 The Finish Line - I can see it
I think I can, I think I can...
O NO !!!!!!
I knew it was going too smoothly. Just glue up the drawers, fit the tops and on to the finishing. Yup, that's only a Saturday's work. A couple of evenings to finish off maybe.
I was happily gluing up the drawers and was a little slow sliding a dovetail joint together. (The drawer sides attach to the front via sliding dovetail joints.) All of a sudden the side stopped. And I mean dead stopped. I couldn't pull it out, I couldn't belt it in, not even with a hammer. I couldn't press it in with clamp pressure. There it was, half in and half out of the drawer front, mocking me.
All I can say is that the atmosphere in the garage wasn't the happiest or most sunny at that particular time.
I wiggled and pulled and "POP", the side of the dovetail joint in the drawer front split off. . Oh, but that didn't help my mood any!
But all was not lost. It was a very clean break and it allowed me to get the two pieces apart! A bit of chisel here, a bit of glue there, a bit of sanding along the way, and all was rescued. I DID NOT want to remake the drawer front and side from scratch.
Lesson of the day: Don't dawdle during glue ups!
Finished the drawers and went to bed.
The next day the good lady offered to help with the staining, and I gladly accepted. So we set about conditioning the wood, applying Special Walnut stain (which is a reasonable match with the existing sideboard in the spare room) and the first coat of spar urethane.
I'm reasonably happy with the result. I've decided that I don't really like the colour, but I didn't have a choice due to needing to match, so there it is. There's nothing like stain to show up your shortcomings and errors. Most I can live with, but one of the tops is made from two different timbers; one light and one reddish. I was hoping the dark stain would cover it. Unfortunately not, and the different woods are very noticeable. Another lesson learned. A small cloth on the table and a vase of flowers and no-one will be the wiser.
Anyway, all that's left is a couple of coats of urethane and screw on the tops, which I've done already in a dry run, and they'll be ready to go.
Here's some photos.
Cheers,
John |