Cradle build

hackberry jake · March 01, 2015, 02:40:10 AM

SawyerBrown sent me plans to what I'm calling the "forestry forum cradle". There is a number of threads in the archive of where people have built similar style cradles, including @Magicman and @SawyerBrown. Today I just flattened and squared up boards and glued up what I could with my small collection of clamps. You REALLY never can have too many clamps. Tomorrow I will finish the glue-ups and start shaping the parts. Here is the progress so far.

Magicman · March 01, 2015, 07:12:03 AM

And the legend continues.

Looking good so far with the glue ups.

Looks like that one will be highly valuable. ;D

Andy White · March 01, 2015, 08:41:42 AM

Hackberry Jake,
Nice looking project you have going on there. I love Walnut anything. The best thing I see there is your firewood stash. Early on in my building projects with my lathe, I made some legs for Nancy's jewelry cabinet. She caught me taking firewood from the rack, and SCOLDED me good till she saw the secret project. I keep some back now too! 8) 8) 8) Andy

yukon cornelius · March 01, 2015, 09:24:05 AM

Jake, do you use biscuits or dowlel in your glue ups? I haven't on the few things I have done but I always worry about them. that cradle is going to look amazing. I cant wait to see the finished product.
I agree with Andy on the wood stash. I find myself pulling a lot of my firewood pieces and setting them aside for projects. My wife even sees good stuff and sets it aside for my evaluation haha! sometimes I say, no its just firewood, and she holds it anyway knowing I will use it.

drobertson · March 01, 2015, 10:50:20 AM

Looking good there Jake! I waiting on decent enough temps to put on the finish here with the" forestry forum cradle"
the only plans I had was the photo MM showed, as it has been said, "at least it's one of a kind" ;D for sure,, lots to learn in this wood working,, :D

hackberry jake · March 01, 2015, 11:44:17 AM

Yukon, I dont use anything in my glue-ups. I have thought about getting a biscuit joiner before but mainly just for alignment of the boards. I dont think they add much strength. Take long boards and glue them together. Only put glue on half of the board. Once dry, put a wedge between them and drive it in until the boards break apart. The fracture line will be through one of the boards. The glue joint will still be intact.

hackberry jake · March 05, 2015, 01:05:11 PM

The two panels for the ends are wider than my jointer and planer, so I flattened and surfaced them on the cnc router. While they were on the cnc, I figured I would cut them out as well. On hindsight, I'm not real sure why i left that knot in there.
I ran the grain direction sideways in order to fasten these pieces to the sides of the cradle without wood movement issues, but that left me with a narrow section of crossgrain on the upright. This seems like a weak spot to me so I may re-inforce it with some maple accent or something. Any ideas?

drobertson · March 05, 2015, 01:26:26 PM

Nice! that router is kinda nice isn't it? I made the mistake of running my end boards vertical, so I guess time will tell on the movement issues, should be sealing this week end, temps going to be lots more favorable here,

Magicman · March 05, 2015, 04:44:12 PM

Quote from: drobertson on March 05, 2015, 01:26:26 PM
I made the mistake of running my end boards vertical

I disagree that running the end panels vertical was a mistake. Jake, I would "cheat" (again) and run a long bow tie, etc. from the top to the bottom to add support to your panels. Bow tie or some kinda "baby" toy thingy.

hackberry jake · March 07, 2015, 12:17:03 PM

The plan I am using calls for a length of around 35" but there are some plans online that are around 20". How long is your cradle?

Magicman · March 07, 2015, 09:02:42 PM

Mine is 36" inside.

WDH · March 07, 2015, 09:04:45 PM

Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all

Jake, don't put your cradle in a tree.

hackberry jake · March 07, 2015, 10:39:36 PM

Quote from: Magicman on March 07, 2015, 09:02:42 PM
Mine is 36" inside.

THANKS MM! Does it seem too long? I think ill just follow the plans and make it 36" or 35". Too long is better than too short.

Magicman · March 08, 2015, 07:32:08 AM

It seems to be proportioned quite well.

Darrel · March 08, 2015, 11:56:52 AM

Looks nice! I'm looking forward to seeing the completed project. (And the progress along the way, od course)

hackberry jake · March 15, 2015, 12:52:32 AM

My first mortise and tennon.

The mortise

The tennon... most of the removal happened on the RAS.

after some chisel work

and some sander work.

WDH · March 15, 2015, 07:21:52 AM

That is going to be a super strong joint. Should be able to handle a fall nicely.

SawyerBrown · March 15, 2015, 07:23:27 AM

Lookin' good buddy!

WDH · March 15, 2015, 07:27:03 AM

Is the board on the bottom of the tenon board in the last pic the

?

Peter Drouin · March 15, 2015, 08:31:07 AM

looking good 8)

hackberry jake · March 15, 2015, 02:06:59 PM

Quote from: WDH on March 15, 2015, 07:27:03 AM
Is the board on the bottom of the tenon board in the last pic the ?

nope. Old weathered cedar. Just for when the chisel slipped off the tennon.

hackberry jake · April 07, 2015, 01:43:31 PM

I made some more progress on the cradle.

WDH · April 07, 2015, 08:13:32 PM

I like the knot.

hackberry jake · April 07, 2015, 08:29:40 PM

The knot is growing on me as well. I think I am starting down the path of a box-joint obsession.

SawyerBrown · April 08, 2015, 08:04:55 AM

Nice! Is that maple?

jueston · April 08, 2015, 08:12:56 AM

i love the combination of maple and walnut, i am working on something with those woods as well. i think they really bring out the colors of each wood.

great work, keep it up.

Magicman · April 09, 2015, 10:30:57 PM

That is shaping up nicely, and I believe that you took care of the ends.

hackberry jake · April 09, 2015, 10:43:06 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 09, 2015, 10:30:57 PM
That is shaping up nicely, and I believe that you took care of the ends.

I told the wife that we will probably be able to dance in it once it's done. dancing-jack

hackberry jake · April 24, 2015, 08:21:50 PM

I made a little more progress today. Now I just need to finish the stretcher that goes between the legs, final sanding, and finish.

gfadvm · April 24, 2015, 08:47:36 PM

Very nice! Were the box joints on the angled sides a challenge?

WDH · April 24, 2015, 08:58:32 PM

Jake,

Now you are going to need a baby

.

hackberry jake · April 24, 2015, 09:12:14 PM

Quote from: gfadvm on April 24, 2015, 08:47:36 PM
Very nice! Were the box joints on the angled sides a challenge?

I was afraid they were going to be, but everything worked normally since the angle between the sides is still 90°.

beenthere · April 24, 2015, 09:56:00 PM

sandhills · April 25, 2015, 12:27:38 AM

That's gorgeous Jake, it will be passed on like Magicmans for sure!

drobertson · April 26, 2015, 08:45:59 AM

Nicely done there Jake,, going to be around a long, long time,,

SawyerBrown · April 27, 2015, 06:27:16 AM

Very, very nice!

fishpharmer · April 27, 2015, 08:28:37 AM

Looks great Jake!

78NHTFY · April 27, 2015, 02:05:17 PM

...that's no hack job, that's a Hackberry job! Really beautiful. All the best, Rob.

Magicman · April 27, 2015, 02:50:09 PM

And all of this time I thought it was a "Hackbaby" job. ;D

SawyerBrown · April 28, 2015, 08:00:28 AM

Won't be long before he has a whole house full of little Hackers. ;D

justallan1 · April 28, 2015, 08:26:06 AM

Nice job Jake.

Magicman · April 28, 2015, 08:54:42 AM

This Hackin' Hackbaby Cradle could be the beginning of a good country song, and Jake has a guitar.

hackberry jake · May 15, 2015, 01:48:43 PM

Got it finished today. It was the first time I've used shellac. Shellac is what is used for the coating of some pills so it's pretty safe and inert. It sure does dry fast!

POSTON WIDEHEAD · May 15, 2015, 05:39:35 PM

Hack I would be bragging if I were you...that's beautiful!
But I know you don't brag so I will do it for you.....You are one HECK of a Craftsman.

Delawhere Jack · May 15, 2015, 06:39:36 PM

Very nice work Jake. That's an heirloom piece for sure.

Larry · May 15, 2015, 07:14:04 PM

That's beautiful and excellent craftsmanship. As Jack already mentioned a heirloom piece for sure.

gfadvm · May 15, 2015, 09:01:13 PM

Cradle turned out just super! Shellac is my favorite finish but I apply it different from a lot of folks: dilute it 1:1 with denatured alcohol and rub it on with a small folded up square of T shirt materiel. No runs or drips, ready to recoat immediately. I just rubbed 5 coats on a 'wedding box' for my daughter in less than 30 minutes today.

It is also very easy to repair if it gets scratched later on: just rub more shellac/alcohol on until the scratch is gone.