This morning we completed testing the dies for the debossing on the cover of “Campaign Furniture.” In general, I dislike using metallic foils on covers, but I made an exception this time.
The deboss is supposed to represent metal hardware, so it made sense.
Metallic foils are a pain to photograph. Because they are so reflective, they look either too dull or too bright in a photo compared to what they look like when the book is in your hand. The snapshot above accurately represents the color of the cloth cover, but the foil in the photo isn’t quite on the mark. Oh well, I’m happy.
This cover test is the final step before the book goes on the press. Our printer informed me the book is scheduled to ship to us (and our retailers) on March 6. If that date holds, then we will begin taking orders and fulfilling them sometime the week of March 10.
The book will be $33, and we will offer free domestic shipping for the first 30 days the book is in the Lost Art Press store.
The following retailers have agreed to carry the book.
While the six-board chest is a simple form, there are some variants that make the chest look more high-style, like it might have a fancy bracket-foot base.
Today I decided to convert the chest I built for the Alabama Woodworkers Guild into one of these fancier chests. I removed the moulding that returned down the sides of the chest (see the video here), and made some base pieces to fit under the moulding.
I also removed the crappy hinges I installed in Alabama. One leaf of each hinge was entirely too long. Today I installed iron Lee Valley unequal strap hinges, which look better. Unfortunately, I have some work ahead of me to hide the screw holes from the earlier hinge set.
I also installed a vintage crab/grab lock, which I picked up on eBay for $30 (gloat).
So far, I like the enclosed base, but I don’t want to pass judgment until I get the piece painted. The base coat will be flat black, followed by a coat of thinned hide glue. Then a top coat of dark blue, which will crackle thanks to the hide glue layer between.
My Douro chair from Christopher Clarke Antiques Ltd. arrived yesterday morning, and I shot this short video of the unpacking and assembly process.
The chair’s mechanism is exceedingly simple and ingenious, and I’m excited about building a version for my own travels. It won’t require any custom hardware as best I can tell.
The table/crate is enormous – tall enough to eat off of or work as a desk (in a pinch). And it is built like a tank. The corners are reinforced with iron. The hinges and lock are built for heavy service.
The chair itself is quite comfortable – like a Morris chair with springy armrests.
I’m teaching woodworkers how to make the Dutch tool chest all over the hemisphere this year. I have Dutch chest classes going in California in March, Alaska in April, North Carolina in June, and in Maine and England in July.
The Dutch chest is a great project for beginners or for those woodworkers who travel with their tools. It protects your tools, makes them easy to get to while you’re working and is easy to build with dimensional pine.
If you are taking one of the Dutch chest classes this year or seek to make one one your own, here is the list of tools I think are necessary to get the job done.
Birdcage or Brad awl
If you can’t find a used one, Czeck Edge, Blue Spruce Tools and Lee Valley all make good examples.
Panel saws (rip and crosscut)
These are the tools needed to dimension the stock. A 7- or 8- point crosscut is handy. For the rip, a saw that is 7 point or coarser is ideal.
Backsaws (carcase saw)
This saw is ideal for trimming the pieces to final length and some joinery cuts. And sharp carcase saw will do.
Router plane (large)
A vintage tool such as the Stanley 71 will do. Also check out modern closed-throat examples from Veritas and Lie-Nielsen Toolworks. This tool finishes all the dado cuts.
Rabbet plane (or a tongue-and-groove plane if you prefer that)
I use a moving fillister for all the rabbet cuts in this project, but a straight rabbet will handle all the shiplap joints.
Jack plane
A Stanley No. 5 or the wooden equivalent is necessary for almost any project. Once you get the iron sharpened to an 8” or 10” radius, you can conquer the world.
Block plane or Smoothing plane
Either tool can handle the final surfacing of the pine boards.
Hand drill. Bits. Countersink
If you have an electric drill, good for you. A good hand drill is about $10 and never will go in the trash.
Hammer, nail set, nail pullers
A 16 oz. hammer with a wooden handle (I like octagonal handles) will serve you for the next 120 years.
Screwdrivers (slotted)
Good screwdrivers from Grace USA are the cat’s meow. But you can buy old ones and grind them to perfection if you prefer.
Framing square
It seems like a carpenter’s tool, but hand tool woodworkers are lost without it.
Optional tools
• Moving fillister plane (for making the thumbnail moulding on the lid and drop front)
• 1/8” or 3/16” beading plane for detailing the backs (a No. 66 beading tool would also work)
• Shooting plane and shooting board
• Router plane (small) to make the recesses for the sliding lock.
This weekend I built a six-board chest for the Alabama Woodworkers Guild, and I was impressed. Not just with the members or the food (holy moley, the food), but by the building where they meet.
It’s an old schoolhouse nestled in the pines south of Birmingham, Ala., and it almost made me rethink my plans to buy a building in downtown Covington, Ky. The members have restored the building, which had more recently been a roller rink, a recreation center and then a storage unit for Habitat for Humanity.
There are three main rooms: a kitchen, a classroom (with a digital projector) and the main workshop and demonstration room. Tall ceilings. Yellow pine floors. Enormous divided-light windows.
Oh, and a roll-up door and loading dock.
In other words, heaven.
If you live in that neck of the woods, check out the club. Dues are reasonable. The food they serve is amazing (I know that sounds odd, but they take their food as seriously as I do). And the shop equipment is very good.
And thanks to all the Alabama and Mississippi woodworkers who treated me so well over the weekend. They were kind enough to make only two Arkansas jokes.
