Cherry Candle Sconce

[cpowell]

LOML saw this in a Google search (sometimes I wish I could keep her away from Google or apply a filter that prevents her from looking for work for me!).... http://www.traviswood.com/acc/csme.html

I'm making a pair of those and will also build a mirror (flat frames, M&T) in cherry to go between the sconces.

I modified the dimensions slightly and cut the pattern for the sides and the arched top. I will clean up with my flush trim bit tomorrow morning then be faced with joinery. The stock is 3/8 thick...pretty cool, I resawed 4/4 stock from a small board and got enough to do both sconces! Man, I love my bandsaw. How did I ever live without it? But I digress.

I do NOT want to use brads but it looks like a pretty tough glue-up for the sides and I am up-in-the air for the face...thinking about dovetails but concerned about tearout on this thin stock.

Actually, the masochist in me is considering making a few dovetails on the top and bottom of the back to anchor the sides and a few for the front, then dados all around the inside for the bottom. I would guess I should put the tails on the side pieces and pins front and back piece, right?

Will the visible dovetails clash with the Shaker style? I'm putting it in the master bedroom to complement the cherry (Shaker style) bedroom set. Probably go with two coats of BLO/Danish and no topcoat.

I guess another option would be box joints but I'm not sure how that would look. The piece weighs next to nothing and will be holding a candle so I'm not very worried about strength.

Any other ideas?

Chuck

 

[Steve D]

Chuck,
Always make these pieces quickly and with great care. That way she is thrilled when you buy more tools to make her nice things. It does not appear from the picture that they did anything other than a glue up but I do think your concern may be valid. Dovetails or box joint would work but may be a challenge with the bottom. I can't tell from the picture but the bottom may be in a dado. Either way, you will need to factor that into the joinery.

 

[Travis Porter]

With the exception of the front piece, I wouldn't think it would be an issue just gluing it if you keep your grain running vertically. for the front piece, a spline joint or something similar would work. My .02.

BTW, keep rubbing in that bandsaw.....;-)

 

[mshel]

Actually, you could just glue the pieces together, just make sure all the pieces are long grain to long grain. You could also make a slight rabbet on the front and back for the sides to sit in and glue. The Shakers were very simplistic but who says you can't add some personal touches to it. I think a couple of DT's well placed would enhance the visual appearance of the piece. Will do wonders for holding it together also. JMO though.

MIke

 

[cpowell]

bandsaw? Did I mention the new bandsaw again? A slip, I swear. :eusa_whis :eusa_whis

Seriously, I could see a long grain glue up solution but didn't know how easy it would be to clamp up the pieces without everything moving and getting glue everywhere but the joint then ending up with a parallelogram instead of a rectangle! :lol: :lol:

Funny thing, I've got a bunch of clamps 12, 18, 24 inch and up but don't have a lot for something small like this. I've never made a small box shape like this before but you've got me thinking now. I see what I need to do.

Guess I need to do some shopping for some smaller clamps, huh? And glue up in stages instead of all at once maybe? ok, the light's on. I've got a good plan.

Thanks.

 

[michaelgarner]

miller dowel,,they are awesome,,small projects go up quick,,and you dont feel bad becouse they are not screws,,be blessed

 

[mshel]

Funny thing, I've got a bunch of clamps 12, 18, 24 inch and up but don't have a lot for something small like this. I've never made a small box shape like this before but you've got me thinking now. I see what I need to do.

Guess I need to do some shopping for some smaller clamps, huh? And glue up in stages instead of all at once maybe? ok, the light's on. I've got a good plan.


Chuck,

Go to Lowe's, HD and get a roll of the pretty green masking tape, heavy duty stuff. Masking tape has incredible strength and I use it all the time to hold stuff together during glue ups. You will be surprised just how versatile it is.

Mike

 

[D L Ames]

Chuck, that is a nice looking design. Personally I think I would give the box joints a shot.

D L

 

[Travis Porter]

Go to Lowe's, HD and get a roll of the pretty green masking tape, heavy duty stuff.
Mike

Green tape??? I have the blue, but I haven't seen the green. Any differences in it?

 

[NCPete]

green is less likely to pull any underlying finish off