Seems I'm doing a build thread...just don't be too critical please.

So this is step one. Timber selection and making the legs.

Pic 1 shows some of the timber which will be involved with the build. The Red Gum for the base and top edging was sourced from two different suppliers, mainly because I couldn't get one particular size from one supplier.

So most of the timber is DAR, one board is rough sawn. I'm hoping it will have some decent figure in it, but because it will be used to make the side and back rails, this is not so critical. The DAR Red Gum board on the right will be used for the front rail, which will also be a drawer front. At present I am unsure as to whether or not I shall make a dovetail jointed "box" from radiata Pine (board at right) and attach it to the front rail, or use some other method of joining, such as dominoes. The base of the drawer will be ply with black felt covering.

One thing, though, you can see the figure in the wood on the right and this will come up beautifully when finished with Hard Burnishing Oil (HBO).

Pic 2 shows the legs after they were cut to length from 65 x 65mm Red Gum squares. There is good figure in the wood. The dimensioned legs were marked with a template and passed through a generic 17" band saw.(Pic 3)
I should probably look at setting up a jig for the TS, or invest in the Frontline Bandsaw device. Sigh!

I shall clean the legs (Pic 4) tomorrow with a plane (probably a LN low angle smoother, or LN No 4 with a high angle frog.) followed by sanding with the ETS150/3 up to 400g, ready for oiling.

More tomorrow.

Regards,

Rob

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...continued from yesterday. Today was spent mostly driving from Melbourne to Geelong to pick up some self stick velvet. As a result, I only managed to get the legs sanded and planed ready for further processing.
I used a LN Low Angle smoother to plane out the rough edges of the legs and then a LN No 4 smoother with a high angle frog to finish this part of the process. (fig.1)
From there it was just a case of going through the grits on the ETS150/3 till I got to 400g. (Fig.2)
Figure 3. shows the planed and sanded legs.
Figure 4. simply shows the figure present in the leg timber. The leg has been washed down with Mineral Spirit.
Figure 5.is just to show the figure that will be present in the RG bordering the Huon Pine top.

Regards,

Rob

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Nice, Rob. That figure will make your furniture speak for itself!

That's a cool ruler you have, with the handle and level on top. I've never seen one like it before. Could you give some info?

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I don't have as many Festools as Fred. Or Marcou's, or Brese's, or Lie-Nielsen's, or Lee Valley's, or Blue Spruce's, or Harold and Saxon's, or...

Nice figure, Rob. C'mon, why'd you drive that far to pick up self stick velvet?

Hi Chris,
Because it's the only place in Vic that sells it! They bring it in from the UK. Self stick felt I can get easy enough, but the texture and absolute black of the baize (velvet) is that much better and I felt like a drive. Here's my diary entry of the description of the trip.

"And so I prepare for the daunting trip by camel across the wilds of Melbourne, with it's savage cafe society, to head for the Western Plains. Here I expect to encounter fierce Blue Tongue lizards and vicious feral bunnies. My goal is the distant outpost known as Carrolls Woodcraft supplies, in famed Drysdale, where I shall barter for fine velvets from the mystical land known as "The Old Dart". My travelling companion and I will then turn around to face the fierce lizards again in hope of returning to fair Eaglemont, where the velvets will become part of trinkets destined for the terrible American mainland, ruled by the wizened and crafty Barack Obama.
Wish us luck in our intrepid voyage!"

Regards,

Rob

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Hi Poto,

Here are a couple of pics of the straight edges. They are sold in Australia by an Australian company, but made in China. They are available in 60cm (600mm) and 1.2m (1200mm).
I have found them to be accurate, light and easy to read and use, plus they just hang up out of the way
I bought mine from my local hardware and timber merchant.

If you (or anybody else) want one, just let me know and I'll get them organised. (You may have to pay for them.)
600mm Medalist Straight Edge: AUD$17.00
1200mm Medalist Straight Edge: AUD$37.00

I'm sure I can get them for less if we buy several.

Regards,

Rob

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Step 2. The rails.

So now to the rails. I am still uncertain of exactly how high I want these to be, but I think that 120mm might be OK. This will allow a drawer with a 90-100mm height. If you have a drawer, it may as well be useful.
Pic.1 shows the timber for the back and side rails, which was rough sawn to 25mm (4/4) deep being thicknessed to 19mm. I was happy to see some figure in the board.
Pic 2. shows the same board, which was originally 150mm wde being sawn down to 120mm. I used the TS75 to establish a square edge on one side of the board before finishing the other side on the Table Saw.
Pic. 3 shows the board resting against the legs to give an idea of how 120mm height will look. To me it seems OK, but I may have to wait until I make the top.
Pic. 4 shows the same board wet down with Mineral Spirit to show the figure that is present, but it's not a great photo.

Regards,

Rob

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Gotta love a build thread. Watching closely...

Me too!


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John

So, now the rails have been cut, it's time to assemble the base.
The whole structure is built using Dominoes. Mainly 6mm for the 20mm timber and some 5mm's for the 16mm drawer supports.
Pic 1shows the Domino being used to rout a mortise for the front, top drawer support. This is rebated in 22mm from the leg edge, to allow for the 19mm drawer face and a 3mm rebate between the edge of the leg and the drawer front. The support rails are 19mm deep x 32mm wide. The final height of the drawer will be 70mm. Not as deep as I wanted, but since it is approx750mm wide and approx250mm deep, it will still be functional.
Pic 2shows the dominoes and their mortises for the back rail.
Pic 3 shows the 3mm rebate between the edge of the leg and the rail.
Pics 4 and 5 show the dry assembled frame.
I also cut the drawer panels and the drawer "case" and support panels today, which shall be mounted tomorrow.
The drawer will be a box with the front panel screwed onto it. I have decided to use finger joints to connect the drawer sides.

Regards,

Rob

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