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First project made for myself other than shop projects: a valet made of American Elm stock graciously sent to me by LJ member Paul Miller a couple of years ago. If you check my projects, you'll see that this is my second valet - the first was given to my grandson. Stained with MinWax Pecan stain to provide some color. All of the staining and most of the topcoating, except for the very outside surfaces, was completed before assembly - would have been too difficult to stain and finish the insides after assembly. Applied two coats of gloss GF ArmorSeal followed by a final coat of satin ArmorSeal. Completed with a coat of wax. Leather lining for the top piece and bottoms of the drawer and rear three compartments - leather I had sitting around: my dad used to be foreman of the cutting room in a leather factory and later a leather buyer. The pull was one of a set I got on ebay for kitchen cabinets and I thought it went quite well.

Comments and questions welcome; sarcastic remarks accepted.

Jim

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Wonderful work Jim cool design and build.
 

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Very nice design Jim. Just the right amount of versitility for a valet and well built to boot.
 

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this is sweet , jim .

very well done ,
bet the recipient ,
will be overjoyed to have it !
 

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Superb!
 

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Very neat & clean beauty!
 

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Looks good from here!!
 

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Very clean and smooth, Looks great you did well.
 

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Great Job, Jim!!
 

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Very nice Jim! I been wanting to build something similar for myself (I too have yet to build something for me yet…lol). I'm going to pop this bad boy down on my favorites and with your permission make one similar.

Really like this one….
 

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Plans for this valet were published in the Apr/May 2005 issue of Wood Magazine. They are also available at the WoodStore for $3.50.

Jim
 

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Very nice. I did the exact same valet myself a few years ago out of cherry. For the top panel I slipped in a Black Walnut Burl veneer which turned out really nice.
 

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Looks great. Very nice build.
 

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Jim … I really like your valets ( and not because the wood was given by a fellow named Paul Miller ). I think I'm putting one of these on my short list of things to build. Hope it comes out this nice.

Paul Miller
 

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Paul,

Plans for the valet are available at the WoodStore for $3.50. If I were to make another one, I think I would rout dadoes for the short dividers at the back and the long divider that runs the length of the valet - and increase the length of the pieces appropriately. While it works the way they designed it, it would go together a little easier with the dadoes. And, if you do make it, be sure to finish all you can before assembly.

Jim
 

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Dang Jim, using something like that will make people call you sir! Nice job.

I haven't worked with elm yet. How is it to work with?
 

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Darrell, American Elm is very easy to work with. The only complaint is that it fuzzes a bit when cut. Sands easily and takes finish well. It registers at 830 on the Janka Hardness Scale; Cherry is 950, Walnut is 1010, and Sugar Maple is 1450, while yellow poplar is 540 so that should give you some idea of how hard it is.

Jim
 
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