Mostly A woodworker

[Brokenolmarine]

My stepfather was an anal contractor in the Metro Richmond area when I was in High School and taught me to strive for perfection in my work.  HE never advertised for jobs, and always had work lined up in the finest homes in the area.  Wives called him to build things, spending Rich Husband's money.   "Biffy Told me you built her addition, when can you start on a garage and Mother in Law's suite for me?"  Every aspect of the job had to be done to his exacting specifications.  Even those that the building inspectors would never see.  So I tried to do my very best later in life... 

My best never hit HIS skill levels, but I did MY best... LOL.

I used the best materials I could find, and didn't cut corners.  I rarely sold my work, preferring to stick to gifts for family and friends, or donations to charity auctions or presentations for the family's of vet's who passed.

Here is a pic of the cradle I built for my first grandson....  It's a pendulum cradle built from Walnut and Ash, and breaks down so the legs and spreader bar (underneath) store in the basket when the baby outgrows it to wait for the next.  When the baby wakes, and moves, it rocks them back to sleep.  Miss T made the mattress and rail pads.

 

[Brokenolmarine]

Next grandchild came along and the pendulum cradle was up again.  (The oldest daughter this time) Son had the first.

This one is Black Walnut, Mahogany, birdseye maple. Same design, with slight mods.  She got maple spindles in the edge for a touch of class.

 

[Brokenolmarine]

Splitting firewood, I noticed some nice grain  in a piece of walnut and tossed it aside.  The wife said we were splitting wood to burn not to save.  I ignored her.  After a year of drying, I ran the wood thru the band saw, the planer, jointer, and then used the planks to build MY Flag/Medals display box.  I have used this original design a dozen times to build boxes for other vets... as well as other original designs when requested.  The boss doesn't ask when I save a chunk of wood we come across any longer. 

[Brokenolmarine]

Miss Tina wanted a Jewelry Box, but asked if I could make it special.  I made this one by hand, from a single plank of curly cherry.  The trays inside from walnut, were bandsaw box style.

The trim outside was formed with antique molding planes, as were the edges on the top.  It took a while, but this is truly one of a kind.  It's about a foot tall, sixteen inches wide, and eight inches deep.

[Brokenolmarine]

An inside view of the box, before the hinges attached the top.  She stores boxed items below the tray.

 

[Sheilajeanne]

That is indeed some lovely work, olbrokemarine!

Your kids are lucky to have you, and I'm sure these things you've made will become family heirlooms!

[Spyros]

Welcome to the wonderful world of leatherworking where you don't have to deal with breathable dust and piles of shavings, your tools and machines don't wake up the neighbours, you never have to clamp anything or wait an hour for glue to dry, you don't need a dedicated shed, you never lose a finger, and you can absolutely do professional work on the kitchen table with just a toolbox worth of tools!

You've done some excellent work with timber, well done.   Time to enjoy a more user-friendly craft

 

 

[chuck123wapati]

your woodworking skills are amazing. your eye for detail and perfection will no doubt follow over into leather. And the good the good thing is Leather and wood go together in a lot of projects.

as well so do some of the tools and skills .

[Handstitched]

That is truly some quality craftsmanship. Love  the beautiful grains &  colours in the woods.

And yes, leather & wood go so well  together .Especially antique dyes . 

Absolutely amazing . 

HS 

[Brokenolmarine]

Thanks folks, I will continue in woodwork, knifemaking, and leatherwork, and combine all three. Lol.

[Brokenolmarine]

I thought I might add a few more of the woodworking things I have done.  I decided to try a rifle case, along the lines of the fancy shotgun cases I saw at the gunshow I attended a few months before.  You know the ones, the cases cost more than many of the guns you see, but they are housing custom shotguns that cost more than most people's homes.  This case was made from a Single slab of Black Cherry, and took more than a month.  It ran thru MOST of the tools in the woodshop and was quite the challenge. But, the finished project was worth the effort.  Unfortunately, Anal as I am, I still look at the case and see each and every flaw, and mistake I would correct next time around. 

I bought a handle kit, then decided NOT to bother.  If I want to carry that Henry Carbine anywhere, I have a padded soft case, and IT won't scratch. 

[Brokenolmarine]

This project was special.  Miss Tina asked me to make her a Sewing Chest to hold her yarn while she crocheted.  I told her to show me what she wanted to give me an idea.  She said plywood was fine.  NOT.

The final result was made from walnut and spalted maple.  Note that if you look real close you can see the bookmatched ends and wings.  The wing doors are Meant to overhang to make them easy to open to refill the yarn, or change out colors that she will no longer use on the current project.  The center top panel is the FEED control and the holes were drilled, routed top and bottom and sanded glass smooth so as not to interfere with the feeding of the yarn.  This was a custom design but was based on several days of looking at dozens and dozens (more than a hundred?) images of chests on line.  She used it a lot until she started quilting.  But, sometimes she gets the bug, and will crochet baby stuff, or another afghan.  

I loved the challenge.  Lot's of hand plane work, and fitting of the various pieces.  SHE likes it, all that matters.

[Brokenolmarine]

Last one for today.  This is my Armorer's box.  As I was building it, Miss T thought it was going to be a Jewelry Box.    Slow and Steady work, so many drawers, beautiful walnut trim.  I spent three days with the drafting of the detailed full scale plans and then meticulous cutting and fitting together of all the parts and pieces.  I dovetailed all the drawers and they all slide on integral rails.  If you look at the front of the box, the grain flows across the front of all the drawer faces.  The side of the box is a closet. The top is a storage bin.  When she saw the drawer pulls, she found out it was shooting related.  

"You have got to be kidding me!" She laughed.

"You were willing to buy me that OAK and Brass tool chest for the tools last Christmas, it was $350."

"Okay, you got me."  She walked away shaking her head.  Two weeks in the shop for an Armorer's Tool Chest.  Hey, Retired, I got nothing but time.

The drawer pulls are spent cases. Free, and fit the theme.  The hooks the cleaning rods are hanging from?  Spent cases in the caliber the rods are set up for, a pair of them.  The hook and the brass tip.

Note the bookmatched door on the closet for the cleaning rods.  Tina said it looks like an owl.   I used acrylic glue to stabilize the knot.  Fun project, challenging and with the payoff at the end of having all the armorer's tools at hand.

[PastorBob]

That is pretty sharp.  

[Daffy]

Beautiful craftsmanship!

[Samalan]

18 hours ago, Brokenolmarine said:

I thought I might add a few more of the woodworking things I have done.  I decided to try a rifle case, along the lines of the fancy shotgun cases I saw at the gunshow I attended a few months before.  You know the ones, the cases cost more than many of the guns you see, but they are housing custom shotguns that cost more than most people's homes.  This case was made from a Single slab of Black Cherry, and took more than a month.  It ran thru MOST of the tools in the woodshop and was quite the challenge. But, the finished project was worth the effort.  Unfortunately, Anal as I am, I still look at the case and see each and every flaw, and mistake I would correct next time around. 

I bought a handle kit, then decided NOT to bother.  If I want to carry that Henry Carbine anywhere, I have a padded soft case, and IT won't scratch. 

I once had a friend that had a shotgun that cost him$ 34,000 dollars yes $34,000 and he didn't have a case that nice great job on all.

[Samalan]

1 minute ago, Samalan said:

I once had a friend that had a shotgun that cost him$ 34,000 dollars yes $34,000 and he didn't have a case that nice great job on all.

But let me say some leather straps and handle on that would be really nice you said you wanted to blend the arts I think that would do it very nice and a man of your talent could do a fine job of it for sure !

[Brokenolmarine]

As I said, I was going to make a nice leather handle, even cut it out, just knew I would never carry the case and take a chance of scratching it.  A friend of mine bought a very nice shotgun in one of those wooden/leather carved cases.  He bought a nice aluminum case to take the shotgun to the skeet range in.   That really nice case never left his gun room. (Guest Room)

[MikeRock]

Take a look for Marvin Huey, Casemaker.  Some awesome stuff.  I didn't need a case but got a full set of ebony handled screwdrivers (turn screws) from him. 

God bless