Splitting (riving) Hard Maple for Chair Parts

                                           
    As I began a new and rather large chair order this week, 10 to be exact. I went through the maple logs I had gotten 3 or 4 months ago and they just weren't up to par. So I had to search out another nice maple, (hard to find in Missouri by the way) that could get enough parts for all 10 chairs and extra if needed. I found this beauty at my local log guy. It was about 20" in diameter one way and 17" the other and 9 foot long or so. It was really nice and straight and just had one little blemish on the bark. So I bought it got it home and began cutting it to rough length. This is how I laid out my blanks.
    Instead of the "normal" way of splitting it into 1/8ths I tried basically making it a large checker board. I drew lines first across the center as normal and then again across the other way making 1/4's, then instead of drawing lines into 1/8th's I decided to lay it out every 2-1/2" from those first two lines, it gave me what you see in this picture.

 After all the lines were drawn on the end of the log, I used my normal way of scribing in with a hatchet to establish the split I want, ( I go a few times across each scribe line to deepen the line making the wedges easier to set and it also gives the split a direction that you want it to go). First I split the log in half, then into quarter's, then I work each quarter till it's all split up,  move on to the next quarter and so on keeping a few fibers in tact so the log doesn't fall over.

 Looks like a cheese slicer went over on this log, wish it was that simple! This method provided me with the best quality billets I've ever gotten. Usually I have a bunch of triangular splits that aren't always easy to get just what I need. By doing it this way I was able to get more uniform 2 1/2" square blocks that while not all perfect, were much easier to work and mount in the lathe. Plus every billet so far has the growth rings running at a 45 degree angle making it "rift" rived. I haven't looked at every billet yet, but of the over 60 that I split out of 2 sections, they have all been "rift" rived.

I did have a few that were unusable, mostly the 4 that were dead center and a couple around the outside, but this photo shows, out of just one of the sections I cut to 24" long, it got me about 30 billets and just had 4 or 5 that are going to be firewood this winter. I'll have to make sure all goes well with this method, and if so, I believe I'll be using it permanently. Now to rough turn them all round and begin making chair parts.

Shaker Table w/ Company Boards

Earlier this year I had made a set of 8 Windsors for a customer and they then asked me to make them a table. They needed something that would fit the everyday space they had but during holidays they needed it to become larger. My suggestion was company boards. Company boards are just that, boards you put on the table when company comes over. Unlike table leaves, company boards go on the end of the table eliminating the crack always in the center of the table.

They wanted a shaker style table with simple turned legs and no frills. This is the table I made for them. Pretty much a shaker inspired table, made out of cherry, and plain and simple.

The only drawback to company boards are they have to be stored when not in use. They are 36" long and 18" wide making them hard to store on the underside of the table. A closet would be my choice. 

For making extra room for "Company" they work great. They slide in through notches in the aprons and gravity takes over once inserted all the way in.

This table can go from 60" long for 6 people, up to 96" long for 8 . Makes a wonderful way to add more chairs around the Turkey dinner. Plus with a normal leaf table,  you always have the crack in the center of the table and the grain usually goes across the table, not an attractive look in my mind.

Making a Wagon Wheel

As I was making the Covered Wagon Bed I knew at some point I would have to either make the wagon wheels or buy them somewhere. I am a woodworker and buying them is about completely out of the question, so I tried my hand at making the four I needed. I do have to say just looking at pictures of them, it's not the easiest thing to make. I did find a free plan for making them at www.bobsplans.com but it was for a 14" wheel and I needed a 24" wheel so I had to do a little head scratching to get the size right.

 I started with four pieces cut at a 45 degree angle  then laid out the diameter I wanted, both the inside and outside.

 Cut out the inside diameter and marked the locations of the 8 spokes, then drilled the holes .

 I made flat tenons on the hub side and cut a strip of wood at 22 1/2 degree angles on opposite sides. Made a flat cut where the tenon will set flat on those pieces.

 Then cut the outside diameter of the wheel.  Made a dry fit run to see if all fit properly, so far so good. Then glued up the wheel in a certain order.

Turned four hubs that fit snugly and then glued them on. After the glue set I drilled holes in the hubs to accept the threaded rod, a washer and nut, put it all together and it all came out good. Now just have to make 3 more.

All went well and even though this isn't an authentic way to make to make wagon wheels, it works great for this wagon because they don't need to actually spin. They are basically just wheel looking legs, if that makes sense. 

Covered Wagon Toddler Bed finished

This is the Covered Wagon Bed I just finished for my almost 3 year old daughter, Lily.  I didn't have any plans for it so I just went off a picture I found online of a full sized one. I had to adjust it to fit her toddler mattress and make it low enough to the floor so she could get in and out easy enough. The little tool box on the front serves as a foot rest for her when she's sits on the buckboard and also houses diapers or could store a couple of blankets. From the look on her face in this picture I think she likes it. In fact, it was hard to get her crawl out of it after she discovered it. I would say thats a pretty good sign she'll enjoy her naps and bedtime.

Covered Wagon Bed

    Now that I am caught up for a week I have to try and get this bed knocked out. It's a bed for my 2 year old daughter, Lily. My wife came to me and said Lily needed a new bed. She is at the age where she's ready to start crawling out and we don't want her to climb out of the crib thats off the ground 3 or 4 feet, so I thought, what would be a good bed that would be unique at the same time and after a few weeks of looking online, I thought, I've never seen a covered wagon bed (light bulb). I looked online for ideas and all I could find were pictures of old wagons and ones people had restored. I needed it to fit her toddler mattress and being that she like us to drape blankets over her crib at night and call it her "tent" I thought this would be perfect. I began with a dovetailed box that will fit her mattress and just went from there. Being that I had several oak logs, I split out the bows that will have the canvas covering them and steam bent them around one of the wheel rims. It worked perfectly. Today I got the wheel hubs and and spokes made and hopefully tomorrow I can get the wheels all put together. This is a very fun and at times a real head scratcher but fun project. I'll post more pictures of the process as I get further along.