| Project by rustfever | posted 1253 days ago | 1191 views | 0 times favorited | 9 comments |  |
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In 1970, my wife wanted a maple hutch, BAD. So I, a begining woodworker, found some fiddleback and birdseye maple. I had no idea how to work this material. But I was game and I tried. With a 1950’s Dewalt radial arm saw, a 4” short bed joiner, and a router, and a few ‘shakey’ handtools, I tackled the project. Suprisingly, I got it to completion in just a few month.
A good friend owned a paint store and help me decide the finish and the technique. He convinced me a clear finish varnish and to rub it out with pumice and rottenstone. Of couse, I was told I needed to rub the rottenstone with lemon oil. Every single sq inch was rubbed with rottonstone/lemon oil under my thumb. I doubt my thumb will ever recover.
Now, nearly forty years later, it still has a place of importance in our home. It is the repository of a few fine pieces of heirloom china and crystal, and lots of family memories [aka: pictures] All of our chidlren, their spouses, and our Grand Kids live daily at this shrine.
This was my first piece of furniture. I was ill prepared to do the work, but with patience, perserverance, and help from good friends, I made it thru. The finish today, is just as good as the day I presented it to my wife for her birthday in 1970.
-- Rustfever, Central California
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9 comments so far
a1Jim
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87370 posts in 1749 days
#1 posted 1253 days ago
Wow such a beautiful piece hard to believe it was your first project. Just plan wonderful.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
RayCurtis
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128 posts in 1336 days
#2 posted 1253 days ago
Great Work and design for a first project.
-- RayCurtis
Monty Queen
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1568 posts in 1424 days
#3 posted 1253 days ago
Lovely, looks extremmely elegant.
-- Monty Q, Columbia, South Carolina.
Bob Kollman
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1779 posts in 1363 days
#4 posted 1253 days ago
The proof is in your workmanship. That is some beautiful maple.
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
Frankie Talarico Jr.
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356 posts in 1529 days
#5 posted 1253 days ago
great project for a beginner. The finish was never touched up or more coats added through the years. Pretty impressive. Sounds like someone has OCD like most of us lumberjocks. Nice work
-- Live by what you believe, not what they want you to believe.
tnwood
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168 posts in 1259 days
#6 posted 1253 days ago
Nice piece of furniture that will stand the test of time. I remember rottenstone and oil rubbing out of finishes in the 50’s and 60’s. I think one of the modern miracles of today’s woodworking is the many finishes that are readily available to avoid some of the hard work. But even having said that, I rubbed out a finish a few years ago with rottenstone and oil but I used a random orbital sander with a pad on it to do the hard work.
ND2ELK
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13495 posts in 1946 days
#7 posted 1253 days ago
Beautiful looking hutch. You did a very nice job on it. Love that wood! Thanks for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
stefang
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9510 posts in 1507 days
#8 posted 1253 days ago
You must be a brave man to tackle such a demanding project without prior experience. Beautiful wood and great craftsmanship right off the bat! Obviously some are more gifted than others. Well done.
-- Mike, American in Norway
rustfever
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527 posts in 1483 days
#9 posted 1252 days ago
I have to confess, I had taken a one quarter night class in woodworking at the local high school. I was taught the safe operation of the table saw, planer, joiner, and the lathe. In the night class, I learned to make a chess board, a cutting board, and to turn a file handle on the lathe. However, I watched others make mortice and tenion joints, dados joints for shelves, and make mouldings.
I went home with the buring idea that “Yes I can”. And I did.
-- Rustfever, Central California
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