TV Stand

1. A small commission for a TV stand in solid Cherry. I had been holding on to a number of boards in the shop for a couple of years. I hate to stock pile lumber so this was a great chance to put the boards to good use.

2. The boards pulled out of the corner of the shop all ready to go. A bit of 8/4 for the plinth.

3. All the components broken out. After the top was made up and the edge shaped I make a quick drawing in pencil on the underside to confirm carcass dimensions,

4. My old Lamello still working like a charm. The material is slightly oversized so I can thickness it after the glue-ups.

5. The glue ups are done carefully. The clamps are alternated from side to side to keep the panels straight.

6. The gables are broken out so the visible grain pattern matches on both sides of the carcass. Here the vertical face frames are being glued on.

7. Cleaning the bottom panel on the stroke sander.

8. A dry assembly allows me to check that all the components fit together.

9. The cabinet with the top in place just to check the overall proportions. I always have a little leeway with the customer and can still make slight modifications.

10. The glue up. Always check for square.

11. Laying out the door components to check the proportions.

12. Cleaning up the front face frames so I can apply the plinth. Sometimes the plinths are separate but in this case it was being glued on.

13. Gluing on the plinth. The components were pre-shaped and sanded.

14. Gluing up the doors. I pre-stained the backs of the panels and the areas of the front that sit in the grooves. I never want bare wood exposed because of panel movement later on.

15. Cleaning up the doors.

16. The carcass ready for the doors and back.

17. Fitting and hanging the doors.

18. Fitting the back. The back has openings for the plugs to run through and also to vent the cabinet.

19. The completed cabinet ready for final sanding and finishing.

20. I was matching the color of existing furniture in the room where the cabinet was going so I had to layer several colors to get it right. The top coat was old-school oil and wax which involves multiple layers, wet sanding and polishing and of course time.

21. Because the doors were longer than they were high I had decided to use some brass piano hinge I had around the shop. I decided to polish them up even though they looked nice with a patina.

22. The cabinet completed. I moved on to another job and just let the finish harden for a few days.

23. Wrapped up ready for delivery.

Pineapple Carvings

01

The initial concept drawing for a small carving commission. The matching pineapple carvings were to be mounted onto the posts .of a pine bed.

02

Turning to size. An early prototype done for the client can be seen in the background.

03

The turnings are matched for size and curvature.

04

The initial layout and division of lines around the circumference.

05

The leaves are drawn in.

06

Carving the initial lines and separating the leaf tips.

07

Beginning to shape the segments.

08

The first pineapple is roughed out.

09

All four pineapples carved to the same stage.

10

The leaves are carved with the pineapple held in a jig at the bench where there is easier access.

11

The completed pineapples. In this case the carved portions had to be sanded to match the turned sections.

Sleigh Beds

See the finished product here.

Kitchen Table

A commission for a walnut kitchen table with a glass top.

See the finished product here.

01 – A mock up for the client who has trouble making decisions using drawings alone. The legs are held together with a strip from a tire intertube.

02 – The segmented walnut ring. It was tough finding good walnut so the pieces had to be chosen and arranged carefully.

03 – Undercutting the edge on the shaper. The pattern is separated from the top by small blocks.

04 – Gluing up one leg and a portion of the feet.

05 – Tapered laminated legs.

07 – The legs are morticed and the tenons on the feet are cut to fit.

08 – Gluing the foot section to the leg.

09 – Pairs of legs are chosen and the curves marked out.

10 – A quick look at the evolving shape.

11 – The legs are routed and sanded before the first pair are are glued up.

12 – Easier to glue on the next two upside down so I could keep the assembly level.

13 – A first look at the rim sitting on the base.

14 – Rough cutting the notches and starting to think about a sphere for the center.

15 – Set up to route the notches clean.

16 – Cleaning up the fit by hand.

17 – A final sanding before assembly.

18 – The glue-up using sticks to support the weight of the clamps.

19 – Comparing the table to the initial prototype. Shapes always change along the way.

20 – Deciding on the placement of rubber pads cut with a leather punch along the rim. They will be cut into the surface.

21 – The table before finishing.

22 – The glue–up for a sphere in the center.

Mahogany dining chairs

A great commission for a set of dining chairs inspired by the famous chair designed by Hector Guimard

01 – I did a quick prototype because I had only a picture of the chair and no dimensions. I wanted to get a feel for the chair.

02 – From there I did a second prototype working out the joinery, carving details and the back splat which wasn’t on the original chair.

03 – My prototype and the material broken out and ready to go. The commission was for a set of four chairs but I broke out for a fifth chair in basswood to keep in case I ever made the chair again.

04 – I glued up the front assembly first.

05 – While the front assembly was drying I broke out and machined the back legs.

06 – Gluing up the back assembly.

07 – The back assembly stacked neatly against one of the lathes.

08 – Gluing up the front assembly to the front end of the side rails. I decided to keep the chair in two parts for carving and clean up and then assemble fully right at the end.

09 – A first look at the chair with the clamps off.

10 – I attached a plywood spacer at the back of the rails to maintain the distance for the final assembly later on.

11 – Gluing up the stretchers.

12 – Starting in on the secondary shaping and carving.

13 –All the carving flowed from one part to the next.

14 – Starting in on the stretchers.

15 – Shaping the front of the legs.

16 – Cleaning up and starting the carving on the front of the crest rail.

17 – Roughing out the design.

18 – All the backs are clean with the splats in place. I glued up the basswood chair first.

19 – Gluing up the chairs.

20 – The first pair glued up.

21 – All four chairs glued up with the glue blocks in place.

22 – A closer look at the completed chair. I think we caught the spirit of the original.