Hello,
I finally got around to posting some pictures of recent projects
online, so I thought I'd shamelessly show them off here - maybe you'll
be inspired, or maybe you'll just feel better about your own
woodworking. Whatever. I often enjoy looking at other woodworkers'
projects, so here are some of mine, followed by some descriptions:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/andynewhouse/my_photos

Step stool: First project, started because I had a couple tools, and I
knew I could make a better stepstool than the wobbly little piece of
imported junk my wife had just bought. Baltic birch ply with
reclaimed wormy American Chestnut steps. This was completed a few
years ago, and really gave me the woodworking bug. There are several
things on this project I would now consider incorrect (i.e. screwing
into ply end grain shouldn't have much strength) but it has held
together very well and still feels solid.

Spice rack: another early project, designed by me just after I got my
first router - so the edges are well-rounded-over, the shelves fit
into dados, and the front slats are dovetailed into the sides. Red
oak from the borg, with oak ply back I found on the street on trash
day.

X-bookshelf: This comes apart easily and collapses almost completely
flat - it's all held upright by the cleats on the top and bottom. 2
laminated layers of 1/4" red oak ply.

Alex's toy: First birthday present for the son of some close friends.
I intended it to be just a stacking toy with different shapes and
different colors, but it turned out looking like a boat, so that's
what they call it. Maple base, with white oak, cherry, walnut, red
oak, and maple stacking shapes on walnut pegs. Finished with shellac
and all-natural paste wax to be completely non-toxic and fine to eat,
if the kid so chooses.

Bed: Biggest project to date. Took about 9 months. Based on the
classic mission bed plan found on several plans websites. White oak,
finished with mixture of danish oil and a little mission oak stain.
LOML helped a great deal with finishing.

Landscapes/horizons: walnut and butternut, reversible, with maple
"moon" on one side and cherry "sun" on the other. Finished with tung
oil. Fairly quick and easy Christmas presents. I didn't bother with
true complimentary curves and router templates, I just overlapped the
boards and bandsawed the curves. The offset of the kerf wasn't a
problem for these relatively shallow curves.

Rocking chair: wedding present for my sister. This was loosely based
on a basic mission rocker plan, but I modified it quite a bit
according to pictures I liked of real antiques, and had a lot of fun
choosing and working all the different wood species. Also my first
attempt at upholstery. Legs and rockers are red oak, curved back
stretchers are cherry, slats are curly maple, arms are walnut, and
lower stretchers include sassafras, white oak, cherry, walnut, and
butternut. The compound angles were a challenge, and some of the
tenons don't fit as tightly as I'd like, but it was a very fun and
rewarding project. The double-wedged through tenon on the arm was a
fun little touch that I didn't plan on when I started, but I'm happy
with how it came out.

There - hope this was interesting, informative, and maybe even
inspirational.
Andy

Andy - you put out some nice work there. I think I like the chair the
best, as I like the simple, functional design. I personally think
borrowing from the designs of others is just fine, and I can see a
couple there that you have melded nicely.

Be honest... how long did it take to upholster the seat? Did you buy
real leather or is it "city cow" (naugahide)?

Robert

On 7 Mar 2007 21:00:57 -0800, "Andy" wrote:

Hello,
.... very nice.

So what are you building *next* weekend?



+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

I think I like the chair the best, as I like the simple, functional design.

Thanks very much - that's my favorite so far too. It was hard to give
it away.

Be honest... how long did it take to upholster the seat? Did you buy
real leather or is it "city cow" (naugahide)?

Neither - I cheated and skipped the authenticity in favor of a cheaper
and easier modern solution. The seat is just upholstery fabric from
JoAnn's, over 2 layers of padding: 1" of open-cell foam, then a 2"
layer of "nu-foam" or something like that - non-woven, fibrous mat
stuff - kind of like the synthetic steel wool, just softer and
obviously not abrasive. I put the padding over the plywood cutout,
pulled the fabric over that, turned the sandwich upside down, and
stapled the fabric to the bottom of the seat. It's not too bad for my
first attempt, but I suspect I'll have to redo it at some point, as I
don't think I stretched the fabric tight enough. We'll see.
Thanks again,
Andy

On Mar 8, 12:00 am, "Andy" wrote:

Landscapes/horizons: walnut and butternut, reversible, with maple
"moon" on one side and cherry "sun" on the other. Finished with tung
oil. Fairly quick and easy Christmas presents. I didn't bother with
true complimentary curves and router templates, I just overlapped the
boards and bandsawed the curves. The offset of the kerf wasn't a
problem for these relatively shallow curves.

The landscapes are nice. I think you should incorporate them into a
functional piece. Maybe a box lid, a cutting board, or a cheese
tray....

Cheers,
Jeff

I think your projects look really cool. I liked the bed and the chair.
I think the bookshelf would do itself a lot more justice, if it were
off the ground. That way you would avoid some of those 'wasted' spaces
at the bottom.

Is there some kind of inlay work in your detail of the chair (the
cross)?? Someday I'll muster what it takes to show some of my
projects.

Regards,
Rajeev

On Mar 8, 12:00 am, "Andy" wrote:
Hello,
snip

I like the stacking toy. My sister just had a kid and I was thinking
of making something like this for her. Good inspiration. I am also
making some stepstools right now, but they may not be photogenic
enough to post.

Keep up the good work!

Andy wrote:
Hello,
I finally got around to posting some pictures of recent projects
online, so I thought I'd shamelessly show them off here - maybe you'll
be inspired, or maybe you'll just feel better about your own
woodworking. Whatever. I often enjoy looking at other woodworkers'
projects, so here are some of mine, followed by some descriptions:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/andynewhouse/my_photos



Hi Andy,

Beautiful work. I'd say inspiration for sure.

Tanus

--
This is not really a sig.

http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/

Great looking projects!


"Tanus" wrote in message ...
Andy wrote:
Hello,
I finally got around to posting some pictures of recent projects
online, so I thought I'd shamelessly show them off here - maybe you'll
be inspired, or maybe you'll just feel better about your own
woodworking. Whatever. I often enjoy looking at other woodworkers'
projects, so here are some of mine, followed by some descriptions:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/andynewhouse/my_photos



Hi Andy,

Beautiful work. I'd say inspiration for sure.

Tanus

--
This is not really a sig.

http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/