Ben Hendricks sent me a link to this video of his friend’s woodworking business: Campbellsville Handmade Cherry Furniture

It warms my heart to see a small family-owned businesses like this thriving as they adhere to a high level of craftsmanship.

Description from YouTube Page: The Campbellsville, Kentucky area has long been known for the fine furniture that has been turned out in the region. Unfortunately, this skilled craftsmanship is becoming lost art. However, if you look to the McMahan family, you’ll find a fourth generation of fine furniture builders that are turning out family heirlooms.

I chose to build a heirloom cradle I had seen in Wood Magazine and more or less followed the plans with a few minor deviations: I attached the cleats that hold the rockers from the bottom instead of the top using glue and screws. I added contrasting walnut plugs to “hide” the screws entirely. I also applied a veneer to the bottom to give it more character and help contrast it with the sides. Finally, I glued up the ends and sides from a series of smaller strips as I explored incorporating sap wood into the project to create some interesting patterns.

This was my first project working with curves and decided to go about it by making a series of templates and using the router. My first attempt was a complete disaster. I failed to first remove enough of the waste at the band saw and foolishly used a very small flush trim router bit. Fortunately, in case something would go wrong, I started by trying to make one of the rockers. Disaster struck as I went around the tip (and inevitably across the end grain) of one of the rockers. The bit dug in and threw a small chunk of wood across the shop. Fortunately, I had not destroyed one of my glued up panels. It was clear I needed to revisit my technique and find a better way. I ultimately decided to:

-switch from my almost useless excuse for a band saw to my neighbors simple (but effective) bench-top model. This allowed me to remove much more of the waste, to within about 1/8″ of my template line.

-I was given a spindle sander for Christmas which I then used to remove the remainder of the waste to within 1/16″ of an inch.

-I then routed out the pattern top-side using a 1 1/8″ flush trim router bit from Rocker. This time routing out the pattern was a breeze and I produced tissue-paper thin shavings.

Once pattern routing was behind me, it was time to make the base. I ended up using an ancient piece of Douglas Fir I fished out of my parents’ basement and tried to take a stab at gluing down a veneer. This was when the second disaster struck. Not being used to working with veneers, I applied too much glue which soaked through and then caused the veneer to buckle and ripple despite a caul being clamped across the entire surface. I ended up scraping the veneer off and trying again. This time, with less glue, things worked out better. For some reason I ran into buckling again when gluing down the last section of veneer on the second cradle, but at that point I already had a good piece glued down along side it. In a last ditch effect I used an iron and by lightly misting the surface and then warming it up with the iron, I was able to slowly flatten the veneer back down.

You’d think after two brushes with disaster nothing else could go wrong. But then the cousin’s baby came early and I was already behind schedule. I guess I got anxious and tried to rush through the sanding process. I pushed down too hard on my ROS, resulting in beautiful swirl marks all over the wood. After Marc corrected my technique, I was able to go back and do the sanding all over again and get rid of all the swirl marks.

Many thanks to Dustin Ward, who gave me the veneer at a LumberJocks BBQ last summer. After applying the finish I think both cradles turned out fairly well, especially considering the road blocks I encountered along the process. I have a new found respect for building projects that can be taken apart while making the joinery as tight as possible. Hopefully both cradles get a fair bit of use and won’t have to be taken apart any time soon.

Location: Rochester, NY

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Finish Used: Two coats of Watco Danish Oil and then three coats of semi-gloss Arm-R-Seal. Light sanding between the coats of Arm-R-Seal.

Wood Species: Cherry

Project Description:
Last summer I finished up a toybox for my 2 year old son and wanted to build a book shelf to match. The design is by Kara Gebhart from Popular Woodworking magazine. It consists of all mortise and tenon joinery. It was also built from rough cut lumber.

From: Andy

Location: Fargo ND

Amateur or Pro: Amateur

Finish Used: The finish on the frame is a one coat shellac and a coat of polly. Some people said it didn’t need it just because it was a picture frame but I decided to add a little protection and also sheen.

Wood Species: Walnut and Cherry

Project Description:
I completed these frames (five) for gifts for my family members. It was my second build in my shop so I thought it was pretty ambitious. Anyways these frames are made out of cherry and walnut and are used to contrast each other throughout the frame.

I had a little movement with the glue up so a considerable amount of sanding needed to be done. The joints were just glued butt joints. I didn’t have a biscuit cutter or anything to help with alignment.

From: Michael Harman

Website: Lumberjock’s Profile

Location: Dayton, OH

Amateur or Pro: Amateur

Wood Species: Walnut, Cherry, Birdseye Maple

Project Description: This is only the second segmented bowl I’ve turned and it was really a surprise how easy it was to construct and turn. Turning this bowl was way easier than I thought and very enjoyable. I won’t win any design competitions with my simple design but the outcome is really great and does not take long. I would encourage anyone to give it a try. I have simply a Jet 1014 lathe and common lathe tools. It is a quick and satisfying project.

Process: I glued up several 8-sided rings (painters tape to hold the segments together): this makes it faster. When I got them all assembled I stacked them and clamped them in place. I included a piece of plywood on the very top to mount the faceplate. I inserted a piece of paper between the top ring and the plywood mount. I was able to turn them only a few hours later. Once the outside and bottom were shaped using a roughing and spindle gouge, I was able to break the paper bond from the plywood and flip the piece around, mounting it on a chuck. I turned the top edge and inside with a gouge and scraper. The scraper, utilized at a downward angle to engage the hook edge properly, is really the key.

Finish: Sanded 120-400 grit and buffed with cotton cloth while on the lathe: finished with only 1 coat of tung oil.

Here’s a video Michael made of the turning process:

I started getting into woodworking about 6 months ago. I have really enjoyed the information on your site. I am an art director/designer/photographer here in Phoenix as my day job. I am really enjoying this new outlet for creativity and something more hands on. My dad has always been in love with Shaker furniture so I thought it would be appropriate to build one as my first attempt at woodworking. It has been quite a learning process and look forward to improving.

Built traditionally with mortise and tenon, pegged. Hand cut dovetails. Turned the legs and knob. Hand cut dovetails on quilted maple. Didn’t realize pine is usually used :) but glad I went for it. I like the Cherry and Quilted Maple Finished with tung oil. Drawer interior was finished with shellac and wax. Here are a few photos I took. Finally finished!

Well thanks to my pure laziness, I have a very obvious example of the effect of the sun on cherry. I recently picked up materials for the upcoming Chest of Drawers build, and due to pure laziness on my part, I left them in the pickup for a full day yesterday. The sheet of 1/4″ cherry ply was partially covered by a piece of Baltic birch. So when I went out there to bring the materials in, I just knew I would have a two-tone piece of plywood on my hands. The picture at left tells the tale. If you look closely, the birch plywood was also affected by the sun. You can see the strap marks left by my tie-downs.

So why am I not concerned? Well, the side you are looking at is not the show side. So if there is a little unevenness on the inside of the case, I am not too concerned about it. Also, my case sides are small enough that they can be cut completely out of the lighter portion.

Now if you run into a problem like this and it IS on the show side, here’s what I would recommend doing. Sand the surface lightly to even things out. If you are using plywood, you don’t have much material to sand so you have to be gentle. As a result you will not be able to remove the color difference completely. You will still see a line (pictured right after 180 grit sanding). So the next thing I would do is put the entire panel in the sun again. Give the lighter side a chance to catch up. At this point, the difference between the two sides should be minimal. Even after being incorporated into the project, the wood will continue to darken over time and the two sides will even out. But if you are in a rush, you might resort to using some dye or stain. A simple natural cherry-colored dye/stain will even things out without giving the wood an artificial-looking color. Over time, the wood underneath will continue to age and the little bit of dye/stain on top of it won’t be much of a factor.

And most importantly, don’t be a dork like me. Bring your wood into the shop once you get it home! I would love to hear any stories you guys might have about similar experiences with the sun (intended or accidental).

A quick Whisper Mini tour of my recent 6-panel cabinet project. Want to learn more about how these doors were made? Check it out!

Outtro music provided by El Saxofonista! Thanks Horacio.

Mathew first asks:

This is my first ever project and your video on raised panels and many of the others have helped me a ton. I have one problem though. I have this chest made of maple and cherry, and I want a warm finish but don’t want to dye or stain the wood. I’ve been told to use shellac diluted, just deft finish and Danish oil. Any help would be so awesome. I would love to share the finished project that you have helped me make with the time you spend on the videos. Thank you very much.

And here’s my response: There are a number of things you can do with the finish. All depends on what you are comfortable applying and what kind of look you are going for. All the finishes that were recommended to you will work just fine.

Personally, I have two suggestions for you. And both will make use of shellac as a sealer coat. Both maple and cherry exhibit blotching when hit with oil-based stains and finishes. So the shellac sealer coat prevents that to some extent. And if you use an orange or garnet shellac, you could add a good bit of color that will have the effect of a very light stain. If you topcoat with something like Danish oil, you have to be careful not to put too much shellac on the surface. If its sealed off, the Danish oil will have trouble curing. So I recommend a single coat of 1lb cut shellac. Sand it smooth afterward, and then rub in a couple coats of Danish oil for a nice hand-rubbed look. But be sure to practice on scrap because you need to find the balance between the shellac concentration, the danish oil, and the amount of blotching that appears.

Now if you want some more protection, I recommend using a simple varnish. Wiping varnishes like Arm-R-Seal or Minwax Wiping Varnish are both good options. Another advantage of using a varnish with no oil in it is that you don’t have to worry too much about how much the shellac seals the surface. The varnish will dry either way. So you can seal the surface as much as you want, avoiding blotching completely.

You mentioned Deft finish, and I am assuming that is Deft lacquer. This is also an acceptable topcoat if you are comfortable applying lacquer. The project looks great so far and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the above finishes. Good luck!

And here is Mathew’s finished project:

I finished the project a couple of weeks ago for my cousin’s wedding gift. It is a chest made of maple and cherry. When it came down to the finish, I used a mix of 50/50 bullseye shellac as a base layer. Once it dried I lightly sanded the entire piece. I then used some Danish oil and rubbed in one coat. I then used one coat of DEFT clear wood finish in a semi-gloss. I sanded with 300 grit paper after and then sprayed another layer of the DEFT. I sanded that with 800 grit paper and then sprayed another layer. I sanded that very lightly and then sprayed one last layer. I then buffed it out and that was it. Took about a week. I don’t know if it was the best way to go about it, but it came out nice and smooth. I couldn’t complain for my first project. I have always wanted to start doing this on my own so I bought a few tools and this is what came out. I spent several hours on The Wood Whisperer website watching videos and talking with other members in the chat room. I can’t begin to tell you how much everybody helped me out. Thank you everyone for all the advice and thank you Marc for the help and inspiration to try something new.

Its that time of year again: HOLIDAY PROJECT TIME! So this year, I decided to make a few little keepsake boxes, thanks to some advice from The Great WOODini. I also took inspiration from a box Nicole keeps on her nightstand and developed a new design that is much more practical for the average woodworker to make. The boxes feature a secret locking pin. Once removed, the lid slides off on a sliding dovetail. And as always with these holiday gift projects, you can modify them by trying different sizes, shapes, and wood species to make your own one-of-a-kind box. And since they are so easy to make, its no problem batching out a bunch of them in a single weekend. If you decide to make some, please send me pics of your variations.

Topics Covered:

• Creating sliding dovetails
• Using a dowel-centering pin to locate holes
• Cutting a recess with a pattern bit
• Sanding end-grain

Circle Templates – $32.99 This template set has been incredibly useful for numerous projects including these keepsake boxes and the Contemporary Clock Project from last year.

GRR-Ripper Adjustable Push Block – $59.99 The GRR-Ripper is the fancy push block you see me using in this video. Incredibly useful and gives you ultimate control of the workpiece!