weve been working on these boookmatched ash benches since, oh, 2010 sometime.  well, actually, weve been wondering what to do with these planks for that long ... benches was alchoices a possibility, but so too was a wall mounted or outdoor sculpture ... its settled ... benches they are now ... and pretty cool ones too, if i do say so myself ...click the photos to enlarge them.

 lots of different choices to use them, but they seem to like to be face to face like in the top photo, though the long version above is pretty cool too ...

 

 they are currently looking for a home, along with a few other items featured in ourinventory reduction sale in the next post.

 seriously, for more information and pricing, give me a call at 802 867 5541, or send me an email at 

dan@com ..

rolls royce and planks, from the open studio 2010 blog post .. open studio coming up again this year on memorial day weekend ... be there ..

 this is more what they look like when they are not in the bright spring sunshine .. 

it really was spring here today.

the choir or bleachers position ..

 the legs started out as 12/4 ash, and jim tapered them with a jig he made for the planer, planing one tapered  side off a little bit at a time, on all of them, and then changing his shim thickness to do the other side ... the he rounded them off with a handplaned and addded the little left arch at the base.

 for the finish, we burned them with the big torch, wipe on some ben moore carnival red oil paint, burned the ma gain and wiped them red again.  the tops were just treated with bitterroot Penofin.  good to go, inside or out ... fun project ...

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a burst of activity

hmmmm .. busy time here in the designing and pricing and proposing department.  plus its spring, which alchoices cuts into the free time i usually have available for blogging.  this post will be more or less a continuation of one from the end of last month, where again, i didnt take the time to write in depth about specific projects.  i think, maybe too, the writing is taking sort of a backseat to the enjoyment of living, for the moment at least.  getting out for five rounds of golf in april is pretty good for me. 

heres a quick april projects in the works lineup, and some hints of whats to come in may ... click the photos to enlarge them ..

a claro walnut coffee table from the offcut of a previous dining table ... we keep em, and sometimes we get lucky, and someone needs one exactly the right size ...

this ones heading to chicago this week.  industrial look welded steel base by sam.

speaking of sam, the metal shop is humming, and hes cranking it out.  these are parts for some large turnbuckles that will hold a building together, where the second floor floor was removed.  there are four of them total ..

 thats 1" solid round stock bent into those graceful hooks .. turnbuckles from peak supply ...

and he fabricated and installed some new custom railing projects ...

i think this one was installed a couple of weeks ago ...

and these unusual objects will support wooden poles which a local message artist will hold on to while she walks on your back ... sounds interesting, but i havent tried it yet ... a niche market for sure.

and next up we have the new design department.  thisll be a new kitchen, hopefully by this time next month ...

i finished the shop drawings using some uninterrupted time this weekend ... during the week, i often work from one interruption to the next, and drawings like these just dont flow for me unless i can concentrate.

and after a few sketches and cad iterations of this wall, we have a confirmed design for a long bedroom wall ... coming up in june sometime ...

another claro walnut coffee table ... waiting for its base that will hopefully happen this week.  the ant attack area is fascinating ..

and the pine sideboard is finished and gone, and now in its new home in stowe, vt ...

here we have another upcoming project that took some time to design and figure out.  it will be a credenza in a north carolina law office, along with the ant attack table above.

 using claro slab cutoffs, well cut the short cut offs into veneers, and lay up the door and drawer face panels like a puzzle.  it will have a welded and polished steel base by sam.  i am looking forward to seeing this one get umderchoice.  it should be a fun one.

and this one, will whipped up week before last.  its finished now, and i hope we can deliver and set it up in the clients home early this week.  shaker influenced design, simple detailing,

and will is currently, along with a couple of new banjos, working on this slightly smaller version of a lutyens style desk he built back in 2009.  luckily, in a couple of blog posts, we documented the process as we figured out the first time so hes got a little leg up on this one.  also, four additional years of practice doesnt hurt either ...

 

march, 2009 .. +/- 26 x 72

the new onw was starting to take shape by last friday ... still a long choice to go though .. lots of detail.

and trevor whipped up this little rustic coffee table last week.  it may not look so rustic in this photo, but now the base is distressed and pickled, the top has its breadboards, and the culry maple top will be distressed, stained and finished later this week.

and jim and sam made a couple of reclaimed oak tables in the bethlehem steel style .. burned, and lightly distressed reclaimed white oak from west virginia ...

and, actually one of the larger projects we wrapped up this month has been ongoing since last september.  it will start to take shape, hopefully, by early july ... we have one more approval to go, and sams new metal shop will start happening.  its been a long slog, with lots of challenging permit related details, but i think we have cleared almost the final hurdle. we have received the loan commitment, and the last detail, which i will not mention for fear of jinxing it, will be approved by the 15th of may ... and then, my free time will be gone.   life is uncertain, golf now.

ok, work on your pottery too

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Senin, 18 Juli 2016

some claro walnut slab tables

well, we shipped out a couple more fine slabs of claro walnut from goodhope hardwoods today. ive been buying slabs from them for about 10 years now and ive never been disappointed. these two were no exception ... click the photos to enlarge them ...
a crotch slab my client found for me in the specials section on their website, a category that comes and goes as needed apparently. this client chose the same simple block base we have used on tables like this before ...
the table above is part of our shaker series with 1.5" thick solid steel bases. this client wanted to have his base blackened, a patina process we do with a chemical called redi brown from, i think, triple s chemicals ? in LA. ill have to look it up.
sam did a beautiful job applying the patina and neutralizing it, and we then sprayed on a couple coats of clear satin metal finish.
we started with two of these slabs ... the one on the wall we previously made into a coffee table and shipped it to aspen; the horizontal one is now the coffee table above, and the one on top of the stack standing vertically became the dining table.
here trevors chiseling in the butterfly keys to restrain the natural drying cracks.
ready to plane flush ...
off to the finish room for its first coat of gloss ...
and today, jim took off in the town and country for north east hampton, long island. i cant feel too sorry for anyone who gets paid to take six ferry rides over two days, even if it is a long drive ... he was ready to go when he left. youve got to be at least a little amazed that we can get two 7 plus tables and 8 chairs in here and still have room for more, even if there will be some assembly required on delivery ... and, its a smooth ride to boot ... almost wish i were going myself ... next time for sure ...

other claro walnut tables
50 x 120 x 3" thick
36 x 120 x 2.25" thick
a 5/4 coffee table
36 x 94 x 1/25"

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Sabtu, 13 Februari 2016

the montshire museum benches

back in the beginning of the year, we were awarded a commission for a bench for the montshire mueum, in norwich, vermont. it was part of a contest, and they selected 5 winners, bought benches from all of us, and installed them in their woodland garden. click the photos to enlarge them ...
bridges 2 variation on the bench for the bennington museum show, state of craft ... dan and will, wood; sam mosheim, metalwork and paint
dave hurwitz, one of the other bench makers visited the museum recently and sent me these photos of the benches in place and the documentation the museum posted inside. great job by the staff there ... its an impressive show ...
dave hurwitz, white oak
mark dabelstein, burlington
lars larsen, furniture maker, and rolf kielman, architect, also of burlington
and doug clarner of east burke, vt

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