Project by recycle1943 | posted 10-08-2020 07:23 PM | 1101 views | 0 times favorited | 14 comments | ![]() |
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I was commisioned a watch case with specifications. Well, it took me a week to decide how to do it because I’ve been out of job shop work for quite a while and it takes me longer to get my head away from my regular bowls, lamps etc.
So anyway, wormy chestnut was was the asked for lumber and I had a heck of a time getting lines, holes and grain all headed in the right direction until I realized “it’s wormy chestnut and there’s nothing regular about that kind of lumber”
So I just started hacking away making the carcass and all of the dado’s involved. I was told the drawer size and an upper cavity was wanted as well. It really is like a huge band saw box that is way over the limits on my Grizzly 14” band saw.
Sure wish I had taken a few progress pictures as I went but as usual, I didn’t. Pretty sure everybody here knows exactly what and how I did this so I’ll just post some finished pictures.
As far as dimensions – it is (od) 13 3/8” wide x 9 1/2” high and 10 1/8” deep
The carcass is all 3/4” wormy with 1/4” luan bottom. The drawers are all 7/16” with a 3/4” front and all have a 1 3/8” cavity.
The top cavity is 2 1/8” deep. The drawers and the top cavity all have 1/4” luan covered with a distressed buffalo leather.
Now comes the real problem ( for me ) in that I have never worked with leather before and had to call on my friend in Spain ( Brian ) who has a lot of experience with leather. He guided in the right direction and saved me a lot of grief since my leather experience was non existant.
Another set back was finding handles or pulls for the drawers. Nothing was suitable to me because of sizes, after all this is more a jewelry case than a chest of drawers and guy’s “size is important”
I had already decided that bronze or copper was to be the drawer pulls and I couldn’t find anything to work. So in the back of my feeble mind it occured that I could just make what I wanted. It of course wouldn’t be of the same caliber quality as the shop work my friend in Michigan does but it’ll pass.
I started cutting, bending and soldering some copper wire to suit the antique atmosphere.
I forgot to mention that the butt joints are reinforced with 1/4” dowels thanks to my DowelMax
So there you have it, my first bigger project using all wormy chestnut – golly it’s nice wood !
As usual, Thanks for looking and comments, good bad and ugly are always welcome.
-- Dick, Malvern Ohio - my biggest fear is that when I die, my wife sells my toys for what I told her I paid for them
14 comments so far
wildwoodbybrianjohns
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3312 posts in 1046 days
#1 posted 10-08-2020 07:48 PM
A valiant effort, 1943! I know that wormy wood can be a little tricky to worth with because it is so very dry. I know this because you gave me some.
5 stars for doing the pulls yourself, those are great.
The leather is looking sharp too, and I like the original way you tucked it into and allowed for it in the dadoes, though you didnt explain the how-to in your write-up.
And Dick, you have totally dated yourself by using the term “Golly.” That is so Dennis the Menace and/or Andy Griffith Mayberry.
-- WWBBJ: the first to compare a woman´s cheek to a rose was a poet. The second, an idiot. Dali
Dave Polaschek
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10542 posts in 2081 days
#2 posted 10-08-2020 07:52 PM
For all the new stuff involved, you seem to have figured it out and made a good looking watch box, Dick. Well done! And yes, that wormy chestnut is something to look at.
-- Dave - Santa Fe
Oldtool
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3544 posts in 3689 days
#3 posted 10-08-2020 09:31 PM
This display case is very nice, great work. The wood is beautiful, and I’m sure it was hard to find. I did a project with wormy chestnut once, had to buy reclaimed wood, had black holes from rusted nails, but the effect was just what I was looking for.
Thanks for posting.
-- "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The point is to bring them the real facts." - Abraham Lincoln
pottz
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26657 posts in 2483 days
#4 posted 10-08-2020 11:11 PM
nice work dick,i mean for a bowl maker.just kidding buddy.i agree that chestnut is just radiant,love the worm holes.
-- working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
ibewjon
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3036 posts in 4292 days
#5 posted 10-08-2020 11:33 PM
More outstanding work. I think you should expand beyond bowls!
poospleasures
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868 posts in 3983 days
#6 posted 10-09-2020 12:02 AM
Good job buddy. I know now that you will become a box maker along with all your other talents. Keeps the old thinker working better when you change from round to square sometimes. I like to do the commissioned things as a lot of the requests are so unusual. You did an excellent job on this one and the fit an finish look great.
Cya
-- I,ve had amnesia for as long as I can remember. Vernon
Jim Jakosh
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27836 posts in 4604 days
#7 posted 10-09-2020 12:50 AM
Very nice case, Dick!!
Cheers, Jim
-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!
doubleDD
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11388 posts in 3542 days
#8 posted 10-09-2020 02:11 AM
I like the case. For some reason it looks like one in a jewelry shop. That wormy chestnut really has some deep hoes and your wire handles are off the roof. Proud work Dick.
-- Dave, Downers Grove, Il. -------- When you run out of ideas, start building your dreams.
recycle1943
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7090 posts in 3121 days
#9 posted 10-09-2020 08:41 AM
Thanks Brian for the comments and for your help with the leather. Because I was restricted to dimensions I couldn’t do the leather as suggested. However, on the top open shelf I glued the leather to the ply and then cut my dado to about 1/16” wider than that thickness. In construction, that shelf was installed and I had pre-cut shims to wedge into the underside and thus pushing the leather up and creating a ‘puffy’ appearance. btw – the wedges were just flat pieces of wormy that were the same length as the dado and the tb11 that was already holding the shelf also glued the shims permanent.
The drawers were just glued to the ply bottom and that proved to be just as you said it would be but I prevailed
Finally, Golly, I really do enjoy the LJ community ‹(•¿•)›
-- Dick, Malvern Ohio - my biggest fear is that when I die, my wife sells my toys for what I told her I paid for them
recycle1943
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7090 posts in 3121 days
#10 posted 10-09-2020 08:55 AM
Thanks Dave – you’ll find out soon enough about wormy
Thanks, wormy is so nice to work because it can change the attitude of a project and you don’t even notice until it’s too late. Yes, it is scarce but I found 100 bdft of it in Pa. and it’s mostly 1×12’s
Thanks pottz – yeah, it’s not round nor will it hold water but it’s just cute as all get out
Thanks, as stated above I have enough wormy to make more bowls than my lifetime will allow so other things will be coming
Thanks Vernon, as much as I detest veering off my usual this turned out to be a refreshing project.
Thanks Jim, All the while making the handles I kept thinking about you and you machining abilities – not fair to compare but when you don’t have it and can, you make it.
Thanks Dave. You have a valid point. Every time I look at it I think of some tool box sitting in a guys shop then blink my eyes and see a semi elegant antique
-- Dick, Malvern Ohio - my biggest fear is that when I die, my wife sells my toys for what I told her I paid for them
crowie
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#11 posted 10-10-2020 09:12 AM
Beautiful set of drawers Dick.
-- Lifes good, Enjoy each new day...... Cheers from "On Top DownUnder" Crowie
recycle1943
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#12 posted 10-10-2020 09:36 AM
Thanks crowie – -
-- Dick, Malvern Ohio - my biggest fear is that when I die, my wife sells my toys for what I told her I paid for them
HokieKen
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#13 posted 10-12-2020 02:22 PM
Excellent work Dick! That Chestnut makes a really nice piece and the simple design with such a clean build really lets the wood speak for itself :-) Those pulls are fantastic too!
-- I collect hobbies. There is no sense in limiting yourself (Don W) - - - - - - - - Kenny in SW VA
recycle1943
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7090 posts in 3121 days
#14 posted 10-12-2020 07:08 PM
Thanks Kenny – it was a fun build
-- Dick, Malvern Ohio - my biggest fear is that when I die, my wife sells my toys for what I told her I paid for them
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