This week Rob has stepped aside to let me share a project for National Woodworking Month. One of my all-time favorites is this blanket chest I built for our October 2018 issue.
Here are several reasons why it tops the charts. First, it challenged me to tackle a technique I had never tried: hand-cut dovetails. Honestly, I was intimidated by the prospects of getting those right, but with patience and plenty of practice beforehand, they turned out great. It was a real confidence builder. So much so that I built a second chest for a family friend, and those dovetails also came out well. Don’t be afraid to “push the envelope” of your skills!
Second, this chest’s figured cherry just keeps getting more handsome with age. After three years, the effects of sunlight and cherry’s all-around awesomeness still give me pause to admire it often at the foot of the bed. And third, someday one of my daughters will inherit it. I hope it reminds her of a dad who did his best to do justice to beautiful wood in a craft he loved so much.
Please keep your project photos and descriptions coming in! We’re really enjoying seeing them — and so will other readers when they’re posted to our website soon!
Chris Marshall, Woodworker’s Journal
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