Plan Chest for Chicken Town

A plan chest made out of poplar. Handles to be fitted.

This plan chest was made for Chickenland. Chickenland is the trading name for Nando's. The wood that it was made out of was Poplar. It is not commonly used. This is mainly du to the fact that the grain is a little furry, but when it is sanded and sealed it has a wonderfully liquid look. It is also quite a soft wood so can damage easily. This though is the reason why the client asked for the chest to be made out of Poplar. They wanted something that that could be "aged" fairly quickly.

The back of the plan chest.

Detail of the top.

The plan chest showing the inside.

The top o the plan chest before being sealed.

The top of the plan chest before being laminated together.

A Plan Chest for an Art Collector

A plan chest made out of African Mahogany

This plan chest was built for an Art Collector. They were looking for a set to match the furniture in his office. As with many of the sets that I make access was a bit tricky so they have been split into two sections. In these photos it is just waiting to be delivered.

Looking at the plan chest from the back.

The plan chest with the top drawer open.

Restoration of an old set of Architects Drawers.

The restored unit in it's new home. 

Restoration often requires a little bit more than a quick light sand and a new coat of varnish. This was the case with this set of drawers. The previous owner looked like that they had been an artist that had used this set both as a butchers block as well as a palate.

The unit in its original state.

You can't quite see how badly it had been abused.

As is often the case with a restoration job, it is only when you start to work on the job that you then discover what it exactly entails. I found that I had to strip back the unit right back to it's frame. At least this was in good condition.

The chest stripped back to it's frame. 

New paneling for the sides and backs

 I then re machined the planks from the top. Due to the damage to the sides and back I had to make new panels.

The planks from the top re machined, fitted back together before a new trim is added and then sanded. 

A Plan Chest for Trent Gallery, Pretoria

A finished set of Architects drawers (plan chest) in the workshop waiting for delivery.

This is a plan chest that I built around 2010. The client, Stuart Trent from the Trent Gallery in Pretoria wanted a set of draws to put into his gallery. He had metal sets but he wanted something more sympathetic to his gallery space. Owing to the size of the entrance the set had to be split into two sections of three drawers each. The bottom three were to have locks on. He decided that he wanted them to made from Douglas Fir (Oregon Pine).

Some of the timber just arrived from the mill.

One of the side panels.

Side panel and back panel.

Front view of the drawer fronts.

The drawer.

The top of the plan chest.

The front of the drawers showing handles.