About time to start the Tonic & Gin   season?

 

I like Bananas   just they don't like me..

Another hour and 15 minutes IN the shop..no cramps, this time...

 

Wanted to try a slightly different plane, while doing the last bevel...

The #8c was just too big...and the Jack...meh...maybe something in between?

used to be...EVERYBODY was saying how you just HAD to have a No. 5-1/2 size plane....will, we'll see how it works...

Millers Falls No. 15    No8c and the Craftsman can "go below"  while I plane the last bevel...

and, it had to take a break, sometime..

Was getting close, brought out a couple helpers..

WR #62 to smooth out some rough spots....No. 9 to fine tune the fit....had a thick spot right near the center point, keeping the side piece from seating....got that fixed..test fit, again..

Works for me...set the panel aside, and prep for a corded router...

And run the router around  the inside...

A small cove detail,  will clean  the corners up later...right now?

 

Glue up time....needed those blue clamps to pull the frame in tight...with a hammer-assist, of course...same with that top middle clamp...

Let this sit a day...then..

NEXT!   Hmmm, clean up the floor...

Call it a day.    BTW, once these this are sharp...

They are fun to use...Stanley No. 80

 

Stay tuned...

Lid came out of the clamps, tonight...

Corner joints cleaned up...

Then set up on the chest...end view..

Need to fine tune the fit between the two...front view..

Need this thing down onto the shop floor...where I can fit the lid to the chest, and install those hinges....I do have some nail-on plastic foot pads....and found some latches for the front..

Will get a Brass handle for in between these 2....then see about one for each end...

 

Testing out a stain on a scrap of that Spalted Maple..

Let this Minwax "Colonial Maple" sit overnight, the give it and that unstained 1x Maple a coat of Amber Shellac...we'll see how it turns out...and goes with all that Brass hardware....

 

Stay tuned....

Looks great Steven.  I have made a couple blanket chests that look pretty much the same except for the lids.  What are the dimensions of this project?

Chest with lid and foot pads installed, stands 17-5/8" tall...and is 17- 1/8" by 36-1/4"

 

Test results of the stain/amber shellac..

Uuummmm, a tad bit too yellow?  Might add a touch of red to this?  Or, maybe a touch of Walnut flavour?  

That 1 x1 is just Amber Shellac....

 

Had a timer set up for today's shoptime..60 minutes..to try and get 3 tasks done...meh..O.T. on a Sunday....the tasks?

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't too bad...Foot pads were easy...

Just nail them in place.    Needed to set the chest down on the floor...but, needed a place to sit it..

Pushed the tablesaw as far back as I could, and even swept the floor

 

Plenty of room...So..Now I can start on the hinge install? Ah..Nope..

Hinges have "issues"  Can't have any gaps...so..

The "Gap Fixer" is in the house.  

The Old Squeeze Play?  Hammer to keep things straight...

That will do...put the Monarch away..and do a bit of layout work..finally..

Was having issues seeing, was blocking the lights..we have ways..

And turn the spot light on.   Need a couple tools to chop out the mortises for the hinges...

Line up each chop, hit with the mallet 3 times..move along....Easiest way to clean out all the chips?

Note that cutter.   The plane can now span over the mortise.   Set it to the depth the hinge leaf requires..and level things out to that depth...all four hinge mortises...test the fit..

1 done, 3 to go...fun part was doing the lid's mortises...more or less just clamped the lid down on top of the chest,,mortise side up...time to install the hinges...2 drills..

VIX bit to center the pilot hole in the hinges..the other drill is special..not only a pilot drill, but

That insert can be pulled out reversed and put back in, and drive the screws...Abram used these in the New Yankee Workshop...this was a yard sale find...

 

fun part..attaching the lid to the chest...set up the chest on it's side on top of 2 blocks of scrap...then attach the lid, one screw at a time..ends first, middle ones last...

Finally..

Then see how well the lid works...after putting the drills away...

 

Timer had already "DINGED" 1/2 an hour ago...decided to just clamp the lid shut..and call it a day..

 

Latches MIGHT get installed, tomorrow...then a day or three of sanding..while I decide on a finish..

 

Stay tuned 

 

Monday, or no Monday....Latches are going on!   Trying to get this done by Friday...maybe?

 

Laundry Detail, this morning..

 

Excuse the mess..

Latches get centered on the raised panels...

Had a few simple tools to use...while waiting on the clothes washer..

Screwdriver is a Ratchetool...Phillip's in use.   Drill for pilot holes the pencil marks out...square to space things out better than the MK II MOD2 can do...old candle to wax the threads.

Latched..

Latched up tight?   And..

Unlatched.....there IS a slot in that Hook, for a small padlock...didn't have any Mortise Locks in the shop.

Testing a batch of Witch's Brew Stain...area with the Red X is more of a sponge...stuff just sank out of sight..will give this a coat of Amber shellac later, and see how it looks.....the other sample?...Vetoed!

21 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Monday, or no Monday....Latches are going on!   Trying to get this done by Friday...maybe?

Aught oh I'm headed to the bunker!

0800 on a Tuesday morning....way too early for me....but.

Router is set up, now..

ALL outside, sharp corners have been rounded over...

And after each side/top/end was done..

The sander followed right behind....then the fun part....moving the 80+ pound thing around, and back up on to the tablesaw....where a 1st coat of Witch's Brew Stain got brushed on

 

Looks good?   Well..some of the spalted areas were more like an old sponge..

Stain soaked in, out of sight....later this evening, I'll add a second coat...and see how that looks....but only in the spalted spots....then see about a coat of varnish tomorrow?  

 

Stay tuned..

Good blend of the color. I like it.

Well, I missed the pool date by a mile!

11 hours ago, lew said:

Well, I missed the pool date by a mile!

You just keep underestimating "The Man"

Up-date A coat of Amber Shellac has been applied..results?

Front view...and..

 

A view of an End...kind of "Grainy"?

And...

The hinge side view...and..

A view along to top....waiting til morning, to see how this all dried....

 

Stay tuned

8 hours ago, steven newman said:

A view along to top....waiting til morning, to see how this all dried....

 

Wow-za . WOW-za . WOW-ZA 

 

Nothing beats "Hand-made" like markings of hand-planing. 

Really great looking Steven

Shopping done this morning..3 handles bought..

And a couple CHEAP paint brushes.    Amber Shellac has been thinned down....was a 2pound cut in the can, is now down to a 1 pound cut.     Thinking 2-3 more coats as the top coat....maybe a coat of the Witch's brew on the inside?    Goal is to be done before July 1st....might just make it...

 

The New Yankee Workshop made a similar chest way back in Season #1   one 1/2 hour show.....taken me about 5 weeks, so far...hmm...

3 minutes ago, steven newman said:

taken me about 5 weeks, so far...hmm

...but Norm didn't use all those beautiful hand tools...

30 minutes ago, steven newman said:

The New Yankee Workshop made a similar chest way back in Season #1   one 1/2 hour show.....taken me about 5 weeks, so far...hmm...

 

26 minutes ago, lew said:

...but Norm didn't use all those beautiful hand tools...

No he didn't, but he did use eleventeen routers without getting all the cords tangled.

16 hours ago, steven newman said:

A view along to top....waiting til morning, to see how this all dried....

 

Stay tuned

You've done some pretty cool projects Bandit, but this one rates among the top IMHO.

 

Well done sir!

   . 

        

 

Edit add: BTW, when ya' have the time, this one definitely belongs in your gallery!!

Edited June 29, 20224 yr by Grandpadave52

Time for a PIP?   

View of the front, before I opened the lid..

Top of the lid is still a bit rough..

Ends are looking better, though..

Side with the hinges, needed a steel wool rub down...

 

Will give everything a good rubbing down, and see about one more coat.

Almost done?  Fun part?  Getting this thing upstairs.....cussing will be involved...

 

Stay tuned..

1 hour ago, steven newman said:

Getting this thing upstairs

At least you won't have to cut it in half to make the trip!

 

Beautiful workmanship.