Pinned Drawer Joints

This is what I mean by pinned drawers. A drawer does not have to be dovetailed to showcase craftsmanship although that is what tradition is. Pins can just be just as elegant and still be strong.

Guest Bath Vanity

Construction wise, the woods are similar to the Master Bath vanity. The granite top is cashmere white. The drawers are not dovetailed but instead rabbeted and pinned with walnut pins. The contrasting color of the dark walnut and the light colored poplar is really striking.

The Dovetail Work

There is a lesson in this illustration - in that man usually looks at beauty from the outside. The Creator always sees the beauty as more than skin deep. In this case, creator (small c) shows that, the dovetail work is meticulously done the old fashioned way - with a dovetail saw and chisels. The approach I use is patterned after that of Rob Cosman, the master of handcut dovetails. There is a video on YouTube where Rob Cosman does one of these joints in less than 3 minutes. I am not that fast but not terribly slow either. I start with the tail board and cut the tails with the dovetail saw - very sharp progressive pitch saw of Rob Cosman's manufacture. I rough cut the waste with a coping saw. And then I chisel to the line made by the marking knife. Rob is fast because he chisels so little away. He cuts very much closer to the line with a fret saw. Then comes the pin board which is marked with a knife using the tail board. The key is to precisely cut the waste so the fit is tight. Better to be a shade too tight than too loose. Care pays with a sweet looking - tight fitting joint. The sides are made from poplar. Drawer slides are made by Blum, the invisible variety.

Tub Surround

The tub surround has matching woodwork to the vanity - again raised panel construction from African and South American mahoganies. The tile work is done by "yours truly" for a change. My wife usually does most of the tile work but not this time. Tile layout is courtesy of my graphic designer son Jonathan

Master Bath Vanity

Well.... It took a while but now that it's done we can enjoy it. The stiles are made from Sapele (also known as African mahogany). The rails as well as the raised panels are from Honduras mahogany. The countertop is a granite stone from Brazil no longer obtainable by the supplier - so it is going to be rare to find this stone. The mirror frame is likewise from the same materials. The mirror glass was sourced from H&H Glass in Easley.

My Uncle Rafael in My Shop

Good wide angle shot of my shop during my uncle's visit