The Next Chapter...

…and the great news is this fun is going to continue for much longer (read thru the end of this post!).

Let the finishing continue…not sure why they taunt me with the word “finish” as it feels like anything but! 🙂

On Monday I began applying my first coat of Waterlox on the nightstand. This is a tung oil based finish, and does a nice job of covering with satin finish, and modest protection. It has not been completely without issues over the milk paint, but I think that is more my technique which got a bit heavy. So did a wet sanding to take back and little, and not focused on very thin coats to cover this week and maybe next.

Today was also about using a router for the first time, and doing our tapered sliding dovetail. This is a hidden joint that connects the top to the sides, and is completely invisible and designed for a very strong and tight joint.

Tapered Sliding Dovetail…you see it in the background, joining the sides to the top (case is upside down here).

Tuesday was about tuning up the sliding dovetail. I know I say “tuning” a lot, it means things like using a router plane – hand powered variety – and ensuring the bottom of the joint is consistently flat so it doesn’t bind, or making sure sides of a joint are clean of “crumbs” that can send you down a rabbit hole trying to fix only to realize later you shot the tolerances of your joint. Ugh!

Today I started the milling process for my walnut burl slab that will be used as my door panel. With such crazy figured wood, you need to watch for big changes in shape as you mill it. So today, I did a simple flattening and also re-sawed it (cut it down the middle of the slab, to make two equal thickness pieces. So I will let it rest for a week and hope for no massive checking, warping, cupping, etc.

resawAnd another round of Waterlox on the nightstand but now in very light passes. It needs to rest a day or two to cure each time.

Router Plane – used to shave out the bottom of this sliding dovetail groove, as an example.

Here is my walnut slab resawn, and as you can see, great book match figure, now I just have to hope it holds and doesn’t turn into a wavy potato chip.

Here is the top of the cabinet, with the tapered dovetails milled for the sides to join into.

Wednesday-today was all about dovetails. Marking, sawing, chopping, tuning, correcting small errors, and lots of chopping and tuning. Plus took 30 min break to put third coat on nightstand

Thursday-more dovetails and measured and milled for sliding dovetails plus shelf rabbet and rabbet the back of boards

On Friday I spent more time tuning the dovetails that join the sides to the bottom. And it was great practice, even though technically you won’t see them (unless you pick up the cabinet off the base…”hey, stop, don’t do that!”). more dovetails tuning, then sanding inside parts of the case because glue up coming and hard to get to those inside corners plus did some prep on the nightstand for final finish ready for glue up Monday.

Oh yeah, I got accepted into full time program!

At the end of the day, I received my official acceptance into the full-time Cabinet and Furniture Making program!!! Yep, starting January 23, 2023 I will be one of the full-time students. I will be moving from the basement to the 3rd Floor. 🙂 and doing a lot more fun projects. Ironically, the first project is a shaker night stand, so I am feeling good about that as a start. Stay tuned, will see if I can continue this blog but get more current.

Dateline: NBSS Three-Month Furniture Intensive, Oct 31-Nov 4 (Week 8)