Cherry Blossom Sideboard Part 5

Hi Everyone!

The sideboard is really taking shape!

I have cut the grooves into the front edges of the top webframe and the bottom and these grooves will act as the sliding tracks for

the frame and panel doors.

After I dry assembled the cabinet, I measured the length for the

bottom front curved stretcher as well as the back stretcher. The

function of the stretcher is to basically support and evenly

distribute the weight of the cabinet.

To shape the curve on the front stretcher I made a template out

of 1/4" thick mdf (medium density fiberboard) first. Using a

template is a great way to get a uniform look to any piece. It is

especially handy when you have to make multiple pieces with the

same shape. One thing to keep in mind is that you have to make

sure your template is perfectly smooth, because any bumps and

dips found on your template will ultimately be transfered onto your good piece. One way to get is smooth edge is to use a drum sander with various diameters to sand the piece smooth as seen in the first photo.

I then took the template and used double sided tape to adhere it to

the 3/4" thick maple stretcher piece. Then with my palm router

which was equipped with a flush trim router bit, I routed the exact

profile of the curve onto the stretcher.

Next I layed out the location of the notches for the ribs that will bridge the front curved stretcher with the straight back stretcher. To make the notches I routed out the bulk of the material with my palm router and used a chisel and mallet to clean

up the corners and edges of the notches. Notice the fantastic

handmade mallet in the background, which was a gift from a very

talented fellow woodworker and a dear friend. He makes all his furniture by hand with reclaimed and recycled wood...even branches!

To cut the notches in the ribs I simply used a dado stack in my table saw with the aid of a miter gauge. A dado stack is basically a bunch of saw blades stacked together to cut grooves and and dadoes of various thicknesses.

The last photo shows the assembled stretcher assembly dry clamped to the bottom of the cabinet.

We are almost in the final stretch! Next would be to build some doors and cut a slight bevel on the edges of the top to finish off the top nicely.

Come back next time for part 6!

Thanks for looking!

Roshaan

Cherry Blossom Sideboard Part 2

Hello Everyone,

Well, I am making some progress on this project. I just completed the side assemblies, which consists of the legs, the top and bottom rails and side panels. I used mortise and tenon joinery to attach the rails (the horizontal top and bottom parts) to the legs and I then went ahead and cut a 1/4" deep groove into the legs and rails to receive the side panels. Since the panels and the rails were both 3/4" thick I had to cut a rabbet (notch) along all the edges of the panels to fit into the 1/4" thick groove. This also adds a nice reveal on the outside of the assembly.

The series of photos shows the steps in the order that it was completed.

The top photo shows all the parts layed out exactly how it will eventually be

assembled and glued together. The second photo shows the detail of the joinery including the rabbet along the edges of the side panel. Below that we have a photo of the glue-up of all the parts. I use t-stands to elevate the assembly, for easy gluing and clamping. And voila!...we finally have the side assembly of the sideboard. I will eventually taper the legs after I have cut all the joinery on the inside face of the side assemblies.

It truly is a great feeling to see the outcome of a whole bunch of parts scattered on your bench! I am sure that most woodworkers will agree when I say that the glue-up is the most stressful part of any woodworking project.

But we all love the rush!

Roshaan

Cherry Blossom Sideboard - Part 1

Hi All,

As promised, I have been taking in-progress photos of the cherry blossom sideboard build to share with everyone. With any project, especially a large build, organization and preparation is key to the success of it's outcome.

I always start with a detailed drafted working drawing to work out any of the joinery, measurements and proportions before I even

touch a piece of wood. I then like to make a scale model of the piece

to see what the full sized piece would actually look like and to work out any issues with proportions.

After I am satisfied with the proportions of the piece I then go ahead and make a cutting list of materials, which will include the size of all parts, the type of wood to be used and the joinery to be used. I then take these measurements and physically "map-out" or layout each part on the appropriate piece of wood. For example if I use veneered sheet goods (a fancy name for plywood) as seen in the above photos, I use a large square and draw the size of the part with a pencil right on the sheet of plywood and I mark each part. This way I minimize waste.

Before I cut into solid wood, I also let the planks acclimatize to my workshop for at least 3 days to a week if possible. Notice the way I have the project lumber stacked up on my bench with scrap pieces of wood in between each layer. This is done so that the underside of the boards will also receive appropriate airflow.

I also make sure I have my working drawings and cutting list on hand at all times. This will avoid any confusion and waste of materials. And remember to always measure twice...or three...or four times and cut once!

Roshaan

Cherry Blossom Sideboard

Hello Everyone!

I am embarking on a new project and I am excited to give you an inside look at the progress. It is essentially a sideboard with two sliding doors and these sliding doors will have a cherry blossom motif scroll sawn into the panels. It also has a modern asian appeal, with tapered legs, beveled top and a "rising cloud" curved bottom rail. I have been asked to design and build this piece to hold piano books, which of course has a particular size which had to be considered. My client has been searching high and low for the right piece with no success. She finally contacted me to see if I could come up with a suitable design. After weeks of mulling over the details of the piece I have successfully come up with a design she was happy with. I will be posting in-progress photos, so please check back for updates.

Roshaan