Hope Chest one and only ever

This was a Hope Chest project from #1 Removing the tree from a homesite in Sonoma, #2 Slabing the tree with an Alaskan Mill #2 Kiln drying the rough slabs #4 Resawing the rough slabs into 1 1/2” boards,#5 framing the individual panels with Fiddleback Walnut and cutting the dovetails (first-time for everything)#6 Rabbeting the panels into the legs #6 Finishing the pieces before assembly-Refinising the pieces after the Oil-Varnish clabbered #7 Assemble and fitting the Hardware.

Goal was to build a Hope Chest with the best Black Walnut available I’ve been cutting top quality furniture lumber for several years and when I first slabed this tree new it was something special. The Figure was a series of descending hearts. I built this without using any screws in the structure,only for hardware.

Lessons learned. I’m a better bowl turner than a furniture maker. My friend Glen Holsworth from Holsworth Woodworks makes this look way to easy. The end of your finger where the tablesaw bit you will eventually heal. If you never cut dovetails before think twice before attempting. Puting one dovetail to join a board is difficult, using three to join the same two boards is fiftytimes harder. Never use a finish that you’ve not used before, case in point, oil varnish should not be used over 400 grit sanding on walnut, overnight that its down to mid-twenties, the oil soakes in and leaves the varnish to turn to syrup. And lastly anything is possible if you want it bad enough