Cherry Occasional Table

This table was commissioned by a friend for her livingroom. I constructed a stick model for the space in her livingroom where she wanted to locate the piece. I wanted to make sure it would fit the space properly. She requested the finials on the tabletop. It was a lot of fun to build.

Cherry Side Table

I built this table as a wedding present for my nephew and his wife. It was made from a single board and was finished with danish oil. The pull is an old original dating back to about 1918.

Joan's Computer Armoire

This project was built in the summer and fall of 2007. It is a computer armoire made of walnut. The construction process was a true joy with a few harrowing close calls thrown in to make life interesting. The project was requested by a very nice lady who appreciates custom made furniture. We worked together over the design, accommodating her existing computer equipment. The goal was to make the cabinet versatile enough to be used for other purposes in the future. The project took just under 4 months to complete, working mostly weekends and a few nights.

Joinery included rabbeted and biscuited corners, dados and Kreg pocket screws. Lumber was walnut plywood and solid walnut for the rails, stiles and plywood edging.

The finish was created using waxed and dewaxed shellac and polyurethane for a total of seven coats on all surfaces.

Prayer Request Stand

I was asked to build this item for our church. It is made of quarter sawn red oak, custom stained to be similar to the color of the oak furnishings in the church sanctuary. All joints on this project are mitered except for the top rim which is butt jointed to the table surface, reinforced with biscuits.



In keeping with the use of this stand, I tried to hold to a design of purity and simplicity - in the same way I think of prayer, and communication with God. The design is also similar to other structures in the sanctuary.

Ash Side Table

I made this table approximately three years ago. The table is made of particularly nice grained ash wood. the legs were made from 6/4 lumber. The table top and apron out of 3/4 lumber. I believe the stain I used was minwax provincial and it was varnished (applied with hands) with a paint thinner, boiled linseed oil and polyurethane blend. It took a long time to dry but the finish was flawless I decided to sell it this year and it sold in one week after putting it on Craigslist this past March. I hated to see it go but I believe it went to a person who appreciates furniture, and that was gratifying.

Four-Section Bonus Room Cabinets

When my wife and I bought our new home in 2003, we had no furniture to put in our bonus room above the garage. I decided to build this combination entertainment center/storage cabinet unit to help utilize the space effectively. It worked out quite well for the room.

Table Appointment Repair

This table was delivered for repair with the corner decorative braces either missing or falling apart. The original appointments were crumbling and flaking apart because they were made from laminated wood using inferior glue that had lost its gripping power. All of the braces had to be replaced. This is a picture of the table after brace replacement.

Spindleback chair repair

This spindleback chair had a complete break on an outside spindle. This is a picture of the chair after restoration.

Bench Repairs

These benches were delivered by the client in dirty and weather beaten condition, partially disassembled. Upon closer inspection, the benches revealed significant wood rot and active insect infestation(carpenter ants). This is a picture of the benches after restoration.

Before and After

This is a before and after picture. When I delivered the chairs (there were three) the client picked the wrong chair as the one with the break. I was gratified.

Upholstered Chair Back Repair

There were two breaks on the top of this upholstered antique chair. The two obvious seams are not the breaks. This chair had to be fully disassembled in order to make the repair.

Broken Leg Repair

This is a picture of the broken leg repair. Which leg was broken? Are you sure?

Corliss Nelson Woodworks

Quite simply, I love working with wood. Over the years I have built many wood projects including book cases, large cabinets occasional tables, picture frames, benches, side tables, etc. I have repaired/restored many items including antique furniture as early as the 1800's including ladder back, spindle back and upholstered chairs, dressers, foot stools and other miscellaneous items. I have done a significant amount of wood turnings of goblets, plates, bowls, spindles, legs and other turned items.

I have a special interest in restoring broken furniture. I love returning old broken items destined for the dumps to their original function and beauty. In order to do effective restoration work I have gathered a full compliment of woodworking tools. As any serious woodworker would tell you, "I don't have them all, but I'm working on it!"

I take special pride in making invisible repairs. This means that when you look at an item I have restored, your eye should not be drawn to the repair. Close inspection could reveal the repair but casual observation should never see it. That is what I strive to accomplish.

I will display items I have repaired on this blog for your perusal. I hope you will trust your future repairs to Corliss Nelson Woodworks in the Nashville, TN area.