A George II Walnut Serpentine Chest – Part Seven

The external surfaces of the chest were washed down with hot soapy water to remove any wayward glue, grime and fingerprints. The chest was then stained and the first lick of spirit varnish applied to seal it (fig. 1). The colour and polish were gradually built up over several days.

Fig. 1. Initial colour.

I next applied a red lead-based wash to the chest’s underside (fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Lateritious wash protects pine surfaces.

The handles’ pommels didn’t protrude quite far enough through the 7/8″ thick drawer fronts, so I recessed the backs of the pommel holes and cut slots in the nuts (fig. 3) – a not uncommon practice.

Fig. 3. Slotted pommel nuts are tightened with a forked screwdriver.

I continued polishing the chest, being particularly careful to prevent any polish build-up in the blind frets (fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Shiny frets with dull edges.

I cut a piece of pure wool baize to size and stuck it into the shallow recess in the slide with traditional flour paste (fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Baize-lined slide.

A pair of pine stops was screwed onto the top rear of the slide, which come to a halt against the back of the top packer at the front of the chest, thus preventing the slide from being entirely withdrawn (fig. 6).

Fig. 6. Slide-mounted stop and slide cutout.

A section at each side of the slide was cut out (fig. 6) to accommodate the carcase-mounted stops which prevent the slide being pushed too far into the chest (fig. 7).

Fig. 7. Slide stops screwed to dustboard support.

With the stops all screwed in place, the panelled back could finally be attached (figs. 8 & 9).

Fig. 8. Washed pine back.

Fig. 9. Shaped rear pine brackets.

When the polish had had sufficient drying time, I mounted the brasses to the slide and drawers and waxed the whole thing (figs. 10 – 16).

Fig. 10.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13.

Fig. 14.

Fig. 15.

Fig. 16. The completed chest of drawers.

The hours involved in the work in this post come to 30-1/4.
The total hours involved amount to 280-3/4.

Jack Plane

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