Claro Walnut Table Progress

Were on the home stretch on the big claro walnut table now and I think the next time you see it, it will be completely finished... Below you can see we have gone over the surface with a sidelight and a curved scraper to get the biggest rough spots all smoothed out ... The grain in the area of the photo below was incredibly tough to smooth without chipping it out and we didnt/couldnt get every chipout. It still had a nice shine, even before the first seal coat of shellac ... Click the photos to enlarge them ...
Unbelievable figure and color
Looking from the end after the shellac ..
We used a sidelight to find any big chipouts that needed final scraping and sanding
Even without the finish, sanded to 320, it had a good shine
Heres Sam polishing the 1.5" thick steel legs... Tough stuff ...
All done ...
A close up in process, before the final, final polish ... We went for a shiny but not mirror finish and the sealing oil in the photo above really brought it up nicely.

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The Ducks Are Back

(Almost) Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, the ducks are back ... They arrived last Friday, as usual, almost to the day that the stream first cuts a channel across the ice. They were tired from their trip and were napping when we got to work on Friday, but Monday, whoa, below, we had an intruder ... a single female and they did not like here. We watched off and on for the morning while they chased her back and forth across the pond, and finally, she left ... Things were back to normal today but it was fun while it lasted ... Kits got the redwing blackbirds at the feeder too ... Big Tom turkey yesterday morning and the she also saw the bobcat briefly one morning last week, probably stalking the squirrels. Spring is coming ... Click the pictures to enlarge them ...
Back and forth ... when she got to the edge, she would fly back over their heads and the chase would continue, til finally she left ... havent seen her since ...
A little earlier than usual ... but Sam said this afternoon the leeks are up ... global warming I guess ...

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7th Annual Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Show

Opens tomorrow ... Once again, its time for the Woodstock Vermont VWMA furniture show. I have participated in it for a number of years and this year we have several new pieces we are showing there. I wrote about getting started on them last Sunday, at which point we had barely begun, but we managed to get it all together (see photos below) and I dropped them all off at the show today. It looks like it will be another good one. I dont have my own booth, but instead, were exhibiting in the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers booth, same as other years. Also this year, Cabot Cheese and the VWMA are sponsoring a booth, "Best of Vermont Showcase" by Lisa Laberge Interiors. Lisa has our walnut table and chairs there, our skinny console and a small side table from our Bethlehem Steel series. She has a good eye and has put together a nice room full of stuff. Click the pictures to enlarge them ...
Lisas summary of her philosophy for the booth.
Not finished yet, but shaping up ... Still needs some Miranda Thomas pottery and a piece from Charley Shackleton ... good stuff at that link ... check it out ...
The Guild booth in process...Lots to see there.
There are other local furniture makers who have their own booths there like Bill Laberge (Lisas husband), Chris Bowlen and Bob Gasperetti ... Sam and I are going to an iron pour at the Salem Art Works tomorrow, but we plan to be at the Woodstock show most of the day Sunday, talking to show visitors about our work. See you there I hope ...
Chris Bowlen Custom Woodworking ... you can see some of Sams metalwork in Chriss booth .. and Bills booth .. almost ready to go ...

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Chain Saw Fine Furniture

3/2/10 Were moving relatively slowly on this project to allow the 2.25" thick slab to acclimate to our heated shop ... It had been stored in a concrete floored, unheated barn until it arrived here last week .. We took a little off both sides last week and we flip it pretty much every day. It has stayed remarkably flat and now were working to assemble the base ....click the pictures to enlarge them .
The figured are at the crotch end of the slab
looking down from the crotch end
from the stump end
Last week, ready to cut ....
I started my woodworking career in 1974 as a logger for a local timber contractor ... I lasted about 6 months ... After that, I spent the next 23 years cutting and splitting firewood to heat my house and shop in Arlington .... I got back into the wood heat thing last year and Ive become pretty good friends with my chain saw again. When we had to cut this slab to size, I thought that my Stihl might be the best tool for the job as the log had already been chain sawn to rough shape before it was milled into slabs .. Ta Dah ... The edges actually will look like before we cut it .... Dont try this at home ....
Click the photos to enlarge them .... Previous post on this table ...
It was a bit of a reach
This was actually really fun .....
Cutting to 10
All done ... ready to smooth ....

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More Half Round Stuff

Will put the inlays in the edges of the tops today ... He first sliced them with a thin kerf Makita 6" blade on the table saw, then sanded the edges slightly and in they went ..
First Will trued up the 8 degree angles with a fixed block on the edge sander ...
Brushed a coat of glue into the channel and taped them into place ... They are cut just thick enough to be raised from the surface of the edge of the table so the tape puts a little pressure on them. Hell sand them off in the morning and start finishing the tops. The bit is hard to find in your typical lumber yard but heres the number and maker .. click the picture to enlarge it ... Go to your favorite online router bit store and type in the name and number ...
Home stretch ... Drawers and finish ...

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