This is a continuation of the last post, in which I described a chest I found on the street.
With the exception of the bogus piano hinge (I would have preferred three beefy solid brass hinges), there was some cool hardware. First up is the lock.
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The lock from outside - unfortunately no key
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Lock from inside - mostly solid brass
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Lock removed showing mortise
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Overshot knife-lines used to lay out the mortise (can see
them on the edge as well)
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The catch for the lock, mortised into the lid - solid brass
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Excavations were cut with a very small gouge to accommodate the peened(?) catch backs
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There were solid brass handles on each end (very tarnished)
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Solid brass lid stay
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The wood used was red alder, which I think is a very beautiful wood. I don't know if the finished used on the chest was yellowish at the start, or if it yellowed over time. Either way, it's a shame to cover up the beauty of this diffuse porous wood.
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| End grain (and some 45° grain) from a piece I cut, planed and chamfered |
I don't know what type of glue was used to put this together, but it was very easy to take apart. It may have been hide glue, judging from some crystalline remains inside the plugged screw holes. The chest may have been left outside, which would have affected the glue strength. Even so, it looked like the glue was used very sparingly.
After taking it apart, I've got a nice pile of lumber that I can do something with. There are seven 5-foot long boards that are 7.5" to 10" wide, as well as a couple narrower 5-footers and several shorter pieces.
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Can't wait to put this to good use
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All for now. Catch you next time.
