Window Seat Update

Another piece of spalted maple that I just couldn't pass up at the lumber supply store. Even better color than the last piece. The background color is quite a bit lighter so I may not mix them.  I might just have to find something else to use this board for.

After trying several different options I think I'm on to something that will work.  Natural danish oil with Polyurethane over it.  I have been experimenting with thinning the poly to make a wiping varnish and using a wet sanding technique (with the liquid finish) to create a slurry and get a glass smooth surface.

Finally got both seat boxes complete and the face frames installed.  Here they are with the first coat of danish oil.

All of the vertical stiles that pair up were cut from wider boards to get a consistent grain pattern. I thought about trying to build the face frame for the entire seat section as one piece, but I wanted to be able to  attach it to the boxes with pocket hole screws that would be hidden.  Being able to build the individual sections complete and then haul them up to the house and install them is appealing as well.

Testing the fit of the drawer slides.  These are full extension slides that will be  attached  to Alder blocks to bring them flush with the face frame.  

After another trip to the hardwood supply store i had the knotty Alder plywood to build the end cabinets which will have door. After all four pieces were complete I hauled them into the house for a test fit and to trim the ends of the face frame to match the walls.  So far so good. 

The crew is supervising, waiting to get their window seat back.

Prototype door/drawer face. I still have a few bugs to work out with the rail/stile bits but the spalted maple veneered MDF core plywood is perfect for the panels. Hard to believe that it is plywood eh?