| Project by BigRedKnothead | posted 05-06-2015 08:12 PM | 3093 views | 8 times favorited | 38 comments |  |
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I’ve done quite a bit tricking out my shop and tools, now I’ve turned my attention to spoilingl my wife a bit. Besides, I couldn’t take seeing her use a sheet pan for a tea tray.
The piece is pretty straight-forward….
- Half-blind dovetails. I took my time and cut these by hand. Matter of fact, these are the first dovetails I made that aren’t practice or just something in my shop. The practice must be paying off, because they turned out really well.
- Cherry for the ends, birdseye maple for the sides and bottom. The bottom is some 3/8” solid birdseye maple with some heartwood that I bookmatched. It rests in a groove around the sides with room for seasonal movement.
- Finish is several coats of minwax tung oil. I like the tone this stuff gives figured maple. Finally it was buffed with Howards feed ‘n wax.
If you flip it over you can find the repair for a small mistake I made. Oh well, my wife already knows I’m not perfect;-)
A few pics of the build….
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I used to think hand cut dovetails and the like were for retired guys or professionals. Obviously I don’t feel that way anymore. Dovetails take some discipline and skill. You have to execute each step well for a good final result… but it is very gratifying when you nail it.
Take care, Rojo Grande
-- "At the end of the day, try and make it beautiful....because the world is full of ugly." Konrad Sauer
38 comments so far
Hammerthumb
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2956 posts in 2481 days
#1 posted 05-06-2015 08:17 PM
Beautiful Red. Tea time!
-- Paul, Duvall, WA
pintodeluxe
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#2 posted 05-06-2015 08:18 PM
Good work, nice looking dovetails. I have been doing some experimenting with DT’s too, what fun.
The tray came out second to none, really looking top notch.
I have been wanting to make one like that with a slate bottom, but can’t find a source for thin slate.
Cheers to you!
-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush
SPalm
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5334 posts in 4387 days
#3 posted 05-06-2015 08:29 PM
Very nice workmanship.
And you earned brownie points. Yay.
Very well done Red,
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
bobasaurus
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#4 posted 05-06-2015 08:39 PM
Came out great, Red. How was that birdseye maple to plane? I like the solid wood bottom, is it held in a dado or rabet?
-- Allen, Colorado (Instagram @bobasaurus_woodworking)
Douglas
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#5 posted 05-06-2015 09:33 PM
Awesome red, I’ve been feeling sheepish every time my wife makes 2 trips from the kitchen, one with the teapot and a little towel, and a second with the cups. Someone should make a tea tray! Yours look great, thanks for sharing.
-- Douglas in Chicago - https://dcwwoodworks.com
johnstoneb
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3128 posts in 2678 days
#6 posted 05-06-2015 09:46 PM
Nice job. You nailed the dovetails.
-- Bruce, Boise, ID
CL810
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#7 posted 05-06-2015 10:02 PM
Very well done Red! I like the wood choices; cherry/maple is one of my favorites.
-- "The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - FDR
ToddJB
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8539 posts in 2636 days
#8 posted 05-06-2015 10:27 PM
Red, I really like your eye for design. Paired with your ability to execute you really turn out some inspiring work. Way to make something simple beautiful.
-- I came - I sawed - I over-built
Mean_Dean
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#9 posted 05-06-2015 11:49 PM
This tea tray turned out great, Big Red One! I’m sure your wife will get a lot of pleasure from serving herself and her guests on this beauty!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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16190 posts in 3124 days
#10 posted 05-06-2015 11:49 PM
Retired or pro? Silly Rojo…
Great work on the tray!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
summerfi
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4312 posts in 2193 days
#11 posted 05-06-2015 11:49 PM
Outstanding work Red.
-- Bob, Missoula, MT -- Rocky Mountain Saw Works http://www.rmsaws.com/p/about-us.html -- ~Non multa sed multum~
Woodknack
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#12 posted 05-07-2015 01:30 AM
That’s a dandy, very thoughtful.
-- Rick M, http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/
Jake
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#13 posted 05-07-2015 07:19 AM
Looking great as is to be expected of you!
-- Measure twice, cut once, cut again for good measure.
putty
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1284 posts in 2112 days
#14 posted 05-07-2015 10:47 AM
Beautiful work Red, I’m intimidated by half blind dovetails, yours are perfection!!
-- Putty
buck_cpa
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#15 posted 05-07-2015 01:40 PM
well done sir. Did you use the David Barron method for these dovetails?
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