Something to build, for Christmas

[bandit571]

Day 16...was more about installing some hinges...

   
Box lid needed a pair.....with the barrel facing down..

   
Which meant I also had that little bit to excavate where the barrel would sit...

   
Then sit the chest down on the floor, where I could chop out where the leave sits on the side of the chest,..

   
Lid was a tad too tight on one end....spokeshave to fix that...

   
Lid closes nicely enough...and the lid will sit flush over it....Piano hinge...corded router to remove a strip off the top of the back rail...so the hinge will sit flush..

   
Sit the chest up on the tablesaw....and give the inside a coat of stain...

   
Except the plywood bottom panel....need it left bare....as I have ...

   
A $30 box of Aromatic Red Cedar planks to line the floor of the Blanket Chest with.   First, I might add a coat of varnish to cover the stain, once it dries...Stain is called Early American, by Minwax....not my choice, but it matches what her furniture looks like....colour-wise..

I was using these push drills...

   
Until I snapped off the tip on one bit....using these as pilot hole drills....so, I just got out a VIX bit, and finish attaching the piano hinge. 

   
Intend to stand up the main lid, with the chest sitting like this....mark out where the holes for the hinge will be on the lid...predrill those, and then attached the lid to the chest...then figure out IF I want a chain keeper....so the lid does not tilt back too far...Also..have begun looking around for a mortise lock/latch, to keep the lids closed...not fancy, though

Stay tuned..

[bandit571]

Insides now have a coat of gloss clear poly.    Main Lid is now installed.....waiting on the varnish to dry....before anything else gets stained....

[bandit571]

Outside now has been stained...other than the underside of the main lid....letting things dry overnight.

[bandit571]

The old "photos, or it didn't happen".....ok..PIP 

   
All stained...inside has a coat of varnish....

   
That extra strip of ash, right under the hinge?   Is a "backstop"..
 

   
It stops the lid from tilting too far back...

   
A view of the front....has had a coat of BLO brushed on, then wiped down...

   
Cordless mitersaw...to trim 4 planks to length...

   
And a Millers Falls #900 V-Line plane to trim the width of the 4th plank, to fit....

   
Lid for the inside box is also the main lid's prop, so the lid won't slam down on your fingers...

Still have to install a couple handles on the ends, makes it easier to carry into her house....with a big RED bow on it....

Need to add a couple of coats of clear gloss poly....once the dust in the shop settles...had to clear out a mess..

   
In order to sit the tablesaw back out of the way...

   
So I would have enough room to work on the Blanket Chest......

Stay tuned..

[bandit571]

First coat of clear gloss varnish was brushed on, last night.....

Went to check on it this morning....lid was stuck in place...

   
But, it IS shiny.   That black handle?

   
One on each end....had to get out a few tools, first..

   
The long screw?   is what the others looked like, before I shortened them down on the grinder,,,,and ground a new point on each.    VIX bit to drill a pilot hole.

   
Eye ball to center the handles on the top rail.....idea is to stick your fingers into the handle, with your thumb resting on the top of the lid....and then you can lift the chest.

   
Have a few white spots to fix, before a second coat goes on.....and some sanding to 320 grit.     

Stay tuned.....

[hbmcc]

That really looks good! The aromatic cedar is a nice touch. 

I find the packaged, constant length, T&G wainscot siding is good for back boards.

[bandit571]

Those white streaks were bugging me...
 

   
So...before the sanding and wiping down and a second coat of varnish....the Dremel was put to work....sanding back to bare, glue-free wood.   feathered out around the spots, and re-stain.    then sand the entire chest, to 320 grit.   wipe all that mess off.   add a "glaze" coat of stain to all of the chest...let it sit a bit ( while I got the varnish can opened..)wiped down the excess stain....trying to blend things together....then add the varnish...
 

   
Looks a little better...the one in the front?

   
Right above the center stile...? 

   
It will just have to do....there WAS a spot on the left end...

   
it WAS a big white streak...99% gone, now....top of the top rail, just to the left of the handle...

Will rub the varnish down later this week...and see how it looks...will post here, IF anyone wants to see it (and I find a better spot to take the pictures..)

[bandit571]

All rubbed down, furniture glides nailed on....and hauled it upstairs...(Grandson #3 did)  
 

   
Glides are them white socks....

   
Trying to avoid the glare off of this thing..

   
And...

   
A look inside...Cedar does not get any finish...

And that will do it, for this project....thanks for looking in..

[MarkSingleton]

Well done Bandit.

The recipient will doubtless love it.