The guy I made the sea glass display tables for (earlier posts) contacted me about making special shadowboxes for his daughter's many track and field awards she won. These are made from red oak, dovetailed on my PC 24" jig with half-blind DTs. Dimensions are 39x25 and 30x25. Used half inch ply for the backs, inset into rabbets, and then a 1/2 french cleat set in onto the back. Made the moldings myself with a beading bit; simple but very complementary to the cases. Made two stepped frames for the 36 small medals, to set them out from the back of the cabinet. Suspended the medals on thin bars and dropped them in slots on the sides of the frame and screwed them in place. Traced out the shapes of the jacket patches, and did them in 1" and black-dyed them to really stand out from the back. For each of the pins on the patches, I used a Forstner bit to recess the backing pins so the patches would lay flat. In these pics, they are not taped down yet with double-stick tape. Made the holder for the big ribbons and the baton, and the ring holder. Tilted my Domino 500 to cut the slots for the rings to sit in. Stain he picked was Cabot Colonial Maple, with coats of satin poly over that.
Used lots of my festools. First major project since I got the boom arm for my CT36, and it makes working so much easier. Wish I had got it earlier. Started out using my OF1400 on the dovetails, but switched back to my PC router with the D handle (like Norm Abrams used all the time) and it was easier. I liked that I could see what I was doing on the jig better with the bottom plate of the PC, whereas I couldn't see anything with the OF1400. Dominoed the medal frames. Used my Kapex a lot, but did the cutting for the frames and moldings on my table saw with my miter sled. Had a hard time with the 1" deep rabbets for the backs. I had decided to do the dovetails first, then assembled the cases. Next time, I would cut the rabbets on the case pieces before assembly. Also used Carvex to cut out letters, RO125 and RO90 for sanding, MFK700 for roundovers, CSX and C12 for drilling and screwing mounts to the back. Customer was very happy and couldn't wait to surprise his daughter with them.
Used lots of my festools. First major project since I got the boom arm for my CT36, and it makes working so much easier. Wish I had got it earlier. Started out using my OF1400 on the dovetails, but switched back to my PC router with the D handle (like Norm Abrams used all the time) and it was easier. I liked that I could see what I was doing on the jig better with the bottom plate of the PC, whereas I couldn't see anything with the OF1400. Dominoed the medal frames. Used my Kapex a lot, but did the cutting for the frames and moldings on my table saw with my miter sled. Had a hard time with the 1" deep rabbets for the backs. I had decided to do the dovetails first, then assembled the cases. Next time, I would cut the rabbets on the case pieces before assembly. Also used Carvex to cut out letters, RO125 and RO90 for sanding, MFK700 for roundovers, CSX and C12 for drilling and screwing mounts to the back. Customer was very happy and couldn't wait to surprise his daughter with them.
