In the Process

I thought it might be fun to do a series on something that I'm building as I'm building it.

I collect pictures of built-in hutches from real estate ads...they help me with inspiration, and they help me to get the proportions and details right. Those old-timers built neat stuff, and I'm trying to learn from them.

So here's the project. I'm building the hutch in the picture using the reclaimed fir lumber pictured at the left. The hutch is white, but I'm building it to be stained. I'm going to use traditional construction methods, that is, I'm not using plywood, except in the drawer bottoms where solid lumber is completely impractical.

The second picture of lumber is the "after" picture. It's the same lumber after it's been metal detected and run through the planer.

I'll show some of the construction techniques as I go along. The final product will be for sale. I hope it takes me a long time to finish, because I hope I'm interrupted with paying jobs in the meantime.

Teacher! I want a different desk!

Jeff Metke of Metke Remodeling called me to ask me if I could build a desk that wasn't just ordinary. He had a very rough pencil sketch of the end of this desk, for a design concept, and a coffee table of unknown origin that provided the inspiration for the texture and two tone color scheme.

There were several design challenges to address before building the desk.

First, There was an unusually long cantilever that had to be considered. The legs had to be able to sustain the weight of the desk itself and anybody that might happen to sit on it. This problem was solved by weighting the legs and using a very heavy grade of plywood in the privacy panel.

Second, the client wanted the handcarved texture. Since the endgrain of lumber doesn't carve well, all surfaces of the legs needed to be flat grain. This meant bending the lumber to fit the curves and mitering the joint between the curve and the flat portion. It took some headscratching, but the result was worth it. I'm pretty proud of the result.

Third, the office is up the stairs, first door on the right. The desk had to be designed to come apart and be reconstructed easily. No problem. The desk disassembles into 7 pieces in a matter of minutes.

This desk is a great example of the design, problem solving, and woodworking abilities we have at Saratoga Woodworks.

The Beginnings of a Catalog

I've been promising to put together a catalog of furniture made from reclaimed materials.It takes time to determine the right product mix, and to develop efficient ways to actually build the furniture. And to come up with pricing that sells products, and puts food on my family's table.

Most reclaimd furniture I've seen is obviously reclaimed. It has clear finish and the stains and nail holes are obvious. I'm trying to up the ante with traditional styles and stains that minimize rather than accent the inherent flaws. I also offer these products in a variety of lumber species that have not been reclaimed. My furniture is sturdy, and is appropriate for commercial and restaurant applications.

I'm pleased to announce that my first two products are now available at introductory prices:

The Tavern Bench is available in either alder or reclaimed fir. all joints are dadoed or rabbetted. The uprights and seat are a beefy 1-3/8" thick, and the back panel is tongue and groove paneling. approx 20" x 47" x 42" tall. Stain matching and custom widths are available $625.

The Victorian Occasional Table features a curvy hexagon shaped base and three legs with a metal claw accent. 22" diameter x 29" tall. Stain matching and custom sizing are available $425.