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Another project with better pics - Scoony - 10-08-2013
Richards’s recent post on improving photography inspired me into action. I was considering having a friend that does professional photography take the pics, but with Richards post, I decided that I could do it myself.
I ordered some back drop paper and bought a camera. I have a Cannon Power Shot SX160 which seems to have enough settings to take up a semester of college trying to learn some of them.
I am finishing up this walnut sugar chest and still have to rub out the shellac, but I am waiting a few days to allow the finish to fully cure.
Some of the chests that I have seen in person and online have half blind dovetails arraigned in a fashion so that they are not visible from the front. The sides are HB-DT to the front and the rear panel is HB-DT to the sides. I have wanted to try this construction method for over three years and finally found the courage to try it. Actually, I cut the joinery and assembled the case several months ago but waited until I found some walnut for the lid that would match the case.
Megan Fitzpatrick recently wrote an article in PW on a shaker blanket chest assembled in the same fashion. The case was assembled before her article, but I was happy that I was not the only one trying this.
Lesson learned is to cut the rear joinery first, that way you can size the depth of the tail sockets on the front panel to the rear joints (if that makes any sense). I cut the front first and really antagonized on the rear joints. My case is very close to being square, but not perfect.
With cutting the joints in this manner, I was able to get away with using poplar at the rear saving on material. I did use Walnut on the top half of the rear panel so that you see walnut all around when opening the chest.
The finish is BLO rubbed in, Seal coat of garnet shellac, sanded w/ 320 grit paper, glaze sprayed on, and top coat of garnet shellac. I used Sherwin Williams Van Dyke glaze which is a heavy bodied glaze that sprays on with a regular HVLP gun and wipes off leaving a dark aged patina. It really turned out nice on the poplar. I was considering staining the poplar beforehand, but I am glad I did not.
I hope these are an improvement from pics I have previously posted. I still have some shine issues to deal with.
While I am at it, a small box out of Brazilian Walnut
And a bourbon toast box out of Butternut and Walnut
Yeah, there are some finger prints inside that lid I need to address.
Re: Another project with better pics - Richard D. - 10-08-2013
I'd say it's a vast improvement!
A little more even lighting and you are there. When you really want to make yourself nuts download Gimp photo software (if you are running windows) to tweak the photos.
Glad someone found something I posted useful.
Re: Another project with better pics - Scoony - 10-08-2013
Gimp is the next step.
The cannon program is slow but not too hard to use. I am also fighting with windows 8 and how to view pics. Very annoying.
Re: Another project with better pics - RoperJ - 10-08-2013
You've been busy, and I am really liking that Brazilian Walnut. I have to say, I like the cherry version of the sugar chest better, probably just showing my Shaker snobbery.
Keep posting (and I sck at taking project photo's so I can't comment).
John
Re: Another project with better pics - Bill_de - 10-08-2013
Really nice work. The photos show it off pretty well. The crease in the background paper is a bit distracting. Any way it can be positioned behind the chest? If not, see if you can have it run parallel to the length of the piece.
Re: Another project with better pics - Steve Friedman - 10-09-2013
Wow! Seeing those two pictures next to each other is amazing. They don't even look like the same piece. Richard, great tip.
John, nice work as always. Love the Brazilian Walnut, but the like the idea of a Bourbon box even more. Very cool gift idea. Great work!
Steve
Re: Another project with better pics - RedBob - 10-09-2013
Man, you do nice work.
Bob
Re: Another project with better pics - cputnam - 10-09-2013
Great pics! - but slightly underexposed (1/3 - 1/2 stop IMO) and could use a more even lighting (compare top vs bottom.)
There are ways to fix all that in the computer but it's easier to do it with the camera. If you do get GIMP let me know. I have a manual for it (older but it should help you get going) which you can have for the cost of shipping.
Re: Another project with better pics - Ken Vick - 10-09-2013
Steve Friedman said:
Wow! Seeing those two pictures next to each other is amazing. They don't even look like the same piece. Richard, great tip.
John, nice work as always. Love the Brazilian Walnut, but the like the idea of a Bourbon box even more. Very cool gift idea. Great work!
Steve
I must be missing something here because it surely doesn't look like they are the same piece--the grain pattern looks completely different on the front. Ken
Re: Another project with better pics - Scoony - 10-09-2013
Here are better pics of the cherry chest. The seam is still there, can't do anything about it now. I downloaded the Gimp manual and it is super large but seems easy to read. Hopefully I can learn the trick to making the seams disappear. At some point, In the future, I will get some wider paper.
