160-year old slab of cherry wood

This is the chest-of-drawers top I removed so Clare & I could wiggle the chest into our vehicle for later transport out east.

Later in the day I found a “ball” of wood fibers on the kitchen floor. I was sure it was connected to the dresser, but I couldn’t imagine what it was. It wasn’t anything that was going to be reattachable and I didn’t think it was anything critical, so I didn’t give it any more thought.

Now in the evening as I consider possible photos to document the construction of this piece of furniture while it’s partially disassembled, I see part of the “history” and I see what that ball of wood fibers was.

The zip-lock bag in the photo has the eight screws I removed to take the top off the chest, but these were clearly not part of the original, 19th century construction. Originally, the top was attached to the frame with nine dowels.* Three remaining dowel stubs are visible in the photo (two along the right edge and one near the drill bit on the front edge). So it was a disintegrated dowel of wood fibers that I had found earlier in the day. Mystery solved, and construction-and-repair strategies revealed.

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* An odd number, you ask? Yes. Two along each side and three along the back, but only two on the front edge. The center of the front edge had a lock for the top drawer.

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[Mags]

I figured this was the top of your chest. Great shot!

[Kathy]

The piece of wood is beautiful. Good luck with the reassembly and renovation.

[Pat Knowles]

I like a chatty post so shall follow you as I’ve seen your name pop up twice on my 365 friends!

[Thom Mitchell]

@happypat Year 15 here, too! In the beginning, I was bent on "interesting" or cool images. But now that I'm retired and don't go to the uni campus every day, the possible photo subjects are more limited and my goal is closely aligned with yours: "to record my daily life in photos. Even if the photo isn't technically that good"! Indeed, I have a whole collection of "lame posts" that I tagged as tmlameposts! So this is my "photo journal" and it's been helpful many, many times as a journal or diary or calendar!

[Kathy A]

I hope it goes back together as easily as it came apart

[Thom Mitchell]

@kjarn There's no particular reason it shouldn't. Unless I try to reattach it upside-down!