# What are you making today ? (pics)



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I am making a bench for my #1 customer (my wife :smile. I have had this one particular board in the shop for awhile, just kinda staring at it cause I could not figure out what to make with it. The board was 2 1/4" thick and 12" wide (and I could see the figure even rough sawn) "Make me a bench" she said, "ok".
It is raining today so I cannot sawmill, or even go fishing :shifty: so this is todays project between sharpening work. It just has one coat of marine varnish on it, with the rain and the fact my shop is not climate controlled it'll be awhile getting the 3-4 coats I plan on putting on. Should be pretty sharp for just a simple bench with that pretty cedar when it is done. I'll post better pics later.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

Very Simple... yet Outstanding......... 

maybe if I start saving my Pennies now.................... I'll afford a sawmill by the time I retire.................


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## JMendez035 (May 14, 2008)

nice work Daren... love the grain/finish. its a bit too boxy for me but hey thats not my style... otherwise i really love this piece


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Hey, welcome to the forum Jake. I saw your intro but never replied, got sidetracked. I see you are in higher education for woodworking, that must be interesting.


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## JMendez035 (May 14, 2008)

Daren said:


> Hey, welcome to the forum Jake. I saw your intro but never replied, got sidetracked. I see you are in higher education for woodworking, that must be interesting.


Daren no worries, and thanks. First off its alot of work... ALOT. as of now i have only taken 2 woodworking classes and i have learned/gained so much knowledge of the field. i am looking forward to the next three years bc i have 18 hours of the woodshop studio time a week, and getting college credit for it


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## KJWoodworking (Feb 15, 2008)

The grain in the bench looks like it almost has a quilted figure in it the way the light reflects off it. 

It is a good looking piece with looks and function.

Built it for customer, wife, boss, they are all the same in my house. She says she wants it......I built it........quick!

Good job on the bench Daren


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## BigHUGE201 (May 14, 2008)

I love the grain on this piece, but its not really my kinda style, bit to simple. But i guess if your wifes happy thats all that matters. Very nice overall though


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

BigHUGE201 said:


> bit to simple.


Welcome, BigHUGE201. I am getting critiques on my work, fair enough, keep them coming. But the question was "What are _you_ making today" I posted my pictures of a bench I slapped together in my spare time between paying work that will sit under a tree in the yard and birds will poo on (they will love it :laughing Hoping to get pics of works in progress from others.

Yea, Kirk it is curly/quilted cedar (not common in a softwood), the pictures do it no justice :no:. I have a weird way of woodworking. I like wood and it's inherent beauty. If you have a nice piece of lumber make something simple and let the wood do the talking (to guys like me anyway, I can stare into the grain a mile deep)


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## JMendez035 (May 14, 2008)

well in that case i started this thread today and its what i am currently working on.....
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4481


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

That's pretty wood. Is that curly cedar?


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

knotscott said:


> That's pretty wood. Is that curly cedar?


Most of it. Slight curl in the whole slab (part of the base of a big/tortured/leaner tree with compression curl, milled right) and quilting around the lower heavy/stressed branches. Maybe some of this explanation is more for the sawmillers, but yea it is figured eastern red cedar.


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## KJWoodworking (Feb 15, 2008)

> I like wood and it's inherent beauty. If you have a nice piece of lumber make something simple and let the wood do the talking (to guys like me anyway, I can stare into the grain a mile deep)


I'm one of those guys too Daren. Some wood just seams to speak to you. Some times it takes me a lot longer and I use more wood trying to use pieces with cool grain where they will be seen the most, or look the best.

I wish I could load some pics of a new woodworking project but I can't, I am so behind on refinishing a piece for a lady it's not funny.

If I don't hurry up and finish it, she will be here to refinish me.:laughing:


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## Aaronmcc (Apr 12, 2008)

That wood looks pure amazing!


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Daren said:


> .........."What are _you_ making today" I posted my pictures of a bench I slapped together in my spare time between paying work that will sit under a tree in the yard and birds will poo on (they will love it :laughing Hoping to get pics of works in progress from others.........
> 
> I am in the middle of remodeling my wifes kitchen. I have never built cabinets before. I have made my share of mess-ups, but I am learning as i go. This is a few of the cabinets I am working on. The cabinets are made of 3/4 Birch and the drawer fronts are Maple. I made the drawers out of 1/2 blonde plywood. I have hand made all the trim you see but the "egg & Dart" I bought that.


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Here are a few more.


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## stuart (Jan 20, 2008)

love the yella streaks in the wood, daren it's like some fire!


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

*the forever trunk*

as in, it's taking forever.

rainy season has hit, so it's about 1000% humidity, and woodworking has come to a crawl.

have been working on a trunk of sorts, using scrap from the house building. the sides are made of a non-spectacular medium grade wood called mai yang ('sap wood'), the top is padauk.

Eventually the lid will flip open to reveal to compartments to keep junk, and the bottom has little doors where filing racks slide in and out. (in a very low tech fashion- little filing boxes with felt on the bottom!)

if we get a dry spell I can get it all done. In the meantime, it has been called into service in the house... since the shop is too crowded and getting too much rain!


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## Boardman (Sep 9, 2007)

Never seen padauk like that! Is the lighter color sapwood? Everything I've seen is a uniform reddish color, but I like yours more.


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

the padauk sapwood we get here is very pale... there is only a tiny sliver on this piece (way top right corner of the first pic, in the shade)... I'll try to post a photo of some stock that has good contrast between sap- and heartwood. This is almost all heartwood... and it's changing colors quickly. When first planed, it started with weird purples and blood reds and is now moving towards a mellower brown


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Devildog, where are you at exactly, if you don't mind my asking. I'm going to be spending a week or so in Thailand this fall. I didn't see too much nice woodwork there the last time I visited except in temples and one place in Chiang Mai. We'll probably spend all our time in Krabi/Phuket enjoying the beaches but we may get to other areas of the country for a day or two. Any suggestions?

Not to distract the thread... all my current projects are either stone or drywall, and one plywood water barrel. If I can get some pictures tonight, I'll put those up.


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

I'm in Ubon Ratchathani province, near where Laos, Cambodia and Thailand all come together. 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...156974,105.007324&spn=17.517192,15.270996&z=6

If you are in Southeast Asia, I would highly recommend going to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It's stunning. You can fly in (BKK-Siem Reap), go via car, or even bicycle in - it's as short as 120 km depending on the border entry you choose.

I may try to get down south (Trang) in October for some diving and, if there's any swell, a little surfing. Waves aren't great in Thailand, but then neither are my surfing skills!


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Devildog, went to Angkor Wat on my last trip. There are no words to truly describe that place and pictures never do it justice. 

Diving and surfing are top of my agenda for the trip. My wife has slightly calmer plans, but may do some snorkeling and possibly surfing if there are any waves. My last trip was in Feb 06 and there were definitely no waves at that time. I say all waves are good, so the "quality" isn't a big issue for me. Being on the water at sunset, though, especially in someplace as beautiful as Thailand, is hard to top.


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## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

*New wood*

I'm not sure what to make of this but just took this out of the kiln and ran it through the planer. It's some old growth cherry that has some great sweep patterns plus some boards with birdseye that I've never seen in cherry -


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

nothing beats beach time, even when it's flat. we like to go down, buy a cheap hibachi at the market (80 baht) and then get monstrous shrimp from the local fisherman. Get some chili sauce made up at whatever restaurant, and BBQ on the beach! bliss.

The springtime and the first half of October *sometimes* gets waves. Here's Surin Beach in October:


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

ahhh thai beach bbq
-- wait am I off topic? oops.

JP Sinclair - that's amazing looking wood in that first picture!


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## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

Devildog - Thanks!, I was really struck by the look in those boards, I've got some woodworkers that will have some great ideas for those. As Daren knows - give me a funky looking log with a story and it's guaranteed to have the same in the lumber --


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Devildog said:


> ahhh thai beach bbq


I just came in from the rain and 50 something degree weather to eat a left over sandwich for lunch...man that beach and the bbq looks pretty good to me right now.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Devildog, thanks for the pics. I may have to look into Surin for this fall. Those waves look pretty nice for me and good ones for my as-yet-to-learn-to-surf wife to get some good practice on without freaking out. We get 1-4 footers here in the central Atlantic but it's almost always choppy and scares her no end. 

JP that cherry looks beautiful. My favorite wood of all time, and that has some great sweeps, as you mentioned. I'm in the process of planning (in my head) a cherry bed set. Maybe I'll have to come up there or have you send me some wood.


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## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

Frank-I wish I had the talent to make things. I probably couldn't pull off a decent coffee table but after many years of logging, I've got connections with some great crews up here that always keep their eyes open for the interesting stuff. That cherry was facinating, it almost looks like marble. It would make some great accent pieces for anything.


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## stuart (Jan 20, 2008)

Truthfully, I've done nothing so far today except breath, bathroom and use the internet.


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

JP Sinclair - does your response imply that we won't get pictures of that krazy beautiful wood when it's been made into something and finished? No fair!

frankp - surin beach waves are soft, non-threatening, for sure. Not always (think tsunami!) but usually. The problem here really is that waves are so inconsistent, so sporadic, that it just can never be called a surf destination. I lived in DC for a number of years, and survived by heading out to that mid-atlantic swell every chance I got... Rehoboth in DE was the closest - used to camp at the Indian river and surf the beach near the inlet. Waves were mostly crap and the water so so so cold until mid-summer. I remember the best days being in october - water still warm, and sometimes air temps were OK. The occasional pod of curious dolphins was pretty cool too. I don't do well in cold water (my years living in Northern CA were painful in that regard)... I'd rather have the gentle, mushy WARM waves of surin beach!


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

Frankp-
Here's a useful website for southern Thailand waves:
http://www.saltwater-dreaming.com/


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Devildog, I'll agree with you there. I generally wear a full wetsuit year round, even on the east coast. I'm actually headed up to Indian river this weekend, but I long to be back in San Diego where the waves are good all the time and I surfed twice a day. I'll have to do some research about what to expect in October for Thailand and decide where we want to go. Like I said, I was thinking Krabi, Phuket, and Phi Phi, but it might be good to see something new this time.

Back to the thread, I took a little break from my other household chores to work on a water "barrel". If my calculations are correct it should be approximately 150 gallons, though it sure doesn't look that big. 1 foot hexagon for the bottom and 4 foot tall sides. 3mm Luan panels reinforced with fiberglass. Once it's finished I'll see if I can get some pictures up.


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## ROGERIO CAFRUNI (May 16, 2008)

*dinner table*

Solid Mahogani dinner table 3m long 1,2m width.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Welcome Rogerio. That looks like one sturdy table :smile:


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## stuart (Jan 20, 2008)

about the proper height...unless you have a tall dog who will snatch a meal or two:laughing:

welcome aboard


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## ROGERIO CAFRUNI (May 16, 2008)

Daren said:


> Welcome Rogerio. That looks like one sturdy table :smile:


Hi Daren,

Very solid indeed ...
All parts are fixed by wooden pins and mortice and tenons (no nails/glue)
You get the point...the ojective is to obtain a solid, sturdy appearance. The dining room is surronded by heavy wooden collumns and beams so I believe "tiny furnitures" will look odd.


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## ROGERIO CAFRUNI (May 16, 2008)

stuart said:


> about the proper height...unless you have a tall dog who will snatch a meal or two:laughing:
> 
> welcome aboard


Hi Stuart.

I´ve a couple of really tall dogs: Baldur and Marte , (200 and 160 pounds respectively) but both are very gentle and well trained dogs.:icon_smile:
Anyhow... You’re right... I´m reducing the original heigh from 35" to 32" :thumbsup:


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## hands made for wood (Nov 2, 2007)

Beautiful table Rogerio! :thumbsup:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

ROGERIO CAFRUNI said:


> The dining room is surronded by heavy wooden collumns and beams so I believe "tiny furnitures" will look odd.


Agreed, well done...I see you don't have tiny dogs either :laughing:


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## KJWoodworking (Feb 15, 2008)

The table looks massive and beautiful.

The picture of the stairs looks cool too, with the pegs on the end of the steps. I bet your house is very nice.

Love the dogs! I have two German Shepherds and could not imagine feeding your two. 

I don't know what gas prices are like where you live, but if I had a dog that size, I would throw a saddle on him and ride him to work.

They are huge. 

Again great woodworking project.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Wow how did I mess this thread!? Great stuff everyone! The wood and furniture and food and beaches and exotic travel destinations . . . where's my passport!


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## ROGERIO CAFRUNI (May 16, 2008)

Work Finished...


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## ROGERIO CAFRUNI (May 16, 2008)

KJWoodworking said:


> The table looks massive and beautiful.
> 
> The picture of the stairs looks cool too, with the pegs on the end of the steps. I bet your house is very nice.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks !


The stairs is a previous project - Similar to the table the joinery for the stairs uses mortises, tenons and pegs. It was entirely made from Tauari _-_ _Couratari oblongifolia_ (tropical hardwood).

Dogs...
I´m still trying to convince then about the benefits of a grass-based feeding but, dunno why, it was not well aceepted..:huh: so... 7 pounds of industrialised dog food per day are usually enough(both).


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