Barn wood bed - headboard assembled

Alas, the headboard is assembled and 95 percent complete. The arch will receive a 1/4" x 2" steel cap with some faux rivets that will match the steel lags pinning the mortise and tenon joints. The only thing I'm waiting for are the 3/4" hammered steel rods that tie in the top of the posters. This, like most other pieces, is for sale. Send queries and $100 bills here.

Light table - looking for an owner

This piece has been weighing on my mind for a few years now...and in the works for as long. The table top is two laminated pieces of 3/4" birch MDF; 48" diameter. The center has been CNC machine routed to accomodate a 1/2" pane of tempered glass 24" in diameter. The skeleton of the pedestal is 1/2" tube square wrapped with 20 gage sheet metal. The inner wall of the pedestal will be wrapped with 1/8" birch ply. The base is made entirely of solid maple with an inlay of 1/4" depth to allow for the acceptance of the lower steel ring. The visible reveal of the maple flush with the steel is 1" (as shown in the picture). Six threaded studs have been welded to bottom of the lower ring, thus, allowing for the fixation of the wood base to the steel pedestal. The addition of a dimmable light at the bottom of the base will allow the user to set the illumination viewed through the glass. Four floor levelers with plastic glides will be inset into the bottom of the base to protect any flooring. Client will have choice of the finished color and stain for the steel and wood, respectively.

This is a one-off piece I have little intent of producing in the near future. I'm not saying I'll NEVER build another, but the cost of material, time and labor all culminates to be quite a bit of work.

Questions, comments and complaints can always be directed to me, Boonie...Thanks for taking a look, I'll entertain any serious offers sent to me.

Two Wheels and a Motor

I implore everyone to visit Two Wheels And A Motor. It's a podcast produced by some buddies up in Minneapolis about the best form of transportation known to man...or woman.

Chopping block...

Here's the completed cutting board for Ryan and Kellie. Maple and walnut, approximately 19 1/2" x 25 1/2".

Summer's shapin' up...

It's funny how things (life, circumstances, friends, emotions, the litter box) can change like the weather in Iowa. One day is a bust and the next is beaming with enough creative potential to send the mind reeling. Between the stuff I want to get done, NEED to get done and the time I'll be away this summer, I'll have a scant amount of time for a few one-off projects. If you've been thinking about a piece/project, let me know soon.

Bethany and I will be in Minneapolis this weekend celebrating our two-year (today!). I'll post some pics of the chopping block I've been working on this weekend for Brother Ryan O'Rourke.

Stump

Thanks for taking the pics, Bethany...

Fong's Pizza - pagoda tapper box

This was fabricated in December '08 for Fong's Pizza in the downtown Court Ave. district in Des Moines. 1/4" mild steel throughout with stainless on the backside for the beer faucets. Lights are fed up through the bottom of the structure and illuminate the "building," making the white plexiglass glow. 24" tall, 10" deep, 18" long. Finish is powdercoat.

Log..."it's big/it's heavy/it's wood..."

...and next week it will be a client's end table. Elm/21" tall/around 18"-20" diameter.

Red oak built-in...complete

Here's the finished installation. Approximately 10"x24"x38"

Red oak built-in

Despite the title of this blog, I am versed in the trade of "carpentry." At least, enough to be more than dangerous. Actually, I've been messing around with lumber and carpentry tools MUCH longer than any welding/steel fabrication. This post is an example. This is a small oak built-in for a client I previously built a Craftsman style bench for. She's had lots of custom Arts & Crafts and Shaker pieces fashioned for her by some of her "Amish" boys. Very cool stuff. But, seeing how it might take them a long time to get to Ankeny, I was her next choice. Pretty basic design really: 3/4" oak ply fastened to the walls with four shelves attached (pocket holes) to the ply. The most difficult task, and even not that bad, was anchoring the base to the concrete under the carpet. The following photos are the fabrication and mock-up of the finished piece while I was still in the shop. Today, pieces were fit, adjusted and stained in preparation for polyurethane tomorrow and, with any luck, final assembly.


Here's the base. MDF on the bottom with laminated oak ply that has been kerfed to achieve a requested "softened" radius.



The base with the bottom shelf on it.



The completed mock-up sans trim pieces.

Barn wood bed - headboard II

All of the mortises have been drilled, cleaned-out and fit with the slats, as shown. The next process will be to rout out the corresponding mortises for the top of the headboard. As the top is in halves, each will be routed exactly half of the thickness of the slats to form the mortises.

It'll have to wait next until next week as I have a red oak built-in to fabricate for a client in Ankeny.

Barn wood bed - heardboard

Here's a mock-up of the headboard. The slats are 5 1/2" - 6" wide with a thickness approximately 1". The top of the arch sits at 58 1/2" right now. It will get a 1/4" x 1 1/2" piece of steel to cap the exposed, sawn top. The next step is to attach some cleats to the side rails and throw down some hardwood mattress slats. The box spring will barely be above the side rails, so there's no need for skirting...It's finally coming together...

Barn wood bed - II

Work commenced on the barn wood bed this morning. Finally, it's a standing frame with all of the mortise and tenon joints complete. The posters will be joined together with 3/4" round hammered steel rod. The footboard will remain as is, structurally. The headboard will receive an arched top with board slats placed vertically...if you're lost, I'll post when it's finished.

Lumicor - Mobile privacy divider

4'x4' Lumicor panel

Lots of things got done today in shop, but alas, no new pictures. This is it.

I dropped off a donated table to the Young Women's Resource Center and met up with Bethany to celebrate St. Chelsea's Day at Fongs. Actually got to drink in front of the pagoda I fabricated last fall.

This picture makes me pine for a new beginning...something better on the horizon. I don't know what that is, or when it will arrive...but I'm hoping it's soon. I'm ready to stretch my legs, find my stride and run free...

Cheese

I did make some other things today, including the pedestal for the last Lumicor frame for Complete Spine. But none of those photos were that interesting. Perhaps tomorrow I'll have some better shots of it all mocked up.

This was a Kraft Singles (American cheese) and Muenster on whole wheat with Picket Fence butter on the bread. Hells yeah, it was good! Bethany and Nacho are in the background...

Cafe in the Park - Adel

This pretty much summed up my Saturday with Beth.

Vintage book

Closure - Lumicor frames

After a few construction pains, the panels and frames are up; large and in charge. I can't thank Dr. and Mrs. Davis enough for allowing me to do these pieces. I'm very, very happy with how they turned out. Like a proud father with two new twins.

L Y C I A

People that know me well or have known me for a long time know how in to this band/project I am. It's ambient/darkwave/ethereal/goth etc. On rainy days when I'm feeling down at the shop, I'll blast this...it keeps me down. "The Morning Breaks So Cold And Gray" will be played at my funeral...