57 minutes ago, Dovetail said:

Time for more serious studies upon the sharpening of irons.

Looks like you just had a serious lesson. Aside from that, that is a good looking dovetail, Dovetail.  

2 hours ago, Dovetail said:

Poplar speckled with blood. Time for more serious studies upon the sharpening of irons.

 

 

Nice fit on those dovetails!

T H A N K  Y O U !!!

 

The blood was from hand-to-wood impacts. I've got three planes in operation, the smallest cuts the cleanest. The mid-size, I *think* I changed the blade angle narrower than stock 25˚, and the largest one on the table (there is a 14" in the cellar, but I'm not counting that one) might cut room temperature butter.

 

I'll have another scrape at Sharpening 101, then maybe try clamping my work before again planing.

 

The base, well, I never made the rabbet or dado. BUT I've decided use my square-peg-square-hole skill set and cut the base to recess smartly within the perimeter. Glue'n'peg it.

I have drawers like this recent addition 

 

 

 

 

But my bench???🤔

 

Now THAT's a fine looking work bench!

1 hour ago, Gunny said:

I have drawers like this recent addition 

 

 

 

 

But my bench???🤔

 

Now to build more drawers to put all that into. OR is it as matter of putting all that into the drawers it belongs in

1 hour ago, Gunny said:

But my bench???🤔

I could never work on a bench that clean & organized. Far too tidy for me.

2 hours ago, Gerald said:

Now to build more drawers to put all that into. OR is it as matter of putting all that into the drawers it belongs in

 

All the above.  

14 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

I could never work on a bench that clean & organized. Far too tidy for me.

But it is situated for Restoring An Old Fiddle, conforming perfectly to Step No. 1: Have a dedicated work area which will remain undisturbed for weeks on end. 

Done D. O. N. E.  Lassa mistakes. Blood. Repeatedly downsized as mistakes forced redesign.   The bottom was supposed to be tight as Mayan block stone walls but it turned out loose as an 1880s saloon door.

 

Went to the dark side and used the 'lectric sander  but why not! Wow, that old poplar sure sands up slick. To 320, it's mirror smooth. Will wait a few days, the wood should darken a little as air hits it. Then my go-to, diluted spirit varnish. Violin varnish, to go with the four violin pegs I sunk through the sides into the base. 

 

 

 

Pretty nice box. The Mayans would be proud. The Incas?...well you know them guys. They never put peaks on their pyramids.

20 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

I could never work on a bench that clean & organized. Far too tidy for me.

 

 Yeah, I know what you mean.

 

Can't find the workbench I know it's in there somewhere. 

Excellent Jim. Love the contrast which will make those dovetails real eye candy.

Now for the lid???

Thanks, Doc! No lid, you can cram more in w/o one. For now, it holds this doll a friend bought in Iceland 35-some years ago.

 

I'm fairly sure the side woods are poplar; carcass wood within the curb-find. Interesting how one piece remained so green but became very light in weight / density. I've not before handled such dry poplar.

 

15 minutes ago, Dovetail said:

one piece remained so green but became very light in weight / density. I've not before handled such dry poplar.

 

Heartwood versus sapwood perhaps?

3 hours ago, Dovetail said:

Interesting how one piece remained so green but became very light in weight / density.

 

Leave the green in the sun light and it will turn a rich dark brown.  Dark as walnut.

8 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Can't find the workbench I know it's in there somewhere. 

 

Stop going into neighbor down the streets garage.  We can't afford bail this month.  Fuel bill came for Corporate Jet.  @John Morris had a meltdown

 

10 hours ago, Gunny said:

Stop going into neighbor down the streets garage.

10 hours ago, Gunny said:

We can't afford bail this month.

Me either. 

10 hours ago, Gunny said:

Fuel bill came for Corporate Jet.

Don't blame me, I don't use the jet. 

After fooling with the poorly-fitting base - filler and such - I sanded again to 320. Then in quick succession hit it with several light coats of diluted spirit varnish. Today it was hand-sanded w/ 400 thru 2,000 (I get my paper from a jewelers supply) and I'm calling it done. Lossa lessons learned.   #1: MARK the no-go areas.   #2: take it EASY with the tenon saw! Too deep is TOO DEEP! 

 

46 minutes ago, Dovetail said:

After fooling with the poorly-fitting base - filler and such - I sanded again to 320. Then in quick succession hit it with several light coats of diluted spirit varnish. Today it was hand-sanded w/ 400 thru 2,000 (I get my paper from a jewelers supply) and I'm calling it done. Lossa lessons learned.   #1: MARK the no-go areas.   #2: take it EASY with the tenon saw! Too deep is TOO DEEP! 

 

Looks mighty nice to me!