I just finished a hutch made of white oak. You can view it at
at
Gorgeous. You do some fantastic work.
Wow, this piece looks like the crowning glory of your gallery page so far. Really nice design and craftsmanship.
Regarding the Sketchup model. I am an AutoCAD expert but am just recently learning Sketchup. I haven't been able to exactly figure out how to model a mortise and tenon, one from the other. For instance, if I have an apron that dies into a leg and I create a tenon on the end of the apron. I can't figure how to easily use the exact location and depth of the tenon to model the mortise. Any hints, or do you just do them dimensionally separate and position them together manually.
Finally, just a question and no reflection on the quality of the finish, it really is beautiful. I just wonder if you considered adding a dark grain fill to make the grain more dramatic or did the customer want a less contrasty tone. I have found that natural oak (red or white) really pops with the addition of some enhamcement to the grain lines.
BW
That's some beautiful work.
The good ones always make it look easy.
Congratulations on some very nice work.
Lew
A little too ornate for my tastes, but I can really appreciate the craftsmanship that went into it. Nicely done!
at
Joe,
It's not my style, but that doesn't mean it's not excellent. Your dovetails are first rate. I like the fact that you dovetailed the feet to the carcass. It's built to last.
I'm not sure I follow you WRT the drawer frame. Are you saying the the front of the drawer framework is only glued in the tenon and the slotted dovetail on the side is not?
Jeff
Thanks Charlie.
Joe.....
at
BW,
I begin by making the tenon on the apron as you did. Then the leg. I position them together so that the tenon is penetrating the leg appropriately. Next I turn on the X-Ray view so that I can see inside the leg where the tenon is penetrating. This assumes of course that the apron is either a group or a component as is the leg, but the leg is being edited. Now I can trace with the Line tool the tenon. Quite simple.
Regarding the finish, I have never tried a fill for probably two reasons. The first is because I am a chicken. When it comes to finishing I do one thing well and that is put on a clear finish. I do need to experiment more and so maybe you have given me just the push to try.
The second reason is that I actually like what nature provides and find it hard to improve on it. I have seen a lot of stained and filled finishes I don't like. Especially when done by commercial outfits like cabinet makers. They always look muddy. That said I have stained a number of tiger maple pieces and had good results.
So maybe I will give it another shot.
Thanks for the interest and compliment.
Joe.....
at
Thanks Samson.
Joe....
Actually, mine too. I'm more of a Shaker guy. But hey. That's what the "customer" wanted.
Thanks, Joe....
Thanks Lew, but Tiger I will never be. Just trying to improve with each piece.
Joe...
at
Hi Jeff,
The sides of the base will expand and contract with seasonal changes. So the rails, both front and back are glued in their respective dovetails. But only the slider's front tenon is glued into its mortise. The back tenon and mortise are not glued. This allows the sides to expand and contract without pulling apart the draw frame. It is pretty traditional.
As you may have noticed by a previous reply, this is not my style either, but what my sister-in-law wanted. It compliments her other choices in furniture. And thanks for your compliment.
Joe.....
Thanks Joe, I think the making it a component part is what I was missing.
Yeah, I don't like truly "grain filled" finishes where they are trying to make it flat. I like an oil finish where I can still feel the wood or a thin enough film finish (poly, lacquer or shellac) that I still feel the grain.
I do the filling just to enhance the look of the grain lines. The easist way I found was presented by Jeff Jewitt in his mission oak finish. After having the first coat of shellac, he uses any dark gel stain, wiping it on and completly off. You leave no color in the field of the wood but the grain lines get filled with dark color. You can also choose to leave remenants in the corners and molding lines, etc, to add some antiquing but just putting on the flat surfaces grain really enhances the look.
Test it out. I had a red oak kitchen island with a thick maple butcher block top in natural color with a poly finish. I took it to a few shows and tried selling it on craigslist, no sale. Then I filled the grain to pop the contrast and I wanted to keep it for myself but actually sold it at the very next show.
BW
BW,
I have Jeff's book, so I'll look it up. Does the filled grain detract from the rays that are so outstanding in quartersawn white oak?
What shows do you do? What area? Are they furniture shows? Saratoga NY has a great show coming up in April. You are not there by any chance.
Joe.....
at
to
Using Jeff's technique the rays and flakes are really accentuated. On his method you first dye stain the raw wood. Then lightly sand it to bring back the rays and flakes which are harder material so the dye does not penetrate so deeply but leaves the backfield darkened somewhat. Then after a coat of shellac you use gel stain wiped off which only adds color in the grain lines.
I have enhanced his method by doing the dark stain and sand, then add a golden or reddish or orangish, then shelllac and grain color fill.
I WAS doing local craft shows. There are two local companies that manage these street fairs for the local towns. The problem is getting accepted is hard at first. You also have to apply in December for the coming year of shows that run April through October. Then some shows are much better than others.
I made smaller and lower cost stuff to take to the shows but always brought along one or two big expensive pieces too. I got lots of leads for making custom pieces, probably the biggest benefit of the shows and most customers end up buying multiple pieces eventually once they order a custom piece. I've even been delivering a piece, see what they have and suggest a piece I think they need next and have them order it.
Some shows are a near bust. Some shows are sell outs. I had one show where I happened to bring a few bigger pieces. I sold everything I had, all the big pieces and was up past midnight finishing half done pieces so I would have something to sell on Sunday. It is real hit and miss. I think it was a mistake to aim low. I think I could have done just as well selling fewer higher end pieces but getting skunkled can be bad.
If the show has lots of older couples and large families (> BW,
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