Black walnut sliding dovetails in quilted maple shelf
13" tall redwood burl vessel
Three hook entryway shelf
Levy Dressers Click for full size image
Figured cherry drawer faces with purpleheart pulls
Fancy-pants TP roll holder in cherry
Cherry and spalted maple king bed
Through-tennon wedges
Stools puzzle pieces ready for assembly
Cherry stools with alder legs Click for full size image
Friday, October 12, 2007
Fine tuning runners on Levy dressers.
72" diameter walnut poker table with copper inlay
Copper inlay details
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Ahh, the days of yore. A less wrinkled (and over exposed) Matt attempts to visually explain how the top and base lock.
A long gone (way pre-digital photos) side table made of spalted maple and some wildly figured claro walnut. The turnings are mahogany, pine and quilted maple (from the left)
Side table detail
Counter-balanced maple door conceals kitchen tools
A unique side table made of stained alder intended to make the most of an awkward corner in the private tasting cellar of the Cosmopolitan restaurant in Telluride
This simple shelf is about three feet tall made of dark poplar and spalted maple. The shelves nest into dados (fitted notches) and are held in place with removable wedges. No adhesives or hardware other than two screws to tie it to a wall stud.
The tools are new, but the craft hasn't changed much in the last few centuries. Most days start with a hike straight out my door and into the mountains with my dog, Chica leading the way. The rest of the day is spent in the shop, hopefully crafting things of lasting beauty.
The modes vary: Loose and unhindered by practicalities in the design phase. The puzzle master/engineer while laying out the joinery. Carefully picking wood for stability and character. The drudgery of grunt mill work. Methodically laying out precise cut lines. Patiently creating the puzzle pieces. The satisfaction of seeing a piece first take form during dry assembly. Loosening up again to introduce curves and give the piece a human touch. The monotony of sanding. The sometimes terrifying race against rapidly (and irreversibly) drying adhesives. The appreciation of color and form as penetrating oils first bring the grain back to vibrant life. An ambivalent farewell as it leaves the shop for good.
...Or sometimes I'm just cursing at a piece of machinery that refuses to cooperate.