Okay, I have been remodeling my kitchen, and bought a bunch of oak in order to make new doors/drawer fronts… Naturally, I get all the upper doors done and ready for finish, and the wife decides she doesnt think oak looks good enough for her new kitchen… so I had some scrap mahogney out in the garage. I made a drawer front and she loves the look of it….. so now I have a bunch of oak, have almost all my upper doors done, and need to go out and start all over again buying mahogney…. /sigh….
Tell me again why I put up with her? Do I need to put her under contract next time? “look lady, this is what you originally agreed upon.. there aint no changing it now!!” I guess the phrase “Sure, we can change the wood this late in the project, but its gonna cost you!!!” translates into it “its gonna cost US!!!”
PS – I *LOVE* my 13″ two speed Delta planar… MAN that thing just ROCKS….
Replies
I'm assuming you don't have enough mahogany on hand? Keep looking, but don't ever find any. Eventually she'll decide the oak will do after all.
I learned (too late) with my "girl freind" don't even tell them there are alternatives unless your ready to act on them.
N
Strating month 3 of a 2 week project...sigh...
Good plan Unc.
Grouchie,
Bummer bout the wife. I don't know what to tell ya.
What planner did you have before assuming you have something to compare that 13" Delta too. I don't really like my planner (not Delta) that much, but it's seen a bunch of use and just may be worn out.
jdg
My father has a dewalt planer that I have used quite a bit... the delta is much quieter, seems to give me a much quicker and nicer finish, and on the mahogney I was planing last eve I had very little snipe... anyways, I was very impressed with my delta last eve... I was used to multiple multiple passes with my fathers dewalt, the delta seemed to get it under control really quickly... I will say you have to becareful with the delta it LOVES to eat...
PS - In the wifes' defense, I wasnt liking the look of the oak either... I guess like all things, we go through phases, and I am oak'd out... if that is possible.. hehe
Ooooo....the mahogany...with black face frames....oooooo.....yes! yes! yes!
Actually the cabinet frames have been painted a dark chocolate brown... we also have a brown marble tile countertop(at least we saved money over the slab!!)... the mock up drawerfront I created looks great without stain.. might be able to get away with just polyurethaning(sp?) the natural color....
yub yub I think its either go with mahogney, or as she puts it "We could paint the oak!" hahahaha I think I will go with mahogney and use the oak for some other project....
Edited 2/4/2003 10:08:07 AM ET by Grouchie
Sounds like you will have some pretty nice cabinet doors for your workshop now.... Also, you can never have enough wood on hand, especially the quality to be used on kitchen cabinets. It's hard to justify the cost of completely starting over w/ new wood, but as they say above "A happy wife makes a happy home!!!"
The strategic "yes dear" is rarely incorrect, unless she senses even a hint of sarcasm, at which point "yes" is a better choice. Best of luck.
In Louisiana, we use "yes ma'am". And we're careful to be say it slowly in a subservant sort of way.
Edited 2/4/2003 9:03:05 PM ET by jdg
Welcome to the wonderful world of wives and woodworking.
At Darkworks Customer satisfaction Job One..Yea yea were all over it , I ll have it done by next Tuesday Oh yea I need another draw.........
You didn't say what the cabinet frames are made of. Are they oak? I personally don't see howyou can have one wood for the frames and another wood for the doors and drawer faces. Assuming oak frames, would you veneer them with mahogany?
This sounds like it's a project that is getting out of hand. Or, am I missing something?
John
PS - In hindsight, it probably would have been best to build one cabinet mock-up, completely finished, so that the look was totally agreed upon before proceeding.
If it was me, I'd do it however she wants it done regardless of the work involved... after all, she puts up with me.
As we all know if she isn't happy, no one is happy!
Grouchie,
As I am sure your aware, when you have to resort to the "you said, I said" argument all is lost when it comes to our wives. However, when it comes to the kitchen wives allow practically to outweigh style. You could point out to her the characteristics of Mahognay verses Oak under your kitchen's environment....grease, steam, fingerprints, dents, will darken, etc.
you obviously have not met my wife... style always outweighs practicality, and unfortunately, the more stylish something is the more expensive it is bound to be.
Happy wife, happy life.
the solution has risks,
Ask her to make you a new suit, at final fitting tell her you just don't like the color/pattern....
The risk is great...
Half!
Brave soul. Or maybe just dumb. :)
As I said, the cost is half..
as in half of everything when the divorce becomes final....;-)
Grouchie et all,
I was introduced to the bad wives' club just last week. I found an ad in the paper, a fellow woodworker was selling out on everything. Tools, lumber, you name it, he was selling it. I came home with 245' of mahogany crown mould, thinking it would look great in the family room and kitchen. I got it at such a good price I almost felt guilty for paying so little. I get it home, cut a small piece, put on some finish to show her the effect, hang it on the wall for her to see and consider. She then goes out to the shop and returns with a piece of cherry scrap I had laying out there and tells me she likes this wood grain and color better than the mahogany.........AAARRGH!
Don Z.
I have been married for about 25 years and there is one thing I have learned , you can do it her way now , or later .
good luck
Spent a 12 hour dining chair design sketch session with SWMBO and got nowhere except close to blows, hospital, court and jail time. Day 2 involved hitting 5 furniture stores and going back to store #1 and buying a $250 chair that we both liked. Structurally it was 2 years from being "curb" furniture, but I knocked it apart made patterns adding extra length for proper seat rail tenons, made laminating forms for the back slats and crest rails, added stretchers lacking on the original and so on. I made 8 in mahoghany, did about 25 samples of multistep dyes/top coats until she was happy with how they'd look with the Koa table and learned to upholster slip seats in the process. Oh yeah, she picked the fabric. I put the mystery blond wood original back together with improved loose tenons, touched up the finish and now we use it in the bedroom. Sometimes getting creative has nothing to do with design.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
Just wanted to give an update.... Took the wiff yesterday out to the local hardwood sawmill... she fell in love with a new wood... At least they were having a sale.... "Look how much money I am saving you!" was the common thought that came through in her tone of speech.. hehe
So now I am the proud owner of a bunch of Walnut.... cant say I am too depressed.. I bought enough extra for a wooden rocker I have been thinking of making...
SOOoooo anyone got any good recommendations for finishes? I was thinking some form of Boiled Linseed Oil Finish, but you folks prolly know something that will look much better...
Also, We bought common grade walnut... we hand picked it, so are able to cut around most of the knots etc we dont want(although knots to me and the wiff are character and in most cases we love character).... Anyways, anything else I should worry about in this wood? (e.g.- I know its toxic to be inhaled/ingested)
I bought 3000 bd ft of rough walnut a few years ago at .40 a ft. (the truck driver needed brakes!) Had 1/2 the pile kiln dried and sold it, making $1000 profit plus 1500 free bd ft! I use watco to finish it, don't know why you'd need anything else. Rub it on, wet sand with it, wipe dry. Repeat 2 or 3 times and the finish is excellent! Easy to repair, too, just add more oil!
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