New Desk

[MaSonZ]

over building is the way to go. the more support the better, especially on high abuse areas.

[dkff49]

One example of my overbuilding is these doll benches that I make. My 250 pound brother has used one as a step stool several. 

I have some pics of those somewhere too. There is only 6 nails in the whole bench and they only hold the back on. Takes forever to make one but once they go together they will never come apart.

[MaSonZ]

One example of my overbuilding is these doll benches that I make. My 250 pound brother has used one as a step stool several. 

I have some pics of those somewhere too. There is only 6 nails in the whole bench and they only hold the back on. Takes forever to make one but once they go together they will never come apart.

how does this work? please do dig up those pictures and illistrate it for us in your wood working chicken scratches 

[SPKmes]

show them that chest you made...that was nice

[dkff49]

Mason I will see what I can dig up. I think the pics of that bench are on my wife's computer which is down at the moment. To give the simple answer it is mostly constructed using sliding dovetails. Very difficult and time-consuming but strong as hell. I have the pattern at home still, if you want I can get some pics of that in the next few days and show you how a little ingenuity can go a long way. Now you got me bragging, I will never get my fishing hat on now.

The hooks on this shelf are held the same way.



As requested SPKmes





and the matching chest made for my other daughter





and this one was made for a friend of mine's daughter as well.





disclaimer: the last 4 pics were taken with cellphone and quality suffered for it.

For those that don't already know the first 2 chests shown here were actually built from a tree that I cut out of a friends yard and had the lumber sawed by an uncle that owns a local sawmill. So those chests have family history from start to finish.

[MaSonZ]

Brag all you please DK, im interested in those sliding dovetails you speak of. I'vew never heard of them, but im sure ive seen them and just dont recognize them, because its one of those funky things you dont hear much. 

[ebfd11]

I hope my desk comes out as nice as that chest ...LOL and thats the HIGH gloss I want for the top. UUUUUUUUUU PURDY!!!!!!!!


LOL

[SPKmes]

dovetail ...isn't that the old school way..you know...when there were craftsmen?
oh yeah...that chest is still as impressive as the first time it was up here.

[MaSonZ]

dovetail ...isn't that the old school way..you know...when there were craftsmen?
oh yeah...that chest is still as impressive as the first time it was up here.

if he can throw up a good diagram and explanation ill sytart doing it in woodshop and impress my teacher very much so...

[SPKmes]

there you are...most common area seen ..... takes time to get a nice fit.... no screws..no dowel...just wood and PVA

there are few different way also.....just google dovetail join you will see many

[dkff49]

Yeah Tongs you don't see them used at all any more, especially with airguns being so cheap these days. Only the most serious craftsmen use them. My idea when I started building the benches was to make sure I would never have a nail to hide but be so strong that the chunkiest kid in the world could take up a seat and never fall.

Thanks for the compliments guys. It's nice to see so many still appreciate the amount of work goes into this type of work. Believe it or not I still do this as a hobby even though I have had several paying customers as well.

This is a diagram that i found on the internet. It shows the basic idea.



My free time was drastically reduced today since I was trying to finish a job for a customer but tomorrow I will try to get some pics of the bench pattern tomorrow and try to type up a nice description of how it works. This way you will see how it can be applied to projects.

The most important thing about using sliding dovetails is to make sure you wood is straight as an arrow. Things become very difficult if there is even the slightest bow or twist.

Don't worry Feralpig Your desktop should shine just like that.

[MaSonZ]

i know what a dove tail, it was just that i had never heard the name of it so i was drawing a blank.


dk, check PM's in regard to a desk ill be building.

[ink]

very nice

[Jayhawk]

dovetail ...isn't that the old school way..you know...when there were craftsmen?
oh yeah...that chest is still as impressive as the first time it was up here.

I think there are still plenty of people with the skill and patience to create a good dovetail joint, it's just a question of necessity.  If I'm building a cabinet or shelf for my garage, there is no need to take the time to create a pretty (and strong) dovetail when I can simply drive a couple screws in to get the same strength.

Things just aren't built with the intention of being used for a lifetime like they used to be because the alternative is usually cheaper.  Not saying I like it, but it's just how it is.  Still, I think there are plenty of people out there who can still do it, and do it well.

[dkff49]

To prevent any further dragging this thread off topic, I have made a new thread in o'club showing how I made to handle the request that was made to show how I could make a doll bench so strong and only using 6 nails in the whole thing and still make it strong enough to hold a grown man.

Here is link for anyone who might be interested.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,317841.msg4133742.html#msg4133742