Sewing Table with Accessories

2017 October 9ProductsDave

Over 2 years ago I constructed a sewing table for Melissa. The table is designed so her machine sits on an adjustable platform suspended under the desk and can be adjusted so the table surface is perfectly in line with the machine’s sewing surface.

I got busy working on other projects and brought it in for her to use without any finish on it. Over time I added a ribbon holder, storage unit, thread shelf and bookshelf to the mix all of which ended up completely done with finish applied and ready to go. After completing my own computer desk and with Melissa taking a little break from sewing due to the new baby I decided to “finish” her table.

The base of the table is made of poplar and is finished with General Finishes Klein Blue Milk Paint and top-coated with water-based polyurethane. The top is made of cherry and is finished with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. Most of the other pieces are also cherry with the same Arm-R-Seal finish except the shelving unit which is plywood with a poplar face frame.

Curly Ambrosia Maple Shelf with Hooks

2017 October 9ProductsDave

In July, while working on my computer desk, Melissa asked if I could build a shelf for the baby’s room. Below is what we came up with. This is finished with shellac and water-based polyurethane.

Ash and Walnut Cantilevered Computer Desk

2017 October 9ProductsDave

I finally got some spare time in the late spring/early summer to build myself a new computer desk. I wanted something on the simpler side and decided to build this. The top is ash and the legs are a lamination of walnut-ash-walnut. The top is 53″ x 30″. The legs are all tapered and mitered at the joints. This is finished with shellac and water-based polyurethane.

African Mahogany Table

2017 October 9ProductsDave

Here’s yet another project for the same co-worker I finished up this spring. This is a counter-height table with a 30″x30″ top, 2 shelves and tapered legs. The top has a hand-planed underbevel. This is finished with shellac and water-based polyurethane.

African Mahogany Desktop

2017 October 9ProductsDave

Here’s another project from last fall for the same co-worker. He wanted a built-in desktop made from African Mahogany to fit wall to wall in an alcove. I made the molding on the front edge as well. The final product is dyed with Transtint Red Mahogany, a seal coat of shellac applied, and top-coated with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal.

Walnut Slab Countertop

2017 October 9ProductsDave

Here’s a project from last fall. I shaped and finished this huge live edge walnut slab countertop along with the riser and wrap-around mitered shelf for a co-worker. It was attached with low profile countertop brackets meant for granite countertops. The countertop was pore-filled with black grain filler and finished with Waterlox.

2016 Darlington Apple Festival

2016 September 30UncategorizedDave

Tomorrow is the Apple Festival. Last year was cancelled due to the hurricane and tomorrow is looking a little cloudy but we’re hoping it’s going to turn out to be a great day. We’re in spot 180 which is in the driveway in front of the elementary school. This will be our first time and we’re excited. See you there!

“Turtle and Chicken(s)”

So…this isn’t staged at all. We walked out last night to put away the chickens and found this going on.

That’s 4 of our chickens just chilling in the grass sitting next to a ~12″ snapping turtle. After shooing the chickens past the turtle and getting them locked up, we (carefully) deposited the turtle into a bucket and freed it into a lake down the street.

Canning Cabinet

2016 June 5UncategorizedDave

This is something utilitarian I made for storing our home canned goods. I saw something similar on a /r/woodworking post and eventually got around to making it this past winter. I just “finished” it this past weekend when I sprayed everything with semi-gloss water-based polyurethane (Varathane). This was my first time spraying this finish and I am very happy with how it turned out. I used 3/4″ Maple Purebond plywood for the case and 1/2″ for the drawers. For the drawers I used simple pocket hole construction and glued/nailed the bottom on which is ok since it’s all plywood. With the case and drawers done, I glued up some Poplar for the drawer fronts. I used economical epoxy coated slides for all the drawers. It’s about 55″ tall and 24″ wide outside dimensions. An interesting thing is how the Poplar lost its green tinge and it turned a nice golden brown due to sun exposure.

Here’s an album of some build pictures:

Prepping some rough-sawn poplar stock for drawer fronts

Routed pulls on the sides to keep a clean look in front

Canvas Frames

2016 May 2ProductsDave

I made some more frames for Melissa’s paintings. I tried something new with these and added splines to the miters which reinforces the joint and, since I used a contrasting wood, adds some visual flair. These were finished with a semi-gloss water-based polyurethane sprayed via HVLP. They’re all sized to hold a 16×20 canvas.

Top to bottom, the wood for each frame is Cherry, Black Walnut, Khaya (African Mahogany) and Maple. I used Maple splines for all but the Maple frame which I used Walnut splines.