This Chest Needs A Floor

If you have been following along you will remember that I was trying to make up my mind on the floor material. I knew I would make veneer and use plywood for a substrate to do away with any worries concerning expansion and contraction from humidity changes, but I was not sure if I wanted to use Tennessee aromatic cedar or Spanish cedar. I ended up getting some of each. The Spanish cedar is the board on the right.

I'll use the aromatic cedar for the floor. I bought the nicest boards I could find but the aromatic cedar is common grade and pretty gnarly product. Lots of knots and splits. The Spanish cedar is FAS grade and clear as far as I can see without planing it. I won't be applying a finish to the parts made from these species so they can keep releasing the aromas they are famously used for.

Below I have marked with chalk how I have chosen to cut these boards. I need enough pieces for both sides of the floor which is about 18 X 36 inches. I'll try the widest board first. When I mill this out I will follow the split which will give me a 5 1/2" wide piece on one side and a 2 to 2 1/2" piece on the other side. The middle of the lower piece can be cut into a 3" wide clear piece. The material is 1" thick, so I should get 5 or 6  re-sawn pieces 1/8" thick out of it. It should be enough. I have the other boards marked for the clearest 36" sections but I don't think I will need them. I definitely overbought since I am not sure how this stuff will re-saw so I will be prepared with some extra.

First I crosscut the board at the mark in the middle. Due to the split this makes two pieces. Now I need to make a straight edge on each board. I mark a pencil line with a straightedge where I want to cut. Then I tack on a straight piece of plywood, wider than the board, to give me an edge to run along the rip fence.

I set the fence for the width of the plywood,

turn on the saw and rip! Here the piece is ripped at the edge of the ply.

And here I have some nice clear material to make veneer out of.

I jointed,

then planed,

before I set up the bandsaw to re-saw the boards.

I am cutting about 1/8" thick slices and got 5 per board.

It's real pretty, and smells nice too! Well Thats all for now. Check back again and see how it's going.