Susan's Small Shelves

No sooner had I finished my Burnside Bridge bench than my wife Susan asked me if I'd make her a small bookshelf, very small in fact, something for bedside use.  I was happy to comply.  I chose to make her a bookcase and a valentine all in one.  This was on Tuesday.

By Wednesday morning I had the carcass glued up.  Made in select pine with no blemishes, the cutting, and assembley went like a dream.  As usual the screws were hidden with pegs and a cherry stain was applied overall.

As with all of the smaller bookcases I'm making this one has ergonomic hand-holds cut into the sides for ease in moving it about.

To personalize it I designed an old-school Sailor Jerry-style tattoo on the top surface.

First, I inked it in with a Rapidiograph pen,

the ink flows nicely even on the stained surface.

Then I added color, as usual using Prismacolor pencils which are always a pleasure to use, the colow seems to flow on, is very controllable, it saturates and blends like a dream.

The results were very gratifying, this is the valentine part I was referring to.

As usual, the unit was glued, clamped and screwed with pegs flush-cut to cover the screws.

I cut the hand-holds in more of a novel shape this time.

                                      Three coats of Spar varnish and it was ready for delivery.

                                         Two and a half days from concept to finished product,
                                                        The customer was very pleased!

Staying handy,

Mannie



Under the influence

Every time I work in my shop my mind frequently turns to the three most influential people in getting me into that milieu of machinery and sawdust: My father, my friend Roger, and my shop teacher Mr. Hauck.

He was a patient. precise, and kind man, who brooked no foolishness in his woodshop classes.

In his classroom safety was paramount, and I don't recall a single injury under his tenure.  He eschewed lazy sanding and rewarded persistence.

I only took two classes from him; Shop I in my freshman year (1967), and Mechanical Drawing I in my senior year (1970).  Looking back, I have a tinge of regret at not taking more of his classes.

I'll always have a real appreciation for the men who have taught me the happiness, and satisfaction that can be found where metal  (and sandpaper!) contacts wood.

Thanks guys!

Mannie

Triptych in Oak and Mahogany

Wood!

I just finished a trio of pieces for a crafter fair coming up locally.  And I do believe that I've settled on a "look" - oak and mahogany.   Those of you who follow this blog saw this coming. I'm sure.  I will still be making my "tattoo benches" though, now poplar will be the wood of choice.  Goodbye pine, it was fun learning with you.

The first of the objects in this suite of three is a classic 19th-century candle lantern.  Though I've been making these for some time now, this is the first in my new woods of choice.

Included in the design are the square mahogany pegs that characterize my work.  In this instance they are purely decorative.

To light, or extinguish the candle, one needs merely to elevate the candle toward the chimney hole by using the dowel and platform.

I was somewhat surprised at how many hours this small project took.  The dimensions of the panes of glass make the depth of the kerfs critical.  

The "go slow" approach was essential in pulling this off.

The result is a nice blend of form following function.

Next came a bench.  This is my second bench utilizing square pegs.  The holes are cut on my Shopfox mortising machine.

I then clean the corners out with a small hand chisel.

One of the reasons that my benches are so sturdy is that I utilize both glue and screws to hold them together.  Rather than having an exposed screw head, I cut a mortise halfway through the board and cut a correspond mahogany peg to cover the screw.

I cut my peg stock to the exact dimensions of the mortising chisel on my mortiser, insuring a perfect fit.  I cut the pegs to the exact depth and...

now you see it...

now you don't.

The secret to successful gluing is adequate clamping.  The glue under this pressure makes a bond that's stronger than the wood itself,

You can never have enough garlic, olive oil, or clamps.

When the clamps come off the finish sanding begins.

Funny, something I found so dreadfully tedious in shop class now seems so relaxing.

A light brush with some neutral Danish Oil to bring out the grain and voila!

Hey, couldn't you use a pair of these?

Next up in this trifecta is a two-step library step.  I've made these before but this time I changed the design to enhance the stability.

I splayed the sides out by just 5 degrees which was plenty to provide this little step with a very stable and non-tippy base.  It was odd to move from tablesaw to bandsaw to scrollsaw and have the blade or bed of each set off-square.  I had to keep my wits about me to keep from cutting something backwards.

Assembly is identical to that of the bench.

Did I mention the thing about clamps?

After a light brush of Danish Oil I made the ceremonial first ascent.

As planned, very non-tippy!

This is a design that I am very pleased with.

Here, that five-degree splay is very evident, giving it, I think, a Roycrofter look, and I really like that.

Unlike the benches and lanterns, which are  classic designs,  this little library step is of my own design.  I do try to add appropriate elements that will maintain the elegant simplicity of the piece while giving it personal touches that add to its design and functionality.

ramped cleats,

ergonomic hand-holds,

and my name and website.

Oak, glued, screwed, and clamped makes an extraordinarily stable and strong platform.

A ziggurat of good-taste for your library.

Oak and mahogany go together like Katz and Jammer.

Ready for the show.

Making the chips fly!

Mannie

July Commission - Lantern

Something new from the shop - an oak candle lantern with an electric candle.

Tomorrow my client will take delivery on this lantern, the electric candle was her idea, and a good one, though it required a little extra engineering to pull it off.

Finished in neutral Danish Oil with four panes of single-strength glass, this lantern casts a very warm glow and would make a perfect bedside reading light.

I'll keep a light on for ya.

Mannie

New Product

Oak and Mahogany

I've settled on two basic bench designs for Victory Wood Working's product line; the pine tattoo bench which you can see here, and the mahogany-trimmed oak bench below.  Though both are a classic design, the pine benches with their "old school" tattoo motifs provide whimsey while the oak benches set a more contemplative mood.

Below is the first of the new oak benches, glued and clamped, as it appeared yesterday evening. 

This morning I finish sanded all the surfaces in preparation for applying the Danish oil.

Note the initial lack of contrast between the oak planks and the mahogany pegs, until...

the oil is applied.  What a delightful difference.

The legs have valentine heart cutouts as relief cuts.

A mortise and tenon stringer is secured with mahogany cleats at either end.

I'm very happy with this new design...

and I think that you would be too.

Two hundred dollars for the bench and free delivery within a 30-mile radius of Boonsboro Maryland.

June commission

Oak with mahogany pegs.

More pics to come.