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Greene & Greene Inspired Blanket Chest

7K views 7 replies 2 participants last post by  CaptainSkully 
#1 ·
Initial Design

I have been working on this for a couple of days and it isn't done. I was thinking about building the nightstands from below, but since this is my first furniture piece, I would start with something a little more simple.

Use your imagination to round all the edges/cloud-lifts. I just started laying it out in sketchup from scratch and tried to do things from memory from what I had seen instead of working directly off of a picture/plan. Not to say that it is all that original, but more to explain away some of the proportions, like the bread-board ends. I have done a couple of drafts mixed between going back and looking at the nightstands and pictures to compare and incorporate design features.

Greene and Greene inspired from:
The nightstands project/blog: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/3946
Greene & Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop by Darrell Peart
Shop Drawings for Greene & Greene Furniture: 23 American Arts and Crafts Masterpieces by Robert W. Lang

The entire project will be constructed of cherry. I am using a veneered mdf for the panels, and will line the inside with a red cedar ply so you will never know. I used different wood textures in sketchup to help provide some contrast, I am hoping for a much more uniform look.

I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback on some of the proportions/elements.


Here is a copy of the sketchup file
 
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#2 ·
I think it looks phenomenal. If this is your idea of starting on an easy project, then I can't wait to see what's next. Have you thought about spacing the vertical stiles according to the Golden Mean? If it fits within the cloud lifts, then each side panel will be 1x and the middle panel will be 1.618x. Have you checked out Darrell Peart's book? He shows how to make the jigs for the pillowed ebony plugs and the corner splines. Please keep us posted on your progress.
 
#4 ·
V2 File Uploaded

I have been progressing along on this project, and have had a lot of revisions to the original file, and at this point I would consider it to be complete. You can download the v2 file from the link in the original post. There were a lot of small adjustments, and finishing all of the sizing/joinery on the lid. I also added the Rockler spring-loaded hinges and resized the top trim to fit.

I am using the Cutlist 4 plugin for Sketchup, so with all the joinery, it produces correct dimensions for all of the components to be cut.

I haven't posted any pics since the process up to this point has been already covered pretty thoroughly in other blogs.

Accomplished So Far:

I am using 1/2" cherry/mdf for the panels. The interior will be lined with a 1/4" red/ceder ply. The bottom was vacuum packed and the top panel was also vacuum packed with a 5.2mm Baltic Birch core to come out at almost exactly 1" thick. It will appear to be 100% cherry/cedar, even from the bottom, and I shouldn't have a problem with wood movement. The plugs in the top will be more decorative.

I didn't like how the original posts came out of the 8/4 board, and quarter-sawn Cherry is nearly unobtainable and definitely price prohibitive. I made the mistake of scrapping one edge on my first cuts, leaving a combination of straight grain and a character side. I chose a different board and left the scrap in the center to get the straightest grain possible on the exposed edges. Did this make any sense at all?

I bought some Ebony from the bargain bin and have cut square dowels to make the different sized plugs. I should post a picture to show how rough the pieces are, but when you only need it for plugs you can start with almost anything.

I have all of the hardwood cut to length and routed/mortised. I will post some pictures in the next week or so once I can dry-fit the pieces and it starts to take shape. It looks like it is going to work!

I am also finalizing my design for the nightstands..
 
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