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The backsplash is^1 ⁄ 8 " thicker than the back panel, with a rabbet
on the lower edge to fi t over the edge of the cabinet top. This
is glued to the edge of the top and at the ends to the sides of
the cabinet.
A^1 ⁄ 4 "-diameter dowel is driven into a hole centered on the
front edge of the cabinet side, and the front through tenons. I
made the dowels by driving split scraps through a steel dowel
plate. The dowels are long enough to reach 1" or so into the
edge of the tenons.
This reinforces an overbuilt joint, but it was a feature of the
original cabinet, and it looks good after the dowels have been
trimmed fl ush to the front edge. There are four shelves that
sit on pins, located so that the shelves fall behind the door
muntins.
Our local stained glass shop had textured amber glass for the
door, a close match to the original. The glass is held in place
with^1 ⁄ 4 " x^7 ⁄ 16 " strips of wood, mitered and pinned to the in-
side of the rabbets. The door pull is a close copy of the original,
and ball-tipped hinges also are typical. A brass ball catch keeps
the door closed.
No Fume, No Fuss, No-pop Finish
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the fi nish should make
the quartersawn oak "pop." If that’s what you’re after, use
a pigment stain and just about any clear topcoat. The fl akes
won’t take the stain evenly and will be quite evident when
you’re done.
Original fi nishes were more subdued – the product of fuming
the raw wood with ammonia, and coating with shellac followed
by a dark wax. In later years, Craftsman pieces were fi nished
with early versions of modern dye stains and lacquers.
Fuming is an interesting process, but it can be unpredictable
and time-consuming. Nearly the same look can be achieved
with aniline dye. I stained this piece with Lockwood "#94
Fumed Oak" alcohol-soluble aniline dye. You get a good idea
of the fi nal color while the dye is wet; when it dries it looks like
you made a terrible mistake.
I follow the dye with a coat of Watco Dark Walnut Danish
oil. The oil will add some darker color to the open pores of the
wood, act as a glaze to even out the tone and seal the surface.
After letting the oil soak in for about 15 minutes, I wiped off
the excess and let the surface dry overnight.
The oil over the dye creates a nice chocolate brown color,
but the fi nish needs to be warmed up a bit. A thin coat of
amber shellac applied with a rag adds that, and provides some
surface protection. I follow the shellac with wax after giving
it a couple weeks to fully cure. If the color needs to be toned
down or evened out, a dark wax can be used instead of clear.
Begin at the end. Cut the ends of the tenons
fi rst with a backsaw, then use the same saw to
cut away the outside corners.This will work. Remove the bulk of the waste between
t h e t e n on s w i t h a jig s aw or c o pin g s aw. T h e n c lam p a
straightedge between the two tenons and use a router
t o make a c le an , s t r aig ht cu t.Refi ned detail. Make a slight bevel on the
ends of the tenons before fi tting. After a
good dry-fi t, mark the outside of the case on
the tenon, then increase the bevels to end
close to the line.Overkill. The dowel reinforces the through mortise and tenon joint. It isn’t
needed, but its a nice detail to include.Layered look. Aniline dye stain is coated with tinted Danish oil. This will be fol-
lowed by a thin coat of amber shellac.1 18-27_StickleyMCabinet.indd 27 8 - 27 _StickleyMCabinet.indd 27 3/25/13 9:55 AM 3 / 25 / 13 9 : 55 AM