Fiddlesticks Woodworking
"Friar Tuck" Silverware Chest
Most silverware chests are designed to house the utensils separately in "racks" against a rigid foam backing or the like. We wanted one in which we could simply stack the silverware inside neatly without all the fuss. We also wanted a chest that has an elegant, "old world" look about it. In this case, I really went for "old" in fashioning my own wood hinges. Very fun diversion, even though I totally messed up on the first pair and had to toss them. After a few colorful words and then a switch to some more calming music, I got what I hoped for. The hinges almost look like a medieval artifact . . . like something Friar Tuck kept his flasks in. Ha ha. The hinge pins are simply a couple of 4d galvanized nails that I snipped to size and then slipped through the pieces. I then back-filled the holes with some dowels. The lid for the chest wound up looking a little "heavier" than I had intended but I've grown to like it. Inside, there are two levels, with the top level being a deep, removable tray. The finish is walnut oil and Mahoney's Wax.
Walnut Caddy
I thought this would be a nice use of some small pieces of figured Walnut that I had around the shop. The design that I inlaid into the handle was made from red oak and poplar. I had intended it to look sort of "botanical", but it wound up looking a bit more like a dog bone. Oh well. I'm a dog lover! In woodworking, like painting, "happy accidents" are a common occurrence, as Bob Ross used to call them.
Taunton Chest
21st cent. remake of the famous 18th cent. Taunton Chests designed by Robert Crosman (1707-1799) of Taunton, Mass. I was inspired to make a couple of these after watching Norm Abrams feature them on an episode of "New Yankee Workshop". I made this one from solid pine. The sister chest (not pictured) I made from poplar. It has one working drawer (bottom level). The top two levels are faux draws, in the classic style, to make way for the lid top. There's a great article on Taunton Chests here.
Mahogany Hutch
Wow, this was a fun and challenging project! Projects like this one are a woodworker's dream as you get to use practically every skill you have and every tool in the shop . . . from the power tools to the chisels, mallets, and knives. There are a few minor imperfections here and there that I kicked myself over, but I leave it to you to see if you can spot them. Those aside, no detail was spared. The wood is African Ribbon Mahogany, one of my favorites.
Classic, Western-Style Rifle Box
What happens when you get a brand new rifle? You get one of these! I made this classic, Western-style box to house the cleaning supplies for a gorgeous Henry Lever Action .30-30 with a brass stock. With a rifle as nice as this, you don't want a cheap box to house your supplies. In addition to the matching grain around the sides ("bookmatching the corners") I butterflied a single piece of walnut for the top to create a "matching mirror" effect with the grain. The inside features a little push lid for accessing the rifle's cleaning patches.
Mission Bench
"Mission" furniture originated in the late 19th cent. and refers mainly to the pieces made for the Spanish missions in California. The main focus with Mission furniture is that it always seeks to accentuate the grain and to tease out the natural beauty of the timber. You won't see much by way of inlay work, nor will you see contrasting woods. Flat panels are a common feature so that the grain patterns are fully appreciated. I was fortunate to have had some leftover African Ribbon Mahogany following my hutch project. While quatersawn oak was typically the wood of choice for Mission craftsman, I thought ARM would lend itself very well to the style. A simple treatment with linseed oil supplied the finish.
Walnut Box with Maple Inlay
I love burls! This box was made from solid walnut with a simple maple inlay design. The top features a slice of some beautiful Walnut burl. I added a sliding tray to the inside for an extra bonus. The inside liner wood is Lyptus which has a nice reddish-brown glow.
Aromatic Cedar Chest
Made this for a friend. The chest is made from solid Aromatic Cedar. I had enough leftover wood to be able to add a nice sliding tray inside. For a little extra "flair", I also inlaid a Compass Rose on the top, made from Walnut and Maple.
"Blond" Box
Whenever I do box making, I have a tendency to always use dark woods, so, I thought I'd try something lighter. This one is made from solid cherry (which, granted, actually will darken over time anyway), with Bird's Eye Maple (the lighter colored wood) and Walnut accents. The inside is African Ribbon Mahogany.
Western Style Table
I'm not exactly sure why I think this is "Western Style". It's really just a design I made up. When it was done, it looked Western-ish to me. It's solid White Maple with Walnut accents, including dovetail splines on the corners. Oh, and that thing on the bottom level is a "Tongue Drum" that I tried making. Fun to play but the tuning and sound is, well, "meh".
"Compass Rose" Tray
Tray making is really fun. This one features a classic "Compass Rose" in the middle, made on the bandsaw from walnut and maple, then inlaid into African Ribbon Mahogany which is beautiful stuff. When finished, it exhibits "chatoyance", the peculiar quality of changing luster depending on the angle and light. The tray's rails/handles are figured walnut.
