It’s kind of a joke to call it summer in South Florida as it’s seemed like summer since the end of March. Summer though, really starts at the Fourth of July. Here in S. Fla. the weather cooperated nicely for me to enjoy a nice long weekend in the studio. It was dark and rainy the whole weekend.

I’m working on two new projects that should be ready to photograph this week. One is a new Wauli hook and the other is a new version of the Wauli Shelf/Rack. I didn’t expect the first one to sell so quickly but it did. It was fabricated from scraps so I probably won’t be making one just like it again.

I found time to finish a project I started last summer at Penland:

Above Bee’s steel magnet wall, behind her work tables.

Anyway, that’s it for today. As Victor Cheng says with regards to marketing through your blog. “……….. keep it up.”  So that’s my goal for the rest of the summer.

See you soon!

Cheers,

Paul

The end of January finds me back in the studio working on some fun things.

Right now I’m working on the ever present growing family of Wauli’s. Those things have taken on a life of their own. I’ve got multiple Wauli hooks, so far up to eight places and the ever popular single Wauli’s. Both are being offered in enamel and powder coat. I might have to quit my regular job…. hahaaha

Modifying 6 place Wauli for a custom order

White Wauli’s hanging out

Orange Wauli’s

Clear primed Wauli’s ????

 A project that has rally gotten me back to doing what I really love and that’s two office desks. With the economy the way it is, it’s great to see a small company growning. That growth tho, doesn’t mean that there is a big budget. So, with a little time and scrap materials and a few new ones, I’m building a couple of desks for a local company. I get to do the design and fabrication. Heaven!

Cutting the legs from some scrap steel.

The desk tops. 3/4 inch birch ply.

Thanks again for dropping by.

Cheers

Wow, I can’t say enough about this month already. I had one of my hooks featured on the daily ETSY feature. Woooooohooooo. I didn’t even know it until I realized that my site on ETSY had been hit over two hundred times in a short period of time. Also, a very kind ETSY person let me know too.

I sold some of my hooks. 

My little buddies waiting to be packed for delivery.

These are just one of those things that I really love. I’m so glad I put them on ETSY. They make me pretty happy. That might be weird but that’s how I feel. I think that if I were to mount a bunch on a wall, anywhere, they’d be cool with or without stuff on them. 

Strange, when I start thinking about doing other things, stuff falls in my lap. Not sure what it all means, but I’m having a great time.

Cheers,

Paul 

This is the chair that was on my bench for two months……… still working on the final details.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to veneer the wood on this piece or if I’m going to leave it crude like it is. I kinda like it this way. It makes it obvious that it’s to be used. I think if it’s to nice it’ll be kinda like a new car that you’re afraid to put the first scratch on!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,

Paul 

and the open house was postponed so  Bee, who is having her second show (first in a gallery) on the 9th of April at  Rex could concentrate on that.. 

It took me a while to remember what has been happening at the studio this month. The beginning of the month in some respects seems like so long ago. The main thing that happened was the installation of my dust collection system.  Oneida hooked me up with a cyclone system and even designed the ductwork for me. That system, coupled with a Jet air filter, has the shop practically dust free.

The Exactor saw arm helps considerably. My studio is kinda messy here in the picture because the system came in about 10 boxes. 

The rest of the month was taken up with starting about 5 new projects, three of which are new chairs.

A new thing for PM Custom was the building of skateboard decks.  Both decks that we built were plywood/fiberglass combinations. They came out pretty good considering they were the first. They were project decks that my kids designed and I helped build. We used West System  Epoxy to do the lamination. 

My oldest daughter did most of the manual labor on her board. 

Her friend helped and he did the paintwork and graphic on the bottom. 

My younger daughter did a lot of helping on her board and also did the graphics. 

Attaching the 8 inch  Independents

We wanted to mount 10 inch trucks on the Flying Beaver, but they didn’t arrive on time and so we ended up using 8’s on it too. 

Anyway, it was a fun month and I look forward to seeing what April has in store.

Cheers,

Paul 

Been working away in the shop. Got some marketing out of the way. Still not finished though with that and have been working a several pieces simultaneously.

The back part of the “Back Back” chair. Solid mahogany. My first carved piece.

The tops of the wood Pedz side table set. 

Mahogany stump stool. 

I also did several new terrazzo Pedz tops. Tried to be less “Random” in the glass placement.  Still have to grind them.

That be it for now.

Cheers, have a great weekend,

Paul 

Today the Bee Bar was finished:

So that’s it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers 

Well yesterday was the do or die day.

The set up was ready and I had to get the stump bored out. I spent most of yesterday finishing the drill bit. I used Ti coated carbide inserts for the bit and I should have used no coated or at least removed more of the coating before brazing. Next time! The set up was pretty simple and I was ready to go.

I used a Milwaukee 1/2 Drill to turn the bit. I secured the stump on the bed of my mill. The vacuum was connected to the rotary port on the bit.

The stump had a curve in it and I was really worried about drilling out of the side of the stump. 

The drilling took about 30 minutes. The center plug will be used for something else in the future.

Thanks for checking in.

Cheers 

I’ve started working on a new project along side the Bee Bar. It’s going to be a boom lamp. The base is kind of dictating the direction as it’s a Mahogany stump from North Key Largo. I have wanted to use this piece for a while and have finally figured out how I’m going to bore the center.

Getting ready to level the bottom with a router. 

Routing the bottom of the Boom Lamp base. 

The center needs to be removed for several reasons. One is weight. Two other reasons are that I need a place to run the electrical and I need a place for the boom counter balance. This wood has made me realize the finite supply that I have, so the idea of turning the core that I will be removing into sawdust is kind of repulsive.  I’m going to core drill this thing.

I’ve started fabricating this core drill. It’s 3-1/2 inches OD and 3-1/4 ID. The stump is about 39 inches long. I’ll be adding carbide teeth to the drill in the next couple of days. I hope to start drilling this weekend. 

Cheers till the next post. 

The Bee Bar started out just being a project to make a bar sized platform for the Beehive. It, like other projects that I’ve started, is taking on a life of it’s own. I’m going to make a page for the evolution of this piece, but in the meantime. I’ll post some of the stuff here.

The top has it’s first coat of sealer. I’ve been using Minwax Sanding Sealer as the primary coat. The second coat is of Grain Filler. It’s shown here. Kinda messy stuff but fills the grain nicely with a natural colored filler so the final coats of polyurethane will be nice and slick. I’m going to be trying Penetrol in the poly this go round. We’ll see how it goes.

Getting ready to glue Zipper Spline. The tapered pins are Lignum Vitae turned to match the #2 morse tapered holes in the Zipper Spline. The spline itself, 3/8 x 4 inch aluminum flat bar, also has matching tapered holes.

Zipper Spline glued. Holes were out of alinement by 10 thousandth of an inch in the spline causing interference when the tapered pins were driven into position. This created a very tight sturdy joint. I didn’t even need the clamps but went ahead and tightened them up.

Plugs cut and sanded flush with top. 

Top on painted base. Ready for finishing. This thing is going to look kick ass with a flock of Wonky Stools parked around it and some Sapphire G&T’s perched on top……………..

Leg Detail

Leg and feet Detail 

In this pic, I’m straightening the edge of the Mahogany plank that will be the table top. I had to add a stiffener because this jig flexed a little. 

Built new fence extension to allow for edge dado.

Beginning of Zipper Spline. Still not sure if  I’m going to use this aluminum flat bar or go with a multi-directional plywood. I think I’d feel better with the plywood. 

The zipper spline is going to be held in place using Lignum Vitae plugs. Here I’m straightening a Lignum Vitae root.

Cheers for now.

Paul