When Free to Work, Secrets Evolve

I came into the shop this past week with all intentions to finish construction on the secretary I’ve been working on forever. I have developed numerous secret compartments for this piece – I plan to share these via video next week on this blog. I could not, however, pass on the opportunity to include a couple more secrets as I wrapped up the build.

I have never seen secret compartments built into desk lid supports, or lopers as they are called by some. I challenged myself to make it happen. At first I searched for a small something that I could slip into place, but when I came up empty I became creative and borrowed an idea from Roy Underhill’s grease pot (built and posted by The Village Carpenter. See it here.) My idea was simple and it worked.

First, at the rear of the loper, mark the area that will become your lid as shown in the photo. I used my dovetail layout jig to make a slight angle on the top face, then connected the lines to create the 1/4″ lid. A light scribeline helps start and guide your saw.

I used a Japanese small rip Dozuki from Lee Valley & Veritas because it had the thinnest blade of all the saws I have in the shop and a thin cut is less likely to be noticed.

With my top cut free, I drilled a 3/4″-diameter hole into my 1″ wide supports, but any size hole works. My drill press made sure the hole stayed true without peeking out one side or the other. The key here is to drill deep enough to hold whatever you think might be stored in this compartment – I suspect rolls of cash. You do not, however, want to drill completely through the loper – not much of a compartment if your goods fall out the bottom.

All that is left is to reattach the lid. Mark the lid for your screw and make sure there is enough swing in the lid and that your lid clears the compartment when it’s fully open. (My screws were centered at 3/8″ from the ends while the holes were drilled 1 1/4″ from the ends.) The screws I used are perfect for this job because the threads stop before the screw head. This allows the lid to pivot on the screw shaft without catching any threads.

Hold the lid in place as you drill a pilot hole for your screws. Install your screws and the job is done. Tension holds the lid closed until you unveil the secret.

Below is a short video that shows how you access and use these compartments.

Build Something Great!

Glen

A Week of Finish

Ever heard of powdered shellac? I hadn’t until Saturday when I presented a day long seminar on finishing for the Michigan Woodworkers’ Guild. As I talked about aniline dye, shellac and lacquer, there were a few questions asked and more than a few great ideas and techniques tossed about. With 90 woodworkers sitting in a group discussing finishes and finishing, you know there is going to be a lot of interesting information discussed.

I’m the guy they asked to speak and I hope attendees picked up something during the day that makes them better woodworkers and finishers. I seldom participate in an event such as this without gaining knowledge or a tip of some kind to make me better at what I do. This seminar was no different.

During our discussion about shellac, Ed Stuckey (see some of his work here), brought up powdered shellac. As he explained (and I intend to discover for myself), you add powdered shellac to your project so the powder settles into the grain. As you add another layer of liquid shellac, the powder is redissolved to help fill pores. This technique would certainly be faster in filling grain than multiple coatings of shellac where you sand the surface back to knock any shellac peaks into the shellac valleys. I am curious if it’s possible to use pulverized shellac flakes in the same way, or is there something altogether different about powdered shellac. I think this is worth a closer look. Thanks, Ed. To see a listing that I found on Ebay, click here.

Before leaving for Michigan, I wrapped up an article for The Finishing Store which is the online store for Apollo Sprayers International Inc. The Finishing Store publishes a monthly newsletter. My piece for this next issue discusses how to finish projects without muting, masking or otherwise destroying inlay. My last article was on glaze. Here is a link to that issue (click here). Be sure to check out other newsletters – finish guru, Bob Flexner, writes for each newsletter – as they are all available on the site.

Build Something Great!

Glen

Woodworking Questions

My email address is not secret. Many of you send questions to me once in a while. Most ask for information or help. Others wonder what the hell I’m doing. I like the questions, so if you need information or have a question about a project I’ve built, please contact me. Below are questions and answers that I thought were good information that should be passed along.

That Tricky Rabbet
Glen,
I have started on a slant front desk based on the New England Secretary in one of your books. I have one question as I prepare the sides; what is the distance from the top of the writing surface to the start of the slant? It looks to be somewhere between 3/4″ and 1″, but I am not sure and it is not shown in the book.

Thanks
John S

John,
That’s a question I get a lot. The answer depends on the thickness of your lid – more exactly, on the thickness of its rabbeted edge.

Take a look at the photo. You need to start with your writing surface laid in, then determine the rabbeted area of your lid which would be 1/2″ on a 3/4″-thick lid if you are using a 1/4″ lip. Create a setup similar to the one shown in the photo to determine your length. My longer rule is attached at the edge of the desk top. The two rules are set to form a 90 degree corner with the 6″ rule measuring the thickness of my rabbet. (You can see how this figure could change based on your rabbet, lid and lip dimensions.)

Another method is to figure the distance algebraically using A squared + B squared = C squared where the measurement you’re searching for is C and the rabbet of your lid is both A and B. Using 1/2″ as the rabbet thickness results in a slightly under 3/4″ measurement. (Again,  you can see how the size shifts given the thickness of your rabbet.)

Build Something Great!
Glen

 
Tall Clock Dial Size
Hi Glen,

I have a year old copy of your “Building Period Furniture” that now looks like 10 year old copy (well used). I have two block fronts about 90% complete, two secretary bottoms about 50% complete. I like to build two at a time. While I am waiting for some more mahogany I am drawing the bench rod for the Pennsylvania tall case clock.

To keep proportions as perfect as they look, I am wondering what is the dial size you used in this clock and who is the supplier. Looking at suppliers here in the UK the the largest dial seems to be 280mm x 395mm. which seems too small. I bought your “Finishes that Pop” DVD just before Christmas. Great informative DVD.

Thank You,
Alan
Northern Ireland

Greetings Alan,

I’m glad to see your book getting such use. You are taking on very nice projects. I enjoyed building them, as well.

You are correct on your assessment of the dial sizes. Your dials are undersized as to what I use and what is a common size here in the States. The dial for my clock was 12.5″ wide (317.5mm, if my conversion is correct) by 17.625″ tall (447.675mm).

The movement  I used for the clock in the book was produced by David Lindow (Click here to visit his web site). You can get more information, movements and dials  from Mike Siemsen’s web site (Click  here).

Best of luck on your projects and …

Build Something Great!
Glen D. Huey

What is That Finish?
Hi Glen,

I am familiar with your aniline dye/shellac finish for a deeper tiger maple finish.  I always seem to get  a finish that is too shiny. I noticed that you recommend a ” dull-rubbed” lacquer. Is that the name of the kind of lacquer, a rubbed out lacquer or what?

Thanks,
Bob

Hey Bob,

When using shellac, I generally use either of two options to knock down the sheen. I either rub-out the finish using #0000 steel wool (sometimes I use wool lube to make the work a little easier), or I topcoat my project with a pre-cat lacquer from Sherwin Williams with a dull-rubbed effect sheen. The low sheen finish is made so by adding flattening agents to the lacquer. Sherwin Williams sells this product through its commercial divisions, not in the regular paint stores.

Another option that I am just beginning to explore is to use a water-based urethane in a satin finish, such as General Finishes Enduro-Var Satin. With this product, you apply a single coat, then after it’s dry lightly rub with steel wool.

Build Something Great!
Glen

Small Diameter Router Bits
Glen,

I am a home shop woodworker who makes reproductions of American Colonial furniture.  I am having trouble finding a way to make 1/16” vein line for string inlay.  Is there a 1/16″ router bit available or how else does one prepare for a 1/16” string inlay.  I have previously used a 1/8” bit to inlay 1/8” string inlay and that worked very well, but in some pieces a 1/8” string inlay is too thick for the piece at hand.

I bought two of your books and have enjoyed studying them and using some of the demonstrated techniques on the pieces I have reproduced.

Several of the pieces I have made were from Lester Margon’s 1949 book “Construction of American Furniture Treasures”.  It’s a great hobby!!

Henry
Montgomery, AL

Hey Henry,

I’m glad that you found a few ideas in my books to make woodworking better for you. I, too, have spent many hours looking through Mr. Margon’s book – it’s a great woodworking book.

There are 1/16″ router bits to be found. If you visit inlaybandings.com there is a section that has router bits used for inlay work. The site also sells inlay and banding in many different configurations. I especially like the router bits because they are longer than many other 1/16″ bits available – as such, they reach past patterns and get to the workpiece. These bits have an 1/8”-diameter shank, so you would also need to purchase a  sleeve (shown in the middle) unless you have an appropriate collet for your router or are working with a hand-held rotary tool such as a Dremel.

Bosch has 1/16″ bits, too. These bits have shorter cutting lengths which could require that you set-up differently in order to use them for inlay as it is more difficult to reach past patterns.  The Bosch bit has a  1/4”- diameter shank.

I would suggest that you pick up a couple bits when and if you order. Bits this small tend to break more easily than larger diameter bits.

If you have additional questions, please contact me again.

Build Something Great !
Glen Huey

Sometimes Power is the Best Answer

Editor’s note – last week on Sunday as I prepared my blog, my computer crapped out. A new hard drive was installed this week. Of course, all my files were lost. (No, I didn’t have a back up! Lesson learned) My apologies if you stopped by to nothing new.

When you study desk interiors, one of the interesting aspects is the varied shapes. Undulating curves make the interiors more appealing – that and the many compartments and small drawers. Combined, these two attributes bring about curious curves that lead to a dovetailing puzzle.

Take a look at the lower drawer in the opening photo. The end of the drawer front toward the side of the desk is straight up. There is no mystery in these dovetails due to the square end. However, the opposite end of the drawer front is more complex. As shown to the right, curves cause the front to bend off the bench top as the front sits flat. It would be nearly impossible to chop dovetail sockets into this piece without building support under the edge. You would splinter or break the drawer front as you pound out waste. And support is difficult because there is no flat surface at the edge to rest against. What to do.

This is where it’s best to add a little power to your hand work and bring out a trim router. With a small diameter router bit loaded, you nibble away the waste to clear your socket, then it’s back to chisels to clean the socket and true up its sides. The obvious concern is how to balance a router on the drawer front’s edge as you hog out waste.

When routing waste on flat panels simply clamp a scrap along the back of your workpiece just even with the edge. The added thickness provides support for your router as you work. (To see this setup and how it works, check out this video, click here.) Here again the curved front presents a problem because there is no surface to which to clamp. This is where you need to put on a thinking cap.

Cut a bevel into an 8/4 piece of stock – a 4/4 scrap would have worked just as well – so the bevel cut somewhat matches the drawer front bend as the workpiece was clamped into a bench vise. Position the scrap so it extends over the vise, then clamp the scrap to the bench. Use a small square to set the drawer front flush to the top edge of the scrap and level with the scrap as shown in the photo. With this setup, the scrap provides support for a trim router as waste is routed from the sockets.

Before I began any routing I scribed my base line, laid out my socket areas, then cut the sides with my dovetail saw. This defines the sockets and provides a bumper when you route as you do not want to nick the sides of your sockets. Also, remember to set the depth of cut on your router.

Trim away most of the excess as shown in the photo below, then use chisels to pare your sockets to finished shape.

Build Something Great!

Glen

Shaker Counter Top

This is a photo of one of the two known Shaker counters on which I based my counter in the June 2012 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. As I looked at the photo, I concluded that it surely wasn’t a maple top as was the balance of the counter. No, this top looked more cherry-like in color.

With that determination, I built my top out of cherry. I finished the counter carcase using a mixture of half golden amber maple dye and half brown walnut dye – a mixture I use quite often since I tired of a straight golden amber maple color. The top I finished with my favorite dye for cherry, dark antique Sheraton which is actually a mahogany color in the Moser’s line of aniline dye. (I use Moser’s dye almost all the time.)

When the two parts were complete, and the top married with the base, I felt ill. The combination was so far from what I saw in my mind’s eye, I wondered if I needed stronger glasses. It would not work. I had to change the top’s color or wood. I chose color because it was much more work to change the wood. Or so I thought.

Samples closet to the bottles includes the India ink. I think coverage is better as is the color – less blue, more black. (With Moser's ebony out of stock in my finish cabinet, I turned to Transtint.)

First thing to do was to strip the top of its dark antique Sheraton dye. Pull out my #80 scraper and get busy. To my surprise, the top was clean in a short time, but I had to completely sand the surface a second time. With that complete, what would be the best look for the top. I looked again at the antique counter and began to see the top as if it may be ebonized. My top was cherry, and cherry is one of the better choices when ebonizing. Sounded like a plan.

I knew that using only ebony aniline dye would leave my top with a bluish cast. That’s not good. I went back and again read Brian Boggs’ article on ebonizing a finish (June 2009), but that procedure, even though the results are extremely nice, is too involved for my liking. I needed something easier.

I thought back to when contributing editor, Christopher Schwarz built one of his many benches and needed to fill in some larger cracks in his top. He used a two-part epoxy colored with India ink. Why not mix some ink in with my dye to see if I could move from blue to black.

I decided to use one part ink with 10 parts dye – I figured a 10% solution would be good to start. I didn’t want to simply ink the top. My results were, at least to my eye, better than the dye itself. One coat on the cherry added a great deal of color, but still allowed the cherry grain – and the slight reddish hue – to show through. I am very satisfied with the finished appearance of my top, and equally happy with the combination of the ebonized top perched on the “popping” tiger maple. Take a look for yourself – pick up a copy of the magazine.

Build Something Great!

Glen

Drawer Design Justification

This week I worked on the drawers for the huge secretary I’m building. I began with the idea that I would build these drawers using typical 18th-century construction techniques – drawer sides that are half-blind dovetailed into the fronts with through dovetails connecting the sides and backs, and drawer bottoms that slip under the backs and run in grooves cut into the sides and fronts. As I assembled the first drawer, I realized that these behemoths, being 47″ wide and 20″ deep, would be too much drawer for the 1/2″-thick drawer parts I milled. I needed a way to stiffen the drawers, and to add strength.

I turned to drawer slips. Of course, slips are an English design, so I had to justify my choice. Here is how I did just that. If you look into southern furniture design, English designs were held onto longer than any of the cities in the north. As I wrote before, this secretary is going to spend at least its beginning years outside Charleston, South Carolina, so why not use drawer slips along with the other distinctively southern features already added to the piece. It’s not a period reproduction.

That’s all it took.

Because I had ripped the drawer backs to 3/4″ less in width that the sides – something I do whenever I build drawers in an 18th-century manner, except very small drawers – I had to use 1″-wide pieces at the sides of the drawers to allow material above the grooves that catch the drawer bottoms. I decided to use 2 1/2″-wide stock at the center of each drawer, again for support and for strength.

The photo immediately above shows the pieces as seen from the front. Small tongues fit into a groove cut into the drawer fronts. As you can see, there is a lot of work in these pieces.

The photo to the left shows the back end of a set of slips. Each drawer requires a set. The outer slips notch under the drawer back while the center piece, being 3/4″ thick, also is notched at the top to fit just under the drawer back.

The opening photo shows a side piece installed in a drawer box. A small bead of glue is spread on the slip and tongue then spring clamps hold the piece in position as the glue dries.

The last photo, at the right, shows how the center piece is installed. The tongue is glued in the front groove while glue and two nails hold the piece at the back. One thing to make sure of, if you use this technique, is that your drawer boxes are square. Once installed, drawer slips tend to hold the drawer as it is – you’re not going to use your drawer bottoms to help square a drawer.

I am very happy with the results of the added slips. My drawers tightened up nicely and the added strength is welcomed. Can you imagine how these drawers would have reacted if a single drawer bottom were hung in the 1/4″ deep grooves? Even if nailed solid along the back edge, there would have been trouble. And once the bottoms are in place, the look of the inside of the drawers is clean.

Build Something Great!
Glen

 

Different Woods

Because I posted the breadboards end router technique video Wednesday, I thought I would be self-serving with this post and show the first group of custom order mallet handles to ship out.

Arranged on my bench, I was in awe of the wood types selected. As a group, woodworkers are as individual as people are as a whole. The only woods selected by more than one customer was cocobolo – I too, like this exotic – and Honduran Rosewood.

Included in the group from left to right are Tiger Maple (not an exotic, but he wanted his handle without my company name. Still trying to figure that out!), Blackwood, Honduran Rosewood, Black Palm, Cocobolo, Zebrawood, a second Cocobolo, and a second Rosewood (another without the company name).

Below is a look at the actual mallets. By the way, WoodNet folks please take notice. I have dropped the dot com from the handle engravings. After reading your thoughts, I agree that the company name is enough. The best person to listen to in business is your customer.

Happy Easter, and Build Something Great!
Glen