SWMBO's Tool (long)

[Stan Smith]

This is tongue-in-cheek so don't flip out.

SWMBO came into the shop the other day and remarked that I had so many tools that she just didn't see how I could possibly need any more. Woe is me. I had feared this fateful day for some time. What will I do, what will I do? Maybe SWMBO feels left out because she doen't have many tools of her own. Aha! I'll make one for her. Now let's see....How can I get the most out of this with the least effort and cost. Wasn't there a guy who made a weeding stool shaped similar to a mushroom? I mean if SWMBO was using her "new tool" she might just be a tad happier than a fence board. She could actually be pulling weeds that I wouldn't have to pull. Hey, that would even give me more time in the shop.

Okay, the search is on. Now where is that old beat up section of redwood fence post that has been lying around the shop for years. Okay, found it. Now what about using that junky piece of doug fir, full of knots for the seat. Maybe I'll turn the post to spiff it up a bit. There's not much hope for the doug fir. At last I have some use for these scraps. Nothing is too good for SWMBO, right? I guess I can grudgingly spare a bit of the Minwax Clear Seal. If I don't, SWMBO might ask for me to do something more involved. Ain't love grand? Well, here it is and SWMBO actually likes it.

Okay, Just kidding. Here's what I also just finished. Didn't make it on time for Valentine's Day. Jewelry Chest

[Chris Padilla]

Nice, Stan! Okay, we need details about the wood and finish! You know the rulz!

[Jeff Skory]

Very nice looking Stan. And the story is cute too.

How about some pictures of what is behind the two doors? And the drawers. And yes, details, details, details. Type of wood, finish, etc.

Is this a plan of your own making?

And just how much jewelry does your wife have? You could fit a bunch in there.

[Dale Thompson]

Stan,
How can you folks make great looking pieces out of scrap and I make scrap out of great looking pieces??

If I could have figured that out years ago, I wouldn't have had to insulate my garage. That's to keep me warm when the LOML says, "Well, you're sleeping in the truck AGAIN tonight!!".

Great work, Stan. The jewelry stand will be a GREAT addition to your wife's dresser top. I'd like to buy it from you but then I'd have to buy some jewelry. Maybe that's why I spend so many nights in the truck - HMMM?

Thanks for the pictures! Now even "Spring" can understand your post.


Dale T.

[Dick Parr]

That is beautiful Stan, I bet she didn’t even mind that she didn’t get it for valentines day.

[John Miliunas]

Thanks for the pictures! Now even "Spring" can understand your post.


Dale T.

Hey, hey, hey! I most cetainly CAN understand the post! Sheeeesh! Anyhow Stan, I do hope LOYL liked the stool! Very nice. Now, who's the beautiful jewelry chest for?!

[Pete Lamberty]

Hi Stan, The jewelery chest is beautiful, very very nice. I am not sure that I care for the rectangular piece of wood that holds the mirror. It maybe the mirror that I don't like. It is the only round thing in your whole design. It seems to visually fight with the rest of the piece. Hmmmm. If that jewelery chest is holding as much jewelery as it's size indicates, you could say to your wife that "you don't need any more jewelery". Maybe she will rethink the "you don't need anymore tools" statement. Great job on that chest.

[Stan Smith]

Thanks very much for all the nice compliments, guys. The weed stool is actually very practical, believe it or not. It does help save your back.

As to the chest, it came from a plan from Meisel. I don't have the talent to design something like that by myself. The chest is made of cherry with curly maple panels. The plan called for mitered corners on the doors with glass glued into a rabbet on the back. I changed to rail and stile and raised panel. It was my first time to use the CMT jr. bit set. The back is baltic birch plywood. I glued 2 1/4" thick pieces together since the plan called for 1/2" and I didn't have any. The finish is sprayed lacquer. That was another first, also. I had just bought the Walcom hvlp conversion Slim gun from Homestead Finishing. It was on sale. It then became adventures in spraying as I tried to learn to spray. I made all the usual mistakes and invented a few of my own. My little Emglo 1 1/2hp compressor was put to a real workout. I probably will have to get a bigger compressor some day.

No, my wife doesn't have anywhere near enough jewelry to fill the chest. I didn't even think to consider that the mirror didn't fit with the design. A designer I am not. I just sent for some flocking stuff from Rockler to line the drawers and add grid dividers in a couple of drawers for earrings. Here's a pic with the door open. I didn't pick a very good location for the pic either.

Stan

[Jeff Skory]

Very nice Stan. Thanks for the extra pic. I can see how the little carousel and the pegs would be real useful for keeping necklaces from getting tangled with each other like they do in most jewelry boxes.

Good work. I'm going to have to look into Meisel. I'm not familiar with them.

[Stan Smith]

Good work. I'm going to have to look into Meisel. I'm not familiar with them.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Jeff. Meisel has a website which you can fine via Yahoo. They have a number of different plans and also sell supplies. They mostly deal in scroll saw stuff as does another such supplier, Cherry Tree.

The plans have full size cutouts of the various parts. I thought his strange, but hey, I just cut them out to use as patterns--makes it a lot easier to get the holes and cuts in the correct place. I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner, though, since they assume you already know how to do the stuff.

Stan