18th Century Dressing Table

Very nice dressing table Lee.

There has also been some projects made by mark DeCou and he stated that his web traffic picked up when he put his web address in his signature line.

You said you make custom cabinets. so You might change your signature to point to your web page.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Appomattox Virginia [email protected] †

Lee -

Very nice table indeed. The carved ball feet look great. I appreciate all the construction detail in your description. Please forgive an ignorant question, what does compression methods refer to when you describe the use of wide boards? Thank you again for sharing this wonderful piece!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Hi Carson,
Thanks for the comment on the table, and the suggestion to add the web address. I’ll certainly follow that advice!
Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Great looking!

I love the ball claw feet!

-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX

Hi David,

Thank you for your comments on the dressing table.

When using wide boards, we clamp the board across the width of the board. Not to the point of causing it to cup, but enough to put some real pressure on it. While the clamps are still in place, we glue the piece up. (in this case, gluing the wide boards to the leg posts. The legs have 3 mortises cut into them. We glue the top and bottom tennon, and leave the center tennon float. This compression in the board results in it being able to expand as the humidity rises, which only eases the tension we created.

This was learned from a book titled “American Furniture of the 18th Century”, written by Jeffery P. Greene, and published by the Taunton Press. Whenever doing any 18th century furniture, which happens to be a personal favorite of mine, this book will be found on my workbench.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in 18th century furniture. The author is probably one of the world’s leading authorities on the work of the Townsends and Goddards, and has been commissioned by a Rhode Island Museum to reproduce their furniture.

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Thanks Gary;

When I did them, I started on a Friday afternoon. I first carved a single leg, just to make sure I could do it, and then used it as a guide for the eight legs needed for the project.

When my partner saw the sample leg on Monday, his comment was ” I hate you”.

A good sign for sure!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Impressive work, Lee. I wondered how you did the drawer face, and then you told us. Thanks for your construction details, they provide a great description of the process and really adds to the overall presentation here. The carving looks great as well.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

very nice work lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Phil, Chattanooga,TN

Impressive work Lee. I aspire to produce work like that someday.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

Great job, love the claw feet, you don’t see many woodworkers doing that anymore. Nice construction. jockmike

-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -

Wonderful job! Love that 18th Century furniture, also my favorite.

-- Don, on California's Central Coast

Thanks guys,

Your kind words are really appreciated.

Nothing worse than to pour your heart into something and not have it appreciated huh!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

In a word, WOW!! Great job on the ball and claw feet. Very impressive.

-- Measure twice!!

This is why I love LJ’s so much, Lee. Your high-end work is a great balance to the work I do as an recreational woodworker. It is inspiring to see what a pro can do with wood. And of course, it makes me appreciate even more what the craftsmen of the eighteenth century did with hand tools.

Thanks for share the details of this beautiful piece and what an interesting website you have – your work is brilliant and varied.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.dpb-photos.com/

oooooooh myyyyyyy goodness!!!

Magnificent piece….. magnificent work…..... wonderful “how to” tips…

ha.. the “I hate you” definitely is the cream of the crop of compliments!!! :)

Well done. ‘Tis beautiful.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (https://www.facebook.com/DebbiePribele, Young Living Wellness )