 |
| A piece of some exotic African wood |
It is not always that a woodworker gets to showcase a beautiful piece of wood. Often, the object is such that a large splendid plank of wood has to be sawn to smaller size or fitted in a manner that does not befit its aesthetics. Table tops, counters, large panels and the like offer opportunity to show off lovely wood.
I had a couple of planks of some exotic African wood - the seller couldn't say what it was - lying around and I could not for the life of me decide what to do with it until I hit upon the idea of a cutlery box. This isn't an essential or common object around the house but can add a touch of class to a dining situation. A cutlery box can be carried to the table or sideboard and used as necessary.
 |
| Top and bottom |
I had just about enough wood to cut and join the planks to make the top and bottom of the outer case of the cutlery box. I used Oak for the sides and White Ash for the rest.
 |
| The outer Case in clamps |
I used straightforward joinery methods for the outer case construction: routing trenches for the sides and a groove for the back. Once fitted, I glued all five parts together to form the case.
 |
| Outer Case Ready for finish |
The drawers came next. After the usual fussing with the fit of the sides and front, I marked and cut dovetails. After the box was ready, I added a piece of wood as a slip to the inside of the front, then routed a groove to take the plywood bottom. The back of the drawer was cut to allow the back to slide in as is done with most drawers. I finally attached a false front to the dovetailed drawer. This was a piece of old Padauk marked by fine beetle holes.
 |
| Dovetails on the drawer sides |
 |
| Drawer in clamps |
Finishing was the best part because both the Padauk and the top and bottom took polish well. I used my favourite finish - de-waxed Shellac - and found it was such a pleasure applying it on receptive wood.
 |
| Cutlery Box Finished |
Once the drawer was complete, I made and fitted dividers, and attached a brass pull.
It was a fairly straightforward project, the making of which I have shown in a video uploaded on Youtube, which could be viewed at https://youtu.be/9Qa0jIwbd8g.
Indranil Banerjie
4 May 2020
I have been following your excellent blog for a while now, the standard of your woodworking skills is something I hope to reach one day. Have done a few projects around the house mostly with plywood and finished with laminate only because they are readily available....lots to learn.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought a second hand harmonium for my son and couldn't help but admire the woodworking that went into it. While the principle behind it seems simple I have a feeling there's more to it than meets the ear.
I am sure readers would find the makings of a harmonium interesting, and only you can do justice to reveal its secrets. Hence my request to you to do an article on the woodworking involved in making a harmonium. Thanks and regards.
Thanks for your comments but my woodworking standards are not as high as I would like them to be. Still miles to go. As for harmonium making, I have no clue but my friend, the excellent guitar maker-painter-woodworker Manmeet Singh has been making them. I will have a chat with him and put up something that might e of interest to you and others. Best wishes.
Delete