cherry with a thin and worn black milk paint finish sealed with linseed oil, gel varnish and topped off with a coat of wax made of linseed oil and bees wax.  The drawer interiors are pine sealed with a coat of amber shellac and the back is ship-lapped poplar.  The dimensions are 72" wide, 18" deep and 38" tall. Custom sizes are always available. Read my previous postings to learn more about this piece.

 

 Below are two of my Waltham Rockers which I had made previously for the same clients.

Finishing the Huntboard- A dream come true

I had a picture in my mind of what this piece might look like when finished but if you haven't done it before, you don't know if you will achieve exactly what you are trying for.  I feel like I got it on this one.  I wanted to end up with a finish that  has a smooth, worn, warm look.  This is very hard to achieve without years of actual use.  Milk paint helps but it must be sealed with the right stuff and applied in the right way.   Usually , I am very happy to paint a piece but I was a bit worried about this one.  It looked great before painting and the cherry matched nicely so I thought that maybe it would look better without paint.  Well, I am very happy to say that the paint only made it better.  It really brings out the details like the thumbnail edge on the top and beading around the drawers and end panels.    Many would say- "Why use nice cherry if you are going to paint it?"  Well, this is why. There is no way to achieve the warmth that this piece has without the cherry coming through.   The client asked for the piece to be very "worn" looking.  This is why you see areas where the cherry is very visible.  I am very glad that they did.  It makes me want to run my hand over the edges.  If I had the time and space in my house, I would build this piece for myself.

I still need to put one more coat of finish on the top and then a coat of paste wax on the whole thing, but it is already looking great in my opinion.
I will post formal shots when it is all done.

Thanks for looking,
Tim

 

Huntboard Progress

The following are some of the final steps in the building of this substantial piece of furniture.

The shot below shows the drawer parts after the joints have been cut by hand and before assembly. Lots of sawing and chiseling to get to this point. 

I design the drawers so that the rear of the drawer will fit into the case and the front of the drawer will not quite make it.  The two drawers on the left have been pushed in tightly as far as they will go while the joints dry.  On the right, the drawers have been hand planed until they slide smoothly into the case.

The top of this piece will have a thumbnail detail.  I cut the first part , the step down, with a router. The result is shown below.

The next step is to hand plane the round-over portion of the edge detail.

Below, is the finished thumbnail detail that has also been softened with a hand plane to imitate a worn look.  This piece will have a worn milk paint finish and this worn detail is an important part of that final look.

Below are a few shots of the case with the top set in place and the drawers in place.  The knobs will not be mounted until the drawers are finished.

The next post will include shots of this piece with the milk paint finish.

Other than working on the huntboard, I have been building a set of 10 of my Waltham Arm Chairs and spending time with my kids.  Below, Claire and I enjoy a lunch at a local diner.

Time to cut the grass for the last time this year.

Tim

Cherry Dresser- Dovetailed Drawers

This piece is almost completed now but here are a few shots from last week.

There is nothing like a hand cut dovetail joint for adding that something to a fine piece of furniture.

Trimming the drawer to fit.

Half-blind dovetail joint after gluing but before planing the joint smooth.

After planing the joint smooth with a hand plane

fitting drawers in the case. (the top is still missing.

a few of the finished drawers.

Cutting Dovetails by Hand

Here are two videos showing part of the dovetail cutting process.  My video camera is starting to lose its sound so I will have to get a new one.  It takes great video though so I am very sorry to lose this one.  many cameras cannot get in close and also make a clear image.
This set of dovetails is for the back of a drawer that goes on the inside of a wardrobe that I am building.

The first shows marking and sawing and the second shows the chiseling part.

Again, visually, I think that these work.  Sorry about the sound. Time for a new camera.

In the past I have done quite a bit of filming of processes.  I am hoping to put together a series of "How To" videos covering some classic furniture making techniques.  All of my old footage is on tape instead of digital. Converting it is one thing. finding it is another, so I will probably just make new films.

Enjoy the warm weather,
Tim