What's New at TimothyClark.com

Chairs and Beds

2011-12-23T12:52:00.000-05:00

Pictured below is the milled out stock which will become an eight sided tapered post for one of my Low Post Beds. The first four tapers are cut on the table saw and the next four are shaped by hand. The top of the post shows marking for the first of four tapers.

Skipping ahead, below are the four posts with the tapers completed. The posts still need to have their mortices cleaned up and to be sanded.

Below is a closer shot showing the lambs tongue transition from the square post to the eight sided taper.

Below, a set of New Waltham chairs have two coats of oil. They will get another one or two after the holidays.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Tim

Trestle Table with Leaves II

2011-12-18T22:15:00.001-05:00

I have not posted in a long time as I have been busy getting caught up on work. At my bench below is one of the trestles for a Trestle Table with leaves. This is the second one that I am doing now. I was very happy with the first so it is great to have the opportunity to do the same piece again. I have many pieces on my website but I find that there are a few that I make over and over again. If I was smart, I guess I could make that into a huge business. Oh well, things are moving along nicely now after a slow summer.

I was experimenting with my camera on these shots. They are all taken at night without flash (my flash broke)(I hardly used it anyway).

This shot shows the through wedged tenon on the underside of the trestle before I saw and plane it flush to the base. A very strong but time consuming joint.

This shows the untrimmed pegs that add to the strength of the tenon joint. Also, you can see the hand planed curved surface of the top of the "leg". All of the edges are given this treatment on this piece. It really is a nice surface to run your hand or foot over while sitting at the table.

Below are a couple shots of my work area. A finished but not "finished" set of New Waltham chairs hang to the left. Yes, it is a mess. This is at the end of a busy day. Most surfaces are cleaned up quite often but it takes very little time for me to clutter things up again.

Winter is a good time to be in the shop.

Enjoy the bustle before Christmas.

Tim

Mariner's Raw Teak Chart Pencil

2011-11-05T11:26:00.001-04:00

Teak is an amazing wood that is often used as the decking of all kinds of seafaring craft. It is amazingly rot resitant even when left unfinshed. Most teak decking is actually left unfinished and will weather to a grey or when oiled will be a warm brown. I have left this pen unfinished so that it can gradually take on a burnished warm brown with use. The .7mm pencil lead seems to work well for chart work. Not too thick a line and not as prone to breaking as a .5mm lead.

While a pencil is necessary for the chart table, a pen is nice to have for more permanent writing, so I also make a pen with a Cross twist mechanism in raw teak. I had a piece of teak around from my boat building days and thought it might be just the thing for the mariner or armchair mariner.

Teak Chart Pencil- $30 -pictured above (includes a drawstring pouch)

Teak Chart Pen- $30. (includes a drawstring pouch)

Teak Chart Pen and Pencil Set- $50.

Pictured below is a new pen made of Wenge. I bought a board of Wenge about 24 years ago and made a few hand plane bases with it. I still have a bit of that in the shop and decided that it might be good for a pen. It is a very hard tropical hardwood that will polish with use. The finish is wax alone to bring out the color. This pen would cost $30.

Happy Fall,

Tim

Tiger Maple Trestle Table for My House, Finally

2011-10-12T21:38:00.000-04:00

When we first moved into our house, we used a small - four person- kitchen table that I made. About 8 years ago we had Thanksgiving at our house so I put together a larger table made out of saw horses and three rough pine planks that were left over siding for the house. We are still using that table. Not for long though as I am finally making us a table. The top is made up of three (I had to keep something from the old table) wide tiger maple planks. It will have breadboard ends and a milk painted trestle base. Since time is always an issue, the base will be a simplified version of my usual Trestle Table base. It will look the same except the cross beam will be joined like a bolted bed rail instead of using a keyed through tenon. Also, the joints in the trestles themselves will be bolted mortice and tenon joints instead of 3" long through wedged tenons. This simplified design may be something that I will offer to those who are trying to keep price down where possible. There are not many times where there is an opportunity to save $ when making quality furniture. I will let you all know how this base works out.

Below, the three tiger maple planks sit together, surface planed but not edge jointed.

The glue-up below.

The table had a few very pretty sap pockets that I filled with clear epoxy so that they will be smooth. I like these character marks. They give the table some landscape.

This table is for me, so I do not have to worry about little things that I would otherwise worry about. There were two damaged spots on one board so I inlayed shapes of cherry to add a bit more landscape to the surface. When you sit at the same table for three meals a day you really get to know it. A tiger maple table with these character elements will be nice to sit at I think. I know our kids will enjoy finding them.

The video below shows the breadboard end being test fitted to the table.

More on this table at a later date as it progresses.
Have a good one,
Tim

Furniture Show in Woodstock, Vermont

2011-09-25T20:50:00.000-04:00

By the time Hurricane Irene hit Vermont, it was considered to be a tropical storm but it dropped so much rain that it had a huge impact on parts of our state. On my way to Woodstock by way of Route 4, I passed these signs of the destruction. These pics were taken today. 9/25/11

upended building near Bridgewater Corners

smashed house a further down the road

a wooden deck steel bridge that was torn right off of the banks

Add caption

Just down the road, this last shot is my booth the the two day Woodstock Fine Furnishings Show. I sold a couple of chairs which makes for a successful show and may have chair set orders coming from this. It was a smaller crowd than last year but they were people who were very interested. Time to get back to work now.

We were very lucky to have not had any damage from the storm. I am glad that I was finally able to see what the storm actually did. You can hear it and see it on the news but until you see it , it is hard to really understand the impact of it all. I am amazed that more people were not killed. The water carved such huge swaths through the valleys. A lot of road crews etc are still hard at work trying to repair the damage. I think the impacts will be seen for quite a while.

Have a good one,

Tim

Tiger Maple Trestle Table

2011-08-24T07:37:00.001-04:00

Maple wood, while usually thought of as the vanilla of furniture woods can also have variations in the grain that turn it from milk toast to down right exotic. Here in the north east, we find hard and soft figured maple. Soft maple seems to be the most consistent when looking for great figure. Usage varies, but in my experience, curly maple refers to figured maple and the terms tiger, birds-eye or quilted, refer to specific patterns of figure. The wood for this table is soft tiger maple. The top is the white color that we usually think of being "maple" color. The base is also soft tiger maple but it has some spalting and brown color going though it.

Wood of this character and even figure is not easy to find. It is generally hit or miss. You pick through piles and you may get lucky. The yard where I get this wood from is a small yard. The owner separates the special woods such as curly maple, cherry and others so that we don't have to pick through the piles to find them. And he gets to charge a hefty premium for them. The wood for this table cost me 3 times what I had expected. The board foot price was $15./bf. Cherry is usually around $5.- $5.50/bf. Plain old maple is usually around $2. something/bf.

Luckily, I do not often make this mistake when pricing a piece. When I put this table on my website, it will list a price that is about $1000. more than what I sold this one for. Part of that is the actual price of the wood and part of it is that it is due to the difficulty in finding enough of this type of wood that will work together for a specific project. For this table, I pretty much cleaned out my supplier of his stash of great soft curly tiger maple. That means that I would need to do some searching to find enough for another table such as this one.

This table has a few "scars" from its days as a tree.
Often, these are quite beautiful and can be worked with.
The two or three on this table are filled with epoxy to make them smooth.
This adds a great amount of character without sacrificing on functionality.

The preliminary design for this table came about very quickly but after living with it for a bit, I made some small changes that really made it work. For instance, I moved the posts in toward the center a bit to create a bit of a flat on the trestle base just inboard of the beginning of the tapered foot. Also, at the cut-out bottom, the foot begins with an angled cut from the foot to the horizontal cut-out. This little angle created an arrow like quality to the tapered feet. The base of the table is a double posted trestle because of its great width. With two posts and two cross beams, this table is rock solid.

This table measures 76" by 50". It is 10" wider than any other table that I have made in the past. It was very challenging in a few different ways. Glueing up a flat surface made up of several boards is not a simple task so adding to the width adds to the hair pulling. Wood expands and contracts across the grain, so the breadboard end needs to accommodate this seasonal movement. This is more difficult, the wider the table. last of all, the top is so large that turning it over again and again, in order to work on it, is a challenge at best. The saw horses that the table top laid on, had to be screwed to the floor so that they would not tip over when flipping the top. As I do not have any helpers these days, this had to be done by myself. During the finishing process, the top must be finished equally on each side or it will warp. This means that it gets flipped at least daily.

The price of the exact table would be $4600. It could also be made in other woods and at a narrower width for $3600. I think it is a good design that can be adapted to different sizes. Feel free to suggest a size that works for you. All of my tables are custom.

Have a good one,

Tim

If you have been following my blogs, you may notice that this post is more wordy than others. This is part of my Notes series that will flesh out some of the process and thoughts that goes into a design.

Getting Caught Up

2011-08-12T14:17:00.000-04:00

I am finally getting some of my work done that was delayed by my illness with Lyme Disease. That set me back a few weeks. Below are some shots of low pencil posts that I am working on and one shot of the trestle table that I am finishing. I will post more shots of that table when I am all done next week. Enjoy the rest of the summer,

Tim

Here I am planing the facets on the eight sided tapering posts for my Low Post beds. I am working on two right now. I am always a bit sad when this part is done. It is a lot of fun.

Here, are some posts before and after planing the last four facets out of eight. Before, planing the last facets, the lamb's tongue must be chiseled. That can be seen on the posts to the right.

This shows a finished facet and lamb's tongue. The roughed out lamb's tongue is carefully shaved to shape with a very sharp chisel and then the rest of the facet is planed to blend into it.

This is a detail shot of a curly maple trestle table that I am finishing up. The wood has fantastic figure.

Cherry Trestle Table with Leaves

2011-06-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

I just finished this table yesterday and am now sitting and waiting for the shippers to get here to take it to California. Ok, I am working on the computer. You caught me.

Below is a shot of the table with the end leaves attached. It is 6' long without leaves and 8' long with the leaves. The challenge of this project was to make the method of attaching the slides work well, be strong, and look great. I think I succeeded on this one. My feeling is that, I hate to cut a table in two in order to have it extend. I like the main table to be rock solid on its own. That is why I like the idea of end leaves.

The darker strip of wood is the breadboard end that is part of the table itself. The leaf is shaped to mate to the convex surface of the breadboard end.

The hollowed edge of the leaf is designed to mate to the convex edge of the end of the main table.

Here, you can see the keyed saddle joint that holds the leaf firmly in place.

This shows the leaf support slides in their resting position, with the leaves off.

Here is the table without the leaves with one of my New Waltham side chairs.

You can see more about this table at my website.

Have a good one,

Tim

New Waltham Side Chairs in a New Home

2011-06-25T07:03:00.001-04:00

Here is a set of my New Waltham side chairs around a clients modern dining table. I think the light has washed out the red of the cherry a bit in this photo. I do like seeing these chairs with very minimal tables. They seem to work well like this. The warm wood is a nice contract to the glass and stone.

Below is one of these chairs as photographed in my shop. You can see that they actually have a bit more color even when new. With time, the cherry will darken quite a bit more.

You can find more on this chair here on my website.

Have a good one.

Tim

Finishing the 5' Waltham Bench

2011-06-19T21:47:00.000-04:00

This windsor bench is one of my favorites. In my mind, it embodies the best characteristics of the first American windsor chairs. Compared to other furniture of the day (mid to late 1700's) American windsors were very lean and streamlined. My version takes it another step in the lean direction due to the Shaker influence that much of my work has.

Getting the shape right before final sanding of the seat.

Doing some of the detail painting work on the second coat of milk paint.

This shot shows the long lean lines of this bench. Also, you can see the chalkiness of the milk paint before it is oiled and varnished.

I designed my Waltham line of chairs and benches to be something that could have been made by a farmer. All of the spindles and legs are shaved on the shaving horse rather than turned on a lathe. Fancy furniture would have intricate turnings for legs, stretchers and some spindles. Any farmer would have had the tools to make this bench.

Enjoy the dry weather,

Tim

Trestle Table Base with Through Mortice and Tenons, Wedged and Pegged

2011-06-03T19:29:00.000-04:00

A trestle table in my opinion is the most sturdy of table base designs. It also does not have an apron which leaves the sitter with more knee room. Below are a few shots as one of the trestles goes together. The fitting of the tenon is a time consuming process to get it just right. The assembly is uncomfortably quick and it often feels as if I am forgetting something. This table will be a custom version of the table on my website.

The trestle parts, top, post and base are laid out.

The tenons are slotted to accept long wedges which will tighten the joint after assembly. The mortice or hole is wider at the top to allow the wedges to lock the tenon in place.

Large pegs are added to the joint to make sure that it stays put. Belt and suspenders.

Flattening a table top with a hand plane

2011-05-18T17:47:00.000-04:00

Here is a video clip showing how to use a hand plane to even up individual planks of a table top and also to flatten it across it's width.

This is one of the techniques that goes into a hand made table. Working with a sharp plane like this is a lot of fun. It is very satisfying as it hisses through the wood. This will be one of my Trestle Tables but with have two add-on end leaves. I will post more about this table as it comes along.
Happy Spring.
Stay dry,
Tim

Chairs, Tables, Rain

2011-05-06T09:52:00.000-04:00

I have not posted in a while as spring is here and things are very busy with work, kid's soccer, outside clean up and projects after a long winter and the joy of warmer weather even if it has been very, very, very, wet.

I am working on a couple of dining tables at the moment as well as getting a set of eight New Waltham Side Chairs together.

These chairs have the laminated leg brace that is morticed into the leg. The picture below shows that being fitted. I rough the fit on the jointer and finish it off to a tight friction fit with a hand plane.

Getting ready to assemble the legs and braces for a New Waltham Side Chair. Behind me is a cherry table top for a Trestle Table that I am making.

All of my chairs use wedged tenon joinery. This is the wedged leg tenon coming through the top of the seat. This will be chiseled off and then the seat will be ground to it's final shaped and sanded smooth.

Hopefully, we will have some more sunshine soon. It has been a very wet spring here. Flooding generally is not an issue in this area but it is getting to be a real problem for some. The weather does seem to be changing with so much snow this winter and now all of the rain.

Time to go grind some chair seats.

Stay dry,

Tim

"You can't get there from here"

2011-03-18T14:42:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I made a big delivery to an Island in Maine. (When I post information or images from a customers house, I never mention names or exact places to protect the privacy of my customers.) It sure is fun, though, to be able to see where my work is going. And it is rare that I can actually get a decent photo of the furniture in place.

The caretaker for the owner of the house arranged for the mail boat to meet me at the pier where the mailboat captain and the caretaker's son helped me load 10 Waltham chairs and a painted pencil post bed into the boat (a great old wooden boat). Robert, the captain, let me know that the, boat, Sea Queen, was built by the the boat owner's father many years before. I appreciate fiberglass and steel but there is nothing like a wooden boat.

We made the two mile trip out to the island under clear skies, smooth water and 50 degree temps. We hit it just right. If we had planned this one day ahead or behind, it would have been raining. And moving $12,000. worth of furniture in the rain would have been more than stressful.

Waltham chairs, wrapped and ready, aboard Sea Queen.

At the island, the captain, Robert, and I, (the only one's aboard as things are slow this time of year) were met by the caretaker Michael with two vans and a trailer to take all of the furniture to the client's house. These islands in Maine are great places. I spend so much time alone that I really feel drawn to these quiet places. Maybe being the youngest of four has something to do with that. But that again is another story.

Waltham chairs in place around the dining table.

Pencil Post bed in place. This bed was painted with oil based enamel paint instead of my usual milk paint. We tried for a white milk paint but you have to want a real antique look especially in the white ranges. This light cream color worked well in an enamel as the house is full of this fresh paint look and it matches the tables and chest that they already had.

view from the island

After unwrapping and setting up the chairs and bed I was returned to the mainland by the caretaker, his son and a friend of theirs who was working on one of the island's 30- 40 houses. The four of us and four man sized bags of packing blankets loaded into the pictured skiff for that trip. It was a safe trip in a very beamy skiff over calm water, but highly unusual for the Vermont furniture maker making a delivery

I had intended to stay on the coast for the night but all of the hotels were closed down for the off season. So, I hit the road again and arrived home in the wee hours of the morning after 15 hours of driving. My new, used Dodge Grand Caravan did a great job on the country roads that connect central Vermont to central Maine (you can get there but it ain't easy). It got 22- 24 miles per gallon and I think I could have fit 12 or 14 chairs in it as well as the pencil post bed. We furniture makers do learn how to pack a vehicle.

Enjoy the sun,

Tim

It Was The Best Of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

2011-03-13T15:28:00.001-04:00

This has been a very crazy winter as far as the snow goes. It just keeps coming. When the car needs a new muffler, it needs a new muffler, even during the snowstorm. This is from one of the earlier storms. The rest of these pictures are after our latest storm. The Big One. It really was. Very heavy snow, a lot of it, and it came very quickly. Some days, it has been hard to get anything done in the shop after hours of plowing with my 1956 Massey Ferguson farm tractor, and shoveling. Well, the snow is pretty, the skiing etc has been very good this year, and the kids have had lots of snow days. At the beginning of February, I made the mistake of saying that winter must be almost over and it has not been that cold. soon after we had a string of deep cold and heavy snows. I will keep my thoughts to myself next winter. Happy Spring, Tim

Yes, there is a car under there.

The path to the house just gets deeper and deeper.

Our kids, pretending that the picnic table is a ship in a sea of snow. (30" deep)

Get Cranky.

2011-03-05T22:19:00.000-05:00

Once in a while there is a fun little project that opens up the mind. While this table still needs it's glass top, I am very happy with how it looks so far considering it's obvious simplicity. Two slabs of wood with a crank shaft bolted in between. I did this for my client who is the owner of a Mercedes dealership. I am assuming that the crank shaft is from a Mercedes. Before it is all done, the crank shaft is going to get cleaned up and sent out to be plated so it will be nice and shiny. How about a dining table made with the crankshaft of a truck or large marine engine? You'd need a forklift to move it. If anyone has other ideas of things with structural integrity that could become the spine of a table, let me know.

Some New Pens

2011-02-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

Below are three new pens that I just made. They are mahogany with gold, curly maple with gun metal, and cherry with gun metal hardware. They are twist pens with ballpoint black Cross refills. I am selling my wine stoppers in some local galleries but I will only be offering the pens through my website. $20. each. Other available hardware finishes are silver, copper and antique brass. I think that the cherry and maple pens are my favorites.

Enjoy the snow if you are getting it. We have just gotten about 6 inches in the last 2-3 hours.
Have a good one,
Tim

Making some eight sided tapering pencil posts and sharpening.

2011-01-31T16:15:00.000-05:00

I am currently working on two queen size pencil post beds so I am making all of the posts at the same time. Once the post is made square, it is then tapered on the table saw to a four sided tapering post. In order to make the remaining 4 facets (to make eight in all) first the post is scribed to mark out where the extra facets will lie then the lambs tongue is rough chiseled, then most of stock is removed staying a bit above the scribe lines. I use a power planer for this to same my arms. Then finally a hand plane is used to finish off the final facets until the scribe lines are all gone.

roughing the lambs tongue

taking fine shavings with a cabinet scraper

lambs tongue after finishing
with chisel and scraper

I made this little hand plane about
15 years ago. It is a great plane for this work.

lambs tongue before finishing

the new tool rest for my grinder. not pretty but
it works very nicely.

For all of this hand work, sharp tools are a must. My grinding wheel has not been working well lately and I have been having a really hard time getting blades to be true before honing in the water stone. I finally took the time to re-make my tool support for the grinder. I used a wooden hinge that I had made as a test when I made a gate leg table last year. This is a very rigid hinge. The difference was instantly amazing. I was able to get a straight even grind that was quickly honed to a perfect edge. When all is working properly, a new grind/sharpen takes about 5 minutes. Before I fixed my jig, I was easily taking 30 minutes or more of very frustrating time to do the job and not ending up with good results. Now that I can create a fine even sharpened edge, I should be able to just hone for the next two sharpenings and skip the grinding part. More time saved.

the two white lines are actually the mirror
smooth surface of the front and back edge of
the hollow ground bevel.

Stay sharp,
Tim

6' Windsor Bench, cars, and new work is coming in.

2011-01-31T15:33:00.000-05:00

Here are a few shots of the 6' Cod Rib Settee that I just delivered last week. I managed to get it delivered a day ahead of schedule in order to avoid driving through another north east coastal storm. The trip was highlighted by having the chance to see the great house where the bench will live and to meet the owners. When looking at the photos, remember that this bench is 1" shallower (front to back) that the 6' Settee on my website. I think it works. There is a difference though.

Also, I was able to do the delivery in my 1987 300TD Mercedes wagon that I bartered for a few years back. A six foot bench just fits in the back. I was also delivering the car to the dealership from where I got the car in order to have some specialized exhaust work done on it. My friend and owner of the dealership was gracious enough to give me a very nice loaner. At least to me. It is a 2002 E320 Mercedes sedan. These are amazing cars. Even 9 years old and with 143000 miles on it, it is tight, powerful and smooth driving. I will definitely keep an eye out for one of these. For me, it is a reminder that buying quality does pay. The car that I took in for work has 280,000 miles on it and I have another '87 wagon with 480,000 miles on it that I try to drive only in the summer these days. It is in great shape, though the newer cars, 10 or so years old, are way ahead. During these times of fuel and climate issues, I feel guilty about it but I do love cars. We spend so much time in them that it is understandable I guess. It is always exciting to see what the car companies are coming out with to use less fuel and to give more comfort and performance. The only drawback is that I need to wait ten years until I can afford it. If you have a ten year old E-Class Mercedes, I may be interested in bartering. Diesels are preferable.

And, yes, work is coming in. After a slow period, I have a bunch of new orders. I am currently working on 2 Pencil Post Beds, 3 Kitchen Work Stools, 8 New Waltham Side Chairs, 2 custom Trestle Tables and I am waiting on a deposit for a 5' Waltham Bench.

More coming soon,
Tim

6' Bench on Schedule, making it right.

2011-01-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

I have a hole in my work schedule due to needed mattress dimensions from a client, so this gave me a chance to get a project done on time for another client's desired delivery date for their party. So far, I am on schedule.
I don't consider myself to be a very compulsive person but in some ways I guess I can be. When something is not right in my work, I do everything that I can to make it right. I had to throw out the first crest rail that I made for this bench. I rushed the drilling and neglected to look at my notes from past jobs. This resulted in a rail that would have been passable but would not have given the spindles the grace that they should have. So, out came the glue-up jig again and I made a new one.

Then.... after the bench had its first coat of oil on, I noticed some blemishes due to incomplete sanding on the seat. (many times things are visible after oiling that are not visible before) I consulted some friends about the look who said it was fine but I really hate to let things like that go. I really noticed it, so last night I took the whole seat down to bare wood again with 40grit paper and bringing it back to 220. It had to be done last night in order to meet the delivery date. Now it looks great.

For me, the extra work is worth it since the reward is being able to deliver a piece that has my full confidence. I sleep better too.

Below are some shots showing a stack of cherry veneers (you can see the edge of the log on the left side of this first shot) . The veneers are sawn into strips and then glued and clamped over a jig to form a rail with matching grain and great strength.

arm rail, just off the glue jig

seat blank, drilled for spindles, before shaping

finding the right splay for the end spindles

adding spindles, first two, then one at a time, unlike a chair that gets them all at once. This is actually easier than a chair because I can leave it unfinished to go have dinner or run an errand.

grinding the seat down to bare wood and below blemishes.

The seat after finish sanding for the second time. Ready for oil, again. (the line in the middle is a shadow)

I forgot to mention that this was a custom bench. The client asked to have the bench as shallow (front to back) as I could make it in order to fit in a specific space. I took an inch off of the depth and I actually like the look. It did not suffer for it. I may make them this way in the future.

Well, we have great snow here today and warmer temps. Later this morning my wife, kid and I will head off to go snowboarding at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl.

Have a good one,
Tim

Getting Things Done: Custom Work Stools

2011-01-08T20:43:00.000-05:00

The four custom walnut and ash stools are finally done, boxed and ready to go to their new home in NYC. Three of them are pictured below while being finished.

Below is one of the walnut stools with one with an ash seat. Usually I make these stools 26" tall with cherry seats. These are all 28" tall as specified by the customer.

And the finished shot of the walnut seated stool alone.

My next project is a 6' Cod Rib Settee. I am hoping to get that done for a party that the clients are having. We'll see. I would need to deliver it on January 21. The party is on the 22nd.

Stuck in New Hampshire and Stocking Stuffers

2010-12-27T11:21:00.001-05:00

These are some of my pens that I made for stocking stuffers this year. Below are two made of curly maple and one of mahogany. It is fun to have something that I have made and that is so useful that I can carry in my pocket. I love them and my family seemed to really like them. Let me know if you are interested.

We came to New Hampshire for Christmas and may be here for another day. The snow storm is still going strong at about 11am on Monday. I have things that I want to get done in the shop but I don't think it is worth having a hectic 8 hour drive home that would normally be 3 hours.

Below is a project that I need to get back to. It will be 4 custom High Work Stools with walnut seats and a 28" height. The ash legs are all shaped and ready, the seats are rough cut and drilled. The seats still need to be sculpted and the stretchers will need to made. See my High Work Stool here.

Happy Snow Day.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas... Stealth Windsors

2010-12-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

Just a few shots to show the progress on my 10 Waltham chairs.

A few hanging in the raw awaiting their first coat of milk paint. 10 chairs in the shop take up a lot of space, so hanging them up helps clear up the floor quite a bit.

All lined up after the first coat of paint, The arm chairs in the foreground have been buffed. You can see that they are a bit more grey looking. Before the buffing, they are very flat black and rough. They remind me of stealth bombers at this point. They almost absorb light. Maybe I can get a lucrative contract making Stealth Windsors for the Pentagon.

Have a Merry Christmas,

Tim

Time to make the spindles...

2010-12-07T19:52:00.002-05:00

Below are shots of the shaving horse and some of the 90 spindles that I am making for a set of 10 Waltham chairs. I rough them out on the table saw and jointer but the final rounding and sizing is done on the shaving horse with a hand plane. In order to make them match, they are laid out side by side. If one is larger than the others it will be evident. The eye is very good at detecting something that is not like the others. The image at the bottom is a clump of ash shavings (don't say this at home). Ash is chosen for spindles because of its strength along the grain. Even the shavings can be molded into a ball. If you were to try this with cherry, you would end up with a pile of dust.

Our first real snow came yesterday. We got enough to plow. Today, I managed to get the chains on the tractor. Each one weighs around 70 lbs so it is not an easy task. It seems that there is always a project get in the way of paying work. Especially this time of year.

Happy snow.

Making Some Progress on 10 Waltham Windsor Chairs

2010-12-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

I have just finished assembling the seat and legs for 2 Waltham arm chairs and 8 Waltham side chairs. These will be painted with black milk paint. The seats on my painted chairs are made of Poplar which is not very pretty but it is strong and it paints well. The legs are made of ash. The chair on the table saw still has all of its wedged tenon joints untrimmed. That chair is having its feet marked for leveling on the table saw. Then I have it in the vise in order to saw to the marked lines and to clean up the other joints on the legs. The backs will go on soon. First I have to finish shaving the 90 plus spindles.
See my chair page on my website to see all of my chair designs.

More Wining?

2010-11-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

I am actually getting some work done on furniture orders even though it may not seem like it. Sometimes in the evenings though, I would rather take a break and work on the lathe. Here are some of my latest designs for wine stoppers.
Let me know if any of these strike your fancy. These are headed to the Art on Main
Gallery in Bristol and to the Studio V Holiday Sale in Vergennes. I was right that the black background made the photos come out a lot better. If I knew more about photography maybe I could make a white background work but all I know is that the camera does not like it. Too much brightness I guess. Enjoy the nice weather.
Tim

Stop the Wine, Hand Turned Wine Stoppers

2010-10-29T14:46:00.003-04:00

Each year I search for a new small project that will work as stocking stuffers for my family. Well, here is this years project. I am also offering these for sale through some local galleries as well as directly through my website. I turn them from native Vermont hardwoods and each one is a bit different from the last. The actual stopper part is solid stainless steel. Most stoppers of this type are made from chromed steel that will eventually pit and corrode. These will not. The rubber stops are designed to fit various sizes of wine bottles.

A few examples are below. I believe that they will make great gifts and I will ship them to you for $30. each. $55. for 2 stoppers. $80. for 3. (or $25. each plus $5. for shipping)

Send me an email if you'd like to place an order. Tim@TimothyClark.com

Let me know if you are interested or if you have any ideas. A few examples are below. Click the images to make them easier to see. Next time, I will photograph them against a dark background. That should make them jump out a bit more.

Happy Fall,

Tim

Cherry Pencil Post Bed

2010-10-08T22:01:00.000-04:00

The defining elements of the pencil post bed are the posts that go from a square to about mattress height and then switch to an eight sided taper. These are a lot of fun to make as there is quite a bit of hand and eye work involved. The posts are sawn to a four sided taper on the table saw and then marked with a spar makers scribe. Then the lamb's tongue is chiseled and finally the new four facets are hand planed to the scribe lines. You can see the other beds on my website here. Lately, I have been asked to do cherry beds with a milk paint finish. They really are nice. The milk paint is worn off a bit at the edges of the facets which really lets you see the geometry of the parts but also lets the red high lights of the cherry come through.

Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival in Woodstock, Vermont

2010-09-28T08:15:00.000-04:00

A bunch of Guild members spent the weekend in Woodstock at the Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival on Sept 25 and 26. We had a group booth that included work of around 15 members and a handful of members also has their own booths at the show. At this point it is hard to say if the show was a financial success or not. Selling furniture is different from selling scarves and such as usually there is some back and forth before a sale of furniture is made.

For me, the opportunity to chat with members and other furniture makers and woodworkers was well worth the effort to do the show. We spend so much time on our own that this can be a great opportunity to recharge the mental batteries. Having the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other over a couple of days is a great thing rather than through an email or short phone call. Mostly just laughing together. Being a member of the Guild has financial reward for me by feeding customers to my website from the Guild site but has the even greater reward of community in an otherwise solitary endeavor. Even though many of us are potential competitors, we actually have a good time when we get together.

Why be a member of the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers? The Guild is great. Long live the Guild.

Thanks,

Tim

Below are some shots of members and member's booths and our group booth. These shots are taken during the quiet times at the show when I had a chance to leave my booth. (That is why there are so few extra people around)

David Hurwitz featured in his own work.

Janet Collins hard at work on some of her inlay work that she demonstrated at the show.

Janet's daughter, Lauren was a cheerful addition to the group.

Jim Becker

Bill Laberge had his own booth

David Hurwitz and Dan Mosheim

David Boynton helped man the Guild booth

Walt Stanley wondering where he left his shoes.

My (Timothy Clark's) shaving horse (center) that allowed me to demonstrate and get some work done.

Timothy Clark's booth

Janet Collins answering questions in her booth.

David Hurwitz's booth. David , center, his dad , Art , right and winner of the Studio and Custom portion of the Design Comp, Doug "sideboard" Clarner.

Jim Becker in his booth

Charlie Shackleton in his booth.

Walt Stanley's booth.

Janet Collins carving one of her turned bowls.

McGuire Family Furniture Maker's booth

Dave Boynton and Dan Mosheim in the Guild booth

Guild booth

Guild booth, Kit Clark's chair center

Guild booth, Timothy Clark's bench.

Guild booth

Sheldon Museum Chair Talk

2010-09-16T08:59:00.000-04:00

This week I gave a talk about the history of Windsor chairs and how that relates to my work. The talk took place at Sheldon Museum in Middlebury, Vermont. It is a great little museum, especially if you are into Windsors. They have a great collection and I was very inspired to come up with some new designs after revisiting some of these originals. It has been over 10 years since I spent a lot of time at the Shelburne Museum, also in Vermont. That was were I found the inspiration for my Waltham line of chairs. I have not given any presentations for many years so this was a bit nerve racking to get ready for but it was actually a lot of fun. I hope to do more of this. It can be very easy to hide out in my shop and not interact with the public. Especially in this time of the internet.

A Bit of Vacation

2010-08-03T21:25:00.000-04:00

My son Ben and I are spending a week in the Adirondacks at my parents camp. Today, in order to keep Ben away from the computer, he and I built a crude sailing ship from scraps. He spent hours playing with it. It actually sails quite well. He is also doing his first solo sailing in the Sunfish. Very exciting.

A New Windsor Arm Chair

2010-07-29T20:39:00.000-04:00

The chairs pictured above are New Waltham side and arm chairs. I have already made a set or two of the New Waltham side chairs but I had not yet made a New Waltham arm chair. You can see the arm chair on my website here. The pictures on the site are not that great as I took them the night before delivery. I generally photograph pieces in my shop with a lot of daylight but I had forgotten as I was very busy with childcare. Summer does get crazy around here and this summer has been extra crazy as my wife is now working full time.
Enjoy the summer. It is flying by.
Take care,
Tim

Part 4- Final shots of my Windsor Chair with Table Surface

2010-06-30T20:53:00.006-04:00

I am really not sure what to call this chair but I am pretty psyched about how it looks. Especially this shot with the laptop. This was the picture in my mind when I started to design the chair. It really puts the laptop in a usable position and the silicone pad keeps the laptop secure from sliding. Let me know your thoughts on this one.
Thanks,
Tim

I am thinking about calling it the New Jeffersonian Windsor because Thomas Jefferson made the first swiveling Windsor chair and many other engineered gadgets. It would not be far fetched to find something along these lines at Monticello.

Below, the three images illustrate the path of the swiveling table.

Part 3- A Step Beyond Show Piece- Chair with Table

2010-06-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of quick shots of my new Chair w/Table. The round table pivots from the outside of the arm to the inside of the arm. The black surface is the removable non-skid silicone pad that I cast to fit the top. The design has its roots in traditional windsor chairs with a writing surface but I wanted something a bit different. The table could be used to write a short note but I see it more as a place to put a glass or snack and also a surface that could hold a laptop computer (with the use of the non-skid pad).

Part 2 Windsor Chair w/ Table for the "A Step Beyond" Show

2010-06-17T10:43:00.003-04:00

This new chair design takes my New Waltham arm chair and adds a small table surface that will move from the outside to the inside of the right hand palm of the chairs arm. I turned a cherry "candlestand" top for the table that will be a handsome surface but I wanted a non skid option. To achieve this , I turned a corresponding mold piece in which I made a silicone pad with liquid silicone. In the image above I am peeling the molded silicone out of the wooden mold.

Above, the pad is pictured in the finished top. The nonskid nature of the pad keeps it from sliding around and it is a nice surface to keep a glass or mug from sliding also. It can be easily taken off of the table and cleaned. One of my first thoughts in coming up with this design was to create a surface that would hold a laptop computer without risk of it sliding around on the table top.
The metal parts are with the machinist now being finished up. In a day or two, I should have the whole thing together.

Stay tuned,
Tim

The State of Craft: A new piece for a show of furniture by the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers

2010-06-17T10:25:00.001-04:00

The show is called A Step Beyond: Collaboration, Innovation, New Works by the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers.

The opening for this show is on July 9 at the Firehouse Gallery on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont.

My piece for the show will be a chair with a moveable table surface. In the next few blog entries, I will be posting pictures of the chair as it progresses.
Below, I am beginning to rough out the seat shape with an adze. Next I am using an in-shave to smooth out the rough surface and to take it a bit deeper with more control.

Next the travisher is used. This too is a combination of spoke shave and hand plane. It is produces a very controlled cut.

The next two photos show the seat after the first shaping and then after the seat extension has been drilled to accept the post that will support the pivoting table. I am working with a machinist who will take this rough pipe and make it into a working table support that we have designed together.

A New Variation on the Windsor Desk Chair

2010-06-04T21:44:00.000-04:00

This latest desk chair is just a bit different from my last one. This is my New Waltham arm chair design. It has the Waltham seat and arm rail but with a Cod Rib crest rail. This is the first of these to be completed, although I am now working on a set of New Waltham arm and side chairs for a client. Those are standard dining chairs and not desk adaptations. To see my other two Desk/Office chair designs to date. Click here.

The base allows for height and tilt tension adjustment as well as it can be locked in the upright position. I price these the same as my regular chairs so this chair is priced at $965. This price includes a carpet castor. A floor caster is available for another $30. or so. These really do add class to the home computer station.
See all of my work at TimothyClark.com
Thanks,
Tim

36" Windsor Benches

2010-05-08T21:44:00.002-04:00

Here are two new 36" benches in my Waltham design. They are a custom order from a Neal and Company of Texas, a design firm that has chosen some of my work for the remodeling of a Cape Cod summer residence. These benches will join 10 of my Waltham chairs and a painted pencil post bed in the Cape house. The benches are a bit small for two adults unless they are are good friends but they fill a space nicely and are very comfortable and roomy for one person and some stuff. These will be accent pieces on either side of a beautiful old cabinet being used as an entertainment center. The pictures below are of the benches unpainted and then painted with milk paint but not yet oiled and varnished. At that point , the paint is very rough and dull. The paint color is a very dark brown that was specified by the designer. I feel lucky when I work with a designer who makes suggestions that fill their need while working with what I do best. Many times, this is how I end up with great new designs.

The last Snow?

2010-04-28T23:09:00.000-04:00

We had quite a snow last night and this morning. We had already cut the grass twice and the trees were blooming. This tree was all weighted down with snow a few hours earlier. The very green grass and other warm weather greens were very striking next to the snow. It was a very heavy snow that did actually bring down some smaller trees. The trees are at a disadvantage as the snow sticks so well to their leaves this time of year.

Back on the home front, Claire had to run and get her guitar when I put on a John Lee Hooker documentary after school today. She is figuring out how to hold it. You can see her tongue in her cheek as she concentrates.

Some pieces that I am working on in the shop are two 36" benches and I need to finish up another pencil post bed and an office chair. Pics of those will come soon.

Enjoy the snow. It should be in the 70's by Saturday.

Painting Pencil Post Bed and Claire

2010-04-22T20:05:00.001-04:00

Here is an informal shot of my latest painted pencil post bed. This is number two and I have two more to do this spring and summer. This bed is a queen size. The first one was a king and you can see that here on my website.

Easter has come and gone but I found this shot of Claire and had to share it. She is quite a character (that is a happy yell) . It has been one year now since "Gotcha Day" when she first joined our family in Thailand. The grass is very, very green now and needs to be cut for the second time.

6' Windsor Bench: The State House Bench

2010-04-03T16:57:00.003-04:00

Here are some formal shots of my latest Waltham Bench. This one is six feet long and has six legs. I am not sure what to call it. Moby Bench after the white whale? It is actually a very light gray milk paint. This is the first one of this design that I have built at this length. Also the client asked to have the back finish off about 5" taller than my normal back height. It gives it such a grand look that I keep wanting to call it the State House Bench. It has been a beautiful day-before-Easter here in Vermont. 80 degrees and sunny. I got out for a good hard bike ride today and still have a long way to go before considering myself to be back in shape. Happy Easter, Tim

6' Windsor Bench

2010-03-25T21:22:00.000-04:00

This is my latest Waltham bench. It is 6 feet long and has a back with a custom height of about 42". My standard chair back heights are about 37". I rough out my bench seats by machine but there is still a lot of hand work to get the shape right. The hand plane does most of that work. Here is a nice shot of that work. The bench is painted with a light gray milk paint as specified by the customer.

The weather has been pretty great here. We had 50's today and I managed to get out for a bike ride. My goal this year is to make the time for more biking. We'll see how it goes.
Happy Spring.
Tim

Why cross the road when you can drive?

2010-03-16T18:55:00.002-04:00

Why did the chicken ride in the car? So, it would not have to cross the road.

Yes, that is me with a chicken that we had seen hanging out by the side of the road for the past few days. It is amazing that it made it on its own for as long as it did. There are plenty of predators out there that missed out on a nice chicken dinner. We are not ready for chicken parenthood but luckily some of our nearby friends already have a bunch of chickens and they decided to adopt it. So, while Leslie, the adoptive parent to be, lured the red clucker with popcorn, I managed to snag the little pecker from behind. She (the chicken) was actually very calm. Probably calmer than I , as this was my first chicken snagging in the wild. My training at Shelburne Farms petting farm had finally paid off. Years before, I had chaperoned a preschool trip there when my son was 3 years old. Anyway, Henny Penny sat on my lap for the 3 mile trip to her new home. She got her wings loose once but I managed to wrestle her back into control. Her 2 pounds proved hugely inadequate for my... many, many pounds and she was no match for a waddle hold and a foul nelson. Upon arriving at the home of her new adoptive parents, we were rewarded with a dozen eggs from their chickens. Henny Penny will now have a nice safe chicken house and a large yard to free-range in.
You know you are a Vermonter when ...... you take your chicken for rides in the car.

Time to get back to work.

Windsor Rocking Chair

2010-02-18T22:36:00.001-05:00

I really love these chairs. It is nice to still be very happy with a design after a few years of seeing it. With some designs, I will tweak them for years but this one seems to work for me as is. Here I am trimming off the through wedged tenons with a Japanese Ryoba saw. The only hand saws that I use are the Japanese Ryoba and Dozuki. European saws just seem to take away too much wood.
See more about the Cod Rib Rocker here. TimothyClark.com As I just checked the Cod Rib Rocker page on my website, I did notice that I have changed the grain direction of the seat on the new chairs. It now runs from front to back instead of side to side.

Windsor Benches: working with what you have

2010-02-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

Right now, I have four custom Windsor benches underway. Pictured above is one of the bench blanks having one of its legs holes drilled. In the past, I have used small hand held drill angle jigs to drill holes in bench seats but nothing beats the mechanical advantage of a drill press to drill a large hole with ease. The chain fall is the real star here can be easily adjusted up or down with one hand so that I can get the angle just right before drilling the hole. This way, there is no straining on my part to hold the seat blank up. Also, the chain fall is mounted on a trolly so that it can roll along the steel beam that runs the length of my shop. This tool can lift about a ton so it is grossly over qualified for this job but it works well and saves my back and arms from a lot of stress and strain.
This blank is for a 6' Waltham Bench. Also under construction now are two 3' Waltham benches and a Cod Rib side armless bench at 4 1/2 feet. These benches are not on my website yet but you can see my other benches here. TimothyClark.com
Thanks
Tim

Merry Christmas from Vermont

2009-12-10T10:05:00.007-05:00

Snow is finally here and it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas... We have a great place down the road where we have been going to cut our Christmas tree each year. The spot is beautiful with horses, hot chocolate, and very nice people. We always seem to run into friends there which adds to the fun. Melinda, the owner of the place, was nice enough to let our son Ben take a ride on the old black horse and Claire enjoyed being close to but not too close to Ted, the huge draft horse.

I did manage to get some work done also. I am finishing up a 5' Waltham Bench for the Park Hyatt in Washington, D.C.. It will be placed at the entrance to their spa area. I am buffing out the milk paint before it gets a coat of danish oil. There is a lot of buffing involved in the milk paint finish.

Happy Holidays,
Tim

Swivel/Tilt Windsor Desk Chair

2009-11-23T21:13:00.005-05:00

I recently finished up another desk chair using my Waltham Arm Chair. These are really great desk chairs. I have always liked using a Windsor chair as a desk chair because I have never liked the institutional look of most swivel desk chairs. I do like their functionality though. This really is a great solution. They are very comfortable and they do look great. The Waltham chair has just a bit more back support as it has one more spindle and they are spaced just a bit closer together. The second photo is a retake of the Cod Rib Arm desk chair that I made a short while ago. Find both of these chairs here on my website.

Thanks,

Tim

Finished Kitchen/Work Stool

2009-11-15T19:15:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple images of the finished high work stool. The extra round off of the top sides makes this a comfortable stool to straddle with a foot on the floor. You can also sit right up on top of it with your feet on the longer stretcher. The through tenons of the stretcher-to-leg joint makes for a very strong joint and is an interesting detail. Let me know if you like these legs or if you'd like to see something different. This stool will cost $450. Click to see it on my website.

That's all for now.

Tim

Work Stool

2009-11-01T06:31:00.003-05:00

This is a new stool design that I am just completing. The seat shape is based on my previous work stool that I designed around 20 years ago. I was looking for something different and contemplated a round seat for a while but a round seat is much more limited in seating possibilities. This shape allows the sitter to straddle it in one direction and to turn it and sit right up on it when it is turned sideways. The new seat has a fuller relief of the sides and an undercutting of the ends that adds a visual benefit and is nice to feel when picking the stool up by its ends.

The through wedged tenon joinery throughout is new also for this design. The last design was very solid but this one is even more so.

I apologize for the terrible photo but I wanted to show the joinery before I trimmed the tenons and I did not check this image until after I had trimmed them. I will add a photo of the finished stool when I get there.

Finishing a Windsor Bench

2009-10-28T09:11:00.002-04:00

These shots show a few of the final steps of building a piece such as this 6' Windsor bench. Japanese saws are used for trimming off rails and also for cleaning up wedged tenon joints. The grouping of tools are some that are used for mounting rails and for cleaning up before final sanding and finishing. These really are the most important tools in the shop. I can pretty much go into any shop and make do with their power tools but if I do not have a razor sharp chisel, cabinet scraper and proper measuring tools then I feel quite handicapped. One develops a feel for any tool but feel of a chisel of the weight of a mallet are very special. I feel very clumsy if I do not have the tools that I am used to using. I made the mallets in the image and have used them for years. One is for delicate strikes and the other is for a more powerful blow. The blue chisel is more than 20 years old and the metal is polished to a silky smoothness from years of handling. A new chisel has rough edges and milling lines that feel awkward in the hand.

Below is a movie clip of trimming the wedged tenon joints at the underside of the seat. These are the ends of the back spindles coming through the seat.

To see the finished bench go to www.TimothyClark.com

Have a good one,

Tim

Cherry Windsor Bench and Fall in the North East

2009-10-21T11:18:00.008-04:00

I am finally ready to assemble a 6' Settee that I have needed to finish up for a while now. Here it sits with a finish sanded seat and back rail. The next image is of the back spindle ends being super-dried to shrink them down before assembly. This is the key to a long lasting Windsor piece that will withstand years of changing seasons. Click here to see photos of the finished 6' Settee.

Fall is always a busy time in the North East as we get ready for the snow to come. I finally cleaned the chimney and stacked the rest of our firewood for the season. Our straw bale house stays pretty warm so we do not need a whole lot of wood. It still seems to take me forever to get it stacked. The rear blade is on the tractor and garden is put away for the winter. Winter is my most productive time of the year as the evening darkness makes it easy to stay in the shop and work longer hours.

President and Michelle Obama's Wedding Anniversary

2009-10-10T20:08:00.004-04:00

The Obama's celebrated their wedding anniversary at the Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. a week or so ago.

They were among my furniture that I made for the Hyatt a couple of years ago. Here, you can see my Waltham Rocker- , and here you can see the 29' Windsor bench that I made for the the hotel .

There are eight of my rockers at the Hyatt and six of them are spread around the common areas on the first floor. The long bench is in the Blue Duck Tavern and there are also eight 4 1/2' benches in glass walled booths in the Tea area. For info on these pieces, take a look at my website.

Windsor Office Chair

2009-09-29T13:39:00.003-04:00

Here is a better photo of my new office chair. I have been wanting to put one of my chairs on an office base for some time now. I chose my Cod Rib Arm Chair as it is the most modern of my designs. I am very happy with how it looks and feels. The chair has height adjustment, variable tension to the tilt and the tilt can be locked in the up right position. Other bases are available. Go to my website or contact me for more details.

Thanks,

Tim

Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival

2009-09-28T09:46:00.002-04:00

I returned home from the show last night and now it is time to unload the van. The show went well and I was very happy with my booth. Last year I used a friends booth but she moved away so I had to figure it out for myself this year. I think the end result was better than a commercial booth. Anyway, I had a two brand new pieces. The Waltham Bench and the Cod Rib Office Chair (that my son, Ben, is sitting in). Any of my chairs can be made with this type of base if desired. I sold one over the weekend with a cherry and ash Waltham Arm chair as the chair portion. This week, I will photograph the bench and office chair and get them up on my website. Now it is back to work to finish up some overdue projects.

Happy Fall,

Tim

At the Show

2009-09-27T09:23:00.005-04:00

It's about 1/2 hour until show time on Sunday for the second day of the Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival in Woodstock, Vermont. Here I am in my booth. I took this with my computer which is facing out of my booth. I know, goofy picture, but technology sometimes gets the better of me.

Windsor Office Chair and Windsor Bench

2009-09-17T21:18:00.004-04:00

I could not wait to mention these two new pieces that I am finishing up. I have not properly photographed them yet so here is a shot from my finishing room. I finally found some office chair hardware that I like and mounted my Cod Rib Arm Chair on it. It is a great feel and an interesting look. I picked the Cod Rib chair for this first experiment because of its modern airy lines. It seems to just float above the minimal black hardware.

The bench is my first one in my Waltham style. Later pics will show the how nice the traditional stretcher looks on this design as well as the stretched out crest rail.

Both of these designs were a bit of a mystery as to how they would look, so I am very happy that they look great, if I do say so myself. I will be taking these to Woodstock, Vermont next weekend to the Fine Furnishings Show. September 26,27.

Now I just have to build my booth for the show...

More pics to follow.

Cherry Windsor Bench

2009-07-30T21:20:00.005-04:00

I recently made 4 New Waltham side chairs for a customer who

then asked if I could build a 5' bench to match the chairs. Here it is. The New Waltham Bench. I have wanted to build a bench like this for quite a while so I was very happy to have a customer commission one. Sometimes I have the time to build new designs without it being a commission, but most times my new designs are the product of a customer asking for something new. Often these new designs are based on my previous work.

Please feel free to contact me about this new piece or any other work that you may have been thinking about.

Happy summer,

Tim

Cherry Pencil Post Bed

2009-06-24T00:19:00.004-04:00

Here are a few images and videos showing some steps to making the posts for a pencil post bed. I have already cut the post to a four sided taper on the table saw. the next step is the tricky part. Turning this into an eight sided tapering post with a square base. First, I am using a spar makers scribe to mark the last four sides to the post. Next, I need to chisel out the lamb's tongue that is the beginning of the second four facets of the post. The rest is power planed and finished with a hand plane. The last images show a completed post.

Pencil Post Bed with Milk Paint

2009-06-08T13:23:00.004-04:00

This is my latest pencil post bed. My design has not really changed in years but this is first one that I have painted. This was suggested by the interior designer, Cindy Neal of Texas, who chose the dark brown color of milk paint. It is an original color as it had to mixed from black and chocolate brown. She specified a different mixture of the same colors for a set of Waltham chairs that went to the same house in Cape Cod.

I have to say that I really like the way that the paint shows off the shape of the bed and especially the facets of the eight sided posts. As I buff out the paint, I allow a bit of paint to be taken off of the edges which helps more to highlight the lines of the bed.

The wood is cherry so the highlights are a nice red/brown. This bed is king size and the top of the mattress will go up to the bottom edge of the headboard. All of my beds are custom in that I fit them to your mattress thickness and can place it to your desired height off of the ground.

Windsor Chairs on the Cape

2009-05-22T08:40:00.005-04:00

I just delivered these 8 Waltham arm chairs and 2 Tall Waltham arms to a beautiful house on Cape Cod. They seem to work very well with the table and I am sure that they will enjoy the view. Sorry for the bad photos but at least you can get the basic idea.

A fair curve

2009-05-17T08:30:00.002-04:00

A fair curve is something that even the untrained eye can appreciate. It may be taken for granted when it is fair and true but it is easy to see when it is not fair and true. It will stick out like a sore thumb.

A fair curve does not need to be constant like a section of a perfect circle. It can have a changing radius along its length. I love this curve of my Waltham arm chair rail where it transitions from the side to the back of the chair. Complex , yet simple. Or simple but complex.

See all of my chairs here.

Boats of Bangkok

2009-05-01T04:01:00.009-04:00

Some of you may know that I have a strong interest in boats and boatbuilding. About 10 years ago, I was building small boats as well as building furniture. On this trip to Thailand, I discovered some very beautiful boats on the Chao Praya river in Bangkok. All, wooden. These that I have pictured just touches the surface. The two on top are tourist/commuter boats. Both are very fast and smooth riding. The river can get rough with all of the traffic. These are definitely more comfortable than a subway or street taxi. The commuter boats come into the dock very quickly and passengers get off and on in stop about as long as a subway stop. The crew used a bosuns whistle to signal passengers loading and unloading. This seems to serve as a signal to passengers but also to the captain who is way out of sight of the dock. These designs all seem to come from the fishing boats that are still used today. These are fast efficient boats that also in my experience seem quite safe. I would love to have the time to do some real research on these designs. Maybe that will be the next reason for a trip to Thailand. Most of these images are of the Longtail taxis that are the fastest. The large automobile engine is mounted on a pivot that allows it to be swiveled for steering as well as the long prop shaft can be lifted clear of the water. You may remember James Bond using one of these to fend off a would be assassin in Live and Let Die.

Ok, time to get back to furniture.

The orange boat (below) that has a very low stern section is a tug that is pulling 5 very large barges. We once saw tow of these pulling a load and they were both healed over to one side so that the lower rail was actually under water. These fatter boats seem to be mostly water taxis or tour boats. They all would make nice house boats.

Thailand

2009-04-26T03:19:00.003-04:00

I am off in Thailand with my son, wife and new daughter, who we are in the process of adopting. It is an interesting country. Very tropical and friendly. It would be nice to speak the language as that is the main barrier to getting a better sense of the place. We are almost through the adoption process. We visited a furniture factory one day. The pictured logs are teak and rosewood from right to left. The woman in the purple shirt is cutting mother of pearl inlay with a small bow-saw. The man carving is working a project of deep relief carving that will take him 6 months or so. the rosewood table and chairs feature the inlayed mother of pearl. The boat is one of many very interesting craft to be seen on the Chao Praya river in Bangkok. Most are wooden and they all see to go very fast.

Finished Hunt Table

2009-04-04T21:24:00.004-04:00

Here are a few shots of the Hunt Table all finished. It really is a pretty table. It has so many different looks with both leaves down, one down, or both up. Click to see more photos of this table on my website.

Off to Ireland

2009-04-01T17:05:00.005-04:00

Finally, today is the day that all of this furniture left my shop and started its journey to Ireland. One drop leaf dining table, one 6' settee, eight Tall Waltham arm chairs, and two Grand Waltham Arm chairs.

The shipper actually arrived alone. One

person. So for two and a half hours we wrapped and taped to get the work ready for the ride. Usually shippers will send two or three movers to load things up. He was lucky I was available to help. Loading that dining table alone would have been interesting.

Well, now I have a shop with a lot of extra space. Hopefully, everything will make it to Ireland safely. If not, I may have to go for a working holiday.

Finishing a Waltham Rocker

2009-03-29T13:36:00.004-04:00

I am applying the second coat of gel varnish to this Waltham rocker. It will get probably four coats of varnish in all. At this point it has two coats of milk paint, one coat of penetrating oil before the gel varnish. It is a bit smelly. That's why the vapor mask. I use this gel varnish for my painted furniture because it leaves a nice soft sheen. Most finishes get too shiny over milk paint, and oil alone is not enough protection against wetness. There is nothing quick and easy about a good finish.

Hunt Table or Irish Wake Table

2009-03-11T20:27:00.011-04:00

My latest project is known as a Hunt Table or an Irish Wake Table. It will be on it's way to Ireland soon I hope. It is a very elegant design consisting of a narrow center portion of the table supported by four square legs with an apron structure. There are two large leaves that open to be supported by double gate-legs that swing out from the center of the table.

The leaves have a rule joint. This is a fairly common way to join a leaf, but it is a joint that needs a great deal of patience to make sure that it works smoothly. The oval shape of the top was also a bit of a challenge but I love the graceful shape.

Later, I will post images of the base structure. It is coming along nicely.

Wedged tenon joints

2009-02-06T09:40:00.000-05:00

Today I am working on one of my 6' Cod Rib Settees that will be shipped to Ireland. Below is a video that illustrates the wedged tenon joint that makes my Windsor chairs and benches strong and long lasting. When done right, this joint will stay tight even through seasonal changes.

Getting Started

2009-02-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

I am starting this blog to hopefully replace my What's New? page on my website. Today is hopefully one of last of the really cold days (below 10 degress F) of the winter. At the moment, I am working on a 6' settee and am still working on the design for an Irish wake table. This is a narrow table with two wide leaves. Images to follow.