Sandal Woods - Fine Woodworking & Cabinetry

Two years ago our daughter mentioned she bought some tiles, and “…sure would love to see them put into some kind of woodworking project…”, or something like that. I show this on the blog now, to prove that something simple can be made into something striking (at least, in my mind…)

I found an article in a very old issue of ShopNotes magazine (# 19) for a nice, plain serving tray. That particular article was really an exercise in hand-cut dovetails; of course, I wanted to use my Leigh D4 dovetail jig, as I just don’t do the hand-cut variety. And the project languished for a couple of weeks.

Side note: ShopNotes magazine is an AugustHome publication; AugustHome also sponsors the WoodNet woodworking forum, which I frequent.

Eventually I decided to make the tray, and also made a subconscious decision to somehow attach the tiles to the flat surface after I made the tray. Well, that turned into a nightmarish experience; I selected a high-temperature silicone smeared into a somewhat even layer on the backs of the tiles, using spacers I removed as I placed the tiles on the bottom of the tray. Then I filled in the space between the tiles, to give it a finished look. What a mess! Can anyone suggest a good way to do this without smearing the silicone into thinner and thinner layers? I seem to remember using two full rolls of shop towels to make the tiles shiny again.

It turns out that the high-temperature silicone takes a long time to cure. But it does cure, eventually. Of course, at the time I did not know this; but it was a good experience, from which I learned to just leave well alone, and to be very patient. It worked!

Some details about this little tray project:

1. Wood: Sycamore; some is quarter-sawn, some is plain-sawn
2. Sanding: 150 grit on the drum sander, then 220 to 320 grit with the random orbital sander
3. Finish: Sprayed 2 coats shellac, followed by 6 coats of Target’s satin USL lacquer (edit to change); sanded to 400 grit after the shellac, and to 600 after the fifth USL coat
4. Handles: Cut using a 30-year old jigsaw (edit to change this…); I used the oscillating spindle sander to refine the shape of the handles
5. All other curves cut on the 17-inch band saw with a 1/8-inch blade in place

Here is the outcome of that project, in full, living color - just click on the first image, and navigate within the window that opens:

Relevant links:
My entry into the Lumberjocks’ Serve It Up With Class, Summer 2008 Woodworking Awards

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Continuing with the cabinet-building theme, it’s time for the Sommerfeld Tools Giveaway for July. This month we are giving away the Easy Set Router Bit Setup Jig:

Note: At this time we can ship only to North America -the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

I know many of you wish you could set up your router bits perfectly every time. Well, this little jig does it perfectly every time, and I don’t even have to remember the setting for each cabinetmaking bit! Each leg is labeled with the router bit(s) that you use most frequently! But if you wish to have a custom setup, you can do that, too - I recommend you record somewhere what setting you selected, and you will repeatably be able to do it again any time in the future. Pretty cool!

To read all the details about the Easy Set, go to the Sommerfeld Catalog, Page 51.

I have been using this jig for quite a while now; I bought mine at the Kansas City Woodworking Show 3 years ago, and have been using it since. I have worn the edges a little with the carbide cutters, but it is still perfectly functional.

To enter this month’s drawing, all you need to do is send me an e-mail message to sandal_woods@bbwi.net; please include your full name and full address. If you have registered for previous drawings there is NO need to re-register.

Good luck to everyone!

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