Summer Challenge....Or Not

So, I started out with strong intentions to build something for the summer challenge. I rescued 3 large Doug-Fir cutoffs (6” x 6” x 48” approximately) from the trash truck on the last remodeling job I did, took them home, and milled them to random sizes. I left a couple pretty thick so I could get a full 2” rift cut for legs/etc…, and cut a few down to 2” to be (possibly) bookmatched cabinet sides or something…

Anyhow, everything looked great to start; the lumber was very dry (it had been laying in a crawl space under a tarp for two years before it made it’s way to the trash trailer, and it was originally kiln-dried), so once I decided what I wanted to build I started rough milling the pieces. The project was a chest-on-stand that would serve two purposes – it was to be my entry into the summer challenge, and it was going to be gifted to some friends who are expecting their first child.

Once I started milling the pieces all hell broke loose. There were many large internal checks and cracks that weren’t revealed until I jointed, planed, etc… Many of the checks and cracks that I could see appeared to be very shallow, but I was wrong. The wood basically turned out to be trash. I got a few good boards out of the first few pieces, and although I still had plenty left to try, I decided that my effort might be wasted at this point since the contest has ended, and that little baby friend of mine is about ready to come bustin’ out into the world.

I took some of the good pieces and went ahead with a mockup of the stand (figured I would do my best to use it since I already spent the time to mill it), and I will soon start working on the case. All I have at this point are rough drawings, but you may be able to get the idea from these pics:

I just pocket screwed the pieces together. More than anything I am trying to get a feel for the scale of the piece, as well as work out some design issues. Not really issues so much as trying to figure out if I want the bottom stretchers to be straight or curved. Also, just trying to get the spacing between the aprons and stretchers dialed in. So far I think it looks alright, but I’ll probably keep playing with ideas.

Anyhow, the plan has changed as far as the wood goes. I have a little Walnut I plan to use for the base, and a good sized Canarywood cutoff that I may resaw into veneers for the chest/case.

Hope this all makes sense…

Regards, JM

-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/