Project of the Day : Cherry Victorian Mirror For Weeze

[shilala]

So, I've been kicking this idea about for around a year and a half now.
It's been one of those things that swims in my silly head until I can't stand it anymore. There's hundreds in there, if not thousands, but some just keep tormenting me until I gotta get it done.

This thing is made of 2" thick gummy cherry. The lumber is 100% clear, meaning there are no knots or voids or checks or any goofy stuff like that.
Just to dig out lumber of that quality at a sawmill is a job in itself. It takes a few hours. Then I have to pay a lot extra because it's always far wider than I need for my project.
In this instance, I paid almost 200 bucks for 10 feet of 2" thick rough cut lumber 8" wide. 4 hours in the car and 3 hours at the mill, too.
I considered it a huge win because it was exactly what I need to make this fly.

To this point, the frame has over 80 hours in it, and it probably has 40 left to go. I just mention this to give you guys an idea of what it takes to turn something like this out. It was kind of shocking to me.
The machine time would cost about $4,000-$6,000 if I didn't own the machines. The shop time would be around $1780, including consumables.
I think that's probably why it's a lot better to find a $300 plastic one at Marshalls. :lr

Anyhow, this mirror will go in the downstairs bathroom. I also have to make a cherry vanity and inlaid book table. The table I'm excited about. The vanity, not so much. It'll get a granite top and undermounted bowl.
Someday. I still have a number of things I have to get done before I can start those things, so long as I don't die too quick.

Here's a few pics of where's she's at. It's got a long ways to go before it's hanging.

My sweet baby loves it, by the way. :)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/23A8B14E-4B48-4E94-AB13-0F09BBD58DC1.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/9972F8DB-394D-482C-8217-660827F6911E.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/9427D694-ACF7-4345-97F6-2DF7C353EA51.jpg

[BlkDrew]

Very nice.

[HollywoodQue]

Wow Scott, you are truly gifted man....that's a beautiful piece. The detail is amazing. You put a lot of time, money, and skill into this piece of art....if everyone could do it, then it may not mean as much.....did I say "Wow".

[CigarNut]

Very cool!

[Subvet642]

Wow Scott, that is astonishing! Ya know...people pay silly, wacky money for quality, period, design pieces to go in their restored Victorians. Just a thought. If I spend a bunch of money to fix-up my (hypothetical) brownstone on Comm. Ave., I am not going to Marshal's for a plastic fake. Gorgeous work, Scott!

[dijit]

Holy Crap That is incredible! Very curious to see the finished product

[MarkinAZ]

Simply, beautiful looking Scott:tu Looking forward to seeing the completed project...

[14holestogie]

So, how many hours of sanding will go into that one, Scott? :)

It's a beauty, though. :tu

[AdamJoshua]

I don't get it, where do the pegs go? :D

All kidding aside that's a beauty, look forward to seeing the finished product.

[shilala]

So, how many hours of sanding will go into that one, Scott? :)

I shudder to think about it, Tim. :lr
It really isn't too bad. The work is going to be mostly with tiny files and the dremel. And I just got myself a full faceshield/respirator, so it's not half as miserable as it used to be.
The funny part is that I've been thinking, ever since I cut it out, "how the hell am I going to hold this giant thing to sand it?"
I still have nothing. Probably carpet tape and hook it to my lazy susan spinny thing I use for paint and poly.
I'd rather you just came over and did it. I just got you some new files and a rasp. You'll have great fun. :D

[Dave128]

Very nice looking piece, Scott! Great work!

[14holestogie]

I shudder to think about it, Tim. :lr
It really isn't too bad. The work is going to be mostly with tiny files and the dremel. And I just got myself a full faceshield/respirator, so it's not half as miserable as it used to be.
The funny part is that I've been thinking, ever since I cut it out, "how the hell am I going to hold this giant thing to sand it?"
I still have nothing. Probably carpet tape and hook it to my lazy susan spinny thing I use for paint and poly.
I'd rather you just came over and did it. I just got you some new files and a rasp. You'll have great fun. :D

I have recurring Ebola....:r

[cigarmarine]

Great job brother! Keep us posted.

[jjirons69]

How many fingers do you have?

[shilala]

I have all 10, Jamie. Only 3 of them are sawed up a bit. :tu

[pektel]

I shudder to think about it, Tim. :lr
It really isn't too bad. The work is going to be mostly with tiny files and the dremel. And I just got myself a full faceshield/respirator, so it's not half as miserable as it used to be.
The funny part is that I've been thinking, ever since I cut it out, "how the hell am I going to hold this giant thing to sand it?"
I still have nothing. Probably carpet tape and hook it to my lazy susan spinny thing I use for paint and poly.
I'd rather you just came over and did it. I just got you some new files and a rasp. You'll have great fun. :D

I like the priorities, Scott. Mucho dinero for the CNC machine, then finish the work on your "lazy susan spinny thing."

All joking aside, it looks amazing. :tu

[themoneycollector]

That's a work of art Scott.

I will have to promptly go home and have to chuck out all of my marshall's stuff though.

EDIT: as a side note, when we bought what we thought was nice furniture, it had all the engraved edges like that, but it turned out it was all wax or plastic that was painted over to look like engraved wood - so much for our expensive set of Ashley's Millennium furniture pieces.

[icehog3]

Dang!!! :tu

[RevSmoke]

Very nice, Scott. I am sure your "heart" will love it!

Peae of the Lord be with you.

[longknocker]

Awesome, Brother!:D:tu

[HK3-]

Wow Scott that is amazing! Really nice job on the detail. Makes my hands hurt just looking at it… ;) Looking forward to seeing the finished product if you don't end up blowing it up first. :)

[shilala]

I dropped it twice now, Halliburton. It's a very real possibility. :lr
I started sanding last night. I'm afraid it's gonna kill me.

[shilala]

So, I put about a brazilian hours of sanding into her, but stumble on good fortune...
Once I'd done all the edges and the flat spots in the middle, it really looked chiseled. So I decided to hit it with some stain and see what happened. Stain always brings out the worst in a piece, so it made sense.

It worked out great. It got 2 coats of stain, and it was sheer hell to get all the stain out of where it wasn't supposed to be.
But once again, I got lucky. It looked exactly the way it should look. It ended up with exactly the feel I was looking for.

I put a couple coats of gloss poly on it and a few coats of satin poly. High gloss poly fills voids really well and "builds" thickness. Satin poly does not. So whenever a piece is going to get a satin finish, I bring it up with gloss and finish coat with satin.
Same look, far better results.

I just made tabs to hold the mirror in. I need to get back to that.
I also ordered a diamond drag knife so I can etch the glass. No idea what I'll do yet. At the minimum, I'll do Weeze's initials in script.

These pics are after stain, before poly.
When it's all done, I'll post finished pics.

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/FAA84B28-170B-4B85-9F8D-8A23FA850BC8.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/0201C994-B582-4570-AB3B-A9A908FB2439.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/82EF4496-397F-49F1-81EE-6B6D2C41A804.jpg

[sofaman]

Dam brother that came out awesome!!! She is going to love it:tu

[AdamJoshua]

Oh yah, I made one of those before, 2nd year of Boyscouts I believe it was, I was going for my Satin poly badge and decided I needed a piece that was worthy of .. me. :D


That's really nice work, Scott, you probably would have gotten the badge too.

[dijit]

Incredible!

[RevSmoke]

Wow! Beautiful piece! Great job

[shilala]

Done. :tu

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/E5665CE2-4249-47A3-BA23-51D0C09A8B8C.jpg

[MarkinAZ]

That is beautiful Scott. Good Job:tu

[AdamJoshua]

Beautiful work my friend.

[Dave128]

That looks awesome! Great job, Scott.

[stearns]

thought the glass was supposed to be etchy :confused:

[shilala]

thought the glass was supposed to be etchy :confused:
I ordered the diamond drag tool. I'll have to practice on some other glass before I attack that mirror.
It'll be awhile before I'm confident enough to etch it, but I'll post a pic if I ever get it done.

There are tabs that hold the glass in, it just takes 8 screws to get it out.
I'd thought I'd like beveled glass in there, so I made it that way.

[Bax]

Very well done, Scott!

[jjirons69]

Missed a spot.

What's next. You gotta outdo that!

[shilala]

There are SO many things, Jamie.
I have to do a few real jobs and a few favors before I start another something like this.
My next "like this" thing is a Bible Box for my daughter. One of those things you put the hand-down family bible in.
I just found out today she made me a grandpa, so I need to get that done. :)

[jjirons69]

GRANDPA????

Woo-hoo!!!!!I know you'd jump around if you could!!!!!

Let me help you with that list

Bible Box
Rocking chair
Crib
Rocking horse
Picture frames
Mobile
and it never ends...

[shilala]

Thanks, Jamie.
And damn you.

[AdamJoshua]

Hey cut him some slack, Jamie, he's a grandpa now!

So instead of crib how about just a nice simple bassinet that rocks :)

[shilala]

Hey cut him some slack, Jamie, he's a grandpa now!

So instead of crib how about just a nice simple bassinet that rocks :)
Ya know, I thought bassinet last night.
I don't even remember what they look like.

[nutcracker]

The detail is incredible. Fantastic job.
Well done sir!

[Robulous78]

Wow, Amazing work!

[Stephen]

Done. :tu

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/E5665CE2-4249-47A3-BA23-51D0C09A8B8C.jpg

Full size Christmas tree AND a computer in your downstairs bathroom? You're living large...

[shilala]

Full size Christmas tree AND a computer in your downstairs bathroom? You're living large...
You can't hide money, brother.

[AdamJoshua]

All of that and he can't line up the holes on a cribbage board :D


:r :r :r

[cigarmarine]

beautiful work brother

[G G]

That is simply amazing Scott.

[shilala]

All of that and he can't line up the holes on a cribbage board :D


:r :r :r
Cribbage boards are sheer hell.
I have no idea why, cause they shouldn't be. I think I'm just afraid of them.