Chill out!

The recent cold snap has meant that it's been far too nippy to get out into the 'shop of an evening after work. If I put on the heating at 5pm, it's generally around 8pm that's it's anywhere near close enough to do some work and by that time I'm almost ready to come in again.

With the lapse in practical activity, I've started to get some ideas together for a new project to hold the TV and associated boxes. To that end, I've got a few initial sketches lined up after having re-read the late Alan Peter's excellent book 'Cabinet Making - the Professional Approach.' My idea is based on one of his signature pieces which is the long low table with what I'd describe as Chinese mitred joints between the top and rails, with a couple of movable shelves for the equipmentt and two or three drawers. I've got a decent quantity of very pleasant air dried English Oak and some lengths of 18mm mdf, so the main sections will be constructed using bandsawn veneers.

I spent a good portion of last night measuring the various bits and pieces that have got fit in it, so the next job is to start to firm up the design with one or two scale drawings.

I also fully intend to take the excellent advice of one of the readers of this Blog and make a 3D maquette in balsa and if that looks good I'll make a decent quarter scale model in mdf.

It's strange, but I often 'put off' this aspect of making and try and sort all the details out in my head (not the best idea I've ever had) but after a while, it becomes so much easier just to get out a few pencils and a bit of paper and start to sketch.