# Maple Shoe Bench



## Sprung (Sep 13, 2013)

Well, I can finally check another project off the list. This wasn't one of the projects that was piling up. This project actually caused more of a back up.

The back door of our house leads directly into our kitchen, and it's also a very awkward corner, with doors right there that lead to the basement and laundry room. That corner also seemed to collect shoes, which usually become one big pile. This has frustrated both my wife and I, so I asked her if she would want a shoe bench. Her answer was a definite yes, and the project got put on the top of the list because neither of us like tripping over the pile of shoes. Worked on this on and off (more off than on) over the last 5 or 6 weeks.

Made of hard maple, with a couple 1/4" strips of cherry in the top for accent. All dowel construction, save for attaching the top, which I made some cleats for out of poplar scraps. (Holes were elongated in one side of the cleats to allow for seasonal expansion.) Finish is two coats of Watco Danish Oil. That was followed up by a coat of paste wax, which I had just finished buffing out when these pics were taken.

[attachment=30953]

[attachment=30954]

Also, I don't have a doweling jig yet, but did make my own for this specific project. Drilled the holes where needed in small cutoffs using my drill press and then attached some scraps on top with super glue to help me line them up. Clamped them in place by the scraps, and they allowed me to drill straight and properly lined up holes for the dowels and everything lined up perfectly.

[attachment=30955]

Got a happy customer too - my wife loves it!


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## barry richardson (Sep 13, 2013)

Like it! Nice clean lines, functional, and will last several lifetimes!


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## Kevin (Sep 13, 2013)

I really like this Matt. I can tell it is more elegant than the pictures can portray. I like the chamfered edges versus a round over too. Hard to tell from the pic but it looks like you used a hand plane for the chamfering? And although the joinery itself isn't Japanese-ish, the over piece reminds me of Japan. Every stick of furniture in the typical Japanese home has a purpose, and every stick of wood in every piece of furniture is spoken for. Not a square centimeter is wasted. 

It may look plain and simple to some who build period furniture, but I think it rocks. Well done.


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## kazuma78 (Sep 13, 2013)

That looks great! I really like the accent strips in the top!


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## NYWoodturner (Sep 13, 2013)

Matt - Excellent job. Kevin summed it up very well. The only thing I might add is that it looks like it is built to last for generations 
Scott


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## rdnkmedic (Sep 13, 2013)

Nice work, Sprung.


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## davduckman2010 (Sep 13, 2013)

great job tim very nice work duckman.


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## ripjack13 (Sep 13, 2013)

That looks great!!!


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## Mike1950 (Sep 13, 2013)

nice work and way to improvise on the dowel jigs- It is what it is about. Once you start fillin the house with Quality furniture she will love ya for it........


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## Sprung (Sep 14, 2013)

Thanks, everyone, for the comments!  I think this is one of my best pieces yet.

My wife and I both like the understated beauty of something simple and clean, rather than cluttered. I also prefer to let the wood speak for itself. There was some cool things hidden in these boards. The small board of 8/4 I cut down for the legs had some bark inclusion, and that left a little bit of curl in part of one leg - and I chose to highlight that at put it out front to see. The wider boards for the bench seat aren't figured, but do have a handful of blisters - like it wanted to be birdseye, but wasn't just quite there. In person, the two wider boards in the top almost have a little hint of chatoyance, which is cool too.

Kevin - pretty much every edge on this piece is chamfered. I think it helps to ease the edges a little bit on some pieces as sharp edges can sometime just look and feel boxy. Some edges were done with a handplane, others were done with sandpaper - it just depended on what was in reach at the time. (I have got to organize my shop and make things easier to find!) For the most part I prefer the look of a lightly chamfered edge over a rounded over edge. I have an extra block plane blade from a broken Stanley 110 laying around that I am eventually going to use to build a chamfer plane with.


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## Mike1950 (Sep 14, 2013)

Sprung said:


> Thanks, everyone, for the comments!  I think this is one of my best pieces yet.
> 
> My wife and I both like the understated beauty of something simple and clean, rather than cluttered. I also prefer to let the wood speak for itself. There was some cool things hidden in these boards. The small board of 8/4 I cut down for the legs had some bark inclusion, and that left a little bit of curl in part of one leg - and I chose to highlight that at put it out front to see. The wider boards for the bench seat aren't figured, but do have a handful of blisters - like it wanted to be birdseye, but wasn't just quite there. In person, the two wider boards in the top almost have a little hint of chatoyance, which is cool too.
> 
> Kevin - pretty much every edge on this piece is chamfered. I think it helps to ease the edges a little bit on some pieces as sharp edges can sometime just look and feel boxy. Some edges were done with a handplane, others were done with sandpaper - it just depended on what was in reach at the time. (I have got to organize my shop and make things easier to find!) For the most part I prefer the look of a lightly chamfered edge over a rounded over edge. I have an extra block plane blade from a broken Stanley 110 laying around that I am eventually going to use to build a chamfer plane with.



You will also find that chamfered or rounded corners are a lot easier on little kids heads when-not if they fall into them.................


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