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Greene and Greene media cabinet - ebony detail added

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Greene and Greene media cabinet - ebony detail added

Postby chataigner » 02 Mar 2015, 11:25

I'm starting a project to make a small (1m wide apx) media cabinet to house the Hi-Fi and telly decoder with the TV on top. Inspired by recent articles in FWW, I'm going for a Greene and Greene style in oak with the classic pegged finger joints, cloud lifts etc. No drawings I could post here, I dont have the patience to do CAD, I work from crude pencil sketches with construction notes.

Image

It will have a finger jointed base frame, frame and panel sides and a face frame with two hinged, glazed doors at the front plus a solid top with oversize breadboard ends.

Made a start yesterday by milling up some of the parts, notably the base frame and the components for the face frame in some nice quarter sawn oak, plus it's equivalent at the back (* frame ?). Then got stuck into cutting the finger joints for the base frame. A recent article in FWW suggests a matching roundover router bit and bearing guided trimmer for the finger profile to create the interlocking curves.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/woodworking-plans/article/green-and-greene-blanket-chest.aspx

I dont have a small enough bearing guided trimmer, so I drilled the inside corners of the fingers and cut up to the holes with the band saw, then rounded over the edges with a matching radius cutter in the router. Seems to work OK. Photos later today - just going to take them now.

Photos now added 11h52.

Image

Image
Last edited by chataigner on 17 Apr 2015, 18:28, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby TrimTheKing » 02 Mar 2015, 12:21

Looking forward to seeing this come together David. I absolutely LOVE Greene & Greene style stuff and have a couple of projects lined up for the future in that style.

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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Andyp » 02 Mar 2015, 13:39

I am very struck by this style of joint.

I have spent many years perfecting a tight joint with no gaps, then along comes a style of joint* that makes a virtue of the "gap" between the elements and protrusions beyond the face.

I am not knocking it as having now looked up a few examples on Google I think it looks very striking.

I will be following with interest.


* I now know he style to be at least 100 years old.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Mike G » 02 Mar 2015, 14:17

I'm a huge Greene & Greene fan. I place them at the pinnacle of American architecture in the 20th century, far ahead of Frank Lloyd Wright. That is a matter of my aesthetic, rather than a commentary on the impact the architects had at the time or on the future direction of the American built environment. A number of their details haven't stood up to the weather terribly well, and the sheer quantity of timber in their houses was too much for me, but nonetheless, their details, their stairs in particular, were just beautiful. I look forward to seeing this build progress.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 02 Mar 2015, 17:59

Like you Mike, I am great fan of G&G. I also agree that the interiors of the ultimate bungalows are a bit too dark with too much wood for my taste, but each of the elements taken on its own is beautiful.

If I get on well with this, the next project in the style may well be a bed, or rather, an architectural housing to fit around the outside and disguise a modern motorised divan bed.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Rod » 02 Mar 2015, 19:44

Motorised bed - a hospital type?

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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Wizard9999 » 03 Mar 2015, 00:05

Looks interesting, but to be honest, so far (and having looked at examples online) I'm not convinced I like it. Go on, prove me wrong and show me I don't know what I'm missing! ;)

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Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby TrimTheKing » 03 Mar 2015, 00:13

Here you go Terry

Greene & Greene style Adirondack garden chairs I intend to make when I get set up.

Check these out

And another

The cloud lifts, the contrasting pegs (or fake pegs), the curves. Beautiful!

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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Robert » 03 Mar 2015, 10:26

I don't read woodworking books, magazines or blogs so Greene and Greene is new to me too.

From what I've seen so far I'm with Terry in the unconvinced camp on the style. Still looking forward to watching this build progress though :)
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby fiveeyes » 03 Mar 2015, 21:01

Having just completed a small box with G&G joints, I am looking forward to your build. FYI..I purchased a new flush trim bit to do more boxes, but it did not work as planned. :( I think I had a too large bearing guiding my radius bit. More test cuts(kindling) are on tap. Pray tell..what drill size, and bearing diameter on your radius cutter did you use to achieve your results.Nice looking joints BTW. I should be in assembly w/my project but have had two setbacks. :x bill
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 04 Mar 2015, 10:27

Rod wrote:Motorised bed - a hospital type?

Rid


No - one like this : http://www.lit-electrique.com/sommier-e ... 235500.htm
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 04 Mar 2015, 13:37

fiveeyes wrote:Having just completed a small box with G&G joints, I am looking forward to your build. FYI..I purchased a new flush trim bit to do more boxes, but it did not work as planned. :( I think I had a too large bearing guiding my radius bit. More test cuts(kindling) are on tap. Pray tell..what drill size, and bearing diameter on your radius cutter did you use to achieve your results.Nice looking joints BTW. I should be in assembly w/my project but have had two setbacks. :x bill


It doesnt make any difference to the joint what radius you use as long as the drill and the round over cutter are the same radius the joint should close. It is important that the round over is cut all the way to quarter round profile to match the drilled hole of course. I started making test joints with a 6mm drill and matching round over (note as we are talking drills this is diameter, so 3mm radius), mainly because the recent article in FWW quoted 1/4 inch. However, the parts I'm working with are 100 x 30mm and the roundover was just too delicate for the effect I wanted. I then made a test joint with a 10mm drill and matching roundover and liked that a lot better.

For the actual parts I've used a 10mm drill and a 5mm radius round over (it's actually a 6mm radius I happened to have, but you really cant see the difference) on the joints and also the ends of the proud tenons. The exterior long edges are rounded to 3mm radius. Looks OK to my eye.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Rod » 04 Mar 2015, 22:20

Similar functions of a hospital bed - very decadent, I don't think I would get out of bed if I had one of those?

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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby fiveeyes » 05 Mar 2015, 03:25

chataigner wrote:
fiveeyes wrote:Having just completed a small box with G&G joints, I am looking forward to your build. FYI..I purchased a new flush trim bit to do more boxes, but it did not work as planned. :( I think I had a too large bearing guiding my radius bit. More test cuts(kindling) are on tap. Pray tell..what drill size, and bearing diameter on your radius cutter did you use to achieve your results.Nice looking joints BTW. I should be in assembly w/my project but have had two setbacks. :x bill


It doesnt make any difference to the joint what radius you use as long as the drill and the round over cutter are the same radius the joint should close. It is important that the round over is cut all the way to quarter round profile to match the drilled hole of course. I started making test joints with a 6mm drill and matching round over (note as we are talking drills this is diameter, so 3mm radius), mainly because the recent article in FWW quoted 1/4 inch. However, the parts I'm working with are 100 x 30mm and the roundover was just too delicate for the effect I wanted. I then made a test joint with a 10mm drill and matching roundover and liked that a lot better.

For the actual parts I've used a 10mm drill and a 5mm radius round over (it's actually a 6mm radius I happened to have, but you really cant see the difference) on the joints and also the ends of the proud tenons. The exterior long edges are rounded to 3mm radius. Looks OK to my eye.

Thanks so much for your info. May have to adjust sizes myself. Slipped on the ice here, a few days ago, so not much woody stuff for me at the mo'. Damn near knocked myself out. Better now. :eusa-whistle: bill
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 07 Mar 2015, 18:26

Bit of progress these last couple of days despite numerous distractions, notably problems with my ancient 4x4 - more of that another time.

Finished preping the frame parts for the frame and panel sides and cut most of the mortices and tenons. Ground to halt when the bit in the hollow chisel morticer snapped off. :( :(
New ones on order !

Image

I think I will glue only the bottom third or so of the rather wide tenon (bottom of the frame) to allow the upper edge to move if it wants to.

Next job is to cut the grooves for the panels, on the TS I think.

After that it's the panels - I've found a couple of huge oak boards 2.5m by around 500mm width and 20mm thick in the stock I brought with me from the previous house, I'd forgotten I had them. They should serve very well for the panels.
Last edited by chataigner on 10 Mar 2015, 20:50, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby RogerS » 07 Mar 2015, 18:30

Robert wrote:I don't read woodworking books, magazines or blogs so Greene and Greene is new to me too.

From what I've seen so far I'm with Terry in the unconvinced camp on the style. Still looking forward to watching this build progress though :)



Yup. You can put me in that camp as well. TBH they look very uncomfortable to sit in as there is no curvature to match that of the spine. No lumbar support.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby fiveeyes » 08 Mar 2015, 02:51

David: bummer on the morticer, I know the feeling. I discovered a worn blade arbor on my TS. Called for new parts and installed over last weekend. NOT good..new arbor was .013 out of round :( Called customer service..no problem..we will send another. Lost a week, so far.
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 10 Mar 2015, 20:26

New cutters arrived today, along with a little Quangsheng low angle block plane I've been lusting after. It's lovely ! More or less perfect out of the box, a quick touch on the scary sharp finest grit and it cuts like a razor. :D :D

Despite the temptations of the new tools, I could not resist an afternoon in the garden, it made 19°c.

Back to the project tomorrow...
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Woodbloke » 11 Mar 2015, 15:06

chataigner wrote:... a little Quangsheng low angle block plane I've been lusting after. It's lovely ! ...

If it's the little bronze Luban, I have the same one, but it benefited from a couple of minutes sole truing on a bit of glasspaper (or scary sharp film) to flatten it properly. Nice little plane though :D - Rob
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 16 Mar 2015, 17:42

Not had much free time to work on this, but made the two end panels today and got the first one glued up. From what I could find on line, Greene and Greene didnt use raised panels much - mainly solid or flat floating panels as here.

Image

I was rather pleased with the ray fleck in the panel :

Image

...and with the little low angle block plane I sneaked in on the order for a replacement mortice chisel !

Image
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby DaveL » 16 Mar 2015, 21:35

Nice rays :D
Oh shiny shiny :cool:
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Woodbloke » 16 Mar 2015, 23:25

Not the Luban then, but still a very nice block plane - Rob
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby fiveeyes » 17 Mar 2015, 02:38

Very nice QSO..will have much to read when I can get back on TWH2. Leaving for Colorado and California in the morning. :D . later bill
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby Andyp » 17 Mar 2015, 08:39

Will you give it a light stain David so that those rays pop out even more?
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Re: Greene and Greene media cabinet

Postby chataigner » 18 Mar 2015, 18:06

Once in a while you do something of such mind numbing stupidity that you wonder if you should be handling sharp objects... or at least I do.

When my new set of hollow chisel mortice cutters arrived, it contained a 10mm cutter, a size I had not had previously. I'd used 8mm for the frame and panel ends of the media cabinet 'cos it was nearer to the ideal size than the 12mm which was the next size up that I had. However, when I started to cut the mortices for the second end, I thought, why not use the 10mm, it's a better size for the job, so I did. Worked beautifully, very pleased with the cutters.

Now to cut the tenons... Ah, yes, I'd already cut the tenons while I was waiting for the mortice cutter to arrive hadn't I - at 8mm of course. :oops: :oops:

Not enough of the original board left, so remaking the parts is not really an option, the match would not be good. Sooooo, spent an hour or two resawing some offcuts into 1.5mm thick veneers and gluing them on to the tenons. Tomorrow I'll recut the tenons at 10mm.

In the meantime I think a whisky is in order. :obscene-drinkingcheers:
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