just finished- English Oak Bachelors Chest 1730-1740

[joe maday]

Here is a look at my latest piece, It is an English Bachelor's Chest in English Brown Oak, Georgian period 1730-1740. It was derived from a photo in the Stevens and Whittington book, 18th Century English Furniture.. using "third phase construction" methods. Hand dovetailed poplar carcass, English Brown Oak Burl veneers from Ben at Berkshire Veneers, in Ma.... "Hammered" on with not hide glue. I made the feather banding from solid lumber as are the feet, the moldings are built up, cross grain, hand planed and molded on pine backing strips. Top, drawers are cross banded n English Brown Oak. The 3/16 cockbeaded drawer's, sides, back and bottoms are quarter-sawn white oak, again, all hand dovetailed. All using hot hide glue. Brasses are from Optimum Brasses in England. Finished with shellac and wax.

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[glenn bradley]

Beautifully done Joe. My personal taste runs a different way but, I am ever-thankful to my parents for raising me to appreciate beauty in many forms. That is one beautiful chest.

[Christopher Charles]

ShaZam! Great work!

Was the top veneer also hammered? That's a big surface for hammering if so!

C

[Yonak Hawkins]

Criminy ! I didn't know such beautiful wood existed. ..And the workmanship is marvelous. It's just beautiful and charming.

joe, there's something about pic 4 .. the one I really want to see. It isn't coming up for me. Is it only me ?

[John TenEyck]

Wow, is right. That is some very impressive work. Like Glenn, that's not a style I would build in, but I can certainly appreciate the leveol of craftsmanship it took to do it so well. And thanks for showing molding detail. Very clever.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Wow, is right. That is some very impressive work. Like Glenn, that's not a style I would build in, but I can certainly appreciate the leveol of craftsmanship it took to do it so well. And thanks for showing molding detail. Very clever.

Neither is it my style, but like the others, I can very much appreciate the craftsmanship and the beauty of the surfaces. Thanks for showin it.

It must be going somewhere with other period furniture...........any of those pieces, wherever they are, yours also?

[joe maday]

Thanks Christopher, yes the top is "hammered" using hot hide glue..in four separate book matched English brown Oak burl pieces, then they are trimmed to size to allow for the boarder, feather banding glued in place, then the oak cross banding is applied..then planed/scraped.

[joe maday]

Thanks Yonak, here is photo 4 and two more
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[joe maday]

Thanks John, I can not take credit for being "very clever". That is the method used during the "Georgian Period" to make the cross grained moldings.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Joe......what a stunning piece! Absolutely gorgeous!

[joe maday]

Glenn, Kent, Thanks for your kind words

[joe maday]

Thanks Ken

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks Yonak, here is photo 4 and two more
IMG_1039_2.jpg

OK, Joe - you got me here.......the horizontal trim piece, on top of the dovetails, is there because......??

Ohhh..on further review........do you have a photo of the inside of that drawer, showing how the front panel is attached? It is not dovetailed - it is attached to the drawer front, o?

[joe maday]

Kent, The drawer front is solid quarter-sawn white oak, with Quarter-sawn sides, and back, all dovetailed together. The Oak Bottom and poplar runners are attached into rabbets in the drawer sides and in a dado in the drawer front.
The drawer front is veneered with 4 book-matched pieces of English Brown Oak Burl,"hammred " on using hot hide glue, then trimmed, Oak feather banding and oak cross-banding was applied like the top of the chest. Then after the drawer is fitted to it's opening there is a 3/32 cockbeading around the sides, top and bottom edges, with the top cockbeading covering the full thickness of the drawer front. That hides the secondary wood (white oak) from view. The sides and bottom are not as wide. It is mitered at all four corners. Between the top and side cockbead it is "stop-mitered" Traditionally the cock-beading protects the veneer edges, and limits the exposure of end grain on the drawer fronts to help control moisture absorption. The use of cross banding is also a method of controlling/limiting damage to the field veneer. Over many years of use it was easier to repair /replace the cross edging veneer than the field.
I thought I had photos of the cock-bead rabbet cut around the drawer front but...no..Maybe these will help? Sorry for being wordy. Joe
Before Veneer or Cock-bead rabbets IMG_0171.jpg

Drawer bottom at front showing bottom and drawer runner IMG_0177.jpg



the same at the back of the drawer IMG_0178.jpg

[Paul Murphy]

As far as I can tell that is a perfectly constructed chest. Your veneer work is beautiful!