4/22 The Duck Bed Has Flown To Its New Home

Update 4/22 ... Usually, after a long and complex project like this one, I'm glad to see it go. You know, time for the next one. This one was different. It's been in the works for about six weeks, involved a lot of old and new skills, and everyone in the shop pitched in ... I give Will the credit for the turning, carving, fussy inlay fitting and finishing; Trevor gets the credit for the complex cnc work on the headboard and walnut overlay with the inlay pockets, and Sam, well, he did a great job with the metal shaping and patina work ... I'll take a little credit, for the CAD drawing of most of the ducks and for leading the parade, but it was overall a shop wide effort. Jim pitched in too but mainly his job was to keep our other projects truckin' along. The clients were happy today and I thank them for their trust in us to commission and support us on a challenging project like this. Whew ! I'll also miss the ongoing duck puns ... ducks in a row, all ducked up, just ducky, duckin'around, what a bunch of quacks ... and so it went ... The whole project was a great one .. Click the photos to enlarge them ...
The whole shebang ...
To the right
To the left
At home

Other posts
Waterjetting the inlays
A Bed Update
A New Bed Project

Update ... Tax Day ... 4/15 ... Glad I have an accountant ... Jim had to leave early to do his ...

Inlay update .... Almost finished ... Sam has done all the chemical patinas on the ducks and I think he has just one or two more wing parts to wrap up tomorrow ... Will will be applying the final coat of varnish to the wood parts and we'll epoxy the inlays into the finished headboard next week. Can't wait ... Gonna be cool ... Click the photos to enlarge them ...
To see how we made the parts for these inlays, check this post on waterjetting
This is the headboard today, after the gel stain coat ... top coat tomorrow ... Out the door soon ....
4/13/2010
Previous blog posts on the bed here and here
Close up of the center inlay for the headboard below .... Sam's adding the color now ....
Inlays for the duck bed are underway ... click the photos to enlarge them, ... more later
Cad drawing of the headboard
Waterjet cut inlay parts ... see this post here
Trevor's sample mdf headboard overlay ... 'Always best to test.' You can quote me on that.
In the test pockets
Fitting, filing, and beveling where the pieces meet. Some of the individual pieces (beaks, wings and feet) were also made thinner to create an illusion of depth ...
The first sample center inlay ... cut in aluminum, just to see if it would work ... who knew?
The brass grass was rounded and the inlay pockets were pointed by Will with an Exacto knife.
Unpatinaed redhead
More on the inlays for this bed coming soon .....

First test assembly .. twist and pinecone carvings by Will see previous bed posts linked above