Facets, the Next Logical Step #10: Finishing Touches and a Few Extra Photos

Finally everything is finished except to finish it all. This project, like the last one had special finishing challenges. Because of the dyeing technique, the finished surface couldn’t be sanded as much as one might like to have done prior to applying finish without adversely affecting the dyed areas. To deal with this I used multiple layers of first a quite high build water based polyurethane, followed by several coats of wipe on poly until I was happy. So for several days the regimen was sand, finish, wait, sand, finish, wait, etc, etc, etc.

When you get bored during finishing your mind sometimes wanders. Here’s a photo of me taking a photo of the finish at one point.

This photo shows the butterfly handle ready to install. I positioned it where I wanted it,
drilled a hole through the body from above into the face of the box at a slight angle, glued it in place and then drilled in another pin at a different angle. The pins are bamboo skewer bits. I hid the holes in the butterfly’s body with the 5 min epoxy that I had used to install the pins (blackened with a bit of graphite powder).

Here’s the handle alighting on the box.

Next up was to attach the box to the stand. I wanted this to be a dis-assembleable joint so, as you can see in the photo I fitted short pieces of dowel in the tips of the stand and drilled matching holes in the faces of the box. Alignment was assured by jigging the box perfectly level and then drilling 1/16” holes from the inside into the stand tops. after assembly the tiny holes disappear with a bit of putty. There’s a satisfying “snap” when you assemble the box to the stand now.

Last one here is of the little gizmo I designed to stop the top opening before it overbalanced the piece and before it bottomed on the hinge.

On every project there comes a point where you have to say “enough, it’s done” and that point has now been reached and the project post has been done. Here are some additional photos of the finished piece.

Thank you all for joining me on this little journey. I’ve enjoyed it and I’ve enjoyed the company. I hope you have too.

See you soon.

Paul

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/