Dorset Custom Furniture - A Woodworkers Photo Journal

Sunday, July 10, 2016

a custom kitchen

well, we've been working on a kitchen for a couple months now ... we are coming down the home stretch now. it's not been an easy one, but the clients have been great, and it's been a good exercise for the old brain, keeping track of the challenges and details ...

just waiting for the marble and a few pieces of hardware ..

it was a long road from the drawings at the top to the photos above .. the story is below ..

the 'before' shot ... after the flood, before the rewiring and new sheetrock ..

and the removal of some of the existing structure to increase storage options ..

interesting existing challenges abound ...

for instance, this corner is 1.5" out of square in 44", floors not level; walls are not plumb either ..

leveling up the kicks ..

dealing with the heat and pipes in the corner

cabinets and temporary counters!! memorial day weekend ..

waiting for the appliances ..

interesting big drawers and corner detail ,,,

two fridges and some cabinets here ..

cutting the range hood through two 4x6s was a particularly challenging operation

lots of climbing around on top of the stove

dealing with the out of square, out of plumb corner

lights on! all set for the 4th of july!

looking like a kitchen ...

making some big doors for the pantry in the shop this past week ..

hope to get these and the marble counters in place soon .

all for now ..

Monday, June 13, 2016

another round one

here we go again ... time to think up a name for this design ... i think this is the fourth or fifth

version of this design we have done .. in the early stages above, it's a 48" round and will have two 24" leaves. the halves of the base will move as the top expands ..

the revised cad drawing below

the first one, in the picture at the top, was a 60" round with three 18" leaves

you can see more versions of it in this slide show

" a hundred or so dining tables we have made"

light stain, dark stain, black, natural .. lots of choices ...

trevor, in the earlier stages, working on the base part joinery

gluing up the aprons here, which he angle cuts on the cnc after they set up ..

ready for aprons on the leaves and the angled apron cuts ..

ok .. the aprons are angled and the bottom edge of the top is beveled ..

a little sanding and scraping and we're ready for finish ..

all done now ..

with the leaves .. alternate base designs below

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

a visitor from italy

had a visitor from italy yesterday .. actually the visitors were local, but the table has been in their family since it was new in the mid 1800s .

basically, it just had a little issue with the drawer runners, and they didn't want to touch the finish,

which i was very happy about

we tuned it up and it is good to go .. click the pictures to enlarge them and check out the fine inlays ..

really nicely done. i particularly liked the burnt shadings, the 'spectators' around the oval, the ribbon and the tapered leg inlays ..

a classic ... good for another hundred at least ..

Sunday, May 29, 2016

open studio update

ok .. doors open in 3 hours .. kit still has to set up her jewelry, but the case is in place and she should have plenty of time ... the shops are REALLY clean, and i have just a few last minute details to attend to ... prices, road signs, sweep the office .. etc. the weather is beautiful though hot ... come by if you can ...lots to see.

the big claro table is still here .. and isaiah finished the leather yesterday .. the benches still

need finishing on the wood but the curved steel bases by sam are ready to go. and there is a partially finished claro slab in the foreground, looking for a home ..

we have another area with a few smaller pieces for sale ..

i've got my paintings hung for their first public appearance .. nice to see them all lined up

panoramic of the metal shop

another shot of the claro walnut slab for sale

the cnc area is cleaned up pretty nice .. that's will shop in the background

a guitar will finished recently ... had to learn some new skills, like metal spinning for this one ..

and the jewelry is out!

light turnout yesterday .. hoping for more folks today ...

Monday, May 23, 2016

open studi0 2016

ok ... here we go again .. it's open studio time .. kit and sam and i are going to have a good time setting up for open studio this year .. there will be lots to see from jewelry to metal working to woodworking, pottery and possibly a few of my paintings and sculptures .. here's just a sample .. i'll ad more as we get it together ..

this coming saturday and sunday, 10-5 both days .. come by if you can ...

there is a map to our studio here

we are one mile up danby mountian road from route 30 in dorset, vt .. 23 goodwood lane, one the left ..

click the photos to enlarge them ...