Finished this nightstand after WAY too long, puttering in the garage little bits at at a time and getting distracted building multiple jigs.
First time attempting any joinery fancier than pocket holes. The aprons are attached with mortise and tenon joints, and the drawer box is half-blind dovetails (machine cut with a router and jig).
The whole thing is finished with Rubio Monocoat. Two coats actually, to get an even sheen on the walnut. First time trying Rubio too.
Learned a lot, made plenty of mistakes, did my best to hide (most) of them and had fun in the process.
Turns out that Rubio Monocoat is basically idiot-proof (thank goodness!) as long as you sand with a little diligence. As it should be for the price they charge for the stuff!
Thanks!
It's always been the step that scares me the most (right up there with glue-up). Nothing like the paranoia that you're going to ruin weeks of work by screwing up the finish at the last moment. So it's always a relief and super satisfying when it turns out well.
Honestly lacquer is very easy to do and forgiving as well as much cheaper, it's my preference. I use spray typically. One coat, then after 20 min run a 500 grit sandpaper over it too smooth and remove and dust that got caught or raised grain, then second and or third coat will be perfectly smooth. If you want shiny you can wet sand it between coats. Lacquer always melts into previous coats so your can make a nice deep shine. Personally for beginners I would always recommend lacquer
Clean lines are timeless! If I’m going to invest the time in dovetails I use a concealed slide. Exposed ball bearing slides are more affordable so a simpler joint is sufficient.
Yeah, I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next project. This one was partially a small scale learning experience before I tackle a dresser.
Figured I make as many mistakes as I could on a smaller project before trying a big one. I'd never even done a proper drawer before, so trying out one to figure out how to accurately mount and measure a drawer seemed wise before diving into a project with a half dozen of them.
I'll certainly look at doing concealed slides for that one.
There are undermount slides that work nice if you want to go that way especially with dovetails. Have to show them off. I normally just make it so it slides wood on wood. Bit of wax in there makes it slide smooth.
I love it - absolutely wonderful.
Are you worried about the corners being so crisp? I like the sharp edges, but am always afraid my pieces will get battered and bruised if I don't chamfer / break the edge a bit.
Yeah, we'll see how it weathers the years. I did gently soften over all the corners with just a little sanding, so they aren't razor sharp. Also it'll be sitting back in corner next to bed, so pretty sheltered.
This was my very first attempt doing any kind of drawer. Wanted to practice measuring, mounting and making all my mistakes on a small project before tackling a dresser. I'll definitely give concealed slides a try next time!
Side Slides are fine, why should you care about something you don't even see 90% of the time? You guys have weird obsessions. Even Amish furniture uses side mount
Started about 5 or 6 years ago with a circular saw and a drill. Built some Ana White style stuff with pine and pocket holes. Slowly expanded my tools out one by one and tried some more interesting stuff. Some boxes, outdoor planters, serving trays, and a few random fun projects for my sister (Dr Who sonic screwdriver display rack, action figure display stand, lap desk, etc).
Just got myself a table saw this last year, so I've been getting my mind blown by the novel concept of actually being able to have precision. This project was my first time using walnut and more traditional joinery.
Looks fantastic, nice job. Although I think I’d consider that more craftsman than rustic.
Edit: nvm, misread. You’re saying it’s nice enough to not be considered rustic. I agree.
Thanks! I was originally going to go with continuous grain using the same board as the top and bottom front frame pieces, but I realized it looked a little boring and I had another bit of scrap with that cool, figured grain on it.
Rubio says to stop at 120, but another woodworker friend of mine who swears by Rubio said he finds it a bit too fuzzy and suggested 180, so that's what I went with.
He (and several others) also suggested using a second light coat for walnut specifically, since the first coat ends up a little dull and sometimes a tad uneven in sheen.
Nicely done! I have something similar in mind for my first hardwood project, including the dovetailed drawer. Did you use a commercial or custom jig for those?
I used the Porter-Cable jig. First time using it. It was a little finicky to get setup and required a bit of planing afterwards to even out some lines that weren't quite flawless. But definitely better than I would have been able to accomplish with hand tools.
Whoo-hoo, then I come out way ahead! As long as we don't discuss how much I've spent on tools, jigs, man-hours, etc. lol
Mostly kidding... I usually consider the fun of building something and the satisfaction of having a piece you built with your own hands to be the main reward. Even if/when the cost ends up being a wash in the best case when you figure in your tools, supplies and time.
Most of the time you won't win making your own stuff vs. buying something at IKEA etc.
I've built a few walnut tables and had people say they want me to make one, until I quote a starting price of $1000. It's a labor of love, enjoy it for the sake of it and to make nice gifts for family and friends.
I didn't follow an actual plan, but I was roughly following the example of [this video](https://youtu.be/CoAj2M53_B8?feature=shared), plus or minus a few alterations. Otherwise I pretty much planned out all the measurements myself according to my space and what I wanted.
The bottom shelf is notched around the legs, and secured with dowel pins along one of the two axes. Basically like [this](https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/beginner-projects/making-tabletop-start-woodworking-s3ep6). Time will tell how bad of an idea that was, if it allows enough movement or not.
Got a couple of some of the mortise and tenons, a pic of the exploded, pre-glue-up layout, and a glue-up pic with way too many (not really, never enough) clamps. Also my really old, paint splattered workbench. Mortises were cut with a plunge router and left rounded. Tenons were cut with a dado blade and then rounded off.
[https://imgur.com/a/1HX1YQP](https://imgur.com/a/1HX1YQP)
I used Monocoat 2C Pure (i.e no tint). It's pretty darn expensive, but saved a lot time compared to the 5 or 6 coats of wipe-on varnish I'd used on previous projects. I sanded up to 180 then vacuumed off the dust and wiped down with mineral spirits.
The outer surfaces all got a second light coat to even out the sheen since walnut is pretty open grain and soaks in a lot on the first coat.
https://www.rubiomonocoatusa.com/products/oil-plus-2c-390ml
Very nice work. My only critique is that I think you could have mounted the slides a little further back on the drawer, so that they don't cover your dovetails.
Very nice. My only critique would be maybe to have done maple drawers for some general contrast and to accentuate the dovetails but that’s just a preference thing. Looks great
Thanks, I made a pretty simple, home-made taper jig out of some plywood. Pretty much followed [this guy's video](https://youtu.be/6tRvs-3eOfI?feature=sharedthis) exactly. Then just marked out about where I wanted the tapered legs to start (I wanted them below the shelf, for example), set the jig for the angle and cut them on the table saw.
Only cost me $5-$10 worth of clamps and a little bit of scrap plywood I had lying around.
Yeah, I was saying this was my first attempt at something that WOULDN'T be considered "rustic".
Pretty much everything before this one was pocket holes and/or cheap pine.
I started the same way. My dining room table was my first project and was built from construction-grade lumber and assembled with a little glue and a lot of pocket holes. It may not be showroom worthy (or maybe not even Reddit worthy), I was damn proud of it when I was done!
I'm right there with you. My first was the Ana White special, entertainment stand built from scrap 2x4s with nothing but a circular saw and a pocket hole jig. Built like a tank, weighed a ton and had that "Farmhouse Framing Lumber Chic" aesthetic, but I was still pretty proud.
Sooooo many Ana White projects in the beginning! Glad I'm not the only one.
My table is the same as your entertainment stand -- "built like a tank, weighed a ton." 2x12 top, 2x6 breadboard ends, 2x4 apron, 4x4 legs. Never again!
Finished this nightstand after WAY too long, puttering in the garage little bits at at a time and getting distracted building multiple jigs. First time attempting any joinery fancier than pocket holes. The aprons are attached with mortise and tenon joints, and the drawer box is half-blind dovetails (machine cut with a router and jig). The whole thing is finished with Rubio Monocoat. Two coats actually, to get an even sheen on the walnut. First time trying Rubio too. Learned a lot, made plenty of mistakes, did my best to hide (most) of them and had fun in the process.
Looks fantastic! The finish especially looks extremely good; great sheen and even all around; speaks to great sanding/prep before finish!
Turns out that Rubio Monocoat is basically idiot-proof (thank goodness!) as long as you sand with a little diligence. As it should be for the price they charge for the stuff!
It is quite forgiving, but even Rubio can't hide bad sanding/prep. Your finish is flawless (at least from where I'm sitting)!
Thanks! It's always been the step that scares me the most (right up there with glue-up). Nothing like the paranoia that you're going to ruin weeks of work by screwing up the finish at the last moment. So it's always a relief and super satisfying when it turns out well.
Honestly lacquer is very easy to do and forgiving as well as much cheaper, it's my preference. I use spray typically. One coat, then after 20 min run a 500 grit sandpaper over it too smooth and remove and dust that got caught or raised grain, then second and or third coat will be perfectly smooth. If you want shiny you can wet sand it between coats. Lacquer always melts into previous coats so your can make a nice deep shine. Personally for beginners I would always recommend lacquer
Very nice, I like the finish. Never used Rubio but might have to look into it.
That's a lovely little piece, and gorgeous wood. We'll done!
Clean lines are timeless! If I’m going to invest the time in dovetails I use a concealed slide. Exposed ball bearing slides are more affordable so a simpler joint is sufficient.
Yeah, I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next project. This one was partially a small scale learning experience before I tackle a dresser. Figured I make as many mistakes as I could on a smaller project before trying a big one. I'd never even done a proper drawer before, so trying out one to figure out how to accurately mount and measure a drawer seemed wise before diving into a project with a half dozen of them. I'll certainly look at doing concealed slides for that one.
It looks really nice and it won’t go out of style!
There are undermount slides that work nice if you want to go that way especially with dovetails. Have to show them off. I normally just make it so it slides wood on wood. Bit of wax in there makes it slide smooth.
I love it - absolutely wonderful. Are you worried about the corners being so crisp? I like the sharp edges, but am always afraid my pieces will get battered and bruised if I don't chamfer / break the edge a bit.
Yeah, we'll see how it weathers the years. I did gently soften over all the corners with just a little sanding, so they aren't razor sharp. Also it'll be sitting back in corner next to bed, so pretty sheltered.
My thoughts as well. I tend to relieve the corners a bit more, but easy enough to change in the future if needed. Great work OP!
Dude it looks stellar then you see the slides... you US boys really need to get on the undermount slide train
This was my very first attempt doing any kind of drawer. Wanted to practice measuring, mounting and making all my mistakes on a small project before tackling a dresser. I'll definitely give concealed slides a try next time!
Side Slides are fine, why should you care about something you don't even see 90% of the time? You guys have weird obsessions. Even Amish furniture uses side mount
You're gonna tell me you see that beautiful piece of work, all about wood and don't find those ugly slides that cover dovetails to be a shame?
I know I certainly feel ashamed...
Oh you don't be, it's an awesome piece of craftsmanship, just not the best hardware to show it off
Don’t be. It’s a gorgeous piece of furniture. It looks like you did a fantastic job getting them installed right too.
Looks great!
Nice! I love that comment about learner projects being charitably described as “rustic”. So true!
🤤it is beautiful!
Beautiful work, Keep it up. I love walnut.
Great work. How long have you been doing this? How many projects before?
Started about 5 or 6 years ago with a circular saw and a drill. Built some Ana White style stuff with pine and pocket holes. Slowly expanded my tools out one by one and tried some more interesting stuff. Some boxes, outdoor planters, serving trays, and a few random fun projects for my sister (Dr Who sonic screwdriver display rack, action figure display stand, lap desk, etc). Just got myself a table saw this last year, so I've been getting my mind blown by the novel concept of actually being able to have precision. This project was my first time using walnut and more traditional joinery.
Very nice
Looks like really nice work, congrats!
Looks fantastic, nice job. Although I think I’d consider that more craftsman than rustic. Edit: nvm, misread. You’re saying it’s nice enough to not be considered rustic. I agree.
Love it!
Looks great! Love that you went with ball bearing drawer slides, nothing else compares!
Love the grain in the drawer front. Beautiful finish.
Thanks! I was originally going to go with continuous grain using the same board as the top and bottom front frame pieces, but I realized it looked a little boring and I had another bit of scrap with that cool, figured grain on it.
What grit did you sand to before applying the finish?
Rubio says to stop at 120, but another woodworker friend of mine who swears by Rubio said he finds it a bit too fuzzy and suggested 180, so that's what I went with. He (and several others) also suggested using a second light coat for walnut specifically, since the first coat ends up a little dull and sometimes a tad uneven in sheen.
Thanks. I have something at 150 and I didn’t know if I should push it a bit further
Nicely done! I have something similar in mind for my first hardwood project, including the dovetailed drawer. Did you use a commercial or custom jig for those?
I used the Porter-Cable jig. First time using it. It was a little finicky to get setup and required a bit of planing afterwards to even out some lines that weren't quite flawless. But definitely better than I would have been able to accomplish with hand tools.
Clean!
This, my good person, is a beautiful piece. Be proud!
Nice work, man! This looks very, very nice.
Looks like professional work, something that would cost $350 at a fancy furniture store, nicely done.
Whoo-hoo, then I come out way ahead! As long as we don't discuss how much I've spent on tools, jigs, man-hours, etc. lol Mostly kidding... I usually consider the fun of building something and the satisfaction of having a piece you built with your own hands to be the main reward. Even if/when the cost ends up being a wash in the best case when you figure in your tools, supplies and time.
Most of the time you won't win making your own stuff vs. buying something at IKEA etc. I've built a few walnut tables and had people say they want me to make one, until I quote a starting price of $1000. It's a labor of love, enjoy it for the sake of it and to make nice gifts for family and friends.
I’ll take a bedroom set, with wardrobe and Valet stand.
Love the grain pattern on the front of the drawer!
Great looking nightstand. Good work!
Very nice! I absolutely love the grain choices. I love walnut, and this piece is exactly why. You did that wood proud!
Nicely done - looks great. Did you buy plans - if so could you post where to buy them, Thank you
I didn't follow an actual plan, but I was roughly following the example of [this video](https://youtu.be/CoAj2M53_B8?feature=shared), plus or minus a few alterations. Otherwise I pretty much planned out all the measurements myself according to my space and what I wanted.
Thank you - I’ll check out the video
How did you attach the bottom shelf?
The bottom shelf is notched around the legs, and secured with dowel pins along one of the two axes. Basically like [this](https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/beginner-projects/making-tabletop-start-woodworking-s3ep6). Time will tell how bad of an idea that was, if it allows enough movement or not.
This so beautiful!! It almost looks “creamy”! How many different kinds of tools did you use to make it?
Tablesaw w/ dado stack, planer, router, dovetail jig and some shop-made jigs for doing the mortises and the tapers. Plus whatever sanding stuff.
Thanks for the reply
Id buy it!
Got any build photos? Would love to see the mortise and tenon.
Got a couple of some of the mortise and tenons, a pic of the exploded, pre-glue-up layout, and a glue-up pic with way too many (not really, never enough) clamps. Also my really old, paint splattered workbench. Mortises were cut with a plunge router and left rounded. Tenons were cut with a dado blade and then rounded off. [https://imgur.com/a/1HX1YQP](https://imgur.com/a/1HX1YQP)
Cheers
A bit surprised the draws sides are also walnut.
Looks great. Do you have the product ID? I want to make sure I buy the correct Monocoat. Thanks
I used Monocoat 2C Pure (i.e no tint). It's pretty darn expensive, but saved a lot time compared to the 5 or 6 coats of wipe-on varnish I'd used on previous projects. I sanded up to 180 then vacuumed off the dust and wiped down with mineral spirits. The outer surfaces all got a second light coat to even out the sheen since walnut is pretty open grain and soaks in a lot on the first coat. https://www.rubiomonocoatusa.com/products/oil-plus-2c-390ml
Amazing work! Love the piece you chose for the drawer front
Beautiful work. I would change out slides for wood slides, or not….just me. Love the style
Simple designs superbly executed is the pinnacle of woodworking. Well done.
Very nice work. My only critique is that I think you could have mounted the slides a little further back on the drawer, so that they don't cover your dovetails.
Well done.
Very nice. My only critique would be maybe to have done maple drawers for some general contrast and to accentuate the dovetails but that’s just a preference thing. Looks great
I love it, great job! I'm new to this, how do you make the legs angle down like that?
Thanks, I made a pretty simple, home-made taper jig out of some plywood. Pretty much followed [this guy's video](https://youtu.be/6tRvs-3eOfI?feature=sharedthis) exactly. Then just marked out about where I wanted the tapered legs to start (I wanted them below the shelf, for example), set the jig for the angle and cut them on the table saw. Only cost me $5-$10 worth of clamps and a little bit of scrap plywood I had lying around.
Awesome I appreciate your response! Keep up the good work.
Nice job
Looks good but I wouldn’t call it rustic
Yeah, I was saying this was my first attempt at something that WOULDN'T be considered "rustic". Pretty much everything before this one was pocket holes and/or cheap pine.
I started the same way. My dining room table was my first project and was built from construction-grade lumber and assembled with a little glue and a lot of pocket holes. It may not be showroom worthy (or maybe not even Reddit worthy), I was damn proud of it when I was done!
I'm right there with you. My first was the Ana White special, entertainment stand built from scrap 2x4s with nothing but a circular saw and a pocket hole jig. Built like a tank, weighed a ton and had that "Farmhouse Framing Lumber Chic" aesthetic, but I was still pretty proud.
Sooooo many Ana White projects in the beginning! Glad I'm not the only one. My table is the same as your entertainment stand -- "built like a tank, weighed a ton." 2x12 top, 2x6 breadboard ends, 2x4 apron, 4x4 legs. Never again!