The Bench Story

I really like making benches and I'm not sure exactly why.  Don't get me wrong, I love making anything but I especially enjoy benches.  I love how the piece of wood sets the tone for the entire design and then all the pieces seem to fall into place.  If the bench were a story then the piece of wood chosen for the bench is like the introduction.  It sets the mood that leads to the next chapter which then in turn leads to the chapter after that. 

This Bench was one such story.  I saw the piece of wood and could see the story all of a sudden start coming together in my head.  

This particular bench was made for a customer who had an idea of what he wanted but wasn't 100% sure so he gave me a lot of creative license, which I love.  I built around the outline that he gave and this was what we ended up with, awesomeness :)

The main piece of wood used for this bench is a solid 2 inch piece of Ash that has a beautiful rustic live edge.  The other edge of this bench is bare and gives a totally different look. (I really like making benches with multiple personalities, depending on which side your looking at).  The wood used for this bench tapers at the one end, which gives it a super unique look.  The top and bottom of the bench got a generous sanding but not enough to remove some of the fun textures left from the planer.  After the hight of the bench was marked I then cut the one side on a 45 and then joined it back together making it one of the legs.  The two 4 inch bolts were ordered especially for this project and are not only for design purposes but they are also functional, adding stability.  I gave the bench a coat of walnut stain and 2 nice coats of satin finish varnish.  For the other leg of this bench I ordered a 6 ft length 3/8 thick piece of steel that I cut to size and bent into the shape that I wanted.  Working with steel that thick and bending it can be quite a mission but it is such satisfaction seeing it all together.  

If this bench really were a story then the steel leg would be the conclusion.  It finishes everything off and balances the design creating the perfect ending. 

The End.

Perfectly Unique

This past summer we build a shelf that soon became one of the more popular items in our Etsy store.  It received many views and favorites and a couple weeks ago was featured on the Etsy home page before being sold.  We love designing and making one of a kind items and it is always so fun to create something that you have created before but in a different way.  

A couple weeks ago I spent the day designing and making a few different shelving units that are unique in their own way, yet inspired by previous designs.  The wood used for this shelf is re-claimed and was quite a mess before I started on it.  It was really bowed, more than normal, so I took it to the planner.  The idea for this shelf was to plane enough to remove the bow but not enough to lose all of the rustic natural feel.  The brackets for this shelf are 4 x 4 barn beams that I cut on a 45 degree angle.  Running between the brackets is a steel rod that was salvaged from an old barn.  I sanded the rod down to clean it up but instead of painting it I left it with its original rusty look.  I attached the barn beam brackets to the shelf top using wood screws and glue.  I pre-drilled and counter sunk the screws and then used a lighter wood as wood plugs to create a nice contrast.  The top of the shelf got a good sand and the brackets a light sand.  

I didn't put any finishing products on this shelf but left it in its natural beauty.  I love using stains and finishing products but they are to wood like make up is to a woman, there is nothing wrong with it but if you use it all the time then you lose sight of the real beauty. 

 No one is perfect and no piece of wood is perfect either.  Maybe its the imperfections of something that make that something perfectly unique.  

Perfectly Unique :)

Functional Eye Candy

Each table or piece of art that you create carries with it a little piece of yourself.  I'm not one to be sentimental when saying goodbye to a piece of furniture but it does stir something up seeing it go :)

This table was made for a customer who was not exactly sure what they wanted so I drew a couple conceptual drawings for her and this idea won out in the end.  I wanted to find a door that was neutral in color with lots of character and layers beneath.   

The door was cut on a 45 degree angle and then joined with a biscuit joiner to form one of the legs creating the look of a continuous door.  The other leg of the table is a salvaged piece of steel from an old local barn which also doubles as a magazine rack.  We matched the paint color on the door to touch up areas and blend others.  Then we sanded certain parts of the table to give it more character and to make those area's stand out more.  There is a fine line when sanding old reclaimed material, especially painted material.  You want to sand it enough but too much and you can't go back.  Once we had it just right we gave the whole thing 2 coats of lacquer to protect it for years of use.  The lacquer not only protects the table but gives it a glossy finish that make the detail and character stand out more.  

Some creations you make you love more than others.  Some you love instantly and others you gradually fall in love with.  We found with this table that the more we walked around it and looked at it the more we loved it.    

Functional eye candy :)