Here's an all but finished (no top coat/shellac) prototype, whose purpose
was to experiment with a rather unusual approach/method of doing the basic
casework for a piece of this size.

Many of the old wider (66 1/4" in this case) sideboards/buffets you see show
a tendency to sag over time, with the drawers and doors binding to the point
of being unusable, thus the much used 'six legged' design to give that
needed center support.

This method of doing the casework, better described on Projects/page 13 of
my website below, uses a dovetailed box with legs attached, and with the
vertical partitions fitted in dadoes and further reinforced with mortise and
tenons to the top and bottom, resulting in casework with an amazing amount
of structural integrity and resistance to racking/sagging across it's
length.

Although this prototype is completely functional, the hardware, drawer
fronts, and doors will be re-used in the final iteration, with those you see
being replaced with veneered versions so this prototype can be put to use in
another part of the house.

All in all, with a few design tweaks and the many "lessons learned" during
the process, I will probably use the same basic approach to the casework for
the planned version.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 6/1/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
Here's an all but finished (no top coat/shellac) prototype, whose purpose
was to experiment with a rather unusual approach/method of doing the basic
casework for a piece of this size.


More than one way to skin a nutria, eh?

Beautiful, as usual, Swing.

That looks very nice. You should be proud of it.

"Charlie M. 1958" wrote in message
...
Swingman wrote:
Here's an all but finished (no top coat/shellac) prototype, whose purpose
was to experiment with a rather unusual approach/method of doing the
basic
casework for a piece of this size.


More than one way to skin a nutria, eh?

Beautiful, as usual, Swing.

NICE!

I love it. The corbels are a nice touch!

--
Stoutman
www.garagewoodworks.com

Swingman wrote:

.... snip
Many of the old wider (66 1/4" in this case) sideboards/buffets you see
show a tendency to sag over time, with the drawers and doors binding to
the point of being unusable, thus the much used 'six legged' design to
give that needed center support.

This method of doing the casework, better described on Projects/page 13 of
my website below, uses a dovetailed box with legs attached, and with the
vertical partitions fitted in dadoes and further reinforced with mortise
and tenons to the top and bottom, resulting in casework with an amazing
amount of structural integrity and resistance to racking/sagging across
it's length.


Interesting. Here I thought all the old stuff was always better. ;-)

Although this prototype is completely functional, the hardware, drawer
fronts, and doors will be re-used in the final iteration, with those you
see being replaced with veneered versions so this prototype can be put to
use in another part of the house.


Out of curiosity, what makes the casework "prototype" vs. the final
design?

All in all, with a few design tweaks and the many "lessons learned" during
the process, I will probably use the same basic approach to the casework
for the planned version.


Very nice looking piece

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message

Out of curiosity, what makes the casework "prototype" vs. the final
design?

Good question!

Basically, the material used, it being the first time to try out/use "the
method", and the fact that it is difficult, if not impossible, to
incorporate some of the key design elements of a traditional Mission piece
(IOW, the "frame and panel" sides is what gives these pieces a good deal of
their "look" IMO, and to incorporate these into this "method" of doing the
casework skirts on the edges of some less than desirable woodworking
practices).

I wasn't so sure I would buy into the concept until I got into it so I
executed the project as an experiment rather than if I was trying to create
a "museum piece" with traditional joinery from the get go, and that almost
always colors the way I do the little things.

Although I did take a great deal of care in the "fit" of the parts/joinery,
I used plywood drawers (well crafted nonetheless) and purchased drawer
slides instead of the wood drawers I plan for the final iteration.

.... and I'm still not thoroughly convinced this is a good method, even with
some changes.

While I like the concept of the strength and resistance to sagging/racking
of "the method" (this is what attracted me to the concept originally as I
dislike the "six legged" designs), there is generally a good reason for
traditional joinery techniques (frame and panel sides) in like pieces, and
this is certainly a departure from that traditional method.

And, while I took great pains in selecting two woods for the 1 1/2" thick
"laminated sides" that have almost identical wood movement charateristics
(both quarter sawn, to boot), I'm still not convinced that glueing legs to
any material that has a dimensional instability greater than plywood is
something that will stand the test of time.

At this point, and should I use this approach in the final piece, there are
two changes I will definitely make with regard to what I did on this piece
as far as the basic casework:

I will use a top grade plywood for ALL the case work instead of a secondary
wood, which will make it lighter and provide as much dimensional stability
over time as any wood product can; and I will change the joinery on selected
parts (dovetail both the front/back top rails into the top of the posts, for
starters)

Very nice looking piece

Thanks ... While I like the look that was achieved despite the inherent
limitations vis a vis design elements like top and bottom side rails, I
would prefer to be more comfortable about the "time tested" nature of this
method versus more traditional methods ... that despite the very reason I
embarked upon it was that these wide pieces don't seem to historically do
well in that department.

I know ... kinda hard to reconcile, but I can't help it. I guess the upshot
is that I'm still casting about for a solution to a problem that wouldn't
pop up until way past the time I would have the ability to worry about it.


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 6/1/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
| "Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
|
|| Out of curiosity, what makes the casework "prototype" vs. the
|| final design?

snip

| While I like the concept of the strength and resistance to
| sagging/racking of "the method" (this is what attracted me to the
| concept originally as I dislike the "six legged" designs), there is
| generally a good reason for traditional joinery techniques (frame
| and panel sides) in like pieces, and this is certainly a departure
| from that traditional method.

snip

I'm not sure which I like better: your design improvements or your
especially lucid presentations of your rationale.

I'm not a furniture builder, but I admire both.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message

I'm not sure which I like better: your design improvements or your
especially lucid presentations of your rationale.

I'm not a furniture builder, but I admire both.

blushing ... why thank you, sir! I'm going to try and get through the rest
of the day with a bigger hat size.


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 6/1/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in message

Thanks ... While I like the look that was achieved despite the inherent
limitations vis a vis design elements like top and bottom side rails, I
would prefer to be more comfortable about the "time tested" nature of this
method versus more traditional methods ... that despite the very reason I
embarked upon it was that these wide pieces don't seem to historically do
well in that department.


You know, that is an interesting thought.

It makes you wonder if the present day antique is here because it passed the
"time test". And how many peices of junk were built that did not last very
long? And how many "rare" antiques were just an anomaly in terms of
survival?


I know ... kinda hard to reconcile, but I can't help it. I guess the
upshot
is that I'm still casting about for a solution to a problem that wouldn't
pop up until way past the time I would have the ability to worry about it.

Ahhhhh....., the legacy thing. You want to build things that will last
forever! Because wood, joinery and finishes far outlast our fragile human
bodies.

"Lee Michaels" wrote in message

Ahhhhh....., the legacy thing. You want to build things that will last
forever! Because wood, joinery and finishes far outlast our fragile human
bodies.

Or ...

"What a dumb ****! ... he's only been buried ten years and his crap is
falling apart already!!



--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 6/1/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)