Project Information
I made this retirement chest for my boss who was retireing out of the Army after 20+ years. I wanted something that looked a little rustic but had a beauty all its own. This is what I came up with. Its 34inches long by 19.5 inches tall by 16 inches deep. Finger joints at the corners and wooden hinges. I added the shadow box and lined it in cedar. I dyed the wood twice, the first time with antique cherry and the second time with a 50/50 mix of antique cherry and red cherry diluted down to 50%. I sanded the dye back each time after it dried. I used two coats of tung oil followed up by hand rubbed poly. I left the sapwood in it fully knowing it wont color the same over time as the rest but i think it added to the look I was trying to achieve. Unfortunelty I only had half the stuff to go in the shadow box by time of presentation and hope to put the rest in by the end of June for him. He was blown away when he got it as we kept it strictly on the DL in the office