Elm Cabinet III...DUN

[woodbloke]

Some time ago (several years ago in fact) Pete Newton (Newt) and I collected some timber, amongst which was a fairly scabby bit of 75mm thick elm wot I purchased for the princely sum of £5, so it's been drying in the 'shop for at least the last four years. It's been cut through the middle of the log so that one side:

is quite decent, but the other:

is full of nasty, deep splits and fissures. The aim of this project is to produce a small Krenovian style wall hung cabinet, roughly 800x220x150mm and I intend, as far as possible to get it all out of this one lump of wood. Cleaning up the good surface with a scrub:

...and then passing across the p/t revealed a very nice grain pattern, so that after cutting into rough chunks of the approximate size, I was able to:

...to convert it into veneers this morning. Much as I wanted to make it in the solid, veneering is the only way that I could get all the show timber out of the plank and even then, I was cutting round lots of minute cracks. The top and bottom didn't produce wide enough pieces, so will be book matched. Bear in mind also that these veneers are a full 3.5mm thick, so that once down on the substrate, they can be treated as 'proper' timber. I've also got roughly a half sheet of oil tempered hardboard, which I intend to slice up and laminate in the AirPress...this will form a really good, high density core for the veneers. After all this sawing, I've still got a substantial chunk left so there may be just [-o< enough to get out a solid frame and panelled back...if not, it'll have to be a bit of maple - Rob

 

[marcros]

i have read a few threads and a few discussions of mdf vs birch ply for veneering on top of. This is normally in the context of the thinner (0.6mm?) veneers. Is hardboard a suitable alternative material? Are there any advantages to it above the others?

 

[Harbo]

Oh dear you've mentioned that dreaded name - Mr Grim will be after you?

Rod ( with a smile)

 

[RogerS]

I'm looking forward to seeing this one. What bandsaw have you got, Rob?

 

[milkman]

I was wondering which bandsaw as well, is it a resaw one?

 

[rileytoolworks]

Wow, watching this one with baited breath.
Excellent way to maximise the use of the timber mate.


Adam.

 

[Max Power]

Why Elm ?
Its neither the prettiest of timbers or the nicest to work with and was long regarded as a cheap timber with its main uses being wheel hubs (for its ability for its interlocked grain to avoid splitting) and cheaper coffins (it lasts longer than any native timber underground)

 

[TheTiddles]

Why Elm.
Its neither the prettiest of timbers or the nicest to work with and was long regarded as a cheap timber with its main uses being wheel hubs (for its ability for its interlocked grain to avoid splitting) and cheaper coffins (it lasts longer than any native timber underground)

You missed out that is smells of poo also.

However, look at what he makes it into and it works!

Aidan

 

[Max Power]

"However, look at what he makes it into and it works!"
Couldn't agree more Aidan, which is why I'd have been looking for some nicer timber for such a fabulous piece
of work :ho2

 

[woodbloke]

Why Elm.
Its neither the prettiest of timbers or the nicest to work with and was long regarded as a cheap timber with its main uses being wheel hubs (for its ability for its interlocked grain to avoid splitting) and cheaper coffins (it lasts longer than any native timber underground)

...but it's also one of the nicest timbers to play around with, once it's been suitably conditioned in the 'shop or home.

Just got the 'puter back from the menders btw as it picked up a nasty virus just before Christmas, but whilst we were in PC World, we decided to bite the ex-Jobs bullet :roll: and go down the IMac route, so this Windoze7 machine will eventually go, but I've got to get me head round the Apple OS before that happens - Rob

 

[RogerS]

.......but whilst we were in PC World, we decided to bite the ex-Jobs bullet :roll: and go down the IMac route, so this Windoze7 machine will eventually go,.....Rob

=D> =D> ccasion5: Welcome to the club. I can guarantee that after a short while you'll probably be asking yourself why you never did it before.

Any Mac help, just ask.

 

[Max Power]

Keep us informed of your progress with the Apple Woodbloke , Ive been fancying one for a while

 

[woodbloke]

.......but whilst we were in PC World, we decided to bite the ex-Jobs bullet :roll: and go down the IMac route, so this Windoze7 machine will eventually go,.....Rob

=D> =D> ccasion5: Welcome to the club. I can guarantee that after a short while you'll probably be asking yourself why you never did it before.

Any Mac help, just ask.

There are one or two issues, but I'll post a new thread in the General Forum...thanks for the offer Rog, appreciated - Rob

 

[flounder]

I have just bitten the same bullet and bought a MacBook Air. Does Sketchup run ok on a mac does anyone know?

 

[adidat]

ran fine for me

adidat

 

[RogerS]

I have just bitten the same bullet and bought a MacBook Air. Does Sketchup run ok on a mac does anyone know?

Certainly runs on an iMac fine. My only comment would be on whether it is practical to use a touchpad with sketchup. On DaveR's excellent advice i bought myself a cheapy Logitech USB mouse with central scroll wheel....that in conjunction with the control keys lets me use Sketchup very easily on the iMac.

NB we're in danger of hijacking the thread/already have hijacked the thread!)

 

[Modernist]

I have just bitten the same bullet and bought a MacBook Air. Does Sketchup run ok on a mac does anyone know?

Me too, lovely isn't it. Haven't tried SU yet.

 

[RogerS]

I have just bitten the same bullet and bought a MacBook Air. Does Sketchup run ok on a mac does anyone know?

Me too, lovely isn't it. Haven't tried SU yet.

You b*ggers are getting me all jealous. Maybe I should get that iPad.

 

[woodbloke]

To get back to the cabinet, a little bit of judicious cutting with the remainder of the timber yielded:

...enough stuff to get out a book matched panel and frame for the back, with enough left over for some lipping - Rob

 

[woodbloke]

I'm probably at just over the half way stage with this one now and thus far, it's together and looks a bit like this:

All the veneering has been done, with the substrate being odds n'sods of oil tempered hardboard laminated together, which makes a reality solid and heavy composite material :shock: The little white rectangle at the bottom is a 6mm deep recess for the door catch and the door itself has yet to be shot into the opening. Construction is with 6mm doms and by shooting a fraction off each one it allows an element of 'slidability' so that the rear surfaces can be lined up exactly.

Another shot a little more from the front:

...shows the door again, with a rather nice grain pattern to it and the back panel, roughly in the position it'll take up when finished (rear frame yet to be made) All edges are very 'hard' at the moment , but once they're softened a little the prominent veneer thickness (2mm) won't be so easily noticed. Comments as ever appreciated...anyone see the alien? 8-[ - Rob