Project Information
This secretary was my senior project. Built in 2002, it was a culmination of 10 years for me as a 4-H woodworking member. Each year I built a woodworking project and competed with my peers at the county fair. When you win at the county level you can then go on to compete at the state level. Winning at the Ohio State Fair was the best you could do in 4-H. Each year I tried to win awards at the state fair and several years I came in as a runner up. This was my last project and last year in 4-H and I finally won came in as grand champion in the woodworking category. It was a big honor when I was 18 years old.
There is a lot of history in this project. I wanted to make this project from all reclaimed antique walnut. There is richness of color to old growth walnut that is hard to find in the grayish purple kiln dried stuff that you can buy today. The walnut for this project came from several sources. All the wood was from the 18th and 19th centuries and was permeated with dry rot, powder post beetle trails and square-cut iron nails. I was able to salvage enough decent wood and I filled a coffee can with the nails I removed.
This jelly cupboard was salvaged from a German "I" house built in Massachusetts in 1790.
This 22 inch wide board was a piece of walnut siding salvaged from a corn crib built in 1823. I found several pieces of lead shotgun pellets when planing this piece. I left them in the wood and lacquered over them.
This material is from a frame farmhouse built in 1850. The owner tore out all the old trim during a remodel and gave it to my dad.
Here are the feet in rough form. I made the ogee by making multiple passes on a table saw with a rip blade set a different heights.
The following are pictures of me working on this project. I am 18 years old in the pictures.
This project is my favorite piece that I have ever built. I have many great memories from working on it. I think it will far outlive me as I pass it down to future generations.
There is a lot of history in this project. I wanted to make this project from all reclaimed antique walnut. There is richness of color to old growth walnut that is hard to find in the grayish purple kiln dried stuff that you can buy today. The walnut for this project came from several sources. All the wood was from the 18th and 19th centuries and was permeated with dry rot, powder post beetle trails and square-cut iron nails. I was able to salvage enough decent wood and I filled a coffee can with the nails I removed.
This jelly cupboard was salvaged from a German "I" house built in Massachusetts in 1790.
This 22 inch wide board was a piece of walnut siding salvaged from a corn crib built in 1823. I found several pieces of lead shotgun pellets when planing this piece. I left them in the wood and lacquered over them.
This material is from a frame farmhouse built in 1850. The owner tore out all the old trim during a remodel and gave it to my dad.
Here are the feet in rough form. I made the ogee by making multiple passes on a table saw with a rip blade set a different heights.
The following are pictures of me working on this project. I am 18 years old in the pictures.
This project is my favorite piece that I have ever built. I have many great memories from working on it. I think it will far outlive me as I pass it down to future generations.