# 2 months worth of work RESULTS!



## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

I have been building this gun cabinet for about 2 months now for donation to the Rocky Mountian Elk Foundation for auction here locally in south eastern Ky. In 2 weeks is the elk expo and the banquet where the auction will be held. There is a $25 per person cover just to get into the auction and we have already sold over 350 tickets. So far this cabinet is the second biggest donation next to the bull tag which I expect to sell for atleast $10,000 or more. This will hopefully get my best work seen by thousands of people and hopefully jumpstart my shop with commissioned work. Eventually I hope to be able to quit my day job and make a living out of my shop and as an elk guide for hunting ( my freind is a guide that books solid 2 weeks after the draw comes out and makes $80k yr from this). Do you guys think I should add a bottom or let it stand flat on the floor the way it is? I have went back and forth on this issue for awile now. I think sitting flat adds to the rustic look I am looking for. I did all the edges with a draw knife incase anyone is wondering.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

I like it! Nice work. It will get lots of bids.
As to the bottom, I'd leave it the way it is.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Looks good SM,
I think I would leave the bottom just the way it is. Looks nice and solid. Just needs to be surrounded by some nice sets of antlers.
Mike Hawkins


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

What I really wanted to do was an arch on the top to mount a set of whitetail antlers. I have connections to get fake antlers that look so real you can't tell the difference even while holding them and at about $20 a set helps hold down cost while adding alot of value. Time doesn't permit me on this project though.


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## claymation (Aug 24, 2010)

I'd put 4" - 5" legs under it with a narrow arched skirt in the front. Looks good!


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Hey Monkey: nice job...that's a great looking project. I like the irregular edging on the doors/drawers. This looks like it was accomplished with swipes from a hand plane? 

As for the bottom, I do like the looks of the flat bottom, as is....but also have to wonder if it will wobble when placed by its new owners. It is quite difficult to find a perfectly flat floor...unless its made of cast iron and been surfaced like our table saws! 

The new owner might want to be advised of such after the auction, and maybe tape a four-pack of matching, hand-cut wedges inside the lower door for just this purpose? 

Let us know what the auction brings on this piece. I'm sure I'm not the only curious member...Again, a very nice job. I'd love to have it here!

regards,
smitty


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That's a very nice piece. It has some serious character to it. I hope I'm not being insulting when I say that it has that "hunt camp" feel to it.
Ken


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

All the edges were taken of by hand with a good old fashioned draw knife. Kenbo the hunting camp feel is just what I was hoping for. After all its being sold to a bunch of elk hunters. The auction is this weekend, I'm anxious as I can be and worried that no one will want it because it is a gun cabinet and not a safe. I will let you all know Saturday night how it goes good or bad...lol


PS thanks for all the positive comments. The community in this forum is awesome. Not one person have I met yet has tried to discourage or belittle anyone else. Thank you for that.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

That will look great in somebody's hunting cabin!


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## tendres (Feb 15, 2010)

Looks great I would leave it as is. Every time I go back and just try to put that last little touch on, which is not needed I screw up the project. Nice job.


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## Gomer (Aug 26, 2010)

Fantastic piece of furniture. As far as worrying about it being a cabinet instead of a safe, just bring it to Texas, you'll have no problem selling it. A locked up gun defeats the purpose.:smile: In all seriousness, that is a beauty!


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

Well tommorrow night is the auction. Today was the first day of the expo and I'm not the only one there with rustic furniture. A log home builder has some log beds and rocking chairs and stuff for sale. All I have is my one cabinet to show off and its not for sale. The auction benifits a local charity, I am just using my cabinet to promote my shop in hopes of stirring up some work. The stuff they have is beautiful in every way, but also cheaply made and high priced. I feel a bit intimidated I geuss.


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## junkhound (Nov 6, 2009)

Skymonkey, I would not feel intimidated if I were you.
That is a very nice job. I'll bet they feel intimidated when they see the handmade craftsmanship in your gun cabinet. Good luck.

junkhound


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

Well the auction is over. My cabinet sold for $325. I used $350 worth of materials to build it. All the blood, sweat and drive for perfection that I put into construction accually made the wood worth less then it was as a board. I feel like I will stick to making firewood from now on.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I wouldn't stick to making fire wood. You have a knack for this stuff. I think you did a great job on this cabinet and I'm sorry that the price it went for didn't equal the cost of material. I guess that is one of the chances that you take when something is auctioned instead of just sold. Maybe avoid the auction and stick to straight sales or just make pieces for yourself. No matter what the cabinet sold for, I think that it was a priceless piece. I said it before and I'll say it again, great job!!
Ken


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

It was a donation to charity. I didn't get a dime of the money. I just feel like it was a slap in the face. Kind of disheartened atm.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Completely understandable that you would be disappointed with the auction results. One of the reasons that hand made wood furniture doesn't sell as well as it used to, is that people don't understand what goes into making something like that. If they knew it's value, the bids would have been higher. I would just hate to see someone, who obviously has a talent and a passion for woodworking, turn his back on it because of a disappointing auction result. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing your next project.
Ken


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## bofa (Jul 17, 2010)

Yeah man, don't sweat it. In the end you still helped raise funds. I thought the piece looked great and we all know it was worth much more than that. It sounds like you just didn't have the right buyers there, or perhaps they spent their money on something else. It certainly wasn't reflective of the craftsmanship or hard work on your part.


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

Well, the couple that bought the cabinet really likes it. So much they have sent emails that have ended up on the PC's of alot of people. Wife told me the local newspaper wants to do an article on my woodworking for me donating such a large price to charity. Although it didn't bring much at auction its bringing me alot of business. I already got the job of building an entire kitchen for a new log home that was just built. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation gave me a $1500 life membership for free along with an extremely nice hunting knife and a nice leather jacket. I am still disheartened about the sale price but I would do it again, just not a gun cabinet next time.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

sounds like, although you were disappointed with the auction results, there were still a lot of people who appreciated your efforts and you reaped quite a few benefits. Everything happens for a reason and it sounds to me, that you did okay with this one.
Glad to hear it.
Ken


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## cranbrook2 (Oct 14, 2006)

Beautiful work Ken ! :thumbsup:


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