Stalled project--corner cupboard

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

I started on this project in 2004 and worked on it through two house moves. The last work was done in 2007 and it has been hogging up the bench ever since. Now it is a shop mascot.



I used 5/4 rough sawn walnut as the main wood and gave it some sizzle with bookmatched birdseye maple door panels. Stock was prepped with a #40 and a #7. For the back, I split furring strips on the bandsaw and then shiplapped them using a #140 and turned the rough side out.



Beveling the door panels was challenging. I started with an old #46 and switched to a woodie skew rabbet door plane. The birdseye was gnarly and I finally finished with a LN #62. The rail and stile grooves were done with a #48 and then deepened with a Rumbold using a special blade I made.



My grandmother had a walnut corner cupboard that was made into a North Carolina house sometime before the Civil War. It was later converted into a free standing cupboard that was over seven feet tall. I studied it as a kid. The wood was 5/4 walnut and was hastily prepared. There was tearout visible on the door rails and stiles. This piece was inspired by that grand cupboard. I left plane marks and even some tear out. Here is a picture of the back of one of the doors.

Top notch brasses. Not permanently mounted. Here is a bag with the rest of the hardware, along with a mock up pattern of a door detail. I thought I might add a dust moulding to the door.



But now it sits on the end of the bench. Times have changed. There is nowhere to put it in my current house. My passion for large projects has waned. The remaining 5/4 walnut sits silently in the wood rack.

Looks like I will have a permanent shop mascot. Maybe I can use it for tool storage. Sometimes woodworking can leave you with a half finished project. Some of those are hope for the future, the "I will get around to it", projects. Some, however, may be destined to be dead ends. Those that started with hope and then just ran out of steam. If I were working for money, I would feel bad. But I am working for fun and fun was had. The project was enjoyable, especially the planning. I smile when I walk into the shop and see it. Even in its unfinished state, it has a presence and sits like it has a grand future. Ever the optimist...

[Window Guy]

Nice looking cabinet Jim, I am sure you will find a use for it somewhere. That is to nice to be sitting on your bench, which looks like mine right now LOL.  I had to many things going before I ended up in the Hospital and now for a few more weeks I can't do anything,and like you said the heat has been a little bit on the warm side.


Steve

[tshiker]

"Sometimes woodworking can leave you with a half finished project. Some of those are hope for the future, the "I will get around to it", projects. Some, however, may be destined to be dead ends. Those that started with hope and then just ran out of steam. If I were working for money, I would feel bad. But I am working for fun and fun was had. The project was enjoyable, especially the planning. I smile when I walk into the shop and see it. Even in its unfinished state, it has a presence and sits like it has a grand future. Ever the optimist..."

I love this passage! It speaks to my woodworking to a tee! Woodworking for me is a hobby. Actually it's more like a co hobby, as I like collecting old tools just as much as using them. There is pride every time I see something I built that came out well but there is also pride in some of the pieces that might not have made the grade but I picked up a skill like turning a burr on a card scraper! When I go down into my shop and pick up an old tool, I can remember the when, how, why and how much I paid for it as well as what it looked like then as opposed to now. And don't even get me started on the strange almost mystic connection I feel when I handle these old relics 

Thanks Jim!

[EricU]

I think I would finish that and give it to someone.  Really nice work.

[RobinOfKingston]

"...
Sometimes woodworking can leave you with a half finished project. Some of those are hope for the future, the "I will get around to it", projects. Some, however, may be destined to be dead ends.
..."

Now I know there are at least two of us. For a long time, I thought I was the only one!

Robin

[Lynford in Reno]

I feel your pain.  Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.  It looks like the sides are beveled to the front frame (22.5 degrees?).  If that is true wrestle the cabinet around and cut the front frame off with a 45 degree bevel.  Rip the sides off the rest of the corner.  Bevel them to 45 degrees. Connect the sides to the front frame. Cut the top and bottom to size and use the back strips for the new back.   Now you have a rectangular cabinet that will fit on a flat wall, albeit it may be easier to start over.  Better than using it for firewood.

[Stwood_]

Drop a small sink bowl in the top, set it in a corner and run water to it.
Shop sink with some class.

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Time for an update--
I got busy this weekend and put finish on the corner cupboard base. Today I installed it in place and attached the hardware. It has a new life as a TV stand and fits its new space perfectly.




Thanks for all of your comments. They helped me decide to get moving and take this thing over the finish line. Bonus is a CLEAN BENCH!!!

[CLETUS]

I started on this project in 2004 and worked on it through two house moves. The last work was done in 2007 and it has been hogging up the bench ever since.

You don't mind if I show this to my wife, do you?



Thanks for making me look good!

[BaileyNo5]

I do believe that is the first time I have ever seen the top of that bench!  Nice job on the cabinet, it looks very happy in it's new home.
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Bonus is a CLEAN BENCH!!!