22"W 38"H 5 1/2"D
7 coat linseed oil with Beeswax finish
Vertical-grain Sugar Pine with reproduction foraged iron hardware
I designed and made this cabinet to store my growing arsenal of fine handtools and select machine tooling . After completing the piece I decided it was a little too good to serve as a shop furniture . The case is presently employed as a display case at the gallery , proudly and conspicuously hanging between a couple of fine paintings . The pine (I would argue that this is the best quality pine on the planet) carcass of the case is joined with hand-cut dovetails . The door is assembled with mortise and tenon joints and is precisely hung with foraged iron hardware . After completing the piece and changing my mind about using the cabinet in my shop , I kinda think the only thing holding this piece back from being an absolute home run is the glass . If I were commissioned to make a similar piece for a client I would try to source antique glass for the door . For this piece I used common plate glass , which is totally suitable , but the irregularities and character of antique glass would really add a great deal of warmth and authenticity to this type of cabinet . The finish is my usual Tried & True brand linseed oil which I blended with beeswax . The interior of the piece is unfinished because I do not believe in exchanging the fantastic aroma of raw pine (I think the fragrance of sugar pine is almost medicinal) for the less pleasant smell of half-cured linseed oil or shellac . Every time you open an unadulterated pine case you get a sweet little hit of pine perfume .
