| Project by Dekker | posted 362 days ago | 405 views | 1 time favorited | 15 comments |  |
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Built 2002 – 2006
This pair of nightstands was taken from Woodsmith Magazine #76, however I modified it for hight since the original was only 22” tall! I started the project while living at a house that had a double-car garage for my workshop (ah, nice to be spread out), but then I moved mid-project, then got married, and never picked it up again at the new house that only had a single-car garage and hence no real workshop. The project gathered dust, and I was actually ashamed that I had started since it was always one of those projects that I considered a failure since it was never finished…
Of course, about 3 years later I decided enough was enough, and in a flurry of activity I finally finished the project!
And since finishing this project, I have bought a planer… I got tired of hand-planing the nightstand tops and I was dreading having to do the same to the dresser I wanted to make next (still haven’t started…)
Wood: Cherry
Finish: Tung oil, then shellac, then wax
Hardware: handles from Lee Valley Tools
Techniques: The only really interresting technique were the half-blind dovetails on the drawers… router cut
The first two photos show the finished nightstands from different angles, one showing off the dovetails. The last photo shows the drawers all aligned in a row, in-between coats of shellac. I had to dry these in my basement since it was too cold and humid (it was late fall).
-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/
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15 comments so far
mot
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4837 posts in 518 days
posted 362 days ago
Beautiful work, Dekker. I have a few projects that have spanned more than a calendar year. They came out nice!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Dekker
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143 posts in 362 days
posted 362 days ago
Thanks. Now if only I could convince the Ms. that buying wood for the dresser is a good investment… ;)
-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/
WayneC
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5685 posts in 579 days
posted 362 days ago
Very nice. You just have to keep after her and I’m sure the wood will come.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
MsDebbieP
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11909 posts in 642 days
posted 362 days ago
well done! Congrats on completing the project
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Max
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5852 posts in 755 days
posted 362 days ago
Wonderful looking, the finish really turned out nice as well as everything on them. Great project…
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
sandhill
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235 posts in 406 days
posted 362 days ago
Nice job! I love the finish.
-- Just another day in paradise.
CharlieM1958
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4170 posts in 700 days
posted 362 days ago
Beautiful! I agree with sandhill…the finish is exceptional.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Dekker
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143 posts in 362 days
posted 362 days ago
Thanks for the praise, everyone.
Another reason for my having “shelved” the project for so long is because I was honestly scared of the finishing process… I did not want poly. I wanted something that still left the impression that I could touch the wood and I was afraid of screwing up… In the end, there are only minor problems, and only I would notice.
-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/
IowaWoodcrafter
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249 posts in 558 days
posted 362 days ago
All I can say is that they are absolutely gorgeous!
-- Owen Johnson - aka IowaWoodcrafter
oscorner
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4573 posts in 792 days
posted 362 days ago
Excellent work. Beautiful dovetails.
-- Jesus is Lord!
cajunpen
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5348 posts in 547 days
posted 362 days ago
Nice looking night stands.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
bryano
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530 posts in 415 days
posted 359 days ago
Beautiful work Dekker. Now if you can show the wife how cost effective the wood for the dresser will be you might get that extra tool youve always wanted to help finish the project. (hint, hint). Lol
-- bryano
Karson
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12889 posts in 882 days
posted 359 days ago
Great set of side cabinets
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Dekker
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143 posts in 362 days
posted 358 days ago
Hey BryanO, unfortunately the cost of the wood is the same (or more) than the cost of a dresser from a retail store made of pressboard. The selling point for my wife is that she can actually stuff my drawers (excuse the pun) and they won’t break, while the retail drawers have always burst their bottoms from her packing ;P
There’s something to be said for solid bottoms, or even plywood bottoms. Hardboard (which they use alot in retail furniture) just won’t stand up to the abuse. Of course, since I know my wife’s habits, it’s easy to design extra strength from the beginning!
Thanks everyone for the encouragement. It’s always nice to hear someone else say something nice. Significant others are duty-bound to say they like it.
Actually, the next project is the bed frame. For my wife, it’s the daunting investment of $1000 or so in wood, with nothing to show for it until a month or more later… There’s that natural fear that I won’t finish the project at all, and all that $ will be wasted! Of course, that wouldn’t happen… ya gotta sleep somewhere!
-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/
Beginningwoodworker
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454 posts in 155 days
posted 145 days ago
Thats a very nice night stand.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker