Getting Caught Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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