a burst of activity

hmmmm .. busy time here in the designing and pricing and proposing department.  plus it's spring, which always 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 didn't 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. 

here's a quick april 'projects in the works' lineup, and some hints of what's 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 one's heading to chicago this week.  'industrial look' welded steel base by sam.

speaking of sam, the metal shop is humming, and he's 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 ..

 that's 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 haven't tried it yet ... a niche market for sure.

and next up we have the new design department.  this'll 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 don't 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 it's 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, we'll 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 umderway.  it should be a fun one.

and this one, will whipped up week before last.  it's finished now, and i hope we can deliver and set it up in the client's 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 he's got a little leg up on this one.  also, four additional years of practice doesn't hurt either ...

 

march, 2009 .. +/- 26 x 72

the new onw was starting to take shape by last friday ... still a long way 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 sam's new metal shop will start happening.  it's 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

Mango Wood Desk

3/9/08 This past week after shipping out the big 'Walnut Slab Table' shown in one of the February posts bleow, we started work on another, smaller, slab top table/desk. This client selected a mango wood plank for the top of the desk from two that I had on hand left over from a previous project. The process pictures below are shown in reverse order through the concept and construction process. This week, after final sanding and prepping, we will restain and finish the wood to the color in the picture of the original planks at the bottom of the post. After arriving in this country from somewhere in Southeast Asia, and in Vermont via New York City, the mango wood and steel desk will, as of the 24th, be overlooking the harbor from an office window in downtown Boston. Click on the photos to enlarge.

When this project was finished, the client sent me the nicest email, which I have copied and pasted below ...

"Dan – just a quick note to say THANK YOU for the beautiful job you and your team did on my desk. Every day I get at least half a dozen compliments on it. It truly is a work of art. Thank you for your creative vision, craftsmanship and attention to detail. I will cherish this desk while I’m here, and if I leave, it’s coming with me!

Lesley Bielby
Chief Strategy Officer

The information contained in this message and any attachment may be proprietary, confidential, and privileged or subject to the work product doctrine and thus protected from disclosure. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. "

3/17/08





All in .. all done ... ships out Tuesday for Boston .....


With the steel in place and the live edges on the base

the plank repairs completed

After rough planing and flattening, some bark pockets and cracks appeared under the finish that was applied to planks in Southeast asia. This often happens and the necessary repairs add to the interest in the final piece. It's often impossible to anticipate what you may have to deal with when using lumber like this, but that's part of the excitement and interest that comes from using it.

We started by making an mdf mockup of the imagined shapes for the base before cutting the planks to final length and size.

Mocking up the steel and determining its final position.

The original inspiration piece from my website , 'Wood and Metal' section
http://www.dorsetcustomfurniture.com/ItemDetails.aspx?iId=264&mId=-7&pcId=

The two planks ... the client selected the one on the left for the desk top
and we used the other for the base. We originally left the live edges on the base supports, but after some consideration, we used the curve of the steel to assymetrically shape the verticals to give the piece a less rustic look. The curved 3/4 " solid steel was fabricated in our custom metal shop.