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Our Daughter's Hope Chest

comments (9) October 14th, 2009 in Reader's Gallery     
Jerbo Jerbo, member
thumbs up 22 users recommend
The finished hope chest. Inside there are two sliding jewelry trays.
Quilted maple heart made for 8/4 stock. It has dados on the edges and the cedar panels fit into it. Basically it is a center stile.
The top is made from 3/4 curly maple and birdseye maple with walnut butterflies at the seams. This is laminated to a 3/4 piece of cedar.
The stiles are birdeye maple, the rails are curly maple, the panels are cedar. The butterfly at the joint is walnut.
This photo shows the frame and panel construction. I put a clear finish on the maple but of course no finish on the cedar.
The finished hope chest. Inside there are two sliding jewelry trays.

The finished hope chest. Inside there are two sliding jewelry trays.
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About 5 years ago we built a hope chest for our daughter.

We used three species of wood. Maple, cedar and walnut. We used 3 types maple. Curly maple, Birdseye maple and quilted maple.

I designed it as frame and panel construction with maple stiles and rails and cedar panels. For the top I joined two pieces of Birdseye maple and a piece of curly maple with walnut bow ties at the seams. Then I laminated that to a piece of cedar. I worried about this warping but so far it hasn’t.

I struggled long and hard to come up with the perfect design. I wanted something that would represent my love for her. She knows she will always have my heart and now anyone who sees her hope chest will know it too.

The heart is quilted maple.


Design or Plan used: My own design - Jerry Boshear
posted in: Reader's Gallery, walnut, chest, maple, cedar, birdseye, hope chest, curly, quilted
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Comments (9)

Shae1959 Shae1959 writes: This hope chest is gorgeous! I loved the use of different woods. I always wanted a hope chest. My father was a wood worker of sorts, wish he had of lived long enough to make one for me. Your daughter is a very lucky girl. Hats off to you on this one!
Posted: 5:24 pm on October 21st

AintKaro AintKaro writes: Another great family heirloom! Wonderfully unique! Great craftmanship! The different types of wood make it so pretty!
Posted: 8:57 pm on October 18th

Jerbo Jerbo writes: Hi Aggie83,

I made the base out of cedar also.

Thank you for your comments.


Posted: 12:02 am on October 17th

Classiccountry47 Classiccountry47 writes: The different woods selected work so well together with the design. A one of a kind piece for sure.
Posted: 6:27 pm on October 16th

JayAreWard JayAreWard writes: Gorgeous! What amazing work. I really love the heart.
Posted: 3:56 pm on October 16th

Aggie83 Aggie83 writes: Very nice piece.
What type of wood did you use in the base?
Posted: 12:55 pm on October 16th

grizzlyman grizzlyman writes: Now that is putting your heart in it,well done
Posted: 9:27 am on October 16th

robinj40 robinj40 writes: Wonderful combination of wood types. Very well crafted.
Posted: 10:07 pm on October 15th

spuder spuder writes: Just absolutely perfect for a hope chest.
Posted: 7:43 pm on October 15th

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