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Readers Gallery
From Fine Woodworking Issue #159
Nathaniel Smelser
Asked by one of his best clients to build this maple and poplar chest of drawers (22 in. deep by 46 in. wide by 40 in. tall) based on an antique original, Smelser said the easy part of the job was the construction of the serpentine front carcase and the scalloped base. He ran into problems, however, duplicating the gold stencil pattern over the black lacquer finish. "We finally brought the original chest into the office, took the lid off the copier and struggled to copy the entire pattern by flipping the piece on all sides." From there, it was a matter of having the copies scanned into a local sign shop's computer, where the pattern was printed onto an adhesive-backed vinyl stencil, which was used to spray the gold details accurately.
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Joshua Schiffman
Built as a birthday gift for Schiffman's sister, this coffee table (26 in. deep by 48 in. wide by 17 in. tall) is made of quartersawn white oak. The walnut and epoxy inlays in the top represent the four seasons and were inspired by metal artwork that hung in Schiffman's parents' living room during his childhood. The piece is finished with three coats of polyurethane gel.
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Thomas Skaggs
Skaggs designed and built this tall dressing chest (24 in. deep by 24 in. wide by 72 in. tall) for his wife. Made of cherry, curly cherry and curly maple, the chest serves multiple functions: The lower drawers hold lingerie, the upper drawers and drawers in the gallery are for jewelry, and the two spaces on both sides of the gallery house necklace hangers that pull out on sliding dovetails. A unique feature of this piece is the connection between the carcase and its base. A large bearing ring is hidden between the two, and the entire case spins around to reveal a full dressing mirror on the back. The chest has a shellac-and-oil finish.
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Jeff Collingwood
Signing up for a Morris-chair class at Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., Collingwood, an engineer by trade, took it upon himself to build this entire Arts and Crafts ensemble. The chair (38 in. deep by 34 in. wide by 38 in. tall) reflects the work of William Morris. "Although normally made from white oak," said Collingwood, "I chose mahogany for its warmth." The chair and ottoman are upholstered in leather, and the stained-glass lamp shade was purchased in Mexico. The whole set has a lacquer finish. Photo by Archie Breeden
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