Carved panel blanket chest in quarter-sawn red oak with a solid aromatic cedar bottom. In a style commonly called Hadley although carved panel chests certainly predate those made in Hadley, Massachusetts and are found throughout Europe. Check out Peter Follansbee's blog for the real deal.
The only major difference between the chests of the 1700s and this one is that this chest is made of sawn and dried oak rather than split, riven and green timber. The joints are also pinned post glue up rather than assembled with a draw bore. Panels are carved by hand (no routers Tommy Mac!) so that the carving shape is in many ways determined by the sweep of the gouges. (To make my template I just pressed the chisels down on heavy paper in the right sequence.) The background is then stamped for texture and so that it takes the wax differently than the smooth top layer. Turned maple pins between the back legs and the battens make up the hinge. Finished with a 1:4 mixture of caranuba and beeswax which I then colored to my taste. All the joints are glued with Old Brown Glue Liquid Hide Glue.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions although I feel like Follansbee has that pretty much covered.
I'm noticing some splotches of color that I will fix this week before having it photographed by instructor Lance Patterson.
This particular chest is a anniversary present for my wife who has been instrumental in making my time at North Bennet Street School work.
This project wraps up my first year (of two) at North Bennet Street School. I have full size drawings of this, the toolbox I've posted about and other pieces. Those are still on the way.
The only major difference between the chests of the 1700s and this one is that this chest is made of sawn and dried oak rather than split, riven and green timber. The joints are also pinned post glue up rather than assembled with a draw bore. Panels are carved by hand (no routers Tommy Mac!) so that the carving shape is in many ways determined by the sweep of the gouges. (To make my template I just pressed the chisels down on heavy paper in the right sequence.) The background is then stamped for texture and so that it takes the wax differently than the smooth top layer. Turned maple pins between the back legs and the battens make up the hinge. Finished with a 1:4 mixture of caranuba and beeswax which I then colored to my taste. All the joints are glued with Old Brown Glue Liquid Hide Glue.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions although I feel like Follansbee has that pretty much covered.
I'm noticing some splotches of color that I will fix this week before having it photographed by instructor Lance Patterson.
This particular chest is a anniversary present for my wife who has been instrumental in making my time at North Bennet Street School work.
This project wraps up my first year (of two) at North Bennet Street School. I have full size drawings of this, the toolbox I've posted about and other pieces. Those are still on the way.
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