This file cabinet is part of an office suite that was made for a lady who had a nook in her bedroom where she was setting up her office. She had an old piece of English furniture that she wanted a match for, both molding and wood finish. Please click on the photo to see a detail including photos of the desk and bookcase.

With the use of my antique planes, called hollows and rounds, I was able to match the molding profiles. These planes have either concave or convex soles, and are available in a variety of radii. They allow freeform development of a molding profile, and leave a glass smooth surface that needs no sanding.

The color of the antique piece was matched using a chemical compound that causes the wood to go through the chemical process that occurs over time causing the darkening, or patination of the wood. During the time I was building the furniture, I was testing the finishing, and was able to develop just the right mix by the time construction was complete. It took five steps over the course of a week to do the finish. I could have come close with a modern chemical stain, but this process allowed the wood itself to develop its color.

Everything is made of white oak, or white oak plywood which provides stability on large flat surfaces and reduces the shop time, thus saving money for the client. It costs roughly the same in materials cost to use plywood.