A Race to ...

[Swingman]

... the Christmas tree is on:

he make it?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Not if he keeps playing with the camera instead of making sawdust. Get out there and work, work, work.

There is one lucky niece out there.

[Jay Pique]

messagenews:fKSdnVi_MalQpBDYnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]...

sawdust. Get out

[Swingman]

You're right ... but I was just waiting until the sun warmed up the shop a bit this morning.

[Swingman]

I want to use one coat of clear 'General Finishes' Seal-A-Cell, and four or five coats of satin Arm-R-Seal, but the temperature needs to be above 70F to do that effectively and the shop is un-heated.

Since it doesn't appear that the weather will co-operate, I may just go ahead and do a hand-rubbed oil/poly finish as I should have time to get at least one coat on before it has to go under the tree, then bring it back in the shop for the final four or five.

I need to make a decision today as I'd like to get one coat on the interior before I put on the aromatic cedar lining.

Back to the shop ...

[Frank Boettcher]

I am not going to make it with my China Cabinet. I can complete the piece, but will not be able to apply the finish (space, weather, etc.), so decided to put it in the dining room unfinished, and not to be used, and go about my business building the side board, then finish them both when it can be done outside.

I think you've got a better shot at it. What you done to date looks great.

Frank

[Lee Michaels]

Looks nice. Putting the whole thing on a walnut base is a real classy look.

Are those openings for drawers in the base?

If so, how will the drawers be supported?

[Swingman]

"Lee Michaels"

Thanks ... I like the contrast, which actually gets less and less as the piece ages, until it is a gorgeous combination.

Yes, they are. AAMOF, the drawers are now in, as of this afternoon, and a picture is on the website.

Undermount/hidden drawer slides (accurides) ... not my usual method/slides, but I'm quite happy with them. Unlike many of this type, these turned out rock solid, with NO twist or sideways play, but it took some doing, and shimming to perfection.

[Swingman]

12/25/06 - Well, the race is over ... and, despite a last minute sprint and as the odds makers predicted, time, or lack thereof, won out.

The cold, rainy weather precluded applying any finish whatsoever, the interior tray is not complete, and none of the hardware could be mounted without unduly rushing an important and exacting task to the possible detriment of much good work.

However, and despite these last few finishing touches, the cedar Hope Chest was complete enough to be able to make its appearance under the tree, where it was filled (drawers and all) to the brim with the young lady's other Christmas gifts, to the delight of all concerned:

... whereupon it will be returned to the shop to apply the finish and mount the hardware.

Merry Christmas To All!

[Mark & Juanita]

That's going to be a mighty fine looking piece with the finish and hardware attached; design and wood both look great. Good for you for not rushing perfection. I'd say that's a mighty lucky young lady.

Merry Christmas!

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Swingman]

... is finally over:

[Edwin Pawlowski]

[Morris Dovey]

Swingman wrote: | ... is finally over: | |

gonna say ya did good; but nothing I could say would hold a candle to the young lady's smile...

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[Lee Michaels]

lady with this effort. She seems quite happy with her new chest.

This chest looks substantial, particularly when you include the cedar lining. How much does this thing weigh? Was it hard to move?

[Mark & Juanita]

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[B A R R Y]

The cherry trays almost look curly. Is that a photo illusion or do those trays have that much figure?

[Swingman]

Not too bad to move around without the drawers and the tray ... I'd say about 60 + lbs total (I estimated the top at + 10lb when deciding upon the size and number of counterbalanced lid supports) ... I could lift it off the bench until the top and drawers went on, but after that it became a bit awkward to grab.

It does have a very substantial, solid feel to it that you immediately notice when opening the lid/drawers ... unlike the ubiquitous $300 cedar chests you see around, you have to want to move it for it to budge.

A very slight young lady and I carried it up a flight of stairs with no trouble ... but then again, this particular young lady, a family friend from Venezuela, who weighs not much more than 100 lbs, if that, is a world class soccer player, is in college on a tennis scholarship, and can out eat a table of 300 lb NFL lineman ... I've never seen anything like it. I would definitely want her on my side in a fight.

[Swingman]

Thank you!

[Swingman]

Oh man, now that you mention it, it was REAL tough/time consuming finishing that tray...

... sanded to 220 before it was assembled, then 3 coats of BullsEye Clear Shellac sprayed on in about as many minutes, out of a spray can no less ... that is ALL that was done to that tray insofar as "finish" ... sorta makes you sick, don't it?

Cut from a single 6" x 72" x 1/2" cherry board I've had around the shop for a while (a reject from another project because I didn't have the time then to sort out a bit of bow and twist), it looked like "tray wood" to me and I didn't pay too much attention to it until it was shellacked ... then that figure popped out of nowhere.

Sometimes we forget/are humbled by what the simple application of shellac can do to a nice piece of wood.

[B A R R Y]

I go through lots of that stuff, it's very handy to have on hand. I also use it to check artificially colored wood with a clear coat. In three minutes you have an idea of what something will look like with no clean up.

Imagine showing up at the wood dealer with an apron plane in one pocket and spray shellac in the other?

I hate it when that happens... Again, the whole thing looks very nice, obviously an instant heirloom.