The First Section of a New Railing

Last Friday, Sam and I installed the first section of railing from the sketch of a new railing in my January 16th post. Looks good. It's the first railing he'smade in 5/8ths square stock which is a nice baluster weight for a big space. The next section will go to the actual stair post and from there down the main steps. Then there are a couple handrails and a a long straight section ... couple weeks should wrap it up; maybe a little longer ... Nice people, nice project.


The first section installed ... love the post tops

detail sketch

concept sketch

the template for the next section

How is this going to work?

in the shop ... ready to go

The Parrot Chairs ... Sketching in Metal

Inspiration Photo

Via a referral from a friend in Massachusetts, we were contacted by a client who had an interest in having Sam fabricate some 'parrot chairs'. The client had saved a picture from a magazine, but had no other details like measurements, what the front legs looked like, a close up of the parrott detail, etc. We agreed to make a mockup for a small fee and the results and their proposed changes are shown below. It took us a while to get to it as there were some 'thought problems' to work through such as how to bend the back legs/hoop piece with even a small amount of repeatable control. I'm sure these things are pressed out cold by the thousands in factories around the world, but unfortunately, we're not one of them. We ended up making a pretty elaborate jig that, with a few modifications, will work fine. The jig was essentially based on the one we use to steam bend backs for Windsor chairs, something we've been doing since the late 70's. Creating a new chair design is tough in any medium, as what you are really creating is a functional sculpture, something viewed from all four sides with small complications like comfort, durability, and repeatable production thrown in. Tough in wood, not much easier in metal ... We'll see if we get to build them .... It will be a challenge for sure if we do ....

The 'sketch'

Proposed changes to the 'sketch' ... click to enlarge

Back view

Test drive ...The seat needs to be wider in the front and the back needs to be tipped back a little more .... other than that, not bad for comfort ...

the friday before christmas

well here we are, approaching our 34th christmas at dorset custom furniture.  we got the spirit friday, when jim put up the traditioinal 'tree' lights on the end of the shop.  it may be the last year for this string as about half the lights are out, and the local stores no longer carry the bulbs ... maybe we'll get lucky and find some in 'the big city' (rutland or bennington)  if we get there over the holidays.  click the photos to enlarge them ..

as usual, there is a lot going on in the shop this time of year .. the pool table is part 

of the hill farm project and it looks like that will be finished by the 1st.  

it's now ready for blinds and finish and felt on the cushions

we're working on several projects for a local inn restoration

down the road a piece in sunderland

one of the projects involves some steel cut outs, based on their logo, on the gable end, and trevor cut some samples for size.  i took them to their friday christmas party and nina mooney, the designer we're working with, bravely got out on the porch roof after lunch and held them up .. 

we decided the deer has to be bigger.

back at the shop, trevor was putting the finishing touches on the inlay in the 

trestle table for the same project

the base is finished

but we were all concerned the the deer antlers would get lost in the sky

fortuantely, we had an antler that sam or someone found and we sliced a couple pieces 

up and trevor cut them out and fit them in ... viola!  antlers!!

and we installed the drawers in the 12' bedroom piece we've been working on

the faces will have an ebony and quartered cherry detail to go with the ebony and burl edge inlay ..

and we're waiting for the custom cast pulls to arrive from ball and ball.  they've done them for us before and they should be here soon.

and will's wrapping up another banjo to be shipped out before the 1st.  it was a tricky one where he had to figure out how to steam bend and laminated curly maple for the rim, engrave a bunch of pearl inlays, and engrave words and initials into the ebony on the finished rim .. not an easy task ..

talk about the workmanship of risk ...

and sam has finished his first 'larger than a belt buckle project' in the new metal shop

the client sent us a photo of a similar wood base with funky metal connectors and we figured out how to weld it up in 3" steel tubing.  cool object.  it will have our bronze patina on it before shipping.

and the carpenters wrapped it up on friday .. they finished the siding , installed the collar ties on the second floor and insulated the ceiling so we can at least heat it occasionally for painting

we'll finish it off as our cash flow allows

ta dah

and tah dah  in here too

and the final part of the dorset church rails is ready for christmas services .. just in time ..

merry christmas to all !!

odds and ends

where do i start?  sometimes stuff blows through here so quickly, if you blink, it's gone ... lots going on.  lots of people shopping, (read lots of designs and proposals, not necessaryily new jobs.  but, better than total quiet, which was what it was like back in january ... more action at least now.  we are cautiously optimistic here ... so, what are we up to ... see some of the highlights below.  click the pictures to enlarge them ..

i'm doing a little pottery,  focusing on 'how to make plates'.... i never figured out how to throw them, but i'm working on a hybrid woodworking/handbuilt concept that involves mdf batts and finishing on the wheel.  more on that later .

first round ... a little warpy ... i took them off the forms to soon.

some of my previous stuff

me and sam and jim are working on a new version of the 'bridges' bench for an upcoming gallery opening, and also doing a little concept work using the curved planks i've had around for a couple of years.  we're not there yet ...

trevor and i worked up some 'trout cutting boards' that i will be using for some gifts i owe.  abalone and quartersawn cherry ... hmmm ... maybe we need a line of gift cutting boards ... ha ha

here the trout is in the shade, under cover. waiting for spring no doubt.

 

a little custom inlay work for our friend and neighbor bill laberge

arts and crafts inspired ... lots of pieces ...

looked good when it was finished ...

and now we're helping him with 16 chairs ... ugh.  that is one big lot of pieces of  wood to organize.

stuff happening in the metal shop too ... above is a custom 'owl' belt buckle

and we shipped this fire pit spark screen to stowe last week ... just in time for the spring skiing/hot tub season

seeders instruments, will's banjo website, has several new banjos and audio/videos up ... lots of pearl engraving and other custom stuff ... he is BUSY with the banjo stuff.  he's got to keep his day job though or i will be in trouble ...

and i have a friend i'm coaching through a wedding present for his son.  it's a six board blanket chest with a wood burned clump of morels on the front and some inlays on the top ... fortunately, he is a handy guy and just needs a few tips and some encouragement and off he goes.  and, he's got until may, so i think we'll get it ...

 funky repair yesterday .. english cabinet door with a wedgewood medallion

 

 the glass and the grid had been broken in a move and we had to make up a splint and graft it on.

all done ... good to go

 a nice testimonial from the ladderback chairs and table base client

 some 'black and white "color" ' photography ... it's been a gray february and march here ... the only thing with color in this photo is the stop sign

steve earle in april will cheer us up though

and then there is the powderjet maccassar ebony snowboard ... that should be a hot one ...

plenty of sunrise/sunset pictures on my blog ... i think this is my first 'moonset' photo ... all for now.