Thread: Mystery Project for Mum's 60th

I couldn't make that nice of dove tails even with a jig. you guys that do it with hand tools have my admiration. I'm enjoying following this. Thanks for taking the time to document it.

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Yesterday I assembled the sides (with only one set of dovetails needing another tweaking), then started on the back.
My original plan was to run 2 boards vertically, edge-glued. After yet another confirmation that my maths is atrocious, and a few deep breaths I decided it would be wiser to have horizontal ship-lapped boards for the back. Much better to prevent the sides bowing, handsomer, and more suitable all round (at least that's my reasoning, and I'm sticking to it).


I did crack open a beer and smile quite big as I took the last set of photos. Long way to go, but this moment does feel like progress.

Thanks for watching.

...Dave

Originally Posted by Bespoken

.........(at least that's my reasoning, and I'm sticking to it).

......

Good reasoning.

And I would have had a cup of tea.

I'm trying to guess what this will be. Starting to look like the beginings of a juke box.

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Made a little more progress over Friday and Saturday. I still can't get my little grooving plane to play nice so it was chisels all the way.
I've go the next week off work, so looking forward to really making some progress.

Having trouble sourcing veneer tape. Any suggestions - other than paying a bomb to get a small amount posted from the US??

For the next part of the project I started learning how to work with veneer.
I pulled out small samples I've collected, and sorted them into colour lots (good thing we cleaned up the spare room so my wife could have her own study)... IMG_2682.jpg

Then I began learning "the window method" of marquetry. But the colours didn't look quite right once I started. I was puzzled, and my wife was hungry, so I went to make dinner - fish curry. Then it happened... brainwave! The turmeric in the dinner looked so bright, and I knew turmeric could be used to dye cloth...so I experimented (mid-dinner-making): IMG_2684.jpgIMG_2686.jpgIMG_2687.jpg
Tumeric + water in a big tub. Sprayed some water on the veneer sheet. Soaked it in the mix and turned occasionally. Within 2 or so hours, "Hey Presto". The last shot is undyed and tumeric-dyed veneer side by side.

Fun and rewarding night.

Did you actually finish making the dinner?

Originally Posted by Christos

Did you actually finish making the dinner?

I did finish making dinner. Forgot to photo that, but it did taste really good.

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slow profess this week. A bit frustrating, but it is all progressing.

Great work. Loving it.

Are we now going to play guess what it is.....?

Last night I decided to just make a start on the marquetry. This time I thought I'd rather not keep lying on my stomach on the floor, so I commandeered the dining table. Before I knew it 2 or so hours were gone. Another fun new skill. I'm really enjoying the exploring that is going with this piece.
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Today I fixed the 2nd veneer layer front he vacuum press. It went all wavy and wonky. Not totally sure why - I suspect user error. Lots of sanding and patching with slivers, then re-patching said sliver once it stuck to the caul but not the project.
The jarrah does come up beautifully with the sanding sealer.
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The other part of today was following through on an idea for a sliding dovetail, as suggested earlier in this thread. Will see if my imagination meets up with reality.

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Well, it's turned cold here so the garage door came down as I worked a bit more yesterday.
Mostly fine-tuning and fitting the last few pieces to allow assembly of the case.
Then I sealed the inside surfaces of them.
I also glued another layer of veneer onto the panel I made (this time clamping it all flat to try to correct a bow from before).

While up in Glen Innes for work on Friday, I saw a sign for antique cedar furniture for sale. The fella in question is selling off the remnants of his uncle's estate - a former furniture maker and restorer.
I picked up this for $20 - the seller thought it must have been a student project or a joke, "because it's timber". I see a very hard to find, intact timber screw for a leg vice. Came home and cleaned it up, and it's in beautiful quality beech.
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This one's ear-marked for my bench upgrade.

Is that all you picked up.