Well they have to go somewhere!

[seriph]

Hello everyone - My name is Steve and this is my first post on this forum. I have never made a pen but I have designed and made other things so this new interest will surely return some fun times to me! I look forward to contributing and in the spirit of sharing, I hope you enjoy taking a look at the cabinet I mead throughout the Christmas break.

It is made from Queensland Cedar (Australian timber) and designed to match/compliment the original 1880 Victorian chest of drawers it is sitting on, but if I added some feet and a door set (made but never fitted) it could be used as a stand alone.

There is power to the unit via a concealed socket (from an old PC power supply) in the rear. I had originally hoped to make it with a retractable power cord (from a vacuum cleaner) but the mechanism was too big. I have later discovered that there are other ones made for the music industry that are far smaller....maybe on the next project.

So... power to the unit enabled fitment of a double powerpoint, 12 volt power supply and switch for concealed LED lighting that sits neatly behind what I call the proscenium ... this is like an arch, fitted around the perimeter of the upper enclosure.

The cabinet was designed as a result of needing to neatly store my pens, cuff links, watches, inks, after shaves, ties and other knick knacks - I thought I would never fill it, but as you can see, it is full.

OK - that's definitely enough from me for my first post .... thanks.

Steve

 

[seriph]

By the way, there is one design flaw in this cabinet and that's how I oriented the top drawer .... the pens should run front-to-back so they don't rock when opening and closing that drawer. I am extra careful and doubt I will change it now, because I enjoy the idea that design doesn't always get perfect results (odd I know)

 

[sumterdad]

Very nice do you have any specs on it. It looks like somtheing I would like to do.

 

[The Penguin]

very nice!

 

[Gregf]

Very nice! Wish you were close enough I could see it in person.
I never would have thought about the alignment of the pens in the drawer. Something to remember. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DSurette]

That is one beautiful piece of furniture. Is is your own design or from plans?

 

[seriph]

Well, thanks very much folks - very kind of you.

No, I don't have any specs per se ... I made it to suit its lower cousin.

From memory I just did a basic drawing in AutoCAD then did the rest "by braille" - being really a one-off, I treated the project as if I were prototyping, which means I approach things much more loosely than when I am 'commercially' designing.

Proportionally, it isn't the 'best' height, but it was driven by need more than anything else... including the need to prevent ongoing 'discussion' with my darling wife about putting all my crap away

 

[seriph]

DSurette - thanks - no plans... just an addled brain and a bunch of stunning timber that was milled in 1960 and sold to me in 1991 ,which apart from 17 gramophones and two bookcases, has been sitting in various storage sheds until Christmas. The lower cabinet guided the design, or at least, the perimeter shape - it also dictated how I approached the top to it complimented the Victorian style.

BTW I will be making a funky Iphone, Tablet Dock down the track a little ... would love to locate an old wooden radio case (no innards) and make a very cool dock with an incorporated alarm clock made from NIXIE tubes etc. Time is the kicker these days .... too many ideas...too little time, but it is nicer to have too many projects than not enough I guess

 

[PenPal]

Hi Steve from Kilmore,

Must say I have enjoyed seeing your handiwork, talent, tidyness. Quite an inspiration really.

Your wife was right time to put things away properly, you did well.

I have a mental picture of you opening a drawer, which watch to wear, this tie or that, ah this pen and so on delightful problem.

This from a guy who ties his ties once slips the knot hangs them all on a hat rack etc etc.

top quality woodwork, beaut timber.

My memories of passing through Kilmore a delightful country environment.

Kind regards Peter in Canberra.

 

[seriph]

Thanks Pete - bloody classic ... permanently tied ties are the bane of my life for one reason .... I buy my ties from Charity Shops and a LOT of them have been tied for years I reckon .... takes ages to iron them flat again. Perhaps I now know who to blame!

The irony is I am an untidy person really ... but a fair BS artist so ppl see this and think I am neat

 

[seriph]

One more thing for anyone wishing to make a cabinet containing 'tie drawers' is that the internals must be free of any little dags, splinters or the like - they play havoc with the silk strands.... or even the baby polyesters

 

[Jgrden]

Holy Smokes, you take your craft seriously. Beautiful work. I am impressed.

 

[seriph]

Grden

Thanks John. When I have the time and brainspace to work on my projects, I get what I feel is a worthy outcome. When I design a kitchen for someone, they need to give me up to 3 months just to think about it - this means I lose most clients at the outset but that's OK by me ... the results I manage to achieve for them, is so far beyond what they expect that they lose the power of speech for ten minutes after I deliver each component of their new kitchen.

I like that feeling but wish I could do everything a LOT faster. Now that I am carrying considerable injury, my next kitchen will be my last .... so I am going to have to learn how to be a far better project manager, but that's the way it has to be.

I am certainly NOT complaining - we have a happy life and live where people are kind and friendly - we have food enough to share and most months, enough money to pay the bills - we try to be decent human beings and each day, try and earn the right to breathe the air. Life is good