Chris Knight
Established Member
Finally, our rather lengthy competition has reached a conclusion. The results are in and the members votes have been combined with the judges' scores to give an overall result. My thanks go to all of those who competed, those who voted and of course the judges. Your time and effort is well appreciated.
Especial thanks are also owed to Newbie Neil who kindly stepped in to hold the fort and calculate the results when I disappeared at the end of October to ride a motorcycle through Patagonia.
The Judges have taken the time to comment on all of the entries and, hopefully, you will find the comments constructive.
Beginners
The prize winners are: -
1. RobertMP
2. seanybaby
3. Byron Black
Byron Black
A thoroughly documented work in progress all the way to the finished item. It looks sturdy and functional and your list of lessons learned gives a good insight to your progress.
This has been quite a learning process with some disappointments along the way but they have been overcome and hopefully the bench will serve Byron well for a number of years. Although it would have been nice to see the M&T joints the bolted solution has worked out well, I would have liked to have seen the bolt heads set into counter bored holes just to stop any work pieces being knocked against them. The other two points I would raise revolve around work holding. Firstly as the vice has a central pop up dog more use could have been made of this if two of the dog holes were in line with this. Secondly I would like to see the fixed jaw of the vice set behind a timber apron so the clamping surface is flush with the bench front, this will greatly aid stability when holding long work in the vice together with some form of support (dog holes) in the front edge of the top.
Darren W
Even though you didn’t complete the piece on time there is a great deal of evidence indicating your increased skill level. It’s a shame as I ranked your entry highly in the earlier stage of the competition. You’ve done well
to get this far, and you’re really not that far from finishing the job.
It’s a shame that Darren ran out of time as this was shaping up nicely especially as it would seem to be mostly handwork and with limited assembly space. The only thing that I would have liked would be for the two draw fronts to be cut from the same length of timber so that the grain ran through them, otherwise I like the look and proportions of this piece. Hopefully we will get to see the finished table in the future.
Escudo
I neat, unfussy and uncomplicated project that gave you opportunities to learn new skills, eg, use of the Woodrat. You also learnt about wood movement and the problems it can cause if not thought through at the beginning.
This is quite a simple project that has been well executed. The proportions of the box look right, internal trays and dividers have been well thought out and I like the use of the coloured timbers to mark the brush positions. The hinges look a bit too far from the edges of the lid to me, if they were further apart there would be less risk of the lid moving about or straining the hinges if treated roughly, it would also have been nice if the over cut hinge mortice on the right of the lid had been filled. While on the subject of the lid some means of getting hold of it to open may be an idea, either part of the lid could overhang the front to form a tab or a short section of the box top edge could be cut back with a simple mould just to allow for a bit more grip.
Robert MP
You’ve done very well. You stuck pretty closely to your original plan and the end result is on the whole visually attractive. I find the transition between the floor level drawer, the foot either side and the bottom of the carcase just a bit clumsy visually. I’m not sure what you might have done to make those three intersecting elements a little more elegant, but it’s obvious you were looking for a lot of storage space, and you’ve achieved your aims very successfully. Fortunately it was spotted you’d made a howler with the glued on clamped ends on that wide panel, and you took steps to rectify the problem.
A well proportioned piece of furniture that has been well constructed using traditional joinery techniques and the breadboard end problem was well recovered. Aesthetically I’m not too keen on the projecting rail between the draws and doors, I would either have left it flush with the rest of the face frame or made the doors taller so they reached the bottom of the draw front or inset all the doors and draws. Not sure how the plinth draw is opened, I can see a few broken fingernails once it’s loaded up but a handle on the front would not look right, again it would have been nice to see the grain run through the full length of the front plinth.
bobscarle
I find this piece quite charming with something approaching 18th. century Georgian elegance about it. Apart from the turning and what I presume is M&T joinery at the corners of the main framing, and perhaps M&T’s for the angled brace, the construction is quite simple really. I suspect for a beginner this has been a valuable learning experience, but I hope you’ll understand that I can’t rank it as highly as some of the other more technically challenging entries. Well done all the same.
A solidly made bird table with a good choice of materials, would have been nice to see a few more detailed pictures of the main construction but it looks like it should stand the test of time.
seanybaby
A challenging project and you’ve done a very good job getting all those big joints to come together neatly with only some tiny misalignment here and there that catch the eye. I find it interesting that you formed the shelf’s wedged through mortise and tenons as you did. The wedges are set so far in from the edges of the tenons that all they really do is fill the wedge shaped gap you cut out for them. The wedges are in effect visual as their ability to add strength to the joint is minimal. That’s not a criticism as the structure is so massive anyway there’s really no need for the wedges to add strength. You set yourself quite a challenge and you’ve succeeded by achieving your aims. It was very helpful to have all those work in progress shots to see your progress.
I must say that I like the look of this chunky piece. The dovetails were always going to be the thing that would make or break this project and they have turned out well although better colour matching of the timbers would have avoided the colour contrast in the glue up lines detracting from the lines of the DTs. This is always a problem unless the budget allows for a large amount of timber so you can be very selective with grain match. I also feel that it would have been better to keep the shelf edges square rather than the heavy chamfer detail that has been added, the wilder grain of the shelf boards could also have been placed to the center of the shelf where it would be less visible.
stix
It’s a shame you weren’t able to make more progress. Not having a workshop to use has hampered you a great deal. You seem to be tackling the job in a logical manner and you seem to have made good progress in the time you were able to give to the job. I hope you’ll get it finished.
Not much that can be said about this project as it didn’t really get started, hopefully we will get to see it finished before the baby has grown up and left home :wink:
yellow lamborghini 2406
A fairly basic pine bench that nevertheless offers plenty of opportunity to learn new skills, particularly cutting M&T’s and some shaping that could have been done with templates, router and pattern cutting bits. By the description I don’t think the shaping was done this way. Pine is not the most durable material for outdoor use, but you should get several years of use out of it.
This piece should be ideal for contemplating the next project(s) I would have liked to have seen the legs made from 3” stock as some of the tennons look a bit short, a few pegs in the joints may also have added some strength as the glue will be tested if this bench is left outside all year round. The arms look a little on the high side and I’m not too sure about how comfortable the curve/flat seat shape will be.
mr
Your original design got high marks from me for its visual qualities. It seems the technicalities of production have blown you away and you rather lost the plot which is a shame. I do wonder if you overreached your abilities where the construction required a surer and more delicate touch than you’ve yet developed.
Another project that didn’t get too far. A bit more time making the jig would have been time well spent. As the jig is there to aid repeatability and accuracy it’s not something that should be rushed just because its not part of the finished job.
Improvers
The prize winners are: -
1. Pekka Huhta
2. Diderot
3. Jorden
Interestingly, the judges scored 1. Diderot and 2. Pekka Huhta
Diderot and here again
An interesting design twist using a mixture of horizontal frames as runners and kickers and side hung drawers running on fillets—this mixture adds quite a bit of work because each system requires different joinery. The drawer fronts are rather discordant with quite dramatic variations in colour and visually jarring grain direction changes where boards are jointed to make up the width. You are obviously aware of these problems as you discuss the issue in your submission. This shows you aren’t afraid of critically analysing your own work and I give you high praise for that. Of course what you do with that new found knowledge in similar circumstances in the future is what really matters.
I don’t think the butterfly keys add anything aesthetically—in fact I think they detract from the through wedged tenons by cluttering up the sides. How did you construct the top? I hope, because you’ve framed it with solid wood banding, that it’s veneered man-made board, or, if it is solid wood, that there is provision for the panel in the middle to expand and contract.
The bottom of the sides that I think are dovetailed to the toe-kick means the pins worked on the front edge of the side are weak and liable to snap off. I’m fairly neutral about the cross-banding. It doesn’t really seem to fit the general style, but it doesn’t do much harm either. Photography could be improved a bit—get rid of the clutter in the background to photograph finished work.
A well proportioned and constructed piece of work incorporating a good combination of materials and construction methods. There are only minor details that are really a matter of personal taste that I can suggest. The colour matching of the draws could be better but as with Seanybaby’s project unless you are prepared to buy far more timber than is needed for a job it’s a case of making the best of what you have. The dark wood used for the butterfly ties draws the eye away from the through tennons, either they could have been in walnut of left out completely, same for the decorative top banding and walnut front rail which I would have done in ash.
Jorden and here again
Clever use of recycled wood and the hidden drawer is ingenious, although I must admit I guessed it’s location immediately after reading there was one, and I also knew pretty much right away the type of mechanism used to open and close it! This is a piece comprised of fairly standard joinery techniques and the whole comes together quite satisfactorily. I think it would have been a benefit to see the piece upholstered as this would show what it really looks like—I wouldn’t regard that as ‘cheating’ as you describe it.
It didn’t help that your final piece was photographed so poorly sitting on top of a table saw in a dirty workshop. Shots of finished items usually work best with a plain backdrop or at least in a clean uncluttered situation, eg, a plain wall and neutral floor.
A neatly made piece with traditional joinery techniques, although the design was limited to matching other furniture I would have liked a bit deeper padding on the top. The secret draw looks to work well and is well hidden.
Pekka Huhta and here again
A lot of interesting use of hand tools here. I liked your approach of making a mock up to test your proposed construction technique. This sort of trick can save a lot of trouble and I’m surprised how few less experienced woodworkers do similar testing. A mixture of quite complex techniques and some very simple with an interesting approach to finishing the cabinet top. I’ve come across heat treated birch before, and it does have some interesting properties such as the ones you describe. Visually this is quite an unusual end result and it works well. Quite a complex project as it involves the whole bathroom.
An unusual design of cabinet that is quite pleasing to the eye as it is well proportioned and the combination of painted base and wooden top works well. The finish on the top has come up well I just hope the pine paneling does not move too much as crack the paint, it is always a good idea to paint T&G panels before assembly so that if they shrink the exposed tongue will have paint on it. Nice to see extensive use of handtools and plenty of WIP photos.
OPJ
Unfortunately there’s nothing to assess but this entry does show how easy it is to get behind on a project. We all have too many other commitments.
Not much to say as this one never really got going.
Advanced
The prize winners are: -
1. Woodbloke
2. Tim
But the judges scored it 1. Tim and 2. Woodbloke
Tim
A complex and quite detailed piece very finely and professionally executed. Obviously carefully thought through at the planning stage to ensure the end result matches the original drawing and that the job proceeded as smoothly as possible to satisfy the customer. That you succeeded so well is reflected by the fact that your customer wants to continue with stage two of the project-- a happy customer is always the best vote of confidence. Excellent.
This is certainly a bold looking piece of fitted furniture and the only entry that the maker did not have free reign over the design. I would have been nice to see some work in progress pictures as this would have given an idea of the construction methods and materials used. Visually I feel the torus skirting/plinth and edge detail to the countertop are a little tame when compared to the dentil moulding, cornice and column capitals, something a bit more ornate would have been more in keeping. The efficiency of the radiator would be greatly helped if cut outs were left in the plinth as shown on the original drawing as these will allow for convection currents to draw in the cold low level air.
Woodbloke
This submission shows exquisite detailing on a small scale and is a lovely little piece. Do I perhaps just see a hint of a gap in the mitre of the secret mitred dovetail in the final detail shot? I’m not sure, but I’ve cut a few of these joints over the years and I know how tricky they can be to get just so.
Because of the sheer volume of Tim's job and requirement to coordinate so many disparate aspects of project management I feel compelled to award first place to Tim. This is not in any way meant to cast aspersions on this small casket and the specialised plane made to finish the job. The need to work with other people, coordinate complex supplies and deal with customer and supplier relations just swung my decision Tim's way.
A very well constructed and visually pleasing box. The photos started off well but it would have been good to see some of the later shaping in progress and the base and lid being made, guess I will have to wait for F&C for those. Next time you are sawing brass put the blade into the frame the wrong way round, brass cuts better with a negative blade angle.
General Advice
Here’s advice for anyone submitting work for assessment by judges, gallery owners, exhibition organisers, etc. You are, after all, submitting your work for some sort of gain, whether it be kudos, name recognition, prizes, the chance to exhibit and sell your work in a gallery, etc. Help the judge, assessor, buyer, etc, by making what you’re submitting easy to assess through putting all the information in one neat, small package that’s logically laid out.
Especial thanks are also owed to Newbie Neil who kindly stepped in to hold the fort and calculate the results when I disappeared at the end of October to ride a motorcycle through Patagonia.
The Judges have taken the time to comment on all of the entries and, hopefully, you will find the comments constructive.
Beginners
The prize winners are: -
1. RobertMP
2. seanybaby
3. Byron Black
Byron Black
A thoroughly documented work in progress all the way to the finished item. It looks sturdy and functional and your list of lessons learned gives a good insight to your progress.
This has been quite a learning process with some disappointments along the way but they have been overcome and hopefully the bench will serve Byron well for a number of years. Although it would have been nice to see the M&T joints the bolted solution has worked out well, I would have liked to have seen the bolt heads set into counter bored holes just to stop any work pieces being knocked against them. The other two points I would raise revolve around work holding. Firstly as the vice has a central pop up dog more use could have been made of this if two of the dog holes were in line with this. Secondly I would like to see the fixed jaw of the vice set behind a timber apron so the clamping surface is flush with the bench front, this will greatly aid stability when holding long work in the vice together with some form of support (dog holes) in the front edge of the top.
Darren W
Even though you didn’t complete the piece on time there is a great deal of evidence indicating your increased skill level. It’s a shame as I ranked your entry highly in the earlier stage of the competition. You’ve done well
to get this far, and you’re really not that far from finishing the job.
It’s a shame that Darren ran out of time as this was shaping up nicely especially as it would seem to be mostly handwork and with limited assembly space. The only thing that I would have liked would be for the two draw fronts to be cut from the same length of timber so that the grain ran through them, otherwise I like the look and proportions of this piece. Hopefully we will get to see the finished table in the future.
Escudo
I neat, unfussy and uncomplicated project that gave you opportunities to learn new skills, eg, use of the Woodrat. You also learnt about wood movement and the problems it can cause if not thought through at the beginning.
This is quite a simple project that has been well executed. The proportions of the box look right, internal trays and dividers have been well thought out and I like the use of the coloured timbers to mark the brush positions. The hinges look a bit too far from the edges of the lid to me, if they were further apart there would be less risk of the lid moving about or straining the hinges if treated roughly, it would also have been nice if the over cut hinge mortice on the right of the lid had been filled. While on the subject of the lid some means of getting hold of it to open may be an idea, either part of the lid could overhang the front to form a tab or a short section of the box top edge could be cut back with a simple mould just to allow for a bit more grip.
Robert MP
You’ve done very well. You stuck pretty closely to your original plan and the end result is on the whole visually attractive. I find the transition between the floor level drawer, the foot either side and the bottom of the carcase just a bit clumsy visually. I’m not sure what you might have done to make those three intersecting elements a little more elegant, but it’s obvious you were looking for a lot of storage space, and you’ve achieved your aims very successfully. Fortunately it was spotted you’d made a howler with the glued on clamped ends on that wide panel, and you took steps to rectify the problem.
A well proportioned piece of furniture that has been well constructed using traditional joinery techniques and the breadboard end problem was well recovered. Aesthetically I’m not too keen on the projecting rail between the draws and doors, I would either have left it flush with the rest of the face frame or made the doors taller so they reached the bottom of the draw front or inset all the doors and draws. Not sure how the plinth draw is opened, I can see a few broken fingernails once it’s loaded up but a handle on the front would not look right, again it would have been nice to see the grain run through the full length of the front plinth.
bobscarle
I find this piece quite charming with something approaching 18th. century Georgian elegance about it. Apart from the turning and what I presume is M&T joinery at the corners of the main framing, and perhaps M&T’s for the angled brace, the construction is quite simple really. I suspect for a beginner this has been a valuable learning experience, but I hope you’ll understand that I can’t rank it as highly as some of the other more technically challenging entries. Well done all the same.
A solidly made bird table with a good choice of materials, would have been nice to see a few more detailed pictures of the main construction but it looks like it should stand the test of time.
seanybaby
A challenging project and you’ve done a very good job getting all those big joints to come together neatly with only some tiny misalignment here and there that catch the eye. I find it interesting that you formed the shelf’s wedged through mortise and tenons as you did. The wedges are set so far in from the edges of the tenons that all they really do is fill the wedge shaped gap you cut out for them. The wedges are in effect visual as their ability to add strength to the joint is minimal. That’s not a criticism as the structure is so massive anyway there’s really no need for the wedges to add strength. You set yourself quite a challenge and you’ve succeeded by achieving your aims. It was very helpful to have all those work in progress shots to see your progress.
I must say that I like the look of this chunky piece. The dovetails were always going to be the thing that would make or break this project and they have turned out well although better colour matching of the timbers would have avoided the colour contrast in the glue up lines detracting from the lines of the DTs. This is always a problem unless the budget allows for a large amount of timber so you can be very selective with grain match. I also feel that it would have been better to keep the shelf edges square rather than the heavy chamfer detail that has been added, the wilder grain of the shelf boards could also have been placed to the center of the shelf where it would be less visible.
stix
It’s a shame you weren’t able to make more progress. Not having a workshop to use has hampered you a great deal. You seem to be tackling the job in a logical manner and you seem to have made good progress in the time you were able to give to the job. I hope you’ll get it finished.
Not much that can be said about this project as it didn’t really get started, hopefully we will get to see it finished before the baby has grown up and left home :wink:
yellow lamborghini 2406
A fairly basic pine bench that nevertheless offers plenty of opportunity to learn new skills, particularly cutting M&T’s and some shaping that could have been done with templates, router and pattern cutting bits. By the description I don’t think the shaping was done this way. Pine is not the most durable material for outdoor use, but you should get several years of use out of it.
This piece should be ideal for contemplating the next project(s) I would have liked to have seen the legs made from 3” stock as some of the tennons look a bit short, a few pegs in the joints may also have added some strength as the glue will be tested if this bench is left outside all year round. The arms look a little on the high side and I’m not too sure about how comfortable the curve/flat seat shape will be.
mr
Your original design got high marks from me for its visual qualities. It seems the technicalities of production have blown you away and you rather lost the plot which is a shame. I do wonder if you overreached your abilities where the construction required a surer and more delicate touch than you’ve yet developed.
Another project that didn’t get too far. A bit more time making the jig would have been time well spent. As the jig is there to aid repeatability and accuracy it’s not something that should be rushed just because its not part of the finished job.
Improvers
The prize winners are: -
1. Pekka Huhta
2. Diderot
3. Jorden
Interestingly, the judges scored 1. Diderot and 2. Pekka Huhta
Diderot and here again
An interesting design twist using a mixture of horizontal frames as runners and kickers and side hung drawers running on fillets—this mixture adds quite a bit of work because each system requires different joinery. The drawer fronts are rather discordant with quite dramatic variations in colour and visually jarring grain direction changes where boards are jointed to make up the width. You are obviously aware of these problems as you discuss the issue in your submission. This shows you aren’t afraid of critically analysing your own work and I give you high praise for that. Of course what you do with that new found knowledge in similar circumstances in the future is what really matters.
I don’t think the butterfly keys add anything aesthetically—in fact I think they detract from the through wedged tenons by cluttering up the sides. How did you construct the top? I hope, because you’ve framed it with solid wood banding, that it’s veneered man-made board, or, if it is solid wood, that there is provision for the panel in the middle to expand and contract.
The bottom of the sides that I think are dovetailed to the toe-kick means the pins worked on the front edge of the side are weak and liable to snap off. I’m fairly neutral about the cross-banding. It doesn’t really seem to fit the general style, but it doesn’t do much harm either. Photography could be improved a bit—get rid of the clutter in the background to photograph finished work.
A well proportioned and constructed piece of work incorporating a good combination of materials and construction methods. There are only minor details that are really a matter of personal taste that I can suggest. The colour matching of the draws could be better but as with Seanybaby’s project unless you are prepared to buy far more timber than is needed for a job it’s a case of making the best of what you have. The dark wood used for the butterfly ties draws the eye away from the through tennons, either they could have been in walnut of left out completely, same for the decorative top banding and walnut front rail which I would have done in ash.
Jorden and here again
Clever use of recycled wood and the hidden drawer is ingenious, although I must admit I guessed it’s location immediately after reading there was one, and I also knew pretty much right away the type of mechanism used to open and close it! This is a piece comprised of fairly standard joinery techniques and the whole comes together quite satisfactorily. I think it would have been a benefit to see the piece upholstered as this would show what it really looks like—I wouldn’t regard that as ‘cheating’ as you describe it.
It didn’t help that your final piece was photographed so poorly sitting on top of a table saw in a dirty workshop. Shots of finished items usually work best with a plain backdrop or at least in a clean uncluttered situation, eg, a plain wall and neutral floor.
A neatly made piece with traditional joinery techniques, although the design was limited to matching other furniture I would have liked a bit deeper padding on the top. The secret draw looks to work well and is well hidden.
Pekka Huhta and here again
A lot of interesting use of hand tools here. I liked your approach of making a mock up to test your proposed construction technique. This sort of trick can save a lot of trouble and I’m surprised how few less experienced woodworkers do similar testing. A mixture of quite complex techniques and some very simple with an interesting approach to finishing the cabinet top. I’ve come across heat treated birch before, and it does have some interesting properties such as the ones you describe. Visually this is quite an unusual end result and it works well. Quite a complex project as it involves the whole bathroom.
An unusual design of cabinet that is quite pleasing to the eye as it is well proportioned and the combination of painted base and wooden top works well. The finish on the top has come up well I just hope the pine paneling does not move too much as crack the paint, it is always a good idea to paint T&G panels before assembly so that if they shrink the exposed tongue will have paint on it. Nice to see extensive use of handtools and plenty of WIP photos.
OPJ
Unfortunately there’s nothing to assess but this entry does show how easy it is to get behind on a project. We all have too many other commitments.
Not much to say as this one never really got going.
Advanced
The prize winners are: -
1. Woodbloke
2. Tim
But the judges scored it 1. Tim and 2. Woodbloke
Tim
A complex and quite detailed piece very finely and professionally executed. Obviously carefully thought through at the planning stage to ensure the end result matches the original drawing and that the job proceeded as smoothly as possible to satisfy the customer. That you succeeded so well is reflected by the fact that your customer wants to continue with stage two of the project-- a happy customer is always the best vote of confidence. Excellent.
This is certainly a bold looking piece of fitted furniture and the only entry that the maker did not have free reign over the design. I would have been nice to see some work in progress pictures as this would have given an idea of the construction methods and materials used. Visually I feel the torus skirting/plinth and edge detail to the countertop are a little tame when compared to the dentil moulding, cornice and column capitals, something a bit more ornate would have been more in keeping. The efficiency of the radiator would be greatly helped if cut outs were left in the plinth as shown on the original drawing as these will allow for convection currents to draw in the cold low level air.
Woodbloke
This submission shows exquisite detailing on a small scale and is a lovely little piece. Do I perhaps just see a hint of a gap in the mitre of the secret mitred dovetail in the final detail shot? I’m not sure, but I’ve cut a few of these joints over the years and I know how tricky they can be to get just so.
Because of the sheer volume of Tim's job and requirement to coordinate so many disparate aspects of project management I feel compelled to award first place to Tim. This is not in any way meant to cast aspersions on this small casket and the specialised plane made to finish the job. The need to work with other people, coordinate complex supplies and deal with customer and supplier relations just swung my decision Tim's way.
A very well constructed and visually pleasing box. The photos started off well but it would have been good to see some of the later shaping in progress and the base and lid being made, guess I will have to wait for F&C for those. Next time you are sawing brass put the blade into the frame the wrong way round, brass cuts better with a negative blade angle.
General Advice
Here’s advice for anyone submitting work for assessment by judges, gallery owners, exhibition organisers, etc. You are, after all, submitting your work for some sort of gain, whether it be kudos, name recognition, prizes, the chance to exhibit and sell your work in a gallery, etc. Help the judge, assessor, buyer, etc, by making what you’re submitting easy to assess through putting all the information in one neat, small package that’s logically laid out.
