Stately Commode is DONE!

After hours of ripping, crosscutting, jointing, assembling, sanding, gluing, sanding, pore-filling, sanding, staining, sanding, and restaining, this is what I was left with...

The carcase on the left hasn't been stained yet, so you can see the white dust left from the plaster I used as a pore filler (worked amazingly well)

So... this is my final project, after pore filling with Plaster, using a gel stain and 2 sprays of lacquer.

Ain't she a beauty?

As you can see from the light filtering through the clearances, I didn't have time to rip a back >.<
Look at that silky smooth top!

A detail of the moldings and dovetailed drawers. Apparently the stripe of stain down the joint is "traditional". I prefer showcasing the dovetails, personally, but meh...

The feet and base molding (a wee bit dusty)

The top drawer, with side detail... look at the shine off the gables!

Current Project: Stately Commode

I thought I'd share my current project. It's a love-hate relationship, really, and it's taking *forever* to put together.

For our 2nd semester, students are usually put into groups of 2 or 3 for a major machined project. Some work from previous years is on display at the front entrance to our building. We oohed and awed over them at the beginning of our course, and in the middle of February(?) we actually got to start working on them.

I was done my Pine Single Commode (might get a pic up later) 3rd. The 1st and 2nd students were put together, as were the 4th and 5th, so I was given the option of going it alone. I figured alright -- no problem! Five months later, I realize I bit off *far* more than I could reasonably chew >.<

Lapped, rebated dovetails -- oooh.. ahhhh

The base -- John C. used a particle board base to hold the three pieces together

The feet on the lathe -- rather messy work ;)

A foot in progress

So what exactly do you do?

So... there's 3 weeks left in my programme, and some of my friends & family still don't really know what on earth I'm learning to do... "Cabinetmaking and Furniture Technician" sounds like someone who makes kitchen cabinets (a la Ikea), and works on a furniture assembly line. It really is an awful course title :P

Here's our 1st semester final project. It's a pine tool chest made entirely with hand tools (well, aside from the wood milling and the curved side opening), and I *loved* the outcome.




Inside, notice the "girly" knobs :) When the projects are marked, they're all lined up with no names. Dave knew this was mine as soon as he opened it up *lol*


Notice the lapped dovetail drawer sides -- all hand done with a dovetail saw and chisel.

Dog Agility

I think my Mum should make her own version of "Agility and What Can Go Wrong" :)

Alpaca Shearing

I think this is the next step for my Mum after she masters dog-grooming :)

I Blame the Heat Wave!

My gorgeous $5 Fuschia is dead :(

I accept ZERO responsibility -- it was this dreadful heat! The fact that I hadn't watered it in 3 days while it was baking on our balcony had NOTHING to do with it >.>

*sigh*

/me runs off to Parkdale Market to find another Fuschia before DH notices...

Hogan Kitchen Design

Update: I've noticed a number of Google hits on this blog for "Hogan Kitchen Design." While it would stroke my ego to think hundreds of people are fascinated by my college project, I have a feeling they are actually looking for Hogan Kitchens. I am (unfortunately) not affiliated with them in any way. Beautiful kitchens and website though -- makes me proud to be an Hogan. I'm thinking of sending them a resume ;)

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So I'm doing my parent's kitchen, as a giant Thank You for paying for my Cabinetmaking degree at Algonquin College. I did it up on 20/20 Design (version 5.8, or something) at school (VERY good program, but a couple years out of date).

My Mum was*thrilled* when I showed her the plan and the 3d view. Here are some pics of it, taken from the program. Some known issues: I couldn't figure out how to insert the bulkheads, so some cabinets are lower than others for no apparent reason (trust me, it'll be fine), I removed the kickplate, the appliance garages should have wood sides, the walls won't be a dreadful shade of grey or bright green, the spot-lighting isn't in it's final location, and the overhead lightbox is a very ugly shade of green.