Almost a year ago Emily of Emily Owens Design Group came to me about a conference table for a private client. Her words where," we need to design a table that Presidents and Heads of State will sit at."

Something that would make a statement. While I was contemplating that, she also added the sideboard that is in the background of the picture below. The design and construction of it is in a previous post.

As the room took shape it was decided that the room would be themed around the Constitution.

Brad Oldham's team joined in to do the exquisite bronze work. Their part would be the corners of the apron and the ribbon containing each signer of the Constitution. Fun things to figure out like hidden data ports and hidden drawers where thrown in to complicate things.

    

First thing was to get going on the full scale drawings.

                              This is the start of the torsion box for the drawers and strength.

The MDF dividers where .750 The router bit was .750. Had to use a little 120 on a shaved down block to get a little clearance.

Torsion box together. fitting the apron and cutting out the drawer openings. The sub top made a great 48"X 162" workbench!

Here is a pic of the apron and drawer mock up.

The guys at Wood Gallery came through with these stunning Mahogany panels.

This is the top with the panels cut to form a quartered and bookmatched top of Crotch Mahogany.

I was standing on my work bench and still couldn't fit it all in.

This is really going to polish up nicely.

East Indian Rosewood crossbanding. 

Cleaning up the banding with my Sauer & Steiner K7. Don't know how I got along all these years without that plane.

There will be an 1/8" bronze line between the band and field.

The next thing to tackle was the compass roses that would hide the data and power ports.

After a lot of shaving they where done. The hard part was getting the points to end at the inside and outside of the bronze ring.

                                                                       The finished pair.

                             Parts for the Corinthian style column and base that will serve as pedestals.

Back from the turner. Mike Chavez has been doing my turning for more years than we want to remember. I think we found the limits of his lathe with these.

Fluted and ready for stain and finish.

This is the concept sculpture for the bronze corners each depicting a scene of the writing and signing of the Constitution.

Here's a shot of the 4 scenes in clay.

A picture of the signature ribbons in clay.

That's it for part one. Let's see if this will upload before we go farther. Had issues last night! 

I have been working on a couple of pieces for a private clients conference room.

The first will be a sideboard inspired by this 18th century Charlestown sideboard.

The first issue to deal with was modifying the size to hide a 50" TV. Length was the main dimension to  stretch, so much so I thought the ovals on the middle doors would be round. That was solved by changing them to a removable bookcase. We also changed the height and removed the upper drawer and back splash so the top over the TV can open.

                                                                   Concept drawing

Routing the inset of the legs.

First part of the front frame dry fit and leaning against the full scale drawing.

                                                             Now we have a pair.

Detail of the radius crotch Mahogany panel. I formed and veneered these in a vacuum press.

At this point it was drawers and door time. Oh yeah that bookcase too.

This picture shows a drawer front with the veneer work done. The template on it is for the Boxwood stringing that separated the Crotch Mahogany center from the quartered and book matched cross banding.

Another pic of the process on the big curved middle drawer.

                                                     Down to the top and the bookcase.

                                                               Right before the stain.

More great hardware from Londonderry Brass.

Ready!

Hanging Bed update

When I last posted about this project we had just started it. The arms were being bent in the forge. Here are a few more pictures of the bed in progress.

                      This is a shot taken of the test fit of the wooden frame into the metal nest. The next step was to have the metal frame powder coated. Below is a picture of one of the halves fresh back from the powder coater. The frame was built in two pieces so that it was a little more manageable to install on the second floor porch.

Here is a picture of the Cypress bed frame.

Here it is installed. Hard to tell it is hanging with the porch being unfinished.

Next is another project for Derek Vanlandingham. It is a Pine cabinet to display a clients trophies.

Derek has a wonderful antique pine cabinet that we borrowed a lot of the details from.

Here is the finished cabinet in the clients home. Hard to believe it is 96" tall. The upper is fitted out with brass poultry wire and a couple of accent lights above the glass shelves. The finish is multiple coats and a couple of different shades of Briwax.

Catching up

             
                  Have been busy with a few new projects but I thought I would update some recent projects.
First is a couple of pictures of Emily Owens dining table. When we first spoke about the design she told me she wanted to have a band of hammered nickel around the edge and the bottom of the bases. You can see that the built in bar in the of the pic has the same detail.  The process is called repousse and it creates a very cool look. I love the way it turned out really changed the look of table. Nice job from the guys at Iron Age Studios. Hope to do a pair of consoles with some of the wood that is left.

  

The next project is another collaboration with metalworkers. This time with the guys I share a shop with. The name of the company is Whitesmith. I have used them for years on various little projects. About 6 months ago I was looking for a new space and inquired about their Mezzanine level. We moved in the first of June and really like the space. Maybe some pictures when it's all sorted out. 

This bed is for a client of Derek Vanlandingham. I have worked with Derek for many years while he was with John Phifer Marrs Interiors. This is our first project together since he went out on his own, with many more to come.

HOT STUFF!!

 These are a few shots of the arms being bent out of 1/4" by 5" flat steel. This will become part of the "nest that will hold a Oiled Cypress platform. The whole thing will be hung from stainless cable on a second floor porch off of the Master suite.

hold a Oiled Cypress platform. The whole thing will be hung from stainless cable on a second floor porch off of the Master suite.

                                     Now on to my current project with Emily Owens Design.
This is the inspiration picture for a TV Cabinet for a private conference room. We had to stretch the length to accommodate the TV and the space. You can see we changed the middle doors to a bookshelf unit that will be removable for access to the TV.

                                       This is a shot of the jig to rout a relief panel in the legs.

The beginning of the tapered leg with a spade foot.

                                                 

                                                   One of the outside frames dry clamped.

                                            The frames set up against the full size drawing.

      Detail of the curved panel that makes the transition from the end units to the bookshelf unit.

The basic carcase glued up upside down.

Lot's more to come!

   


Thought I would post a picture or two of the Louis XVI chairs that I did a few months earlier.

Next is a couple of shots of a modern dining table for Emily Owens. I don't do modern stuff that often but when I saw the wood she selected I had to do it. The species is Quarter sawn Eucalyptus and the pictures do not it justice. It has a twinkle all its own. This is also going to have a band of hammered nickel around the edge of the top and at the base.

Stay tuned working on some really cool projects for the end of the year!!