Wasn't quite sure where to post this so went with "shop talk." Thought about a project post but it isn't my project....
This past summer I was back home - for the first time since my dad passed away last July. Was hard to be there without my dad but was nice to deliver all the woodworking projects I made for my nephews and nieces (flag box, wedding card box, recipe boxes).
Anyway, my brother has been going through items at my dad's house and had found this little frame that my grandpa made for me. My brother had one too with a different picture in his frame. I don't know where Grandpa got the kitten picture as they weren't any of ours that I remember, but I was immediately interested in the frame. I don't know what this is made from - looks like plywood. He did miters on two corners of the box only so I can see the plys on the other two corners.
The face frame is very thin and all corners of that are mitered. Wondering how he was able to do that if using plywood (or guess it could have been a separate piece of wood, but the grain is a nice match). Any thoughts on what this wood would be? This is in SW Michigan area - I'm thinking it would have to be a local product. The grain is really interesting - perhaps he used a stain or dye? The back is not wood, some white material held with nails (and maybe glue).
I'm so glad my brother found this for me. Keep thinking how neat it would have been to join my grandpa in his little cramped and cluttered shop for a woodworking lesson. I was in high school when Grandpa passed so woodworking wasn't even on my radar as a hobby to pursue.
That was a nice find by your brother—a great memento of your grandpa. It’s pretty cool that the two of you shared an interest in woodworking, even though you weren’t physically working together.
Ron - yes, that's a special connection. Smiled to see how nice and clean his miters and cuts were. Still wondering what type of plywood this is as the grain is really interesting.
At first look, I thought it might be zebrawood, or maybe beli, but I’m nowhere near certain. (Neither would be locally grown.) I’m sure someone here will know.
I wonder if the outer veneer layer of the plywood he used was flat sawn and had some sections that look quarter sawn, like in this photo of flat sawn zebrawood I found on the web. He used the QS sections on the most visible sides and the FS sections on the more hidden sides.
Corelz125- for sure. Money was always tight. Special that he had/took the time to make this, plus one for my brother. I didn't see my brother's frame to check if the construction was the same. With the stain, he made that plywood look really pretty.
