A challenge in Woolybut

[jacko]

The attached image is of my latest project to be finalized.
The timber is Woolybut, air dried 15 years
The finish is oil and wax hand rubbed
The design is mine, for my sins
Now all I have to do is to sell it as it does not fit our decor!

[zenwood]

Rummaging through the archives and stumbled on this. Can't believe no-one replied. It's superb. Would like to see some more photos and descriptions of this piece, and methods.

[Wood Borer]

I am not sure how I missed it either.

What a wonderful piece of work. I would be tempted to change the decor to match this work of art.

[zenwood]

Posted too soon! See http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=4724

[Different]

I missed the post too but found it a while back and repplied directly yo Jacko.

I have seen the piece in the flesh several times and it is indeed impressive.
Good luck with selling it. How much are you asking for it?

Ross

[jacko]

I was asking $3100, but it has moved to "Naturally Australian" up in Sydney, and the proprietor has put a somewhat higher price on it. We will see how it goes, but a lot more chance of selling it there than in Milton, particularly at this time of year!Thanks for the rap Ross.
Jacko

[zenwood]

jacko:

Could you please give some more detail on the construction of the outriggers? You said they were coved on the tablesaw, which I understand in general terms, but how did you connect the outriggers to the drawer carcase? I understand they're connected to the legs with dowelled tenons, but what happens at the other end? How did you fair the curve between the carcase, the outriggers, and the legs?

Also, I wondered about the decision to cooper the door, rather than carving it from the solid? Any comments one way or the other?

Are the shelves glass?

Again, thanks for posting this beautiful piece, and explaining its construction. I'm in awe...:)

[TassieKiwi]

Had I found it I would have looked for the cute sheep first! (hur hur) ;)

Awesome piece.

[jacko]

jacko:

Could you please give some more detail on the construction of the outriggers? You said they were coved on the tablesaw, which I understand in general terms, but how did you connect the outriggers to the drawer carcase? I understand they're connected to the legs with dowelled tenons, but what happens at the other end? How did you fair the curve between the carcase, the outriggers, and the legs?

Also, I wondered about the decision to cooper the door, rather than carving it from the solid? Any comments one way or the other?

Are the shelves glass?

Again, thanks for posting this beautiful piece, and explaining its construction. I'm in awe...:)
Zen, the outriggers were M&T'd to the carcase, also pinned with dowels on the inside. The Outriggers ended with two 45 degree faces for the rear two and a 45 and 57 degrees on the front (this to match the laminated curved front apron). I morticed these before the coving operation (as were all the other operations). Before turning the legs, while still square, I cut the mortices and a flat to house the end of the outrigger. The fairing was just done by setting the cove to best fit, then a final trim with spokeshave etc.
To create the door out of the solid would have required a lot more work to get the same weight. As well I was able to do a double book match by coopering, resulting in the same grain pattern on each door. Finally I still would have had to join two peices to get the width, so worthwhile. It was a great learning exercise. My coopering jig did get a few column inches in FWW last year sometime. Yes the shelves were glass, paid throught the nose to get the fronts curved and polished.
jacko

[Different]

I was asking $3100, but it has moved to "Naturally Australian" up in Sydney, and the proprietor has put a somewhat higher price on it. We will see how it goes, but a lot more chance of selling it there than in Milton, particularly at this time of year!Thanks for the rap Ross.
JackoJacko $3100 is a bit on the low side I hope NA put at least $8000 on it as that is closer to its real value.
I wouldnt mind seeing a few mor pics (detail) if you have them.

Ross

[zenwood]

Zen, the outriggers were M&T'd to the carcase... Thanks for that description jacko. I drew a diagram as best I could from interpreting the description. Is it close to the mark?

[jacko]

Golly Me! Couldn't have done better myself. Only small discrepancy is that the dowels on the carcase are not through dowels, but stop about 2 mm short of the surface. The leg diameter is a bit on the large size relative to the tennon, but all in all a wonderful interpretation. Thank the lord for the English language!
Jacko

[zenwood]

Golly Me! Couldn't have done better myself. Only small discrepancy is that the dowels on the carcase are not through dowels, but stop about 2 mm short of the surface. The leg diameter is a bit on the large size relative to the tennon, but all in all a wonderful interpretation. Thank the lord for the English language!
Jacko That's cool, jacko. Your description must've been pretty good. Although this diagram is actually my third attempt. Attempt number one had the 45 degree angles at the outrigger ends going the wrong way. Then I realised it would be very weak with lots of short grain and a bugger to mortice. Then I realised the carcase could be made of seperate sides, rather than trying to join the outriggers to a completed carcase.

Are the tenons between the outriggers and the carcase floating tenons? Or did you cut tenons as an integral part of the carcase sides. Just a small detail I guess, but nice to know.

I can see why you called this "a challenge in woollybut"!

I'm still in awe...

[jacko]

Yes I missed that in the drawing until after I replied. No the tennons were not loose but integral with the carcase sides. just as a comment, note that it was very important to do things in the right order! e.g the mortices in the outriggers wer cut before the coving, and all four were coved together (glued up then cut appart, only way to get enough length to be stable while "coving"
jacko

[zenwood]

...very important to do things in the right order!... So steps were:
1. cut mortices in individual outriggers,
2. outriggers edge-glued together to form a very 'wide' piece,
3. wide piece coved,
4. coved piece sliced up into individual outriggers.

Hmm: did you use the trick of using brown paper at the glue joints to make subsequent splitting apart easier? If never done this myself, but read about it.

Not sure if I've given the greeny yet, but will do now.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[jacko]

Nope, just made them 3 mm taller than thier end size. Was too worried about the stresses during the coving to take the risk of them all flying apart.
Tks for d'greenie!
Jacko

[zenwood]

Nope, just made them 3 mm taller than thier end size. Was too worried about the stresses during the coving to take the risk of them all flying apart. You think of everything Jacko.


Tks for d'greenie!
Didn't let me: already given:(. Should be an override for masterpieces like this :)

[zenwood]

the tennons were not loose but integral with the carcase sides... Jacko: Here's a refinement of the drawing based on your feedback. A further question: if the tenons are integral with the carcase sides, where do the dowel pins in the carcase sides go (the ones that stop 2mm short of the surface)?

[Tasman]

Looks good Jacko,well worth the price indeed,great design too........sing out when you want more timber.........lol.........

Reguards Tasman

[jacko]

Zenwood, sorry for the confusion. The dowels are in the outriggers, going through the tennon and on into the outer part of the outrigger. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but worth it for the peice of mind.
Tasman, the blackwood can be found in a post called "follow that curve"
Jacko