Zart 1312 forged railing - cont. Day 2 install

...two more panels installed. Four down, five to go.

Zart 1312 forged railing - cont.

Here's some pics from the past week. April and I started installation on Saturday and will continue everyday until it's finished. The mahogany molding needs to be attached to the top channel, but this is how they look inside of Zart.

Thanks Maribeth, Dennis, Daphne, Norm and "DELBERT!"

Zart 1312 forged railing

We're hard to work on the interior railing for Zart 1312's new space in downtown Des Moines. Hundreds and hundreds of feet of 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" round steel bar has to be forged to give the appearance of growing vines...and the forging is done cold. Needless to say, we've had our cores shaken.

While we take care of the steel fabrication, Terry Reeves (below) is fashioning a mahogany molding to cover the steel channel. Finish will be raw steel with the client applying a satin oil-based polyurethane.

16th Annual YWRC "Sit On It!" benefit

This will be the third year I've proudly donated some furniture pieces to the Young Women's Resource Center's annual "Sit On It!" benefit. This year is a little different, as I've collaborated with interior designer, associate and all-around-swell-guy, Daniel Hyland These tables measure 18"h and 12"w fashioned out of 1/4" x 9" mild steel, designed by Daniel. They are shown here prior to being powder-coated.

Please make plans to attend the event on April 16th at the Polk County Convention Complex featuring these tables, and many other items built and donated by other Des Moines artists and builders. Contact Christina Jarck with the YWRC at 244-4901 for more information.

Matt Gardner Residence - installation

'Twas a chilly day for an installation this morning. Luckily, everything went off without a hitch. Thanks to Matt Gardner of Gardner Homes for allowing us build for his personal residence. Another BIG thanks to Brian Miller with Miller's Custom Powder Coating for shooting the stair rails on this job on a Saturday morning. Your generosity and kindness has no boundaries....

This build was fabricated of 3" sq. tube posts, 1 1/2" sq. tube rails and 3/4" sq. tube pickets. The rails were powdered with a 20% semi-gloss black finish and anchored to the deck with 5/16" lags.

Matt Gardner Residence

Here's some shots of yesterday's activities in the shop. The stair rails for the Gardner Residence were mocked up and fit yesterday. Everything was plumb, and the posts hit each tread just like they're supposed to. Pickets were tacked in place, and final welding needs to be done later today before installation tomorrow. It's gonna look great.

Daniel Hyland Design

Daniel and I delivered this table to the Niegsch Residence in Ames this afternoon. The powder-coated finish is actually "statuary bronze," intended to feign a well-worn bronze piece. This finish, coupled with the simple, clean lines makes for a very elegant piece if I do say so myself. With the table to the wall, there are absolutely no visible welds. This simplicity, in my mind, is due to very thoughtful and intelligent design.

The expression "less is more" is an understatement with regards to this piece. Well done, Daniel! Thank you for allowing me to fabricate it...

Daniel Hyland Design

Here's a table I finished fabricating today for Daniel Hyland Design. 1/4" x 12" plate was used to build a side table 36"H x 48"L. The powder finish will be similar to that of an oil rubbed bronze.

Herron Residence railing installation - part ii

Here's the finality of railing for the Herron residence in North Liberty. Thanks again, Kent, for the your extreme generosity, patience and hospitality. Hope we can work together again!

The Lift installation

'Twas a gorgeous day for an installation this afternoon. I'm usually very satisfied with the projects I create. I won't send them out if they aren't, but I'm VERY happy with how this sign came together. I just looks "classy." Clean.

"Thanks to the Academy" goes out to Amedeo Rossi and T.J. Wood. Cheers fellas!!!

The Lift

The original sign for The Lift (see above), on 4th St. in downtown Des Moines, is a little worn out. Here's the work being done on the new one. The background is a 4/4 cypress wood glue-up. The framework, scroll work and lettering is all 1/8" mild steel that was cut on a water jet. The steel is attached with 1/4" x 20 NC studs through the wood. This'll be an improvement for the long haul indeed. Thanks to TJ and 'Deo...

Herron Residence railing installation

Here's the completed installation of the Herron residence railing from Saturday. Actually, this is "Phase I" of the job. A portion of the deck that is wood and not the rubber membrane was built out to be flush with the fascia of the garage. That will be fabricated and hopefully installed next week. Thanks to Kent Herron for his incredible hospitality and patience! I wish every client was as kind and generous as you, sir! A big thanks to my bro-in-law, Clint Haight, for throwing me a lending hand on the install on one of his days off. Always appreciated. Clint didn't want his picture taken...see below. They're actually a couple of nice shots...

Cheers...

Kent Herron's rails

Here's a 20' section of railing being built for a client in North Liberty, IA. The sections of railing are to be side-mounted to the fascia with 3/8" lags through 3/8" thick 4"x6" flanges. Tubing is 1 1/2" square with 1/2" sq. solid pickets. Finish will be a black powder coat finish.

The rails are side-mount due to the deck actually being the roof of the client's garage. The roof in turn is a rubber membrane, so putting holes in it is being avoided for obvious reasons.

This photo is at the beginning of the build. Fabrication is complete with only a little grinding left before having them shot. Installation should happen at the end of the week.

Pauly

Magazine rack

Busted this out today. Hard maple. 4" D x 10 3/4" W x 30" L. Based on a client-provided pic. Custom woodburning and a water-borne polyurethane finish.

Haiku - stainless steel counter top

What a week. I can't even begin to explain what a daunting undertaking constructing a 24' stainless steel counter top can be. Just the sheer physical size of the project is more than enough for a one-man shop. The actual welding of two 14 ga. stainless steel joints measured at 32" is a monster I had yet to face. I barely...barely slayed the beast. Learn a lot I did on this one! So much so, I'll have to really evaluate taking on another one of these. I have a newfound respect for stainless steel.

Obviously, just moving this thing takes a few guys. No shortage of thanks should be paid to everyone at Miller's Custom Powder Coating. JJ, Terry, Bob and Pauly - thanks for loading, unloading, flipping and moving this thing around over the past week. Big thanks to Brian for use of the trailer! A HUGE thanks to Jim Howe at Howe Welding and Fabrication in Ames, IA. Jim was INCREDIBLY generous to open his shop up to me last week in order to do some stress relief on the stainless joints. Howe's generosity is seldom found these days. Thank you.

Now, I just have a day of polishing ahead of me this week.

New sticker...get some.

New black on white 4.25" x 2.75" stickers will be here in a few weeks. Want a couple? Drop me your snail mail here ----> info AT factoriifab DOT com

Haiku - "Yes...Good Day" - The triumphant return of "JG!"

"Yes, good day, Terry!"


Today was quite the productive and prosperous undertaking. Terry and I managed to demo what was-to-be the original counter substrate yesterday and build all the carcases for new cabinetry today. One 8' carcase and two at 42". The spaces in between will house a 4' reach-in cooler for the sushi chefs. Terry will be trimming all the faces in 3/4" x 1 1/2" red oak tomorrow.

But...and "listen to me now..."

This progress wouldn't have happened today if it weren't for Terry suggesting we "bring JG onto the job." JG is our trusty jobsite Craftsman table saw. Earlier in the year at the London Underground in Ames, we found JG next to an empty Miller Lite keg in the basement one morning. Yeah, he may have had a few pints the night before, but he performed like a champ that day.

Funny, JG is just where you'd expect to find him - bellied up to the bar. Too bad nobody told him the Miller guy has yet to drop off any inventory... GOOD DAY!

Haiku - booth installation...many days

Here's the progress of the Haiku built-ins after a week's worth of installation work. 2x4 frame construction with true 4/4 solid white oak. I spent the good part of Christmas Eve staining the entire build a water-based "Espresso" stain with Terry's HVLP gun. Initially, the plan was to have only a clear polyurethane topcoat - then the chairs and tables arrived. Both are finished dark. Very dark.

The booth runs are 20' and 30', respectively. Hopefully Haiku will be open within the month. Sushi anyone?