Design Ideas / Swiss-Army / SkewBlockPlane multifunction Nightstand ?

[C. in Indy]

Folks,

Way back before we ever met, my wife bought only 1 nightstand-table to go with the bedroom set.   I have been using by my side, with sentimental attachment, an old vinyl-upholstered Valet from my grandfather.  Basically it's a chair with a hanger-post at the top of the seatback.  I have clamped a reading lamp on the top, and I set my eyeglasses, alarm watch, reading material on the flat of the seat.

Now I'm thinking about a new project.  As the title says, I really want more of a gadget-factor than just an end-table.   I'd like an elevated lamp of some sort (possibly integrated?), maybe some doors on an enclosed area, but still an overall lightness of 4 thin legs.    I don't see it being a traditional valet like Tom Fidgen has built; I don't hang clothes there.   Maybe a bit more in the line of a Krenov cabinet ?    Surely I'm not the only person who ever wanted something like this?

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Chris

[Bill_Houghton]

Hardly matters if you're the only person who's ever wanted something like this, if you want it.  Looking forward to your design sketches; sounds interesting.

[Paul K. Murphy]

You will find a lot of material to peruse if you do a google image search of the following term: “Louis XV transformation furniture.”
I know you aren’t looking to produce a cabinet in the Louis XV style, but the pieces constructed in that time and place are a gold mine of features. It was a time when consumers demanded the very thing you’re describing, and the cabinetmakers of the time filled the bill. It wouldn’t be difficult to identify features you like and adapt them to a Krenovian aesthetic.
I’ll include a couple links to some online photos I found searching that very term. This took longer to write than to find some cool furniture.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/2c/92/...1b2807.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_p8iST9NBoKY/SU...OUSSEL.jpg

[C. in Indy]

Thanks!
I appreciate the ideas and links.
Mental wheels are turning.


Chris

[Bill_Houghton]

I've been thinking about this one, and wondering if you'll be including the corkscrew, toothpick, and tweezers found on any decent Swiss Army knife.

[hbmcc]

You know, if you make it 'too cool' looking, or even just 'cool', you might as well double the material and cutting list and plan to make two.

[C. in Indy]

OK,  going at a "non Bandit" rate of speed, but I think I at least have an idea.
I like the 3-legged concept.  It would present some bedside conveniences but also leave good room to exit the bed.

I put some size-wise pieces against a basement closet door to think about it.  No more than 2 hours later, my wife needed into that closet, for the first time in 6 months!  The mockup is already disbanded, but the thought is germinating...


[attachment=9792]

P.S.,  the rippled mahogany was in the hardwood section of Menard's,  along with 60 plainer boards



Chris

[C. in Indy]

I made a bit of progress.  This is still a "proportions exercise," but it's finalizing.

Since I waste a lot of money on flipping tools and buying WW magazines, I'm cheap on creating wood moldings.  Here is an instance of resawing & gluing, rather than putting a bunch of chips into the shop-vac:

[attachment=10041]


The 3-legged table mockup continues.  The leg-to-plywood joints are recycled knock-down fasteners for now, and this allowed me to try a couple of different anchor points.  The mortise & tenons at the lower leg sections are loose, and I can 'telescope' leg positions for trials.  The cheap glued-up moldings are left long for now until committing to an actual size and shape.   I have been using the same German plane for this whole project:

[attachment=10042]


Happy woodworking!

Chris

[Bill_Houghton]

Don't forget about those 4 F's on that first date. Find em, Flatten em, File em, and I forgot the fourth.

That's actually five by my count, if you count both the "forgot" and the "fourth."

[jasfrank]

That's actually five by my count, if you count both the "forgot" and the "fourth."

Weird workings on this website. I posted that behind your and Admirals post on the downwindtracker thread, about his dating the tool. How it ever ended up here I have no idea.