Project Information
Townsend Newport High Chest based on a very old design developed by Christopher Townsend (1701-1773) whose shop and furniture facilities was located in Newport, Rhode Island.
This Chest, often referred to as a High Boy, is made of Curly Maple as the dominant primary wood. It was made for my wife for Christmas last year. It was hand sanded, dyed, and finished with linseed oil, shellac, polyurethane varnish, and finishing wax in a manner that enhances the figured in maple. The secondary woods are Hickory, Slippery Elm and Soft Maple. All of the drawer sides are Hickory and all of the drawer slides are Slippery Elm which were selected for their hardness, strength, and smooth finish.
The cabinet utilizes 5 different types of dovetail joints, single and double mortise and tenon joints, and floating mortise and tenon joints. All joints in the drawers are dovetail joints. My wife tells me that there are over 200 separate dovetails in this chest.
This Chest, often referred to as a High Boy, is made of Curly Maple as the dominant primary wood. It was made for my wife for Christmas last year. It was hand sanded, dyed, and finished with linseed oil, shellac, polyurethane varnish, and finishing wax in a manner that enhances the figured in maple. The secondary woods are Hickory, Slippery Elm and Soft Maple. All of the drawer sides are Hickory and all of the drawer slides are Slippery Elm which were selected for their hardness, strength, and smooth finish.
The cabinet utilizes 5 different types of dovetail joints, single and double mortise and tenon joints, and floating mortise and tenon joints. All joints in the drawers are dovetail joints. My wife tells me that there are over 200 separate dovetails in this chest.