and now a couple more claro walnut tables

table to miami

table to brooklyn

ok, the top one arrived in florida on tuesday, just in time for turkey day.  the curly one above has been hanging around the shop since may, waiting for the clients home remodel to be finished.  that one will leave for brooklyn on tuesday.  it was first pictured in this post  back on may 28th and now soon it will be on its choice.  click the photos to enlarge them.

the top table started with this monster slab, about 11 long and 3+ inches thick.  we learned a few tricks on this one.  it was a heavy one ....

one trick we learned was to build a really substantial and well made cart with serious casters.  once we slid it off the workbench and stood it up on the cart. it was a piece of cake to get it out the shop door, on a ramp into the back of the truck, and into steves shop for the matte finish that the client requested.

the client selected our trapedzoid base, and sam cut the parts and welded them up in our metal shop.

later, after polishing, the base was blackened with our normal blackening patina and sealed with a low lustre lacquer.

 

there were a couple cracks we had to butterfly and one or two random small defects that we just left as is.

there was one sort of large (+/- 3/8ths") bolt in the slab that we drilled a bit and pounded a bit until it was below the surface enough to fill it so it looked like some of the other knots in the area.  pretty good in the end.

 

the welded steel base was a combination of 1.5 x 3" tubing and 2/5 x 1/4" angle iron.  rigid and strong and handsome with the thick slab ... 

i got a wonderful email from the client wednesday and i think ill use his comment as our new business motto .... better than i expected ... can you ask for more than that?

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Senin, 28 Maret 2016

a gate leg walnut console

we finished this walnut gateleg console table today, and it is headed for vail, colorado on thursday with 3 other pieces heading off, respectively, to chicago, (the custom pool table),, florida, (the 53" wide claro walnut table... more on that one later), and houston, (a cherry console table).  power of the internet.  for the first time this year, more of our work is going to clients who we have never met and who have never been to our studio than to clients we know or who have ties to southern vermont.  for the first few years, 10 or 20 at least, it was all people who had at least visted my shop or directly  knew folks who had.  the last 2 or 3 years, thats all changed.  its amazing to me, but im really thankful.

this table started as a concept based on another parsons table we had previously built for this client for their home in connecticut.  the main requirement was that the table was a console table 95% (or more) of the time, but that, in a pinch, could become a dining table for 4 or six additional guests

its your basic form with a fold over, veneered walnut top and two sets of gatelegs that swing out on the back side.

 

 with the legs fully unfolded, there will be room for 6 good friends or

or with the legs partially unfolded as below, comfortable seating for four.  even though we punted on the wood hinges, we still used the traditional dovetailed wood box for the table frame.

in the past, we have gone with the traditional wooden hinge for the gateleg option, but no matter how hard i tried, (and ive had my employees try it too) with the double gateleg, there was alchoices too much play in the wooden hinge for comfort and stability.  this time we used some very tight 3" brass butt hinges, which, while untraditonal, i feel are a long lasting and slightly stiffer alternative.  there you have it, compact seating for six from an 18" x 60" console table.  a good combination.  click the photos to enlarge them ...
email note from a relative below ...

"p.s. we were in vail for xmas, and love the convertible table in kevins condo. it looks fabulous."

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