How to finish / fill sapele / oak? - Bandsaw box and blades

[twodoctors]

As above, 2nd time I've worked with sapele. The first box I've made wasn't entirely a success (the grain on body and back doesn't line up perfectly) so I haven't finished that yet. I made another block last week with sapele and oak, and made this box over the weekend while the family were away...

EDIT: (the oak doesn't line up because I've got the drawers back to front. Can't be bothered to take another picture now. Nevermind!)

I haven't forgotten the door handles. Look...

Borrowed the idea from Alex Snodgrass in another article of his. Of course I was never going to claim credit for someone else's idea. Here it is:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/proje ... andsaw-box

It even comes with hidden drawers. Worked that one out myself.

A comment about the saw and blade. If you haven't been reading my other posts, I have a baby bandsaw with only 80mm max depth. This box is about 130mm thick, so how did I make it? The answer is with difficulty!

I forgot to take pictures, but before I glue the blocks together, I cut "the back" of the box out. I knew I want to make big box, but I haven't got the saw for it. So I lined up the blocks and how it would glued. I set up the fence on my baby saw, and proceeded to slice off 20mm off each piece. Then it's a matter of carefully gluing both sets of wood together so I have a back and front.

Easier said then done, and it didn't line up perfectly. The face on both sets were a bit wavey because I was using a 4TPI blade (the fact that it's made my Axminster has nothing to do with it! See other post). Massive kerf, and dirty finish. Tried planing it but I was getting nowhere (never been good at planing). Ended up using the disc sander and get it as flat as I can.

Then I nailed the front and back together at the four corners so I can cut the profile out. First big mistake was that I drew my plan directly on the back rather than front. I did that because I want to know where the nails were and to avoid them. Should have drawn on the front as I need to do further cuts on the main block. Had to redraw the plans and the box shrunk by 10mm ish as a result. Oh well.

In my other post, I mentioned that Axminter said their 1/4" 10TPI blade can't handle anything thicker than 50mm. Well, the box is about 70mm thick, main body 50mm, and Tuff Saws Carbon 3/16" 10TPI cut it with no problem even manage to make quite tight turns with it as well (see smaller drawers). It's Tuff Saws for me from now on.

The box is now sanded to 80 grit. The back of the box can do with a bit more sanding. I know oak is open pore, and I think sapele is also open pore. I never quite understood slurry sanding, but I think it is sanding with low grit and using the oil as lubricant. I was planning on shellac finish, and have 2 cut shellac that I've used in previous boxes. Oil (walnut oil anyway) seems to darken the wood quite a bit, and I don't think the oak oils very well (at least not the last time I tried). I also have Osmo Oil clear satin which came highly recommended by my sawmill guy. This box is not perfect but I would like to try and finish it as best I can. I can use my other box as a test piece.

Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Adrian

 

[Alexam]

Hi Adrian,
that's a really great effort to be building a complex box like that at this early stage and exceptional. I can see that you will be a real challenge before very long and good luck to you.

I had to smile on some of the mistakes, just like I made, so nothing really new there. Next time I'm sure it will be perfect. Getting the hidden drawer is also 'special' as the hidden drawers are somethig that everyone loves.

I always go the 400 or 600 grit, but use sanding sealer and sand again before final finishing. The smoother it gets, the better the finished box will look. Next steps are to get into the flocking of the insides of the drawers.
Keep up the good work.
Malcolm

 

[sunnybob]

good thinking on the workaround. but next time dont nail it, get some spray adhesive that will hold the wood together well enough but can then be prised apart without destroying the wood. UHU spray works well.
I never even glue the back piece in the first place. I cut out all the internals and then glue the back on. This saves that really messy join that can never be made to disappear.

 

[twodoctors]

Thanks Malcolm and Sunnybob.

In fact I wanted to say I take my inspiration from you Malcolm. My first 3 boxes were done kind of freehand-ish, first 2 boxes asymmetrical because that's what I thought bandsaw boxes should be. Then I see your works and a fee others I thought a more conventional design maybe a bit more appealing.

Still, I'm partially limited by the saw. Saw a few with 100 and 120mm depth for £150 ish... I think I'll keep looking for now.

Where does one get sanding sealer from? None in the usual high street haunt, and trying to avoid Axminster since the p&p went up recently (plus the blade issue). I gathered there's cellulose type and another... Is there a YouTube video for this?

Someone said there's no point going above (below) 220G. True? Ive got most paper between 60g to 1200g anyway.

What do you mean by not gluing the pieces back? Have you got a different work flow from most of us? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

Thanks.

 

[sunnybob]

No, you missed out a word. When you glue it all together, and then slice the back off, yo have to clean the two faces youve sliced, and try to make the joint disappear.
I dont glue the back panel on untill AFTER I have cut the drawers. This makes the whole box smaller for the bandsaw, and when you do glue the now over sized piece on, its a good clean joint. It just needs trimming and final sanding to size.

I sand to 280 or sometimes 340 before varnishing, then use 0000 steel wool to rub down before the second coatand subsequent coats.