Almost Show Time

Today im gluing up the sides and shelving material for the corner cabinet  ( dont worry we going to show how), and get it processed , ready to go , and will film the show starting this afternoon or in the morning, so Sherri has time to get it all rendered and what ever has to be done , so its ready to go on thursday…This will be fun and educational….or at least I hope so… we sure are working hard to make it so, Ken and Sherri have been slamming to get all the players and web site rocking…better them than me , all i got to do is build a corner cupboard , but im already thinking on the next project…debating on either a sofa table with cabriolet legs and drop leaves something like this  http://antiquesbuiltdaily.com/Website%20Photos/August24/sidetables/table31alarge.jpg

except with leaves , or a mahogany lowboy , something like the bottom portion of this high boy http://antiquesbuiltdaily.com/Website%20Photos/August25/bedroom/bed6large.jpg

cant believe i dont have any lowboy photos on the web site..have done a ton of them,

so what do you guys think, or if you have other suggestions let me know, remember the whole point of this show is to learn something new….and i will say this again, dont let any of these projects intimidate you…..its my job to show and explain it so you CAN build it…and as well to be here if you have issues….and one more time…this stuff isnt rocket science and it isnt all that hard unless you insist it be , we going to uncomplicate , what everyone has spent decades complicating….just so you know my objective

  Well , i am still slamming away, and wanting to get the news letter out, it may have to wait until the weekend, when I have a little more time …doing a thing on drum sanders,and sandpaper , and cleaning it ( a big deal if you own one),  and cutting tombstone raised panels…and got a few cool new tools to show ya… well best get to the gettin, just wanted to drop in and give you an update

Bringing the Bacon home

Guys i know i been sort of quiet here on the forum and blog, but i been slamming away…I mean wide open…had to get all the additional filming done on bases and cases , which i still have to film the last of the big clothes press…but i had to get all the panels made   to film it as well as the interior components so you can see how it all goes together….as well i am finishing up a writing desk, and several other things…and We got the show….thats why i been so hard at it , i want the time to fully focus on it, here is a picture of the corner cabinet we are going to do as a first project  , this one is birdseye maple , we are going to use tiger maple,  http://antiquesbuiltdaily.com/Website%20Photos/August24/Hutches/cornercupboard3large.jpg     , and still not sure if im gonna do butt hinges or rattails…and thinking i want to do a broken arch and finial top ( set on or lift off) , which will give the piece a more formal look , not as elaborate as this but similar  http://antiquesbuiltdaily.com/Website%20Photos/August25/Hutches/hutch2large.jpg   both of these pieces are of my own design , so we will be looking at design elements as well ….actually the first episode  we will start out going over a “story board” where we lay it all out so we know what we are doing and then on to gluing up the shelves and sides…and getting everything cut and sized and ready to build the cases…it proves to be a  really good show, the story board thing is where we explain how we use them to build from and how we lay everything out so we have a plan, its important to do this in the first show so from here on in you will bw able to follow the story and make your own as well as design your own..it is actually quite simple and prevents alot of issues…but we not going to spend alot of time on it , want to get to the building …

  I got to get a newsletter written as well…i got so busy and focused  , I wasnt paying attention to what day it was and im late on it …so guess i best get to it , but sometime ya got to just build and build some more…to keep the bills paid and some bacon and grits on the table….I know you all know how that one goes….ok later guys  ..

time for some glue

yesterday i got all my raised panels done ,sanded and trace dyed ,I will be using an amber dye as a base for this walnut case, then a light brown over the top when we get to finishing it, i want a nice amber/ honey tone to it so it has an antique patina about it, and walnut lightens as it ages …as does any wood that has the word “nut ” in it.( chestnut, butternut ,etc)  , red woods darken  ( cherry, mahogany etc), poplars brown up so do pines….

so  here are some photos of where we are at on making the clothes press we showed a couple weeks back….all made and ready to glue up and make the case …got to finish making the door , it has “tombstone panels at the top, always have to carve the arches a little in at the inside corners….so iguess i need to get to it…later ya’ll

Still Rockin

I been  rockin hard, real hard….getting the clothes press panels ready to go, lots of rail and Stiles and raised panels, I am building the case first , then will deal with the interior components , thats not typical for me , but i have everything laid out on a 4 x 8 sheet of mdf and fitting it as I go, it works quite well, no surprises at the end , today its all the raised panels , lots of routing …and panel prep…. I will get some photos and hopefully the girls will them up tomorrow, today they are finishing up a large DVD order  , 4000 disc had to be burned and put in cases and so forth , a lot of work , so its been long days for all of us.., This case im doing was questionable if i needed to include it in cases and bases, but i think there are portions we do need in the DVD, the techniques work  all so well, so it need’s to be there,  so it will be…the DVd is filmed and Sherri is doing the editing , and its coming quite well….they are getting all the cases and stuff to run them , so its rock and roll for the next  several weeks…at least, but then again like i always say..” better to wonder how we going to get it all done than worry about what we are going to do”, and furniture orders are up as well…. thats a good thing,  I am so thankful, when you are in a business that is based on pure wants rather than needs, it gets scary when you see the economy drop like we have, but we have been one of the fortunate ones, we have managed to stay quite busy,  the woodworking , furniture thing is still the main stay, it is what pays the bills , so iguess i best get to the gettin , but something seems out of balance here…there are one of me ( ed helps evenings part time sanding and finishing stuff ), but there are 2 or 3 girls….for the DVD office stuff…. but they will  help lift or carry when needed , and if i  need heavy lifting , Jeff Fleisher , or Billy will come give me a hand, so i guess it all works out, later ya’ll

Need Your opinion

I have been asked and have  pondered for several months now what my 10 top , mush have tools are..thats hard… I have a few that are definates…and planning to post in the newsletter…but i thought i would ask you guys….just post it in the comments section here…..think on it , what would be your candidates… tools you just wouldnt want to be without….so give me your input…..  , some of mine are , of course my table saw…the worksharp, routers, ( note plural), miter saw  ( chop saw), cordless drill, band saw, bench chisels, dovetail saw….just to name a few….so let me here your thoughts, 

thanks ya’ll in advance.

One More Day

thought I would be finished with filming today, but it will go one more day…added some more stuff….I always seem to do that…I sit down and start thinking, I should do this, and I should do that…and I do, but it’s always those little details ,that make all the difference….so I try to get them in there….Today I am doing the bombe side , how we shape it , and do the sliding dovetails in the side….I realize its one of those things you may never do, but if you do, you will know how, or if you encounter something similar, you will have a good idea of where to think, and a basis to start with…

  Sherri and Ken as slamming to get the show registration ready and get that completed…and then I need to write the news letter first of the week, then have to take a short trip to pick some Mahogany fo another Bombe, and some other projects…one will be the Pembroke Table for the Woodcraft magazine , and I think we will do a Mahogany Lowboy with cabriolet legs for the show, and thinking  a  chest on chest, and a blanket chest…perhaps…serious stuff…the stuff the magizines  and all dont want to tackle in a detailed form…we  are going to couple of beds, dressers, tables and all its coming , im gathering materials  as we speak…so I think it will be well recieved…hope so…..any way…its out to the shop and  make a bombe side  ( bottom case )

Filming, filming and more filming

just a quick note to let you know we are filming away wrapping up cases and bases…to day we are doing bracket feet, crowns, bunn feet installation, moulding installation and making, and crown making as well as install, and other stuff, gonna try to get a short clip on the drum sanders and papers and use and CLEANING off those *&%^$&%*& mineral burns…..will let ya know when we get it done…., ok ok ok im coming…being paged from the camera girl…..later yall

Here it comes ..Bases and Cases

as all of you know we have been working really hard on this DVD, and now have it about wrapped up, I will be finishing the filming this week , and Sherri will finishing the editing next week, I think its one of my best DVD.s, but thats just me, The single biggest thing i want you to get is how we deal with expansion and contraction,as well as installing crowns and mouldings with no visable means of attachment, ( no filling required), I dont want anyone to be of the assumption this is about any specific pieces, its not, what we did was to use various pieces that present different challenges , and construction techniques…fo example the hunt board, construction looks quite simple, but in reality it presents alot of expansion and contraction issues, the stepback on the other hand looks difficult, but is actually a very simple build, and doesnt have near the movement issues , then we did the lower case of the Bombe, showing you how we shaped it , and how we made it handle the expansion and contraction of 23″ wide , one board sides, that were shaped out of a solid chunk of 12/4 material,
I could go on and on, you will get my simple way of making internal construction much easier, ( drawer runners and guides), how i make the crowns and deal with all that stuff….this is a big DVD, it will wind up 6 to 8 disc., and is pure case work and bases, mostly cases, so today ( i think) Sherri will release it, we are doing ( as always) a pre release with a discount, for a couple of weeks, this allows us to know how many we need to make, and helps us not under or over do it , after i finish filming the last of cases and bases , we do the first show piece, i really wanted to get the cases and bases done before starting on the corner cupboard, dont want all that on my plate, want to stay totally focused on each project….and as always , if you are not happy with anything you get from me ,return it for a full refund including you return shipping…just how we do it…thanks in advance for all your support and i hope my DVD’s help you in your woodworking , and take some of the intimidation out of it.., again i say…”its not rocket science”, if it was i wouldnt be doing it.. catch ya later

Shop Tour

Over the weekend we tore the shop up, painted, re-arranged and found most everything! What a job. I’ve got to tell ya, it was worth the effort. Now it’s clean and almost neat, back to work!

Our old camera the gray walls did better for filming but the new one, everything looks drab and gave a subdued look so we decided to paint everything an antique white. Sure is brighter and cleaner looking, I like it a lot.

Painted the finish area a bright white, want the reflection, want to be able to see the gloss behind the spray gun. When you are spraying, it is very important to see how wet you are applying the finish, bright lights and walls really help.

We got some more to do but here is a look, no matter how big your shop is, it’s never big enough.

Okay, we got a clean (well almost) shop, good lighting, looks like it’s almost “Show Time!”

Later ya’ll.

Gettin with the program

ok classes are done, museum trip completed..time to get back to work…get the huntboard finished up and filmed for bases and cases and get rolling on another case piece…also to be in cases and bases, so its rock and roll
over the weekend i will glue up for the corner cabinet sides and shelves….( it will be filmed), and get to working on that as well….yea yea i know, but hey I always got several pieces in the mix..always..that will only be 6 …not a problem….keeps me on my toes…its actually not as it would seem, several pieces are in finishing stage , couple are  finished building, and Ed is sanding them ..( in the eveing), so its all working together.

ok , guess its time to hit the shop ,and get rolling

 

later ya’ll