Xmas Gift for a Friend
The wood I used on this project, I believe, is cherry. It was part of a pallet I dug out of a dumpster at the fairground in St. Charles, Il. The runner was resawed into 1" thick strips and glued together to make a panel about 8" wide. I planed down the panel, cut it in half and made one half the bottom and the other half the top. This summer(2003) I was fortunate to get a 12" Starrett combination square and a 6" Starrett rule for very little coin at a garage sale. It was my intent to make the presentation case and associated fixtures and attachments of salvaged stuff. Only the screws, copper nails and the finishing materials were bought. The hinges, hasp and medallion/top plate were fabricated from a clothes dryer door that I found leaned up against a recycling dumpster. The pins in the hinges and clasp were made from an old wire clothes hanger. The leather pads on the bottom came from an old, torn, suede jacket that I just couldn't part with.
Some salvaged wood is of little value for making furniture because it contains knots, checks, nail holes and the like. In addition, the wood has not been cured properly and may contain internal stresses. As I was finishing this project, I noticed the top had begun to develop a slight upward cupping. Hopefully, the finish will prevent any further changes in shape.
(click on picture for a larger view)
| The hardware was cut using a jewelers saw and a 1/0 blade. These blades break easily and I used more than a dozen blades in cutting all the hardware(I buy these blades by the gross). The hardware was then sanded to a smooth surface and polished to a mirror shine with polishing compound. The wood was stained with light cherry stain and topcoated with satin polyurethane. Johnson's wax was then applied over the wood and metal surfaces. The edges were routed using a round-over bit and I managed to burn a few areas. |  |
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Patterns were used and the impressions routed out with a 1/4" bit. Some fine tuning was done with carving tools(like for the screw clamp and level). Note the small magnet in the metal ruler slot to keep the ruler from wandering off. Many of the wood 'imperfections'(I consider these character traits) can be seen. |
| Bottom view showing the pads made from my old suede jacket. The cut in the wood right above my brand was necessary to remove a nail that had broken off inside the pallet runner. I didn't spend much time fooling with making the bottom fine furniture quality. |  |
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This project is my first attempt at making my own hardware and there are character traits in evidence. Note the old dryer door paint I left intentionally on the back side of the hasp. Also, my brazing is getting better with each project although it isn't apparent here. I used my jeweler's saw to split(and then spread) the ends of the pins but half broke off on this one...and I just left it(why not!) |
| Not quite ready-for-prime-time hinge but I made it myself and I like it. I don't like the style of the brass screws but that's all I could find. Brass screws break easily(as you know) and this project reminded me again. It was tough getting the high polish on these hinges because of all the nooks and crannys. |  |
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The plate was made using an arts and crafts style pattern. I think it adds a bit of elegance to the top. I suppose I could have had it engraved but this project is probably already 'over the top.' The nails are copper, rose headed nails that I attempted to polish. There is a slight nick toward the lower edge of the plate...another character trait I left. |