Three Quarter Turned Columns

Making a bunch of columns is always fun if you're like me, the one watching ... And, according to Will, if you are turning them too. I think I got burned out on the thousand or so chair legs and stretchers I turned when I was starting out as a furniture maker and thought I wanted to be a Windsor chair maker ... I like to turn still occasionally, but Will is soooo good at it that he just does it ... It helps to have the Vega, which he has tuned to deliver superior results in amazingly short order. Click the pictures to enlarge them ...
We got some excellent .dxf files from the architect/designer which, after deleting the dimensions, went right into our cnc toolpathing program so Trevor could cut the template for the duplicator on the cnc. Slick.
After a little brainstorming and sketching we came up with the jig to remove the quarter section that you see in the top photo.
This picture shows the smooth cut Will gets right off the diamond tool on the duplicator.
He then removes the duplicator and hand turns the final details with traditional chisels, giving them their handturned look.
We thought we could make hollow columns as there is no 12/4 white oak available that I could find, but in the end, we made them solid with core wood added to the inside.
There are 8 columns in white oak, 6" in diameter at the large point ... It's gonna take a lot of wood ...

More News From The Metal Shop

After a short break for some odds and ends .. fireplace screens, a couple of repairs, a very short one step railng, and some work on a couple more cockatoo chairs, Sam has headed into another big railing project with his builder friend Scott Thompson. This design is one loosely based on a previous project for a contemporary house Scott built in 2008.
These are the first two completed sections and Sam and Jim oiled them up before they left today. I haven't been to the house or seen the full drawing, but these two 7' sections will be installed next week and measurements will then be taken for the other 7' section that will connect them and complete the open balcony area. Then I understand there are at least two angled railings that go down the stairs ... I can't wait to see the finished house ....
Here's an end view showing the half posts that will bolt to the inset beams at the ends of the open section. The railings jut out from the posts on short angles so they can attach to the vertical edges of the beam which will provide a secure and rigid connection. Apparently there are some other angled elements on the floor below that suggested this interesting and artistic concept. I'll have to see it when it's all finished.
As usual, Sam made the drawings and then Trevor cut a spacing jig on the cnc that enables Sam to quickly and accurately weld up the pieces.....
The angled jigs were a little trickier, but a lot smaller and worked slick ...

Sam's Balcony

A couple of weeks ago, Sam installed the balcony he was working on back in September and October ... It was a very cool project with some somewhat daunting challenges. Build it here ... install it there, 15' in the air ... Make it safe ... That kind of stuff. I swung by last week and took some pictures ... Looks like it was made to be there .. Click the photos to enlarge them ..
The platform with it's expanded steel floor and outline of the rails
Sam had made a couple of sketches but mainly, on this one, worked as the spirit and his vision moved him ..
Until he had had basic decorative design figured out ...
Next were the support brackets with some ideas sketched in ...
Back to the circular elements of the main railingand then a test assembly on the wall of the shop ...
All welded up and ready to prime and paint
One of the fishies on the 'floor' of the balcony ...
From afar
From below
From the end, showing the 4 supporting brackets

Migration

It's that time again ... The ducks are moving ... I stopped in at my office yesterday morning to send a quick email and when I looked out the window there were 7 or 8 wood ducks on the pond ... Swimming in the sun, diving, preening on the 'perch' we leave there for them ... It was really nice ... I wish I had a better telephoto lens but I'm not a National Geographic photographer so we go with what we have ... Anyway, click the pictures to enlarge them and enjoy my backyard ducks ...
From the back door of my second floor office ... the golf hole off to the left .. this is a vernal (fishless) pool where black spotted salamanders (check them out; they're 6" long) and wood frogs (they sound like ducks) breed. It drains as the leaves come on the trees and fills as they drop ...
We should all be so handsome ...

Screeened Porch

It started out we were just going to cut the ovals and the rabbets to make the eliptical jambs ... Then we made the screen frames themselves ... and then we installed it all .... A beautiful, beautiful porch in an absolutely idyllic setting ... Fortunately for us too, it was 70 degrees and sunny almost every day we were there last week ... I'm out of shape for carpentry though so I'm glad it's finished ... Click the photos to enlarge them and there are links to the other posts for this project below ...
With the 'drink rails' insalled
From the North ...
From the East, early in the installation process ....
A spectacular room ... All for now ....
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The Half Round Tables Are Done

OK, except for the black, diamond shaped pulls that we'll add to the drawers tomorrow, these tables are complete ..... Beautiful job by Will on all the details ... I hope you all enjoyed following the process ... Here are the other posts ... Build a half round table, start to finish ... Click the photos to enlarge them ...
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Before the finish on the tops and without the drawers
Joinery check on the pattern or on your full size drawing ...
Close up of the joinery ... center drawer border tenons on the left
We sort of winged the drawer joinery as I have found in the past that efficiently dovetailing sides to curving fronts is next to impossible. Once the radius gets below a certain dimension the parts don;t merge together gracefully ... You could do it but there is only so much labor intensive work you can ask your clients to pay for ... If I were doing it for myself .... I would still do it this way ... You can leave questions on this post in the comments section if you like ... I'll do my best to get back to you on them ... All for now ...

A Short Video Tour of Dorset Custom Furniture

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Dorset Custom Furniture from Junction 133 on Vimeo >.

">A Video Tour of Dorset Custom Furniture

Here's a very brief visual and oral history of Dorset Custom Furniture. We've been working on it for a while now and it was harder than I thought. What to include? What to cut? .. a whole new process ... Duncan Lake of Junction 133 Productions got it all together for us. He's been a friend of Sam and Will's for a long time and did a great job ... He's back at his 'day job' for the season now, videoing snowboarders out west ... Looks like fun ...

ps ... this video shows best if you click it to full screen