Welsh dresser, skip wood, hand tools only

[thomashenry]

Great. I'm leaning that way too. Decision made, thanks.

 

[MikeG.]

I would show the knots, but flip one of the doors end for end such that it wasn't book-matched. Book-matched knots isn't a great look!

 

[thomashenry]

I would show the knots, but flip one of the doors end for end such that it wasn't book-matched. Book-matched knots isn't a great look!

Outvoted! haha.

After deciding to use the knot free panels for the doors, the two knotted panels have now taken their place in an M&T frame that becomes the back of the base unit. I'm now onto much less attractive wood, but the back of a closed cupboard is exactly where that should go I guess..

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

While the two front doors are glueing up, I've been fitting the upper doors. A few years ago I'd never have been doing this by hand, it was all jigs and power routers....

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

Got all the shelves done too, so tomorrow should be a case of fitting the lower doors, and some final sanding etc before the first coat of Osmo Raw.

 

[MikeG.]

I can't see any housing for the shelves. What's happening there?

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Bravo! No way I can compete, except to note that I am hoarding more toilet paper that you are.

 

[Suffolkboy]

He's got the posh stuff though.

 

[Suffolkboy]

Brilliant WIP. Thanks.

 

[NickM]

It looks super. Great work.

 

[Max Power]

I can't see any housing for the shelves. What's happening there?

Probably adjustable when they're loose

 

[thomashenry]

I can't see any housing for the shelves. What's happening there?

Took another idea that I saw in a Paul Sellers project, using a wire coat hanger - drill two tiny holes, cut and bend the metal, and pop it into the holes:

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr


Then cut a little channel on the side of the shelves, and slide them onto the metal supports.

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

 

[thomashenry]

Pretty much finished now, fitting and hanging the doors took a bit longer than I thought it would. Attached the top using some worktop brackets:

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

Gave everthing a quick sand (I broke my rule and used a handheld orbital sander a bit.... ) at 240 grit, then applied a coat of Osmo Raw. I've not used it before, but my dad used it for a kitchen worktop and I liked how it looked. I want to avoid the cheap orange pine look, and the Osmo Raw has certainly done that. I gave it a very light rub with 600 grit paper before applying the second coat, then rubbed this down with some 1200 to finish off.

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

So, it's finished apart from door catches, handles and glass for the upper doors. I'll do the catches with mini magnets, but the glass will have to wait till things re-open. Undecided what handles to use. The final piece has ended up looking a lot more 'modern' than I had envisaged, I guess as a result of the finish, the straight line and lack of mouldings, and the lack of knots. It's odd, it almost looks and feels more like something I bought rather than something I made by hand out of old wood. To avoid it looking too modern, I will probabaly go with some fairly simple traditional handles. I have no lathe, otherwise I'd make some out of some of the leftover pine.

But I'm very happy and feel pretty chuffed to have turned some old scrap roofing timber into what I think is a nice bit of furniture without machines (well I did cheat and use a hand sander briefly... plus a cordlss drill driver to do the holes for the shelves, I don't have an egg spinner).

 

[Blackswanwood]

That looks great - thanks for sharing.

 

[MikeG.]

I can't see any housing for the shelves. What's happening there?

Took another idea that I saw in a Paul Sellers project, using a wire coat hanger - drill two tiny holes, cut and bend the metal, and pop it into the holes.......

A little shrinkage and your best Spode-ware ends up crashing onto your Ming dynasty vase collection. :lol: I can see a couple of little improvements I'd want to make to that ingenious idea.

 

[MikeG.]

.........But I'm very happy and feel pretty chuffed to have turned some old scrap roofing timber into what I think is a nice bit of furniture without machines (well I did cheat and use a hand sander briefly... plus a cordlss drill driver to do the holes for the shelves, I don't have an egg spinner).

You've every right to be proud. That's a grand job, well done. Yes, I'd have looked for some mouldings and curved bits to make it look less modern, but learning design lessons is a lifelong thing. I'll get one right one day! I'm not convinced by Osmo Raw, but we never get to see a piece of furniture 2 years on. That's the telling thing, not what it looks like on completion.

Oh, and do those knobs and catches now, pronto. If you leave them, you'll never come back to it.........says Mike, whose kitchen corner cupboard still hasn't got a catch on it 4 years after it was built.

 

[AndyT]

That looks really professional, well done. And I like that it's made from reclaimed wood which is just really good old wood, not pallets or scaffold boards.
I'm particularly impressed by the way the doors all fit so well, with a tiny, straight clearance gap all round. Did that need a lot of fiddling, trial and refitting?

 

[NickM]

I think it looks great.

I'll soon need to make a decision about what finish to put on the desk I'm making. I think my wife would probably vote for something like Osmo raw. It's always a tricky decision.

 

[thomashenry]

I can't see any housing for the shelves. What's happening there?

Took another idea that I saw in a Paul Sellers project, using a wire coat hanger - drill two tiny holes, cut and bend the metal, and pop it into the holes.......

A little shrinkage and your best Spode-ware ends up crashing onto your Ming dynasty vase collection. :lol: I can see a couple of little improvements I'd want to make to that ingenious idea.

I was arguing with my brother about this! What shrinkage would there be? The width of the shelves and the dresser top are all dictated by long grain wood?

 

[thomashenry]

I think it looks great.

I'll soon need to make a decision about what finish to put on the desk I'm making. I think my wife would probably vote for something like Osmo raw. It's always a tricky decision.

I'm happy with the result. The wood does need to be well prepared though - any small pits (ie around knots or whatever) that allow the finish to pool/accumulate even slightly, will show up as white, due to the pigment. That might not be a problem though, it sort of makes the wood look a bit limewashed.

 

[thomashenry]

That looks really professional, well done. And I like that it's made from reclaimed wood which is just really good old wood, not pallets or scaffold boards.
I'm particularly impressed by the way the doors all fit so well, with a tiny, straight clearance gap all round. Did that need a lot of fiddling, trial and refitting?

Thanks Andy. The door fitting was just the normal process ...I tok care cutting the hinge mortices (the Stanley 71 router I was lucky enough to acquire 2 years ago without remortgaging is handy here), then the doors just go back and fore from cabinet to vice, planing a bit here and there until they fit. It doesn't take that long, the important thing is to be patient and not take too much off at once....

 

[thomashenry]

Of course, I've not been making only a dresser these past few weeks.... I've also been busy making sacks of wood shavings...

Untitled by Tom D, on Flickr

I wonder if these are of any use to anyone.... :?: