Concave Chest of Drawers #1: Getting Started

Blake,
Wow, looks like a good start. I look forward to pictures of the drawer construction.

-- Scott in Texas

Blake as always nice project!

-- Doc Hanson - www.ripnchisel.com

As usual I can see that you simply cannot resist a challenge. Your progress on this piece is looking pretty good. This is going to be another interesting series.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Great idea. I like finger joints, as much as dovetails.

-- Martell

I love your vision for this piece. The wood is “speaking” to you. That is your designs are inspired by the wood itself. You have got it Blake.

Was just talking about you with Thos. Angle this morning and showed him your piece.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

This is going to be a great project, looking forward to the next installment!

-- Rich in Richmond

Beautiful wood. I can see why it was an impulse buy.

-- Paul, Texas

Nice job, Blake!

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Great step by step photos! Looks like your project will be an eye catcher!

-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings

Blake -

As always, a very cool project underway! This will be a fun project blog to follow.

David

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Blake It’s got a great shape. Are you veneering the drawer fronts or laminating solid wood?

The wood is spectacular.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

It looks like it is coming along great. It is already very impressive. Keep up the good work!

-- A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave. ~Benjamin Franklin

Watch out for spring back when you laminate the drawer faces. The thicker the lamination’s the more spring back.

You might want to make the face layer thicker to allow you to “tune” it later.

Or do all the drawers exactly the same and then make the case match them.

It’s just about impossible to predict the exact amount of curve you will end up with.

Good luck

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I’m glad you didn’t quit. The world doesn’t deserve to be deprived of your talent. Thank you Blake.

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin

So far so good. Nnice series of photos, can’t wait for the finished product.

-- Bill from Lithia Springs, GA I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.

Wouldn’t you know it that GaryK beat me to it, but my first thought now that you have cut the curve for the front of the carcass is how you are going to ensure that the bent laminations match that curve without spnringback. I have very little lamination experience but I have heard so much about springback that it has me wondering how you will handle it.

Maybe you can make them thicker to allow planing to match the curve. Make them from a secondary species and then veneer the fronts with the maple once planed to match. Just my thoughts. How are you going to tackle it?

Can’t wait to see more, this is a great looking build.

-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

The last time I did bent laminations I didn’t have any spring-back at all. Maybe it was because of the glue I used, which is specifically made for bent laminations and is guaranteed to have less spring-back than any other product. It might also be from using really thin strips. I will try to do everything the same. I will also allow some extra thickness and attach the front veneer last.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com