The first piece of furniture ever

[master53yoda]

This is the first furniture type project I've ever done, I have done a few cabinets and lots of storage stuff and trim. Ive built a few houses from scratch, but this is the first time I've tried furniture type stuff. This was made from a bunch of scrap pine that was bought at a garage sale last summer. Getting the sleigh curves made and figuring out how to do the repeat mortises in all the slats took longer then doing it. this has taken me about 2.5 months pretty steady as I can only stand for about 1/2 hr to 45 minutes at a time due to MS. This site has been a real blessing to me in being able to keep from getting down when I can't do anything else.


Thanks

[Ed62]

I really like that, Art. Nice work!

Ed

[GPA61]

Excellent work. Looks great!!!

[Daryl]

Congrats, that looks real good.

[BadeMillsap]

Very nice!

Having just finished a crib project myself I absolutely understand what you mean about figuring out where the mortises go ...

NICE WORK!

[chopnhack]

Art, that came out really nice!! Who will be the lucky recipient? Is there some insert work/carving on the side? What kind of stain/pretreat did you do? Nice work

[master53yoda]

I did it for my 5th grandson, 1st for this son. The carving the LOML wanted to put on, it came from Michaels. I didn't discover that I didn't sand it well enough untill after the first coat of stain. It is Watco oil finish. I resanded much of it to 180 grit and then started over and restained, the final finish is wipe on poly. I think I will sand what ever I do next to 180 or 220 grit before I stain it, the difference after the finish is marked, between something sanded to 120 and what the parts where that I sanded to the 180.

[poolhound]

Nice work Art, you should be proud. Now you can plan your second piece.

[Uncle Cracker]

Good stuff! Time to start planning your next project...

[shoottx]

Very Cool

Yup figuring out sanding and finishing is a real trick.

Build another project and try a different finish.

[bigstick509]

[SARGE..g-47]

That is probably one of the best first furniture projects I have seen. I don't believe I have ever seen a crib made from pine. I am impressed at just how good it looks using pine. You did a nice job on those mortises as that is a lot of marking and cutting.

If you are new to finish I will make a suggestion you already hit on. You should always sand before finishing. I do all softwood to 220 but only go to 180 with hardwood. The 220 and beyond will help burnish the softwood pores to keep stain from penetrating deep which causes splothches. It is best to put down a seal coat of pre-stain or non wax shellac first. Then use the gel stain which won't have the tendency to penetrate like oil bases. It stays on the surface basically and is easier to keep an even tone over-all.

And on softwood... before you actually use your highest grit... I always wipe the wood with distilled water lightly to raise the grain.. Tiny grain hairs will rise up and the last coat of 220 grit will take them off.

Again.. excellent job there. Keep up the good work.

[cgallery]

That is probably one of the best first furniture projects I have seen. I don't believe I have ever seen a crib made from pine. I am impressed at just how good it looks using pine. You did a nice job on those mortises as that is a lot of marking and cutting.

+1.

Art, you did a great job finishing that pine.

I'm so accustomed to cribs made with a lighter finish. While your crib looks great already, I think it is really going to shine once you get the bedding material in there.

[BerniePA]

Art,

That is a very, very nice piece, especially for a first one!!!

Also I totally agree with what Sarge said about the finishing advice, good knowledge there.

Keep up the good work. That's the nice thing about woodworking, you can do it at YOUR pace!!!

[master53yoda]

You did a nice job on those mortises as that is a lot of marking and cutting.

I used a jig for the repeat mortises so that I didn't have to measure each one. The photo of the jig is attached.

If you are new to finish I will make a suggestion you already hit on. You should always sand before finishing. I do all softwood to 220 but only go to 180 with hardwood. The 220 and beyond will help burnish the softwood pores to keep stain from penetrating deep which causes splothches. It is best to put down a seal coat of pre-stain or non wax shellac first. Then use the gel stain which won't have the tendency to penetrate like oil bases. It stays on the surface basically and is easier to keep an even tone over-all.

And on softwood... before you actually use your highest grit... I always wipe the wood with distilled water lightly to raise the grain.. Tiny grain hairs will rise up and the last coat of 220 grit will take them off.

The splotchy problem is one that I have had on any softwood piece I have ever done. It was very bad on this until I resanded and then I still didn't get much of it.

I read through a bunch of the stuff in mags but you just gave me better information about sanding then all the mags thanks.