Mission accomplished

Six coats of oil and all that is left to do is installing the hardware.
More pictures to come.

Staining Day

Hardware On, Finally

Saturday I determined to install the half lock. My first. So I carefully drew out the lines to cut to, then proceeded to cut to the wrong side. Smart.

Say what?

Last night I was installing hinges. The hinges are solid brass with matching screws. They look good. Problem is the screws are too long and will poke through if tightened.
So what did I do? I wasn't thinking too well, I thought I would buy shorter screws. Problem solved. Now for the "say what" part. I call to order the screws and the guy says to me, why not cut the ones I have shorter. Good point. Tonight I start again.

Saga of the Drawers

Things to Remember next time:
1. Need more clamps.
2. Need more space to clamp
3. Need more clamps.
4. Coffee is not Hide Glue.
5. Glue is messy.
6. Dog should not sleep next to bench.
7. Dog should not sleep in front of band saw.
8. Dog likes to chew wood that falls to the floor.
9. Don't let wood that is needed fall to the ground.
10. Socket chisels fall off handles.
11. Wear closed toe shoes.
12. Make extra parts.
13. Mistakes happen.
14. Make extra parts.
15. Identify parts.
16. All parts look alike.
17. Identify parts.
18. All parts look alike.
19. Think before cutting.
20. Make extra parts.
21. Mistakes happen.

Saturday was a long day. I got in the shop around 8:00 am and left around 10:30pm. It was productive for me too. All of the drawers, except one was completely cut out and ready for the bottoms to be made.
Sunday I got back out in the afternoon and evening and began sanding and gluing up drawers.

Progress.

The secret drawer.

Spice Box Drawers

I have made drawers before, but eleven at one time? The beauty of doing so many is repetition.

Working on these drawers has reminded me that to be fast, which I aren't, it is best to do the same thing over and over.

Saturday I thought I would be cutting dovetails, but I spent the day carefully sizing the drawer fronts and milling the sides and backs. 

On Sunday, I cut one drawer's dovetails but I may redo it because I think I can do better. The pins in the drawer front turned out great, the sugar pine though was soft and crushed under the saw and the chisels. (Even after I resharpened them!) If the other drawers look better, then I'll revisit that one. In the picture, they look better than in real life. I realize now why poplar is used.

Later in the evening I went out to the shop and tried to finish up all the little things that need to be done before cutting the actual dovetails. I cut all the sides to exact length, scribed all my lay out lines, cut dadoes for the drawer bottoms on the larger drawers and began cutting another drawer's dovetails. 

It was getting late and I had to retire, I do have a day job that requires me to show up.