The stacking multifunction unit, s_3.0, has now been completed!!!

The above image is a collection of the promotional shots taken for this piece.

Photography thanks to Rachael Cunningham, RC Photography.

Shown here are the curved elements of the plywood range. The curved members are made up of 4 layers of 4mm plywood epoxied together around two curved formers.

With the side components all glued up and the locating holes drilled for the dowels. It was now time to apply the finish to all bar the outside elements of each piece. I chose to go with a hard burnishing oil with a dark wax finish over this as this would be the most appropriate for the type of timber and the durability of the piece.

With all the interior components now finished it was time to do the final glue ups for each piece.

The moment of truth for the second of the multifunction themed projects has arrived with the plywood prints completed. I utilised the inkjet research facility at the School of Art’s Print media department for this task and am stoked with the results. I took inspiration for the images from a series of photographs i had taken at Floriade, Canberra’s annual flower show, in mid September.

The above images show how i went about inserting the locating points for each join. Using the metal work lathe and a couple of cradling jigs i had constructed i was able to access the same reference points to have a consistent dowel locating system.

Once the locating points had been completed i was then able to do the glue ups for all the side members. This was made easier with the jig constructed earlier to position each side pieces at the correct shoulder height while under clamping pressure.

The timber is delivered and rough sawn with the chainsaw. The process that follows would prove to be one of the most enlightening experiences in the wood furniture genre.

Shaping of the seat base from campher laurel and using the pole lathe to shape stock for legs and rails.

Once the legs and rails are turned you then rapid dry the tenon sections of these components in hot sand. this enables you to shrink the tenons which when placed into the mortice will draw moisture from inside the mortice and expand the tenon, locking it tight. An amazing exponent of working with green wood. This process has been known and used for centuries. The rest of the process will follow…

The leaning tower fo Pisa, there really was not much else happening in Pisa, so this attraction really provides the area with an income from tourism.

All in all Rome was rather dissapointing as a city however the tourist attractions here are incredible. The Colosseum was amazing, it is such a shame that all the marble was stripped from the facade to erect a hideous monument to the leader at the time.

The trevi fountain was an amazing feat of engineering in its day and remains one of the highlights of the city. Ghost stories and all.

The Vatican city and in particular St Peter’s Basilica was incredible, the amount of craftsmanship, attention to detail and money that went into the construction is amazing.

As i have seperated the side components to both cut the joinery and to also provide a greater continuity to the units when stacked i required a way of locating the side elements during the gluing process as it is essential that the shoulder positions remain accurate. The jig i have created to resolve this is shown here. The crown at the bottom of the image is fixed, with the top crown adjustable to accommodate gluing up all the various heights of the sides.

The adjustable top cron shown here slides in a routered trench which keeps the crowns square relative to one another and provides enough pressure to locate the pieces accurately. During the glue up i will use clamps from either side and cauls to the top which will be more than ample to keep the whole side square and true.

As with the nature of timber i had alot of reverse grain sections in the American Walnut stock i had for this piece. This proved problematic as i had a limited amount of stock to work with and have been required use the majority of what i had. This meant i had areas of tear out through about eight of the elements needed for the sides of the larger bench unit. To counter this problem i created the jig shown in the image above which has a shallow curve to the top which, when used with a one to one router removes the torn grain section of the stock.

With the torn stock now removed i am left with the curve of the routing jig, i then cut and machined veneers form the limited remaining stock i had and glued this into the removed section of side pieces.

The successful result from the repair process.

Shown above are the two smaller units in there nesting option. This element allows the pieces to be stored in the minimal of spaces and also allows for easier shipping and transport.

As a set of four this unit can be stacked to form a shelving unit. The slatted elements act on a practical level as a locator, however on an aesthetical level it offers a harmony between the individual elements to achieve a feeling of wholeness and continuity.

Another option for the five piece set is for a flat screen entertainment unit, with the bench piece providing the location for the flat screen and the shelving providing the storage. These elements can also be used as individual pieces as stools and tables if needed.