Custom Solid Walnut Block Front Chest

One custom made solid walnut block front chest – to date the only one we’ve done in American Black Walnut. Most of these are less formal and are made in pine or poplar. Picked out some random/rustic walnut to give this piece a good character.

A simple four panel construction each panel is three planks and they interlock with one giant finger joint at each corner. This as basic but functionally effective as it gets. All you then have to do is peg or screw through the opposing faces and the joints are solid and square.

The top is three planks with breadboard ends and three butterflies securing a crack and adding a little decoration. The bottom is a floating plank panel sitting on a bottom frame lip – the bottom frame secures the feet. A simple molding around the outer perimeter spiked in with cut nails holds the bottom panel in place.

The only carving on this piece is obviously the shells atop and bottom of the center block panel. The feet are just simple brackets with a step front matching the form of the block front.

Custom iron strap hinges and handles by Horton-Brasses.

-- Eric M. Saperstein, Master Craftsman www.artisansofthevalley.com