David Upfill-Brown, Maine, USA

Three Sisters—A Box
Birdseye maple veneer, rock maple, white birch veneer, tulip poplar, white oak, Baltic plywood and leather (blue).
146 radius x 75mm high

Joinery
Top and bottom are veneered (three-way match) to a ply core with a (hot pipe) bent maple edging. The pivoting drawers are (vacuum bag to a mould) laminated, then (vacuum bag) veneered and then slightly sprung to accept their bottoms (in a groove) and shaped pivoting axis. The drawers are captured between the top and bottom and held in place by a tenoned poplar central column shaped to allow drawer swing and fitted with oak (spring) tongues to locate each drawer in closed position. The soft drawer bottoms are ply upholstered (foam and leather) and glued down to the drawer bases.
Glues: PVA for edging to core and column to top and bottom Titebond. Epoxy for veneering (Epo-Tek). Urea formaldehyde for laminating (Unibond). Contact adhesive for upholstery.

Finish
Shellac

Concept
The swinging drawer idea evolves from John Makepeace’s famous chest of drawers made in the late 70s. Three sisters is the name of a group of three mesa-type hills in the Karroo semi desert of South Africa. The spring clips are copied from the catches of Jim Krenov.

Photos: Jim Dugan