Bremer Cabinet - a Start

Hello, it has sadly been a few months since last time!

This new project is one that has been in the air for a few months but have just got a real start on it.

This is a project for some good friends and their new addition to the family.

The Bremers were passed down a rocking chair that, I believe, Grandpa Bremer had been rocked in.

The chair was made in Red Oak and included scroll-ish design. They desire a table to go along side it that also acted as a storage piece.

What we've come to is a sort of genre bending cabinet.

It will be about 28" tall. Taller than a typical side-table but significantly lower that I would typically make a vertical storage cabinet.

It will have a bowed front and sides, also include probably a pair of drawers.

I chanced upon some Hickory aka Pecan. There were a few boards of nice clear planks, particularly clean for the species. Unfortunately all that was available was 4/4" stock, and not enough of the same selection for the whole cabinet. I picked up two more boards of a different nature that I thought matched.

Turns out they did not match each other. I had wanted to make solid doors, but looks like I am again forced into veneering the doors.

As I understand the names Hickory and Pecan are associated with different characteristics of the wood. "Hickory" being a more uniform "plain" variety and "Pecan" having more variation and contrast. In that case you could say that the carcass will be "Hickory" and the doors will be "Pecan."

Whatever the case may be I hope they look good together.

The pink tones in the Hickory should make it a compliment to the Red Oak chair. I think I will use some Red Oak for the little stand if I can find a nicely red piece.

Before I went to cutting veneer, I glued up a blank for my bending form. Hoorah!

Combo Amp Stand Photos

Why hello there again.
Certainly has been a while. I suppose late is better than never eh?
Here are a couple of photos of the little Amp Stand I made a little while ago.

Walnut, Wenge, Leather.

Combo Amp Stand Continues

  Continuing the Amp Stand. I'm shaping the end grain "terminals" a bit. I'm giving them a subtle three dimensional rounding. It will soften the overall appearance of the otherwise straight lined piece.

I've got the substrate set up, time to get those veneers in line.

I cut or splice the veneer in strategic spots and angles to best match color and grain when they are joined. I use my little jointer plane to shoot the edges straight and smooth to make the seam virtually disappear.

To join them I employ the bit of elasticity of painter's tape. Secure the tape to one "half" of the veneer and stretch it as you stick the tape to the other "half." Complete one side, paint a bit of glue on the edge of the 1/16th thick veneer (like a butt/edge joint), flip over and tape the other side. This way you have relative equal force pulling in on the veneer to keep the join planer.

Veneer work, and waiting, is going on while I'm finishing the first round of glue-up components. This time I'm using "orange" or unbleached shellac. A number of thin coats and a coat of fine wax on top.
Yes, I've grown found of certain bottles to hold my finishes, what do you use?

The veneer is ready to be applied but I just wanted to interject a brief bit about the substrate.
The main substrate I'm using is Baltic Birch plywood. I've applied some Poplar pieces to the perimeter. It's an old or perhaps "impractical" step to add these edges we call "bake-ins." What it does for me is to give me a solid wood edge to work with when planing and joining the edges. It works more easily, creates a stronger joint, and simply allows for higher quality results.

Alright, to the application of the veneer. Like in almost every case, I use white glue. To apply the glue to a relatively large surface I use a 4" brayer. That's an ink rolling/printmaking tool you can pick up at most "craft" stores.
You don't need a ton of glue, its not gravy. But a little extra is usually preferable to being too thin.

Glue both sides and don't forget the veneer! I'm using this little set-up I've kept around to veneer relatively small pieces. Solid wood cauls, ply-wood "plates"/cauls, flaw-board, wax paper, and clamps. Low tech and effective, the way I like it!

Pre-finishing continues, some uncomfortable angled glues-up will follow next time.

Combo Amp Stand

Ah yes, starting a new project!
This one is furniture of a bit different kind. I'm making an Amp Stand for a guitarist that has spent many years honing their craft and gear.
This is the mock-up on the left and the pieces for the finished product to the right. Kind of funny how much it looks like a chair. That's what happens when a furniture maker designs and amp stand heh.

Though relatively small and airy, it is a fairly complicated build with angles, loaded joinery, and knowing that a fairly heavy vibrating object is to be used on it.
This drawing represents the main rail, that the amp's bottom will sit on, and the connection to the front leg. There is to be a through tenon in the main rail so room for joinery from the leg is tight. I decided to opt for three dowels. In this case it is a more effective use of space than a tenon.

After cutting, finessing, boring, and fitting I've got the main triangles dry fitting pretty well.

On to the through tenon mortises. I was a bit nervous about this because it has been so long since I've done free-hand mortise cutting, and it's a fairly big bit at the end of a rail. Luckily this Walnut is working nicely and the process quickly came back to me.
Taping your work-piece to a backer board prevents blow-out and adds stability to your work-piece.

The chair-like sides are just about ready for edge and end-grain treatment. I figure I'd get a start on that little shelf. I'm laminating a substrate to make my desired thickness. While that is clamped face-gluing I went to the band saw and planer to make veneer from the same plank of Walnut the rest of the piece is made from.

I'm feeling pretty good about my rate of progress thus far. I hope I haven't jinxed it!

Little Medicine Cabinet

Finally finished and installed that little Medicine Cabinet I was working on.
It is an addition to Eva's tiny bathroom remodeling, which as you may see is still not complete. I've done my part, and am fairly pleased with it.

The cabinet is made of Fir, the back panel, drawer sides and bottoms are Maple.
May not be my finest work, but hey, it's a pretty nice bathroom medicine cabinet!

I've been away from the blog a bit. I hope to get back at it with some more projects.
Next, I'm looking to build an Amp Stand for a nice little combo amp. More on that later!

New Journey

So, I lied. There was ONE more small project. This little presentation box to hold that lovely ring for my lady.
Yep, I'm engaged. Phew!
I had the ring commissioned from Britta Lynn Kauppila. She's a wonderful metal smith working between Duluth and Minneapolis. I couldn't have been happier with the ring. Eva says the same.

Ta da!

Enkel Board

Greetings. Back with the last of the small projects previously mentioned.

Enkel - Simple: uncomplicated, clear, obvious.

It seems as time passes it becomes increasingly difficult to find the tried and true,  obvious goods which memory or inkling recalls as ought to be.
The labor required becomes seen as too costly. The solutions are not fresh or novel. The growing desire for more goods rather than better ones. There are numerous reasons for this drought of obvious goods. I can’t be the only one who finds it frustrating and a shame.

Always interested in craft education, I figured I’d give a try at a very approachable product for just about anyone, not to mention an obvious gift good. Perhaps something to use in the new year and beyond?

The Enkel Board will be most commonly recognized as a cutting board, or skärbräda if you like, but you needn’t stop there. I use mine as a serving tray, a platter, even a plate in addition to a stable, hard surface for culinary preparations.
It just may look something like the one your grandfather made back when.

The Enkel Board is made using a laminated edge-grain construction. This makes the cutting surface harder and the board more stable. The rectangular shape maximizes use of space and simplicity of storage. Both sides are equally useable without feet or other gadgets. Simple application of mineral oil is food safe and keeps the board healthy.
In the pursuit of excellence, each board is purposefully selected from raw material and carefully reconstructed to maintain the integrity of the lumber, given near obsessive surface quality, and hand softened edges.
All Enkel Boards are ¾” to 13/16” thick. Large boards measure between 10”x19” and 11”x20”. Small boards measure between 6.5”x12” and 7.25”x13”.

Thus far I've used Maple and Cherry. Maple is a bit harder but Cherry is also fine grained and food safe.
I like to use air-dried Maple particularly in this case for its warmer color which works better with the mineral oil. Also for its added variation in colors which makes for more interesting pieces. In this case, the small board pictured exhibits a bit of spalting.

I figured I'd try putting them on an etsy page, Nicholas Nelson's Etsy page. If there seems to be interest, it's something I may put together between projects or to order.

Happy New year!