# Baileigh Contest Woodnthings Entry



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I decided to take the challenge and start with the basics, a log from the firewood pile. I cut the log into cookies and then halves to make it fit the bandsaw and under the guides. I ended up with 7" thick sections and removed all but about 5/8" of the center leaving a wall that thick:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 2*

Next, I let the sections dry in the shop and of course they split and checked, so I had to repair them. I used epoxy on the red oak. I also wanted to extend the sides to max out the 18" dimension so I added in a 3" section.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 3*

I made a drawing of my piece to determine the maximum width and to get it as symetrical as possible. Most of this build is going to be "eyeball" and it's like building a ship within a bottle, nothing is flat or straight. A little hand planing on the ouside and a gouge was used to smooth the interior. I needed a 8" tall osscillating sander, but that wasn't available at the time, so I used my 4". My layout drawing had vertical and horizontal line to make the dados for the shelves in the same relative locations.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 4*

I had to make everything twice because I was making 2 "units".
What is it?, you ask.:blink: It will become obvious later, if you haven't figured it out yet. :laughing:

I sanded the side using a vertical belt sander and an extended table set to 90 degrees.
I made many mistakes and had to cut the braces apart because they weren't quite square or parallel to each other. I hand plane the ends flush with the edges and then sanded with a block to get everything flush.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 5*

Each divider had to be cut to fit and then epoxied in place. In spite of my best efforts to get things vertical and precise, they were still off a bit and that will be an issue later. The 2 units are coming along nicely....  
I used the RAS for my crosscuts for the dividers and the drawers.
I used a 1/16" slot cutter on the router table to make the dado for the drawer bottoms. I used the nearly extinct 1/16" Baltic Birch plywood and I', going to find a source for more. Aircraft ply should be easy to locate.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 6*

I had to resaw and sand my own maple for the face and back of each unit.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 7*

After the face was covered in Maple, I used the vertical belt sander machine/sand off the projections flush with the sides. Next came the making of the drawers. Each drawer was a slightly different size and they all had to be fitted to each separate opening...cut and fit...cut and fit. I used a locking rabbet on the drawer front and back making a dado on the sides and a rabbet on the ends. The table saw blade was set to the proper height and the fence to the proper width giving me a no-brainer rabbet. I just sawed back and forth until I had the material removed.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 8*

I am thinking I'll use Walnut for the drawer fronts. So I used my 8" Grizzly jointer and milled some planks. then resawed then into 3/8" panels and planed them down. 
I used the RAS for all my crosscuts AND a few rips using a squared piece of scrap for a righ angle guide.
The smallest drawer fronts were a bit scary to rabbet, so I used a "backer" to the miter gauge. It really was pretty safe that way.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 8*

The dang drawers!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 9*

I glued the backs on and they will need to be sanded flush on the vertical belt sander.

More to come tomorrow.


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## Baileigh Inc (Nov 1, 2012)

nice


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

Looking so fine, and you do a very nice job with your pictures. GOOD FOR YOU!

Dale in Indy


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 10*

Working on the secret compartments which are on the bottom right and left of the drawer. So far no ingenious method of locking or releasing them..... :blink: they just stay closed, flush with the front surface. They are drilled to accept silver dollars, but rings or other coins will fit also. Say what you want about hot glue, but you'd better not make any mistakes with it even in end grain to long grain. I couldn't pry it apart. :no:
No shame here as the Baileigh catalog box is featured in one of the photos! :laughing:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 11*

Gave it a coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye clear shellac. Looks good in Oak, and now I have a dilemma. I was going to veneer them in Maple burl, but I got a roll of plain Maple also... leave it Oak....Maple... :blink:

Drawer pulls and drawer faces are next.


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

Dang Frank you are getting it done! I like the oak...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Frankly Speaking....*



GROOVY said:


> Dang *Frank *you are getting it done! I like the oak...


I'm not Frank, but there plenty of others, FrankC, FrankP, ....
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/list/

Thanks for the compliment!


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Well, *Bill*, I really like how you framed out these cabinets like you did. That is really nifty, and* frankly*, quite ingenious. You did a real nice job of documenting it too. I love those little secret drawers as well. What are your plans for this? 

I have seen you post in the past about using hot glue with some of your woodworking.... Do you use it to permanently adhere pieces, or just temporary? Is there a specific type of glue you use? That would seem to be a nice little trick to have in the bag! :thumbsup:


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

sorry Bill, I'm really Mike but you know how many mikes are everywhere, oh along with Franks and Bills? Plus I have sawdust in my eyes, Sorry


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*No problem mike*

I stopped signing my name a while back, so it's understandable.
I just realized what an Art Deco look I have going here. 
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0PDoV7kGn9RJksAB..JzbkF?p=art%20deco%20cabinets&fr=ytff1-tyc7&ei=utf-8&n=30&x=wrt&fr2=sg-gac&sado=1


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

Well, for sure you are ARTY.

I love art deco. 

Dale in Indy


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> I'm not Frank, but there plenty of others, FrankC, FrankP, ....


I've been here long enough to know you can be plenty frank! :laughing:

...and it's looking awesome!


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

ZIKES but that is purdy! Seriously Bill, you have done a fine job of turning a log into a set of drawers.


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## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

nice~!! Really nice~!


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## Midwest Millworks (Nov 20, 2012)

Pat you are doing a great job. Sorry, couldn't resist :laughing:. No really, that is cool. I may have to try something like that. Very well thought out project.

Mike Darr


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 12*

It's down to the wire. About 24 hrs from now I'll be finished..... :blink:
I decided to make it all Art Deco! So I fished out the base legs I had made earlier and sanded them to fit the outside of the case. I also decided that the Oak looked pretty nice and so I wont be using any veneer. That way I keep the "made from a log" theme going also. 

I needed a 4" diameter or larger drum sander....Wait! I have a 12" drum Grizzly sander that I can just pop the dust hood off and use it from the top! :thumbsup: It worked like a charm, a little scary, but just what I needed.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 12*

I wanted some small chrome knobs, for the drawer pulls.....Wait! I have some Nickle plated .38 Special fired cases. Just the right diameter, but too long. I can use a tubing cutter and shorten them. I can drill out the spent primer on the lathe with a countersink bit in the chuck. That makes a perfect recess for the attaching screw. :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 13*

The hidden drawers works great, and with the new base there's another secret compartment. The shellac really brings out the grain and color in the Maple and the Oak. A few coats and rub them out and it should be fine. Just a few more pices to make in the AM .... :sleep1::sleep1::sleep1::sweatdrop:


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

Unique, very unique. Such a neat design, nice to see someone beating to their own drum.

Wishing you well,

Dale in Indy 

P.S. I'm hoping we get to see other entries from other sites.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That's pretty cool bill. 
How did you come up with that? Looks rustic.


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

Frank..ly I like it


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

*Hey Mikey...*

*:gunsmilie: I like it! :sailor:*


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

He could care less what you call him, it's the call saying he is a winner, now that will really tell us who he is..... 

Dale in Indy


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 14 FINISHED!*

I got up at 5AM after trying to sleep for 3 hrs and started back in. 
Gave it one more coat of shellac, lined the drawers, installed the .38 Special drawer pulls, and made it by the deadline.:clap::clap: YEAAAAAA. 

The name of the project is *"2 Art Deco Chests"*

My name is Bill, aka Woodnthings.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Part 14 FINISHED! CONTINUED*

Some more photos showing the drawers and secret compartments.
It measures just a touch under 18" wide and less than 14" high. Two stacked together are under 16" thick/deep. So I meet the dimensions. :yes:


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Cool design! Do you have plans for them?


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

He got the plans from Ted! :blink:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I just "winged" it*



Shop Dad said:


> Cool design! Do you have plans for them?





sawdustfactory said:


> He got the plans from Ted! :blink:


There were no plans and I didn't have one either. If just sort of evolved. :blink:

But, I will be calling Ted to see if wants the scraps, maybe he can piece it back together, sort of reverse engineer them. :thumbdown:


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## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

Really nice and very unique and an interesting way of making them :thumbsup:. How do you come up with a design like that?
You certainly used the dimension limits very well :yes:


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Very nice Bill, love the hardware.:thumbsup:


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

:laughing: I actually meant what are you going to do with them? ("have plans")


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

I know your SECRET, you took a log or two, removed all the wood that didn't look like the ART DECO piece you had in your sharp mind, and WOW, a great piece appeared. 

Age old trick, Ted reminded you of it I bet. Should you win, will you share some of your winning with Ted? Probably not, I wouldn't either.

Love it, best wishes,

Dale in Indy


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## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> My name is Bill, aka Woodnthings.


I'm glad you clarified that. When your signature was missing as was afraid you would turn out as Clark or something. We already had a Tom who became Jean.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Very nicely done! :thumbsup:

I liked the unconventional "top use" of the drum sander! 

That's thinkin' outside the 18 x 18 inch box!

Great job!!! :smile:


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Man, those turned out sweet! I like all the curves. The decorative drawer fronts, being of unique shapes, really make the final assembled chest look well thought out and all "art - deco-y."

I also loved the way you used the drum sander to sand those edges.

I did have a question for you, though.... How did you make the dadoes to segregate the spaces? It would seem quite difficult with all the curved edges.

Again, very nice job, Bill! :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Dados on the interior of the curved sections....*

I made them on the bandsaw on the inside of the sections when they were apart or after they were glued together, and then I made a cut to allow the blade to enter the insides. I was limited to the full height of the 18" bandsaw's capability, so that's why I ended up with 8" high sections...later cut them down to 7" or so, because I had to use a 14" saw for some cuts also. I used 2 bandsaws on this project which saves changing blades for different radius cuts.

They were all done by the "eyeball" method as was a lot of the cuts and glue ups. It was like building a ship in a bottle. :laughing: :boat:


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Ships in bottles, drawers from logs... either way they are both unique and beautiful.

Job well done... Frank.....George.... Harry...Oh yeah BILL!


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## Midwest Millworks (Nov 20, 2012)

Awesome Bill. The boxes look great, I'm impressed.

Mike Darr


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

Thanks Bill..... I got it right this time. Fine work you have there, I also wonder about your lathe, I have been looking for something like an Atlas lathe to do some small work do you have a picture or four and a review of yours?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*That lathe was a "freebie"*

It was in the basement of a hospital workshop where I spent some donated time and they wanted it gone..... right into the rear of my '69 Olds Vista Cruiser. It sorta skipped down I-75  on the way to my house, but the curves are rather large and sweeping and I was young and foolish and anxious to get it home. I put a new 220 V Craftsman motor and a reversing switch and later a nice 3 jaw chuck on it. The ways are worn, but it's good 'nuf for me and what I do. I carried down my basement stairs in pieces, being young and much stronger and anxious to get it going.... probably weighs in at 1000 lbs or more. 
I take a few picture for Ya later.


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## Ledhead (Aug 3, 2009)

Nice job Bill on a great looking project!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Nope, no plans and no plans for them either....*



Shop Dad said:


> :laughing: I actually meant what are you going to do with them? ("have plans")


I often get so attached to a project, I can't bring mysefl to part with it..... as in sell it or give it away. I've made a few jewelry boxes in my time and kept some and gave one to a romantic interest only to have that go "south" and a year later it showed up on my porch, courtesy of UPS. No answers to that whole deal. Some here will remember my "Keepsake Box" project. Is it possible to "hoard" your own stuff?.... :blink:
I made a nice box for a wedding gift for an young friend and liked it so much I kept it and gave them $100.00 in cash and a crystal flower vase. It's probably even worse when there are 2 matching pieces, since they shouldn't be separated. Some people have weird quirks and I fit into that description.Maybe it's the artist in me that wants to keep my own work....I donno? Other folks can just give their stuff away, no problems. :blink:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/finished-keepsake-box-13793/


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

Oh, YES, I know what you mean about becoming ATTACHED. 

I do some commission work for churches, communion tables, pulpits, plant stands, stainless steel crosses, but for the most part I build for myself, so I know from where you speak.

Just finished a very contemporary table for a church, it is going to be introduced in a special service on the 19th. Wife and I have been invited. They had a simple communion table, wanted something to get everyone's attention, so I designed one to do just that. 

Love your work, YOU DID GOOD!

Dale in Indy


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You'll have to post some photos*

Are you still having trouble with that... I remember you starting a thread ? :blink:


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey folks,

I tried to vote for this contest from this page...

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/vote-winner-baileigh-woodworking-fits-box-contest-here-51243/

by clicking on the name but noticed this message on the bottom right of the box containing the entries...

"Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll"

Whazzup wid dat?


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

jharris2 said:


> Hey folks,
> 
> I tried to vote for this contest from this page...
> 
> ...


I'm not sure. Try it again. If you voted already it will say " you already voted" but other then that you should be able to vote.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

Got it. I had assumed I was logged in.

DOH!!!!!


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Nice work Bill. I wasn't quite sure where you were going with this when you first started cutting the log, but it turned out awesome. Fantastic work, as usual. I love your "fly by the seat of your pants" builds. :thumbsup: Good luck in the contest.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Bill, I was going thru the entries with my wife last night, so show her all the talent on here. She REALLY like your chest of drawers, and said that she could see the pair of them sitting on her dresser. Now she wants me to try to build something like that....Of course, I had to explain to her that I would need a real bandsaw to accomplish that.

Thought you would want to know that she really liked your project.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Bandsaws are under rated in my opinion*

They can do so much with the correct blades for different operations. As you may have noticed I have a few. The two that are a "matched pair" , one was on sale at Sears, for $389 and the other was an exact match off Craigs List for $250. By having the same blade size it simplifies making or buying blades. They are 14" Craftsman Pro, have a huge table and a decent fence. See if you can find one of those and you'll be happy with it. I resawed 7" Oak with a 3 TPI X 1/2" blade. The other has a 6 TPI X 3/8" blade is fine for more precise cuts and smaller radius cuts.

If you do make something similar, watch your log selection. My logs were a bit soft for me as they had stayed out in the weather too long and had checked. It may be easier to get a curved form by laminating thinner pieces over a form, but then you need a mating opposite to clamp with. It will produce a technically better result, but a lot more jiggin' and fixin' will be needed. 
I was going to veneer the sides with some burl, but when I opened the packets, it was unbelieveably thin and not suitable for this project. I did find a roll of 3/32" Maple also, but I liked the Oak look, so that will not be used ...yet. I would like to try a laminated curved form myself just to see if I could. I also would wonder how thin I could resaw my own material and still bend it around a form.... :blink:

Thanks for the compliments. :yes:
As I said, it would have been enough to make one, but I had it in my mind to make two of them. :wallbash::sweatdrop:

I made a separate piece to carry the front shape across the box on top. This isn't part of the entry, since it was done after the deadline, but it should have been. It makes a reason for that rounded shape on top to be there other than just aesthetics.
Here's the photo:


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

I know where the SECRET compartments are, and for a FEE, I won't tell the world........, what do you think, $50.00?

I have glued up layers to form curves, you are right, it works well, I have used for big projects BENDING PLYWOOD, and kick back has been next to nothing. 

Have a good one,


Dale in Indy


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OK with me...*

If you can collect $50.00 from everyone who wants to know...go for it.! :laughing: I'm not telling anyone else. :no:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*My entry in "Fits in a box" contest by Baileigh*

About 5 years ago Baileigh Industrial sponsored a contest to make a project out of wood that would fit with an 18" cube. I came arcoss this old thread and thought some folks would be interested:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/vote-winner-baileigh-woodworking-fits-box-contest-here-51243/


Here's my step by step build, from a firewood log to twin matching jewelry chests:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/baileigh-contest-woodnthings-entry-51174/


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