Parts is Parts!

     Well, here's the day I've been waiting for -- almost all of the parts for Jennifer and Rich's crib are cut out and about half of the joinery is done.  Starting from the left there are the slats for the gates and the end panels, next are two wider slats that I plan to put in the middle of each end panel as a decorative element.  It's hard to appreciate from this photo but those pieces as well as the top caps that go on the ends, are cut from an absolutely gorgeous, drop dead, piece of maple that I found at Peterman's.  I wanted to get some curly maple for an accent and as I was going through the pile found this piece that besides having a nice, curly grain pattern was also loaded with birds eye -- I have never seen both of these features in one board, stunning!  Anyway I digressed, after the birds eye panels are the 4 pieces that make up the ends, then the walnut pyramids, then the curly/birds eye maple pieces for the top caps, next are the pieces that make up the top and bottom of the gates, followed by the walnut for the middle section of the top caps and finally the four legs.
    If you count them, there are 96 mortises and I still need to mortise the legs.  Of course, with 96 mortises you have to cut 96 tenons to fit into them.  The planer is set up to 3/8" to match the mortises so the next major step is planing all of the slats to the finished thickness, then to length, and finally cut the tenons.  I have the shaper set to radius all four edges of those so that's the next major step.  Sure glad I now have a hollow chisel mortiser, used to cut all of these joints by hand.
    Tomorrow being Easter I think I'll honor the One who gave me the talents and means to do the woodworking I love so much.  Monday morning Richard and I are planning a little hike but wouldn't you know it -- the weatherman's predicting a 40% chance of rain.