Please join us on June 15th at 7:30pm for the June Washington Woodworkers Guild monthly meeting. Our presenter will be WWG member Harry Bishop. His presentation is called “Building a Thomas Elfe Chest on Chest”.
Summary of Presentation
In 2019 I was asked to build a Thomas Elfe Chest on Chest, sometimes called a double dresser. This would be my first “period” piece; the original was produced during the period 1760-1775. The Elfe style is identified by its fret moulding, always incorporating the same design elements. Using modern power and hand tools I followed the style and built the components using techniques different from original makers, and making improvements for wood movement and internal stability. I added one carving element replacing the traditional waist moulding with gadrooning. My talk will show the methods used to make the build and results achieved. I will also include my experience with using aniline dye on curly cherry. Sources used to make the project will be provided.
I started woodworking in the typical way; making children’s toys and completing house projects. My first build was a large doll house with furnishings. Once the contractor finished a three story addition to our house with wall board installed, I finished the interior woodworking. At the time of starting the Elfe project, I had been woodworking for almost 25 years following retirement from the U.S. Navy and a mathematics career thereafter. My projects included large built-in pieces, windows, mouldings, a fireplace surround and various small furniture pieces along the Danish modern style. In 2014 and 2015 I attended the summer programs at College of the Redwoods to improve my furniture making skills. I had attended several Colonial Williamsburg Working Wood in the 18th Century conferences which spurred me to take an Intermediate Carving class from Mary May. The Thomas Elfe chest on chest provided the opportunity to employ this experience and grow in skill with the challenges it presented.
