Tommy MacDonald's 207 Woodworking Community • View topic

jneerhof · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 10 9:57 pm

So after building my workbench, I thought it would be a good idea to build something with it. So here it is. I started it in the beginning of September, and the wife being out of town has given me a chance to really go on this thing.
Knotty Alder is really tough to work with, and I don't think I would do it again. Looks pretty cool though. So far, this project is way more of an undertaking than I originally thought, but I'm having a blast doing it.

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 10 4:40 am

Jneer,

It looks like you are making some good progress there. I like the knotty alder look and think it's quite appropriate for your local.

I really like how you used wide pins/tails for your DT's.

You need to show this off to your Swedish neighbor out there in Longmont, CO.

By the way, did I see a MLW Bench Bat and Paring Block in your pictures?

Bruce

jneerhof · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 10 10:45 pm

Thanks Rat,
Yeah, they're the MLW tools, and I love them! Tommy did a great job with making these available, when they were available. Maybe one day they will be collectors items!
Jared

TOMMY MAC · **Posted:** Tue Sep 14, 10 7:58 am

great job!!

jneerhof · **Posted:** Thu Sep 16, 10 11:57 pm

Quick update:
I've made some progress this week every night after work on this thing. It's been pretty pain staking to get this thing close to completion. But, as of tonight, I'm ready to start the drawers as soon as I get some material. I would say so far, I've got probably 30-35 hours into this thing already. I think that glueing the drawer dividers tonight was more stressful than glueing the case together. I had one of the faces on the dividers come apart during glue up, so it made it rather stressful, but it should be alright. I'll keep updating!

By the way, I highly recommend doing the rabbet on the back of the case before glueing it up.

cactus Bob · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 10 7:30 am

Looking good so far keep use updated

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 10 7:33 pm

Jneer,

This is looking really good. Keep us posted on your progress.

Chop Chop.

efmrrt · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 10 8:34 pm

looking good brother. Can't wait to start mine.

jneerhof · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 10 1:05 pm

It has been a while since my last post so here's a quick update.
I've been plugging along with the drawers for a couple weeks now and they are pretty time consuming. But I'm progressing well. I'll post some pics soon. The HBDT's are fun to do but they take a while to get right, and I'm really starting to see the importance of sharp chisels!

jneerhof · **Posted:** Wed Oct 20, 10 8:05 am

Couple pics of the hbdt drawers:

swedishiron · **Posted:** Wed Oct 20, 10 8:30 am

Jared,
Those look like some tight HBDT's.. I personally think HBDT's are a lot easier compared to FullDT joints since you have one less surfaces to deal with. Now knowing what you know, would you use knotty alder again for such a project?

What are your plans as far as knobs or drawer pulls go?

TOMMY MAC · **Posted:** Wed Oct 20, 10 8:35 am

NICE!!!!

jneerhof · **Posted:** Thu Oct 21, 10 9:00 pm

swedishiron wrote:

Jared,
Those look like some tight HBDT's.. I personally think HBDT's are a lot easier compared to FullDT joints since you have one less surfaces to deal with. Now knowing what you know, would you use knotty alder again for such a project?

What are your plans as far as knobs or drawer pulls go?

I agree with the one less surface to deal with, but making all of the butt joints nice and square is challenging. As well as getting all of those tight corners clean. I love the look of the alder. One thing I tried to keep fluent throughout the entire case and drawer fronts is to try to control where all of the thick knots would start and stop, i.e. not having a knot at the top of the side of the case and not being able to carry it through to the top (if that makes any sense). But it's not perfect and I'm ok with that. Definitely a tough material to work with.

I've got some really nice drawer pulls that were extra from a cabinet install I did a couple months back. They are exactly what I was looking for.

It's tough for me to find time to finish this thing, but I hopefully will be done by Thanksgiving, probably Christmas!

jneerhof · **Posted:** Wed Nov 10, 10 6:52 pm

Drawers complete, ship lap on, with quite a bit more sanding and touchup. I can't wait to get some finish on this thing, put some hardware on and call it done.

Jimi_C · **Posted:** Wed Nov 10, 10 8:33 pm

Looking great. You'll finish yours well before I start mine

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Thu Nov 11, 10 6:08 am

Jarrod,

I really like your rendition of the tool box. You've taken a locally available wood and have built what appears to be a very functional tool box that fits the "rustic" western motif typically found in your region. IMO, the knots add to the look.

What's even better is that you have taken the time to share the progress you have made with our 207 Membership. That's what this site is all about: Sharing, asking questions, critiquing and learning from each other. Keep up the great work.

Bruce.

PS.. Show it off to Swedish Iron and make him jealous. :lol:

NLamens · **Posted:** Thu Nov 11, 10 8:20 am

Jarrod.........couldn't agree with the FlWoodCritiquer more:

Quote:

You've taken a locally available wood and have built what appears to be a very functional tool box that fits the "rustic" western motif typically found in your region. IMO, the knots add to the look.

We are so used to seeing the tool box done with clean, perfect wood selection, you took the leep and landed a bit left of the salad fork..... Kid Twist in The String said it best... that tool box has..."moxie".

jneerhof · **Posted:** Thu Nov 11, 10 8:48 am

Neil and Bruce,
Very interesting points made, and it took me until now to realize how valid they are. Every time I watched the toolbox video, I love the material used, curly cherry and select pine. With the alder box, it's true that the knots are not of the norm, and the pine has blue and gray streaking, and it is not a typical choice for material. But I am not one to try to break the boundary and go very far out of a comfort zone and it was not my original intention.
To be honest, the toolbox was originally an experiment to work on rough milling, joinery, and panels for the drawer bottoms. I had the alder on hand, and the pine kind of just fell into my lap! Coincidently, they both ended up being together in this "Rocky Mountain" toolbox!
My goal is to build the toolbox again in the future, once my wife settles down from time spent on this one, and build it with a more "traditional" material such as curly maple or mahogany.

jneerhof · **Posted:** Sat Nov 13, 10 6:16 pm

Finished!! After several nights of sanding a few hours at a time, I put some BLO on last night, and shelac this morning, and wax this afternoon and put hardware on. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Of course, there are a few things that can be improved upon, but I'll save that for the next toolbox.
I'm hesitant to put this thing out in my garage for tool storage, after all the effort put into it, but the house is too small to keep it inside. I'm thinking of giving it away as a gift for Christmas, but not so sure!
This is an awesome project. I learned a ton of different aspects of woodworking from it. If you decide to start, be ready to pursue to the end, no matter how sick of half blind dovetails you get, or how much your wife complains!

Jared

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Sat Nov 13, 10 6:56 pm

Big J.. nice job.. Looks great but I think the knobs/pulls are too big on the top four drawers....See if you can find some smaller ones that match the lower pulls.

Bruce

Jimi_C · **Posted:** Sun Nov 14, 10 11:34 am

Heh Bruce, have you been waiting to give someone some grief over pulls

Just kidding of course, I do agree they look a bit big for the drawers.

NLamens · **Posted:** Sun Nov 14, 10 11:43 am

Big J----- really like this tool box.....has a different character than others.

You're right Jimi....its like Bruce has had that one in his pocket waiting to use. :lol:

Hardware is always a tough one.....the style and size you really want to use is to darn expense, the selection is rarely exactly what you want, then if J goes to a smaller knob on the #3 and #4 drawers, somebody says those knobs are to small compared to the others.

Hardware is a tough subjective call.

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Sun Nov 14, 10 12:29 pm

NLamens wrote:

Hardware is always a tough one.....the style and size you really want to use is to darn expense, the selection is rarely exactly what you want, then if J goes to a smaller knob on the #3 and #4 drawers, somebody says those knobs are to small compared to the others.

Hardware is a tough subjective call.

Neil.. You are so correct. That is why I solicited so much input and debate about the pulls I wanted to use for Ana's cubby.

Bruce

jneerhof · **Posted:** Sun Nov 14, 10 1:32 pm

Ok guys, I want a bunch of opinions. Neil talked about the cost of hardware and to support it, these 8 knobs were $12 a piece.

I know I don't want to sacrifice a visual element on my toolbox. Are the top 4 knobs distracting to everyone?

FLWoodRat · **Posted:** Sun Nov 14, 10 2:17 pm

Jared,

"Everyone's" opinion doesn't count. It's what you like that really matters. Besides, at $12 each, I'd learn to love them :lol:

real quickly. Enjoy stuffing it with toys.

Bruce

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