Cypress free edge planter box

[DimitriM]

While constructing some cupboard doors with what I called home-made plywood, I was left with some free edge boards of cypress, about 8mm thick. I thought of making some planter boxes, as the wife is excellent with plant and flower presentations.
Following Herb's Holly Wood planter box
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1218p
I thought perhaps it was worth showing one of my boxes here, although its technique is far too elementary for all you people here, and the aesthetic result is far different from what Herb achieved and the there is no comparison between the two pieces.
Mediterranean Cypress, for those who don't know, is notorious for splitting, warping, and sweating resin at totally unpredictable times. Yet, it is the only wood I can find here, that is not expensive (because it is not considered good for making furniture). I have found a way of taming it by using dowels across its grain to keep it from splitting, and dowels for all kinds of joints. I always stain it to several shades of brown (I just hate the look of cypress or pine polished, and then showing the stains of resin here and there).
For what it is worth, here is my planter box:

[Stick486]

WOW!!!
they are nice... very nice...
excellent selection of character...

I thought perhaps it was worth showing one of my boxes here

I am glad you did...
.

While constructing some cupboard doors with what I called home-made plywood

do we get to see them too???
.

(because it is not considered good for making furniture)

you sure proved them wrong...
.

For what it is worth, here is my planter box:

thanks...
.

[Stick486]

Dimitri...
did you make the table...

[DimitriM]

thank you Stick,
I used water-based stain applied by brush (no gels here where you can spread the stuff and wipe the excess) and a satin (also water-based) varnish suitable for floors, both from a greek firm without more details known on the constituency. The stain is interesting because you can mix several types and make your own, and the varnish is also very interesting for other reasons: It is milky in appearance, settles within the plastic container, dries very fast and gives a hard surface. So it takes a learning curve to find out how much to thin it with water (depending on heat and humidity) and then fine sand and attempt the second hand - this one I achieved for my desk which was finished only last week. I will photograph it and show it for you in a few days - it has some very interesting technicalities.
Here the finish was not of significance as the planter box must not present itself in order to emphasise the shape and colours of the plants and flowers - at least this was my idea - even if it looks old and fade it works well for the plants.
The worktop in the kitchen (you can see it in the photos) is also cypress, only this one was sprayed with polyurethane in 2001 when the house was built. No water-based finishes for furniture then, at least not available here.

[DimitriM]

Dear Stick, you try to make me start telling stories here ,and it is 2:20am. Anyway, here is the double door I promised you in some previous forum, if you look hard in your memory's hard disk you will remember

[Stick486]

So it takes a learning curve to find out how much to thin it with water

hint...
use distilled water instead of tap water or peroxide to thin your latex base finishes..
way better results...
make sure you test 1st...
measure the peroxide in drops...
Peroxide, drop at a time and stir.....
.

I will photograph it and show it for you in a few days - it has some very interesting technicalities.

thanks..
I hope you include a write up of the technicalities...
.

The worktop in the kitchen

did you make that also???

[Stick486]

here is the double door I promised you

those are one of kind uniquely beautiful...
.

and it is 2:20am.

do your posting when it's convenient for you..
we're not going anywheres,,.
and if we do, it'll be here when we get back..
it's 17:40 here...

[DimitriM]

the countertop in the kitchen, no this was made by a real carpenter, one who knew many tricks of the trade and ignored the idiosyncrasies of cypress - it warped after two years and the glue between the boards gave way - it took me some time to convince him that (a) cypress is never flat like a veneered tabletop, (b) he should have used a fillet (or biscuits nowadays) to make the glue stronger and (c) after this happened, I told him to make a groove across the boards with the dovetail bit of the router and jam in there a suitably shaped hardwood rod - which eventually did.
thank you very much for your advice - I will try distilled water next time. A base for a wash basin is next on the program, doing the outer assembly now and I will need to make it really splash proof.

[Stick486]

real carpenter heh..

a fillet (or biscuits nowadays) to make the glue stronger

suggestion..
ramp those biscuits up to splines..
4~6MM Baltic Birch for the splines is some serious strong......
.

R4 SPLINES 1.pdf

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R4 splines 2.jpg

[Herb Stoops]

I guess I lost my post, too many people posting at once.
WOW, Demitri, I LOVE THEM BOTH!!
The grain on that planter is spectacular. Also the color is so rich. I am going to borrow the shopmade plywood idea, I like that.
Thanks for posting those, and your explanations.
HErb

[Nickp]

Beautiful projects, Dimitri...! Thanks for posting...

[Stick486]

here is the double door

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STEAL.jpg

[Herb Stoops]

Dimiti, the more I look at the planter sides it looks like walking ghosts, I like the dowel joint too, a lot easier than what I did. I can see that kind of butt joint would be ideal to make with a disc sander for warped sides.
HErb

[DimitriM]

thanks to all for your comments!
The joints of the planters are made in two stages: (1) 4mm holes drilled on the first bit to be joined, glue applied, then 2.5 oles through to the second bit, and 4mm screws attached to produce fixation under pressure. (2) The following day, screws removed and 8mm holes drilled through and through, and 8mm dowels inserted. If the joint is not string enough to stay only by glue until the dowels are set and dried, it is done in two stages again, e.g. for four in a row, the first and third screws removed and replaced by dowels, then one day later the second and fourth. I overdo it I know, but since my initial days with dowels I like all my stuff to be without screws, if possible. Then, cut off the tails of the dowels with japanese hand saw and trim with sand paper, by hand only. Finally, a round trim with the router for easy smoothing and we are ready for finish.
The home made plywood was a lot of fun to discover ( fun with a lot of swearing and cursing etc, but the smile it produced in the end was triumphant)! What is the the major problem when trying to produce a panel door? For me, it is the filling of the panel. So, down to the thicknesser until 8mm planks are produced, then criss-cross them with glue when in place: 8mm for first layer, 8mm for 2nd, and an extra 8mm for the rim of the frame (too flail for cypress, but once glued to the others it will keep). Total door thickness 25-25mm, not bad for cypress. Basic problem: do not let the glue show, do not underglue. Basic problem afterward, they are not easy to clean and dust gathers in the intricate corners. But overall, they look nice.
Stick, waht you call splines (very correctly), I called fillets; I don't like the idea very much, it is not easy for me to produce easily and quickly the grooves of absolute spotless clean inside and absolute spotless clean splines. I tried it, I got some bad glueups and gave it up. Biscuits are much easier. I know the spline parallel glueup is superb, especially if the ends are hidden, but I can't produce the measily and quicly. Now I use dowels, almost exclusively. I have found a way to make the holes quickly and 100% accurate, and I put as many as I need.

Thank you all for your kindness!

[Stick486]

The home made plywood was a lot of fun to discover

thanks again for that...
it has given me so many ideas...
.

Basic problem: do not let the glue show, do not underglue.

have you considered adhesive instead of glue???
think construction adhesive vs wood glue...
stronger than glue...
flexible so it's less prone to separate...
faster set times but can have longer cure times...

they are not easy to clean and dust gathers in the intricate corners.

add or engineer in fillets, kants or radii...
.

Stick, what you call splines (very correctly), I called fillets; I don't like the idea very much, it is not easy for me to produce easily and quickly the grooves of absolute spotless clean inside and absolute spotless clean splines. I tried it, I got some bad glueups and gave it up. Biscuits are much easier. I know the spline parallel glueup is superb, especially if the ends are hidden, but I can't produce the easily and quickly

in everything that I saw that you did the splines would be best suited to your panels.. the edge to edge boards..
you can do splines blind.. the ends don't show...
a variation is a tongue and grove joint...
easiest way to do splines is on a table saw or w/ a router...
I don't quite get what you mean by spotless and clean...

[Cherryville Chuck]

I'm glad you found us Dmitri. Has the Greek government finally let you retire?

The box looks very nice. Although we have an abundance of softwoods where I live, the only hardwood is white birch and it can also be difficult to work with. One thing I learned from a local small sawmill is that if you cut grooves (with the grain direction) in the back of glued up panels they are less likely to twist or split. I cut grooves with my table saw about 1/3 of the thickness and about 25mm/ 1" to 35mm/1 1/4" apart. This releases much of the tension in the wood. I've had very good luck using this method. The sawmill that taught me this uses a molding machine that makes shallow coves in the back of their boards that resemble what we would make with a round nosed router bit.

[Herb Stoops]

You are right, Chuck, I had forgotten about that.
HErb

[Stick486]

You are right, Chuck, I had forgotten about that.
HErb

me too...

[DimitriM]

I'm glad you found us Dmitri. Has the Greek government finally let you retire?

Thank you Chuck, it is very kind to remember me and ask.
Yes, in Jan2019 I retired from hospital work, and only keep a mild-going private practice, have some more time for wife, home and woodworking!