Originally Posted by
Mike Allen1010
Ken,
I built several projects out of poplar and it's not my favorite hand tool wood – my experience is harder than you would expect and kind of "stringy". Seems like good choice for this project, and I admire your hand tool fortitude.
Thanks for the advice about drilling mortises. Getting well fitting mortise and tenon joints always seems to take me longer than it should. My go to method for mortises has been Forstner bits in the drill press, however routinely end up with drill holes that don't align with the mortise layout. Next time I'm gonna try the hand/eye alignment method with an auger bit and brace.
FWIW, building furniture for grandkids sounds awesome, and something I look forward to when the time is right. Come on - even after little one no longer needs a changing table, it will make a great place to put toys etc. I think our changing table ended up as a plant stand on the patio, which was great.
I look forward to seeing the rest of your build. Thanks for posting!
Best, Mike