June has been sliding by.

Was in New York at the end of May, helping a friend do an install. We were in Larchmont. That area and the surrounding areas, Mamaroneck and White Plains are prolly some of the most beautiful areas to be in during the late spring. Miami was HOT and HUMID, up there it was still cool, lush and green.

Driving through Larchmont. 

Rick, Damiano and Carlos -Seti mockup

We were up there doing a mock up in a warehouse for a Park Ave hotel/condo. Crazy millwork and cabinetry to install. Loads of wood paneling and walls to straighten.  Rick will send some picks of the finished product.

Next up was the Furniture Society’s  annual conference in Boone NC at Appalachian State University. I didn’t know what to expect but had a great time commuting from Little Switzerland over to Boone each day. I didn’t get a lot of pictures but did learn a bunch.

Steel sculpture on the Campus of Ap State. 

Chairs at Bernhardt  Furniture Factory

Went on a tour of the Bernhardt Furniture factory. They do beautiful stuff but could learn a thing or two about “Lean Manufacturing“ 

Also went to Hickory Chair. These guys do know a thing or ten about “Lean Manufacturing“ 

One of the interesting demos was by Paul Henry. He did a great demo involving horse hide glue and hammer veneering. I grabbed this shot off the Furniture Society’s facebook page. I figured it was OK since I’m in the shot looking like I just took a dump.

Paul watching Paul hammer veneer 

All in all the Conference was a learning experience. I did learn that you should make friends asap if you want to stay abreast of what cool things are going on. I also learned that if you don’t get a ticket early to the auction, it don’t matter if you donated a piece or not, you still ain’t getting in. Also, if you’re going in order to meet people, go to the frigging parties, especially the closing party.

That brings me to International Surfing Day.

 Here’s some information about the concept and spirit of International Surfing Day:

 

1. WHY IS INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY ON JUNE 20? 

* June 20th is the Summer solstice (the longest day of summer) for the Northern Hemisphere. It is with ISD tradition that we pick the Summer solstice as the date we kick off our celebrations! 

2. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY? 

* International Surfing Day is an annual worldwide celebration of surfing. A day to give thanks and go surfing, ISD organizers aim to raise awareness of the state of our oceans, waves and beaches and help protect and preserve these recreation areas. This year, Surfrider Foundation and industry friends and partners will commemorate the day by hosting events around the world, ranging from beach clean-ups to concerts and film showings.

It was a great time!

Sunset and Miami Beach and 79th Street. 

Cheers and stop back soon.

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 

This doesn’t have much to do with the making of studio furniture, but without boots, I can’t do to much in the studio.

Earlier in my life I had the pleasure of being in the US Army. This was the culmination of my upbringing so to speak. My father was a pretty strict guy and I guess I owe it to him that my experience in the Army and basic training(BT) in particular wasn’t very traumatic. That and the fact that it was well, peace time. My time in the Army was actually kind of fun. The time I spent there was kind of like a spinning wheel; like spinning raw wool, it kind of brought all the things I had learned up to that point, which were kind of just flying about uncontrolled, into one tight directed fiber. I did learn a lot of things in BT that I still use today. One of those things is breaking in boots.

Sergeant Ball was a reserve Drill Sergeant. I sometimes think he did things the easy way instead of the normal Army way. He taught us how to clean an M-16 receiver with boiling hot water. He also taught us how to break in boots by soaking them. The whole platoon was marched through  buckets of water.

My wife figured that for 35 bucks, I could use a new pair of boots. She saw these Doc Martens on sale and scooped them up. I’ve never liked Doc Martens because they really aren’t work boots. The soles are some kind of soft jelly rubber. I work with hot stuff so I know these things won’t last. Also, inside there’s like almost no padding. I wear my boots all the time. They are part of my “Uniform.” But now I have a pair of these things and they too will get the proper breaking in treatment

These had to be the stiffest boots I’ve ever put my feet into. Most boots I get, including my Army issue boots could have been worn straight away. Not these things. The stiff leather cut into the tops of my feet and they didn’t bend at all. Now even though all my boots before had fit properly, I wanted them to mold to my feet. So, ALL my boots have gotten the water treatment, even a pair of $200.00 Herman Survivors that I wore throughout my military career. These Doc Martens would be no different.

Lacing up the lightweight Frankenstein boots.

Using the garden hose to fill the boots. They sure didn’t hold the water in like some boots I’ve done this to. Water even squirted out between the sole and the upper shank!

Now one thing I’ve learned from experience is; make sure you’re going to be doing something outside for a while in order to give the boots a chance to be at least a little drier before going inside. Remember you’re going to be wearing them the whole day. They will slosh around for a little while and your feet might be cold in the beginning, but soon enough you can get on to other things.

My wife has a different way of breaking in her boots, but it’s not quite as successful as the old water trick.

Thanks for stopping in. Maybe you learned something you can use.

Cheers

5 May 09……………………. Thought I’d update this thing since not to many people believed it was so! So………… today my new Thorogood Boots arrived. These are REAL boots too, not 35 dollar Doc Martens!!

And yes, they did get the “Water Treatment.” I’m sitting here at the computer with soggy boots on.

I’ll let you know if there are any ill effects.

Cheers,

Paul

 I’ve gotten several questions about the Thorogood boots.

This is them as of today the 5th of July. They even have the same laces. I know the boots look like hell, but I really did mink oil them about a month ago and did polish them once or twice I think. Oiling them is the most important thing in my book. Dry leather falls part pretty quick. I mentioned the lace thing because having the same laces means that the eyelets and hooks are a very good quality and aren’t wearing out the lace. I weld, so I’m really surprised I haven’t burned up the laces.

Well these ones are about to get a break and get put on part time duty as I’m considering getting a new pair. Those ought to last twice as long as these things.

 Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers,

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 

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 

Last weekend I hit Art Basel and spent the weekend pretty much on South Beach. 

Monday I started helping work on a set for a commercial. I’ve been helping out with the crew that is building it. It’s been daily getting up at 4:30 to getting home after 6 at night.

I’m not a set guy, but it’s been quite an interesting experience. Today we moved the set to the Greenwich Studios, an old studio that I guess could be likened to something like a tiny Hollywood studio.Building a set for a commercial is pretty complicated. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to do it for a larger production. Some of the carpenters and scenics (completely high octane painters) I’ve been helping have worked on films like Meet Joe Black and the Titanic. Everyday has been something new.

Anyway, thats the reason for the lack of updates on progress and studio happenings. I’ll probably be working through this weekend too as shooting starts Monday or Tuesday.

I might take some pictures tomorrow at the studio. 

Have a great weekend,

Cheers

Today and yesterday I went to Art Basel on Miami Beach. I was helping my friend Marcus Haugg again with a photo shoot of an installation. I had fun and I am now part of the “Press.” 

Marcus was making something look way better then it actually did in real life. The finals were pretty amazing.

On the way to Basel for the third time in two days, I noticed this building being constructed close by. I’d noticed it before but for some reason it really caught my eye the third time. I think it must have been the light, because the red, which I don’t normally see was really bright. Maybe because it looked more yellow.

Well hope you are having a great weekend.

Cheers,

Paul 

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I headed out to work in the studio full time. It all started with a trip to the Boca Raton Museum of Art in …… Boca Raton. I saw a piece there that inspired the long process of putting together the things I needed to go solo. In the West African collection I saw a tribal bench. This is what that chance encounter produced:

I love this thing. I could sleep for days on it, but use it only now and again to catch a nap. Not sure what I’ll do if someone decides to buy it out from under me.

I still see the piece in terrazzo, a material that I’m still learning about and getting the feel of.

The new year is going to see the terrazzo piece and a whole bunch of new stuff.

Cheers and Happy Holidays,

Paul