LumberJocks

Tansu Inspired Case

Project by Dorje posted 446 days ago 1425 views 16 times favorited 52 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Here’s the completed Tansu style case I started a couple months ago, and blogged here ...this was supposed to be a quick, fun, little project – and although it took the couple months from start to finish, it turned out to be just the right “spend-some-time-on-it-here-and-there-project.”

This is an all scrap wood piece, made of cedar, pine, poplar, fir, and walnut

The case is mitered with walnut keys. The drawers are joined with drawer lock joints (a router joint). The vg fir back is simply rabbeted into the case and tacked with little nails…

Finish is 3 coats of a boiled linseed based mix, with a coat of paste wax.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA


52 comments so far

View chamoruboy's profile

chamoruboy

128 posts in 760 days


posted 446 days ago

Very beautiful. I really like the use of the metal brackets on the face.
Fantastic that it was composed entirely of scrap wood.
Great job!!!

-- Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and love.

View W1ngnu7's profile

W1ngnu7

21 posts in 670 days


posted 446 days ago

Great design Dorje.

-- W1ngnu7

View Eric's profile

Eric

785 posts in 535 days


posted 446 days ago

Wow, it’s really beautiful. Well done.

And great photographs as well!

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9429 posts in 739 days


posted 446 days ago

That turned out fantastic, Dorje! Great design and details!

The hardware is also very nice.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

2820 posts in 828 days


posted 446 days ago

great result…love the design and the fact that you pulled it together with so many different woods…

i like the black metal…accentuates the overall feel…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...sanity...has arrived...JUNE-JULY-AUGUST...

View Blake's profile

Blake

2560 posts in 625 days


posted 446 days ago

This came out beautifully, Dorje. It really looks nice with the hardware finally on. Great interpretation and execution. It was interesting to see the process. Thanks for blogging it in such great detail. Congratulations on completing it.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

View davidtheboxmaker's profile

davidtheboxmaker

369 posts in 557 days


posted 446 days ago

That’s a really nice set of drawers. The hardware sets the whole design off really well. The blog is excellent – many thanks for sharing it with us, and well done.

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

16268 posts in 573 days


posted 446 days ago

Finally!!! I have been wondering where you were on this. I see that you changed your mind about the drawer hardware. Good. This looks better than finger pulls, (in my humble opinion of course). This is well designed and executed project. I especially like the hardware and miter keys. They add a lot of visual interest to the case.

Well done.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5952 posts in 817 days


posted 446 days ago

Dorje I agree with all of the above comments. Your project came out very nice. Good design and execution.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3494 posts in 731 days


posted 446 days ago

Dorje;

Don’t you have anything better to do than show up the rest of us? LOL

The is gorgeous! I love it.

Another example of no such thing as a quick and easy project!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View trifern's profile

trifern

7776 posts in 518 days


posted 446 days ago

That is one stunning case. Wonderfully executed design and details. Great job.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View Critterman's profile

Critterman

519 posts in 561 days


posted 446 days ago

Great Job Dorje,

Great mix of metal and wood, then the different woods look great as well. Very nice.

-- Jim Hallada, Chesterfield, VA

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1808 posts in 837 days


posted 446 days ago

Really nice…I love the look. Perfect blend of tones.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View DAN's profile

DAN

5391 posts in 734 days


posted 446 days ago

Dorje ! you have the best looking scrap material I have ever seen. Beautiful grain balance and orientation, crisp

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

930 posts in 742 days


posted 446 days ago

Looks great Dorje, I was wondering where you were with this too. So what’s going to go in it?

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

4942 posts in 851 days


posted 446 days ago

I love it!

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View SteveL's profile

SteveL

57 posts in 519 days


posted 446 days ago

I love it. The mix of “scrap woods” as you call them blend perfectly in a very functional Tansu case. The traditional case is made from Pawlonia to be lightweight, but the choice of cedar, pine and fir meet that objective nicely too. Guess all you’ve got to decide now is where is it going to go?

-- SteveL

View blackcherry's profile

blackcherry

451 posts in 574 days


posted 446 days ago

Great use of leftovers…the piece speaks volume in style and craftmanships…Blkcherry

View jockmike2's profile (online now)

jockmike2

5707 posts in 998 days


posted 446 days ago

Dorje, you amaze me, to turn out something so delicate. My hats off to you Sir. Well done. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View jm82435's profile

jm82435

426 posts in 493 days


posted 446 days ago

I just want to say amen to all the above. Stunningly beautiful. That straight grain fir is perfect, gives it a soft elegance. I can just about smell the pine. I really like this, thanks for sharing it. This makes me want to box up all my scraps and send them to you.

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

View Paul's profile

Paul

597 posts in 844 days


posted 446 days ago

Love it!

-- Paul, Texas

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

833 posts in 633 days


posted 446 days ago

That is just fantastic. I really like it. Good job.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3316 posts in 815 days


posted 446 days ago

Beautiful “Northwestern Woods” suite. This really came off nicely. What will be it’s final resting place, shop or home?

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

6680 posts in 970 days


posted 446 days ago

Beautiful job of design and construction.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

2663 posts in 773 days


posted 445 days ago

I waaaant it! <vbg>
Nice job Dorje!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1770 posts in 748 days


posted 445 days ago

Thanks for the comments and support! Truly appreciated!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View ND2ELK's profile

ND2ELK

5053 posts in 525 days


posted 445 days ago

Nice design and beautiful case. Thank you for posting.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

View Robb's profile

Robb

351 posts in 685 days


posted 445 days ago

Looks great, Dorje, congratulations on finishing a(nother) fine piece!

-- Robb

View scottb's profile

scottb

3341 posts in 1078 days


posted 445 days ago

This is exactly what I need for my shop – just the size for the space I have in mind. Very very nicely done.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View Joe Brumley's profile

Joe Brumley

62 posts in 533 days


posted 445 days ago

Great job, Dorje. I love the proportions and the hardware looks really nice. Your work is very inspiring.

-- Joe, Indiana, http://www.crookedshack.com

View ChicoWoodnut's profile

ChicoWoodnut

884 posts in 567 days


posted 445 days ago

Nice work Dorje. I really like the proportions. Looks like a study in joinery.

thanks for posting.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

View Thuan's profile

Thuan

152 posts in 569 days


posted 445 days ago

Beautiful! The use of pine for the back panel is very appropriate for the tansu.

-- Thuan

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1770 posts in 748 days


posted 444 days ago

Thanks all!

Thuan – the back is the vg fir…I should’ve said where the different woods were used from the get go…

Everything you can see is the cedar, with the exception of the fir back. Poplar was used for interior drawer divders and upper drawer bottoms. Pine was used for the lower drawer bottoms.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View Bradford's profile

Bradford

694 posts in 574 days


posted 443 days ago

Truly a beautiful project.

-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.

View motthunter's profile

motthunter

2075 posts in 550 days


posted 443 days ago

beautiful and clean.

-- making sawdust....

View Zuki's profile

Zuki

1180 posts in 828 days


posted 443 days ago

Favorited. Nice work D.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

View Mike Lingenfelter's profile

Mike Lingenfelter

449 posts in 865 days


posted 443 days ago

A simple and clean design can be hard to pull off, but you have done it with this Tansu style case. The hardware really makes this piece. Love it.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

988 posts in 845 days


posted 434 days ago

Dorje – I had a double post somehow. I must have submitted one by accident when editing. I’m always hitting the finger pad with my palm. whoops.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

988 posts in 845 days


posted 434 days ago

Dorje, I’ve been meaning to stop here and post some Kudos since I got the notice of the posting. This came out spectacular!

Are the the keys on the miters trimmed on the inside of the case at all? It may just be an optical illusion. (I’ll go back through your blog.)

I’m even more inspired to do some of these! I have an idea to do a series of them that can be set in varying arrangements on the side of our stairs up to our loft in the condo. I need to research Tansu a little more too I suppose. Again, nice execution and use of scraps!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

988 posts in 845 days


posted 434 days ago

Question answered. The third pic was throwing me off. I forgot about the rabbet in the back for the panel. Sure does look nice for scraps.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1770 posts in 748 days


posted 433 days ago

Thanks Jeff Jeff Jeff- funny to see your mug shot three times in a row! I’m guilty of my share of double posts!

I definitely want to do more in this style in the future – but bigger hardwood cases!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View Davesfunwoodworking's profile

Davesfunwoodworking

259 posts in 626 days


posted 433 days ago

Dorje, very nice job. I really like this one. Just something about it. Sure would make a great tool chest.

-- Davesfunwoodworking

View Mark Mazzo's profile

Mark Mazzo

329 posts in 664 days


posted 429 days ago

Dorje,

I had not seen the completion of this until now. Excellent job on this. I really love the design of this piece. Any sources of inspiration for a set of Tansu box-on-box? There’s a spot in our house that’s begging for something like that.

Well done!

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

View David's profile

David

84 posts in 466 days


posted 428 days ago

“SWEET” very nice!

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1770 posts in 748 days


posted 428 days ago

Mark – sources of inspiration for me have primarily been looking at old cases in shops, on the web, and in books…

BUT, If I’m reading your question right – you may want to check out the following:

http://www.finewoodstudio.com/cabinets.htm

http://www.sodergrenfurniture.com/collection/index.html

http://www.mckinnonfurniture.com/tansu/menu.htm

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View bfd's profile

bfd

370 posts in 558 days


posted 426 days ago

Dorje,

This is a beautiful piece man! I love tansu chests but have never made one. I love the fact that you used all scrap wood to do this. Your craftsmanship is stellar.

-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com

View Karson's profile

Karson

21155 posts in 1152 days


posted 426 days ago

Dorje; A beautiful case. A nice job.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Jarrod Zion Murphree's profile

Jarrod Zion Murphree

326 posts in 474 days


posted 416 days ago

Phenomenal. Great looking piece; very authentic. The grain characteristics on the top/sides looks like some of the Japanese originals you see in books and on the web. Great eye for detail…

-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://anthologyfinefurniture.wordpress.com

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1633 posts in 841 days


posted 406 days ago

I missed the post somehow. Well done. I love the natural look and the hardware. Now you just need to make a few different styles and get to stacking.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1770 posts in 748 days


posted 405 days ago

Thanks guys -

Jarrod – Thanks for your comment – I had known that I wanted to build a little tansu, and when I had that cedar board left over from work on the house last summer, it screamed tansu…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

2007 posts in 465 days


posted 134 days ago

Wow, this is gorgeous. I really like this.

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

View azwoodman's profile

azwoodman

44 posts in 132 days


posted 122 days ago

Favorited. Thats all I can say!

-- -Spencer, Mesa Az (http://www.azwoodshop.com)

You must be signed in to post the comments.

Bookmark And Share This Page
  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase