My first hardwood project ...

[rjent]

Thanks to BuckeyeDennis who "suggested" that I try some better wood, as I had been using Fir, Pine, and Redwood exclusively, I bought some Curly Maple, Zebra wood, Cherry, and some American Mahogany to play with, not much, but 15 BF or so total.

This is my first project since doing that.

These pics were taken at sunrise at Yosemite where we are staying at present. Seems sunrise really poped the grain. I took a pic inside the condo just to show the variance ...

New Maple Nook Box 01.jpg (317.74 KiB) Viewed 10505 times

New Maple Nook Box 02.jpg (277.61 KiB) Viewed 10505 times

New Maple Nook Box 03.jpg (253.03 KiB) Viewed 10505 times

New Maple Nook Box 04.jpg (388.17 KiB) Viewed 10505 times

First of all, thank you Dennis for "pushing" me out of my envelope LOL

Two what an amazing difference it is working with hardwood! It cuts, sands, chisels, and finishes so much better. I enjoyed it!

This was 4/4 stock and I resawed into three "slices", then cut a horseshoe out of the center with the bandsaw, glued the three pieces back together again. One the glue was dry the next day, I use the beltsander with 150 grit and shaped the rounded corners, and then sanded through 320 grit then moved to an orbit sander through 600 grit. Used Minwax "natural" sanded again, the the Minwax again and finished with Tung Oil. The surface after the sanding and before the finishing was mirror smooth.

Anyway, blah blah, thanks Dennis for the "push" ....

I might add that I had not run a table saw before getting my Shopsmith(s) (I own 5 now ). I am pretty stoked .....

[JPG]

Light direction as well as observer direction causes the 'curly' grain to appear and disappear. Learned recently from a single piece of curly birch* of all things. Y'all will see it eventually.

* that was what Woodcraft claimed it was.

[nuhobby]

Beautiful wood and beautiful work!

Chris

[ERLover]

You always need to add a touch of an oil base to pop grain in Fiddle Back or Birds eye, I like a 50/50 mix of Boiled Linseed Oil and Mineral Spirits. Wipe on first, let set a few minutes, then wipe of an excess, let dry over night and then finish with your choice.

[BuckeyeDennis]

She's a beauty!

I'm jealous, BTW. I've had a pretty piece of curly maple on the shelf for a couple of years, purchased to make jewelry boxes for my womenfolk. But haven't yet found the time, alas. I did at least actually touch it last weekend, while making room to store leftover secret-room Sycamore. And so, you officially now have more curly-maple experience than do I!

[everettdavis]

Beautiful work.

[moggymatt]

Nice work! Beautiful wood.

[benush26]

Beautiful!

[rpd]

That turned out beautifully. Well done.

As hardwoods go I have always been partial to walnut.

[ERLover]

That turned out beautifully. Well done.

As hardwoods go I have always been partial to walnut.

Me too, but it depends on the piece and style, I do alot of Frank Loydd Wright design stuff, Walnut would be out of place for it, so I use quarter
sawn white oak and some Cherry. If I was going to do some Shaker style it would be Maple or pine.
And yes I like and do Walnut because by me it is still cheap kinda, it has gone up alot lately but for 4/4 here 7.00 a Brd Ft.
If doing period type furniture, not much that I know of was done in it. Pine, Maple, Mahogany, Cherry, and QS White Oak seemed to be the choice of the great designers and Shakers.
Correct me and educate me if I am wrong.