| Project by Patrick Jaromin | posted 312 days ago | 739 views | 8 times favorited | 21 comments |  |
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I designed/built this dresser for my son Sean born last January. Clearly I needed something a bit more masculine for my son than the butterfly dresser I built for Annalise. I had previously completed a couple projects featuring genuine Mahogany and thought a combination of Mahogany and Maple might be nice.
One of the reasons I absolutely love SketchUp is that it’s so incredibly easy to whip up a design concept, that I actually draw most projects twice. First with little regard to construction or any real practicalities—just free design, primarily concerned with aesthetics. Then I’ll redraw the piece more carefully—and in this case I drew it piece by piece as I would actually construct it. I prefer the surprises happen in the virtual rather than cutting actual hardwood. All that said, I still managed to cut the top too narrow. This lead to the addition of a back rail that I actually prefer over the original design. I guess we can call this a fortuitous mistake…or perhaps it was a sub conscience design decision! :)
The primary design choice that I struggled with was the attachment of the legs to the carcass. I couldn’t decide if I should cut a rabbet in the legs and set the carcass into them, or should I simply attach the “walls” to the whole legs? The former seemed sturdier, but I couldn’t help but think I’d wind up with a gap somewhere between the leg and the side. Also, as I was tapering the legs, I worried that a deep rabbet would weaken them significantly at the bottom. In the end, I decided to join the legs to the sides without a rabbet—by using a combination of biscuits and pocket screws. This feels very solid to me and the top acts as a sort of trestle for the carcass…so I think I’m good here…at least until he becomes a 6’, 200lbs fullback and decides to sit on it. Hmmm. What do you think?
This shows the legs with the opposing biscuit slots…for some strength, though primarily for alignment during glue up. Screw pockets were cut in the sides to reinforce this joint.
Here’s the glue-up of the top, with visible Mahogany splines in the corners…
I was also very concerned about the wide beveled maple edging around the top. I hadn’t mitered such a wide/thick piece before and felt certain that they wouldn’t come together. Thankfully, I was very wrong. By some miracle I managed to get the corners nice and tight. It helps that there were only 3 sides.
The mahogany was finished with a red mahogany stain topped with a “American Cherry” gel stain. The top coat is a satin water-based poly.
If you’re interested, there are more photos detailing the construction at my blog.
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com
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21 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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4170 posts in 700 days
posted 312 days ago
Gorgeous work! Welcome to Lumberjocks.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
squeak
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3 posts in 393 days
posted 312 days ago
I like what you’ve done . I have tried the sketchup program without much luck . I’m glad to see someone can get great result from it .
rjack
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110 posts in 336 days
posted 312 days ago
I want to get better with Sketchup. I think your approach to design really make sense. I really like the contrasting woods. Are the 3 little squares on top simple inlays or do they serve some other function?
-- Roger - Havertown, Pennsylvania
Patrick Jaromin
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231 posts in 314 days
posted 312 days ago
Thanks, all!
SketchUp takes some effort but for me it’s the easiest CAD software there is. The “follow me” tool makes short work of intricate moldings which I’ve used for bar rail and door moldings in the past (I’ll post those at some point). I saw a really cool blog entry this morning by Brad_nailer detailing how to use it to draw a raised panel door.
Roger – Yeah…just decorative inlays. Since I did the butterflies on my daughter’s crib/dresser, I figured I needed to do something for my son as well. Since I wanted a simple, modern and masculine look for the piece, I settled on the squares. I used curly maple and oriented the grain diagonally on the outside 2 and vertically in the middle piece for interest. I echoed this pattern of inlays in the crib I built for him (which I’ll post in the near future).
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com
mot
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4837 posts in 518 days
posted 312 days ago
Patrick, that’s a pretty impressive piece. Thanks for posting construction detail as well.
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
MsDebbieP
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11909 posts in 642 days
posted 312 days ago
pretty impressive indeed. A beautiful piece of furniture that he’ll have forever
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Todd A. Clippinger
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2536 posts in 581 days
posted 312 days ago
SMACK! That is a nice looking piece!
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
toyguy
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449 posts in 319 days
posted 312 days ago
So pretty…...... nice job.
-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/
Blake
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2000 posts in 356 days
posted 312 days ago
I would love to do work like that some day. Beautiful job. That will be an heirloom to be treasured for many generations.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com
Grumpy
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5577 posts in 332 days
posted 312 days ago
Very nice indeed Patrick.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
Chip
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1058 posts in 574 days
posted 311 days ago
Gem of a piece. Thanks for letting us get a look at it.
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
DAN
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3191 posts in 464 days
posted 311 days ago
beautiful dresser. mahogany and maple together gives it a modern look.
-- ..... art for lifes sake
miles125
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920 posts in 487 days
posted 311 days ago
Very striking look. Great job Patrick.
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
shaun
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362 posts in 387 days
posted 311 days ago
Sweeeeeeetttt!
-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!
RobG
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72 posts in 304 days
posted 303 days ago
Really great work!!
-- Woodworking is Life. Anything before or after is just waiting.--S. McQueen sort of
Mark A. DeCou
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1305 posts in 887 days
posted 299 days ago
Beautiful work Patrick. Congrats on the new boy.
-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flint Hill's Artisan
davidtheboxmaker
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323 posts in 287 days
posted 259 days ago
Great colour combinations.
I usually use a Victorian mahogany stain, but I think I’ll try the red mahogany. I.ve got some mahogany and some maple – could make a good box.
rikkor
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7604 posts in 356 days
posted 259 days ago
Excellent!
-- Maplewood, MN
jeanmarc
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1752 posts in 198 days
posted 103 days ago
beautiful dresser
-- jeanmarc manosque france
Beginningwoodworker
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453 posts in 154 days
posted 28 days ago
Thats a beautiful dresser, Patrick.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Bob A in NJ
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334 posts in 480 days
posted 26 days ago
Wow, what a beauty! Love this design.
-- Bob A in NJ