I was asked to make a matching mirror and stool for an console table that I had sold from a gallery. The table was made from ash, pippy oak and fumed oak. It was lucky that I still had some of the fumed oak left, so it would be a perfect match.
The design of the mirror mean that the rebate in which the mirror glass and back panel sit, have to be cut out once the frame is made. The best way, and probably the only way, is to use a router and bearing guided bits.
The bearing on the bottom of the bit follows the inside of the frame and cuts the rebate. It isn't something that can be done in one hit, multiple passes are done as a large amount of wood has to be removed.
The two rebates can be seen in this picture, two steps. The glass will sit in the lower step and the back panel on top of that.
Even though the router does has dust extraction attached, it does manage to throw out a great mess of wood chippings.
The finished mirror with the mirror glass fitted.
The dark black highlight lines that and be seen are made from fumed oak. This is oak that is exposed to ammonia fumes, and the tanning in the oak reacts making the timber go dark. It is great for adding highlights and details to work, and I often use it as an edging detail.
Here is the matching stool made from ash, fumed oak and pippy oak. It is basically a miniature version of the table, but without the three drawers that are in the table.
Once again I have used fumed oak as a detail, this time as a boundary between the ash and the pippy oak.
Since I made these two pieces, I haven't been to the workshop because of the current lockdown situation. The time out of the workshop I have used usefully rebuilding this, my furniture website, as well as my website dedicated to my bespoke handmade jewellery boxes.
I should be getting back to the workshop soon.
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