Bedside table shelves

[Dr.Al]

I'm not especially proud of this one: the main joints (dovetail housing or sliding dovetail I think they're called) were done with a trim router rather than by hand and they're far from perfect. However, it does the job, which is tidying up the bedside table a bit (as it tends to get in a bit of a mess) and also lifting the light up a bit higher for more comfortable reading in bed.



In situ:



I'll try to get some better photos in decent light: my phone camera doesn't seem to cope with low light as well as (I think) it used to.

Made from two pieces of american black walnut, both of which were resawn on the bandsaw, then hand planed. One was glued back together in a bookmatched manner to make the shelves (the upper shelf was cut back to become one board again as its narrower - with hindsight I only really needed to join half of it, but I wanted to pick the nicest grain for the joined shelf so I glued the whole lot then inspected it). The other was used as the sides. The grain on the sides is very radial, so it'll be interesting to see if it stays in one piece or moves enough to rip the joints apart :? I'd picked dovetail housing joints thinking they might hold everything together nicely, but the (lack of) accuracy is such that I think the glue will be doing a lot of work!

Finish is 3 or 4 (can't remember now) coats of the magic stuff.

 

[Malc2098]

Nice job.

 

[John Brown]

I enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land.

 

[AndyP]

If it’s fit for purpose Dr then you’ve done well. If you can see things you will do differently next time than you have leaned something as well. Good stuff.

 

[Lurker]

I can see it’s nicely made but don’t like the wood, is it stained or what?
The wood in the sides looks interesting though.
Our alarm clock was chucked out several years ago, we do have one that’s brought into service maybe five times a year when we have to get up early

 

[Rezi]

That looks grand, a kind of bedside activity centre. Erm, why do you have pen knives by your bed?

 

[Dr.Al]

I can see it’s nicely made but don’t like the wood, is it stained or what?

I think the photos make it look a different colour to reality. It's not stained. It's American Black Walnut treated with Mike's Magic Mix.

That looks grand, a kind of bedside activity centre. Erm, why do you have pen knives by your bed?

Just because I take them out of my pocket when I go to bed.

 

[Cabinetman]

Good work Dr Al, plus interesting shaped ends. Perhaps use stopped housings next time, hides a lot of sins! Have you tried cleaning the lense on your phone? I have restarted carrying a penknife again recently, it’s staggering how often I find I use it.

 

[Alf]

A most useful addition and looks good to me. :eusa-clap: Only time I've played with sliding dovetails I resorted to the WoodRat which helped a lot.

I have restarted carrying a penknife again recently, it’s staggering how often I find I use it.

Funny, so have I. Made the mistake of carefully researching which new Swiss army knife to get the Old Man for Christmas and may have slipped and fallen down another slope in the process.

Erm, why do you have pen knives by your bed?

So he can get a "whittle" sleep?