stuff we like to build

hmmm .. i have been thinking a bit about the future as i approach my 70th birthday in july.
how would i like to focus my business for the next few years?
i just wrote a blog post about repairs and restoration work, which we all enjoy,
but i would say that tables are probably our favorite thing to build ..
big ones, little ones, ones with live edge slabs of a log for a top,
federal style or traditional style with interesting inlays.
'mid century modern', farmhouse style, art deco, antique inspired, reclaimed wood ...
i think we have covered a good share of the possibilities.
click the photos to enlarge them if you are at your desktop ... 

for instance, above is page 02 of  07 from the 'dining table' section of my (ancient) website,

which implies that there are about 60 other different ones there if you scroll through all 7 pages.

here's a link ..

and then we have our 'small tables', page 2 of 4 pages ... only about 36 of those ..

here's a link to that website section here ..

 and don't forget 'desks' ... essentially more table like objects ..

so, what am i trying to say ??? maybe it's that we have always enjoyed
creating the flat, useful surface, supported by an infinite variety of pedestal and leg systems.
tables are functional.  they are straightforward.
everyone, (including thoreau), needs at least couple of them.
there is something just eminently satisfying about walking into a friend or client's house and
having a meal at a table you made for them ...
some of those pictured on my (ancient) website i made over 30 years ago,
 and they are still going strong.

the most popular styles in the last few years have definitely been the live edge tables

at the top of this post, and the various round with pedestal variations shown 

in this glimpse of an online slide show of 

'ABOUT 100 DIFFERENT DINING TABLES WE HAVE MADE'

available as a slide show, along with a lot of other slideshows of our work at this link

many, many, many, many pictures there .. 

certainly far from all of them, but a lot for sure ... 

thousands in fact ...

this post was prompted by the 4, count em', potential clients i spoke to today about a new table

angela, she's a designer, and had 3 different tables to discuss, jori and david, sevda in london, and lauren in sanfrancisco

i've got some drawing to do ...
802-867-5541

repairs, restorations, saving the past ... stuff we like to do ...

 it's always good to bring a family piece back to life .. 

this one belongs to my friends beth and tom 

it is a family piece from beth or tom's grandfather, i forget which ...

it had, as they say, some issues ... fortunately, and i do mean fortunately, as the pieces fell off , the were scrupulously saved and truth be told, the only one they missed was the big chunk off one of the drawer faces ... 

tom is a retired historic preservation architect, so he was on the same page as us

regarding the restoration process.  'don't make it look new'.  just spruce it up a bit

was what we decided.  tyler had at it, and he did a patient and wonderful job .. 

tah dah ... the hardware had some knd of mysterious coating on it that had

defied beth's efforts to polish it up.  we sed a low speed wire wheel on the grinder and

touched up the shin spots with some antique brass patina chemical .. thebrasses all looked 

pretty much perfect when he was through .. the dark left end and bottom two drawers were like 

that when it arrived and we just polished everything up with a bit of oil stain and some wax.

the interior is all back in shape, everyone of the little gallery tops 

were in the drawer along with a broken off point of one of the feet!!

the drawers are all sliding like a new ... 

we really enjoy doing these restorations and are always up for 

and available to restore/repair worthy pieces

here are a few links to some of our other 'saves' ,, 

this one was my personal favorite best ..

many more photos and process description at this link

 below is another

 more pictures and the whole story on this one at this link

and you can find more posts in the category section on  

'antiques repair and restoration'

20 some posts there .. contact us at 802-867-5541 to schedule your repair .. 

a walk in the woods

2/4/17 ...
nice day saturday, so i took a walk in the woods.
i started at my new 'side' step off the front porch
it's a single stone, about 22" deep,11' long and 7" thick ..
waiting for the frost to go in the spring to set it on stone risers ...
thanks pete!  we love it ...

through the woods to 'the overlook' .. its about 20 minutes out to the west ..

  up the hill

over the hill, looking toward merck forest ..

 

and up the valley to pawlet 

home back through the woods on a different path, past the big red oak tree

i'd gues it's about 48" in diameter

past the neighbors house

past the view of peter's peak ..

home again, home again, jiggity jig ...

checked on the shop ..

and looked out toward stratton and mount snow ... 50 mile view

looks like winter is at least half over

i am guessing the fish are hoping so ...