LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Project Information

This is my first project ever and I'm pretty proud of it. I decided to build this for my future grand daughter and it was still late in completion although she came a bit early too. It took me about 5 months all together with only a few hours a week to work on it to come up with the design and work through all of the steps to complete it. The cradle is made of maple and purple heart and I think they contrast each other really well but I'll be looking forward to your comments. My wife made the bedding for it and I think it gives it a good antique look. I learned a lot through the process and still have a long ways to go and much more to learn before I'm confident as a wood worker but I love the whole process and seeing something come from only some boards, glue and a lot of time and patience is a truely wonderful thing. I hope you enjoy it!

Gallery

Comments

· Registered
Joined
·
247 Posts
Hello Walter

Nice work

We want more pictures !!!

Thanks for sharing
 

· Registered
Joined
·
5 Posts
Thanks Digger! I just did, let me know what you think.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
4 Posts
Yes please more pictures!

Looks like you did an excellent job from what I can see. What a nice heirloom that can stay in the family for years to come!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
0 Posts
Rock a bye baby nice job you and your wife did.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
247 Posts
Walter

What a beautiful work

A good design
Nicely done
Congratulations
What size and what did you use for the finish ?
I really like it

Your future grand daugther will be happy with a so pretty craddle

Thanks for the pictures
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,517 Posts
Very Nice indeed.
Colour combination is great.
Like the period bedding too.

Thanks for sharing
Jamie
In Chilly Scotland
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,001 Posts
Great job, especially whether this is your first piece, or not!

Well thought-out, and executed.

A couple of questions, if I may: What is the story behind the Roman numerals on the bottom slats? What sort of hardware did you use for the moving/rocking parts? A metal sleeve insert, or just wooden dowels?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
5 Posts
Wow thanks everybody! OK first off, 1SGTBob thanks for your service, I'm still in the Army with 7 years until I retire so you will understand why a project can take a while. Digger the inside dimensions are 33"x16"x12" and it was finished with four coats of 2lb cut blonde shellac. Alba I relayed your comments to my lovely wife on the period bedding. Jonathan the story on the roman numerals in the toung and groove slats is simply a design element and to put them in in the right order since they can be removed for any "whopsies". The moving/rocking parts are just wooden dowels which have a bit of a squeak that I'm hoping for suggestions to fix. I hope that answered all your questions but if you have any more or any other comments I appreciate them all.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
101 Posts
You can try wax on the squeaky parts.

Gotta love the heart motif, its perfect!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,001 Posts
I'm with Bob on the wax; I haven't used it in that way, but I would if I was faced with this situation. If it were me, I've got a tin of Renaissance Wax on the shelf that I'd use. If you don't have that, or don't want to buy it, maybe find a carnauba-based wax?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
5 Posts
Bob/Jonathan, thanks I forgot to mention that I've tried beeswax without result so far. It may be a question of building layers of it and unless I find a better suggestion that's the way I'm going. I'll keep everybody updated on how it works.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
581 Posts
Beautiful!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
2,242 Posts
Fantastic job, color and appearance are wonderful
 

· Registered
Joined
·
4 Posts
You should be pretty proud of it !!

Super job, can't believe its your first project..you sir, have talent.

Above all, thanks to you and Bob for your service !!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,487 Posts
Beautiful job on your cradle. You have every right to be proud of it. Too bad that you cannot spend more time doing woodworking. Congratulations on the new granddaughter. Thanks for sharing.

God Bless
tom
 

· Registered
Joined
·
77 Posts
Very nice Walter looking at cradles on this site and others sites and magazines is one of my favorite pastimes. Yours is no doubt one of the finest ones I have seen , it is beautiful and will become a treasured family heirloom for sure.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
30 Posts
Add myself to those thanking you for your service!

In the final stages of finishing my second cradle since this summer.
guess the first one for my first Grandson was okay?
similar to yours but not nearly as perfect. Yes, you should certainly be proud of it. Yes, wax is the magic for stopping the squeak.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,895 Posts
Thank you for your service. Beautiful looking cradle, and if the wooden dowels are a loose fit and the squeak
is not caused by tightness, then the carnuba wax should do the trick, although it may take a couple of layers
of it. The cradle will do a good job of rocking the baby when you and grandmother are not there to do it.
 

· In Loving Memory
Joined
·
5,826 Posts
That's a beautiful cradle and will become a family heirloom; Congratulations on a job well done.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
5 Posts
My sincere thanks everybody. I'm still adding wax and it is slowly quieting the squeak so I do believe that's the answer. BigG you should put some pictures on here of your cradle(s) I'd like to see them.
 
Top