Thread: WIP - Rory's Cupboard

for those who carnt wait http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki....aspx?id=28003

Silent, have you forgotten how to attach pictures? Do a search.

My budget for this project is $0. So I have to do it with stuff I already have.

Pic 1: Somewhere in this rack is Rory's cupboard, I just have to find it.
Pic 2: Two of these will do. It's some of the Banksia that I put aside 2 1/2 years ago. Hope it's dry enough.
Pic 3: A bit of work with the jointer, thicknesser and table saw and we have four legs - 1 3/4" square and 33" long

Pic 4: The bottom 5" tapers down to 1" square at the foot. Cut the waste away with the bandsaw and plane down to the line with the LV LA block.

Pic 5: The legs need grooves to take the panels and mortices for the top and bottom rails, front apron and shelf support. I'm not including drawers, so I don't need the mortices for the drawer frame.

I'm using a 1/4" spiral upcut bit. I clamped two legs side by side for support and I set the edge guide so that it is running on the other leg, with the leg I'm grooving oriented so that the fence stops the bit from cutting into the visible side of the leg. This is in case I make a whoops. I just marked the extents of the groove with a pencil and cut to within cooee with the router. I'll clean up with a 1/4" chisel.

The top and bottom rails need 1" deep mortices. I cut these after the grooves but in hindsight I should have done them first because it's harder to line the router bit up with the pencil line when the bit is in a 1/4" groove. Live and learn.

Pic 6: The legs grooved and mortices done for the top and bottom rails. Still need to cut the mortices for the stretchers and the shelf supports, that's a job for another day.

Note: There is an error in the dimensions marked on the legs in the article. It shows the grooves starting at 1/4" from the top and running 27" down the legs, but it shows the mortice for the bottom stretcher starting at 5 1/2" up from the bottom. This results in a 1/4" difference in height between the bottom of the side rails and the bottom of the stretcher. I've run the grooves 27 1/4" so that the rails and stretcher are level at the bottom of the carcase, which I think is what is intended. If not, it should be because it would look bad otherwise.

To be continued...

Mate, is that the coastal Banksia from (when was it, 2004?)

I hope you assumed the stance while the project was revolving in the windmills.

Love your wood racks btw

Yep, that's the stuff. I think it was about November 2005 when I got it cut, so more than 2 1/2 years now. I've milled a bit from time to time to see how it's going to behave and so far so good. If it all goes horribly wrong, I'll have another storage cupboard for the shed, or at the very least, firewood for next winter

The racks look nice and full at the moment, but it's surprising how it disappears when you start cutting out the bad stuff

for those who carnt wait

Way to steal my thunder, lignum If it comes out half as good as that, I'll be happy.

Scott, patience is a virtue

Originally Posted by silentC

Scott, patience is a virtue

G'day SilentC,

C'mon I wanna see more pics (and to put a post in here to follow the progress. )

This isn't another one of those projects that will be finished before Midge's canoe is it?

Wasn't the Banksia from your missus' golf club? Looks great wherever it's from.

cheers,

P

C'mon I wanna see more pics

It's either going to be a test pattern or Pic 6 again because that's as far as I got. Check back in about 6 months

This isn't another one of those projects that will be finished before Midge's canoe is it?

I've made a start, so the heat is off. I reckon I can stretch it out for a few weeks to a couple of months. What's your time frame? I can work to that

The Banksia came from an area that was cleared behind the Tura Beach shops to make way for more retirement units. The only problem with building more retirement units is that it means we'll be getting more retired people.

G'day SilentC,

Can you post pic 6 again? It's been so long now that I'd need to do a search to find it

Originally Posted by silentC

I think it was about November 2005 when I got it cut, so more than 2 1/2 years now.

It will take it as an honest mistake.

Seriously mate, that Banksia looks fantastic. Lucky you got them.

It is going to be a nice cupboard.

Oops, November 2004. Where do the years go?

Looks like that Banksia survived the drying process well SilentC. Those logs I bought back from your way are still in a corner some where waiting for me to cut them up

The cupboard should look really good when it's finished. Hope he wont carve his height into it, or the names of his conquests, as he grows up

Looks like that Banksia survived the drying process well

It is horrible stuff. I lose at least 10-15mm thickness off each board just getting it flat and there are lots of splits in it, but hopefully there's enough good stuff there to do what I want with it. It has the craziest grain of anything I have seen.

If he carves his conquests in it, I suppose it will be a toss up whether to belt him one or congratulate him