Current Project Some Butternut

[Scoony]

I am building a walnut side table. I am using mostly scraps and cull walnut that is turning out to actually be pretty nice walnut. The lower shelf was a piece of very nice walnut that I had remaining from a previous blanket chest project. The top has some natural edge along the front. 

   

I have cut thousands of dovetails and have cut some really nice tight DTs, but for the most part, I tend to cut what I call utility dovetails. Still nice looking in the end, but little gaps here and there due to trying to work fast. For this project, I am using some butternut that I has been collecting dust. This was a beautiful 9" wide board that I hated to rip down and cut up, but I really wanted the butternut wood to contrast with the walnut drawer fronts. I want these DTs to look perfect so I have been taking all day to cut them. The blue tape trick really helped me today. 

   

   




I orientate the grain on the drawer sides to help with cleaning up the sides after assembly. This means when plowing the groove for the drawer bottoms, the left sides are always cut against the grain. Also, the way I orientated the drawer fronts, those grooves were going to be cut against the grain. I was a bit worried to say the least. Turns out that the drawer bottom plane that I made still cuts a clean groove against the grain as long as I use a marking gauge to score the lines. I still need to fix the one hick-up on that plane. The missing screw on the skate is due to a slightly misaligned screw hole. Just enough that the bottom of the skate is not level which messes up the operations of the plane. I need to fill in that hole and redrill it. 

   

   

Tomorrow will be glue up day for the drawers and I will post the results.

[C. in Indy]

It's looking sharp!   Update as you go, please!

[TheCabinetmaker]

Nice build. I have often heard Butternut called White Walnut.

[rwe2156]

I got excoriated on a forum for oversawing 1/2 blind drawer fronts.

I've seen it on antique furniture and one of Glen Huey's books.

So I'm giving you a thumbs up on demonstrating that & if the purists chime in I've got your back!!

[Scoony]

I got excoriated on a forum for oversawing 1/2 blind drawer fronts.

So I'm giving you a thumbs up on demonstrating that & if the purists chime in I've got your back!!

If a purist was to chime in against sawing it that way, I would question their definition of purist. I am not trying to recreate historical details, but I am working towards at least a bit of efficiency while I enjoy this hobby.

[Scoony]

Hunting season and this cold spell put a hamper on this console table, but I managed to get-er-done. 

The top was a couple of slabs from the same log. I was initially going to use them for a epoxy river table, but was not happy on how the natrual edge flowed. Decided to make this table instead. Drew up a sketch based on the size of the top and went from there. The grain on the top is not really my style, but with the natural edge, I guess it kind of works. 

Most of this walnut is left over or culled out from other projects. Was not the best lumber, but I made due with it. THe lower shelf was by far the best piece I had on hand. There are several spots, where i mixed black pigment into epoxy to fill in knots, cracks, and gaps.  The dovetails came out nice, only one slight gap that is no longer noticeable. 

   

   

   

   

[Scoony]

Oh and the butternut? I love working with butternut. They call it the white walnut, but it works even nicer.  Practically plane it in any direction.  I had no issues planing the groove against the grain for the drawer bottoms.   Well OK, maybe there is a tiny gap visible. 

   

[hbmcc]

Wow! That looks really nice; and, for cull pieces? An awesome job, and thanks for sharing.

[Bill Holt]

Wow!  You have some great looking culls!!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful table sir.

[Hank Knight]

Nice job, Scoony! I really like the butternut with the black walnut, the contrast is very nice. Good lookin' dovetails too. I agree with Bill Holt, your culls look better than my prime stock.?