Welcome to the Shop

I thought I would post a few pictures of the project that left my shop yesterday. It is one of the most unique pieces that I have ever been involved with. The project is on its way to be stained and finished. After that is done I will install the furniture into the customers home. After the installation is complete, I will post some finished pictures of the completed project.

So, here is what it is. It is a queen size bed that retracts into a cabinet. The bed slides in and up the back of the cabinet so that the whole unit fits into a 24" deep space. It operates via remote control. Very James Bondish. As always, clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.




This first picture shows the majority of the unit. There is a lot more that goes with the whole piece that what is shown in the picture. The entire project is 12' wide by 10' high. So, what you see here actually will get another 30" of cabinetry on top of it. On the left hand side, there is a desk that will get a granite counter-top on it. On the right hand side there is a drawer base that will also get granite on it. The main unit in the center will have a piece of art mounted in the big section in the center. Most customers who are purchasing these are mounting flat screen tv's in that space. Due to this project being in the "not finished yet stages", there are not drawer faces on the drawers yet. That is why there are big gaps around the drawers on the left and right. When finished, the unit will be virtually flat all the way across.




Here we can see the bed mechanism coming out. What is actually the foot-board of the bed will look like two drawer faces. They will line up with the drawer faces on the right hand side when it is completed.




Here the bed is completely extended. The slats that are on the top are the box spring and the mechanism that holds the mattress in place when the unit is closed. All in all, it is very clever engineering. Getting through some of the details was a challenge, but it has been a rewarding project. Finished project pictures will come in a few months.

My Life When I'm Not Blogging

It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything and with good reason. I had a project that I had promised to complete by Christmas. It has involved a lot of 17 hour work days over the past couple of weeks, but I finished yesterday. I will need to go back for some minor touch up stuff, but the customer is pleased and I am too. I thought I would share some pictures of the project through different stages of its steps towards completion. The project is designed and built solely by myself. The wood is quarter-sawn ash and matched ash veneers.




This is where the project will go. This picture was taken 1 year ago. The project will have a bookcase on the left side of the fireplace, the fireplace hearth and mantle, and an entertainment center on the right side of the fireplace.



This is a picture of the project in my shop 2 weeks ago. I assembled the whole unit in the shop as I made the mouldings and trim work to go on the unit. You can see a little bit of the amazing grain in the wood on this unit. You can also see a little bit of my cluttered shop.



This is after the first day of installation on Wednesday. I hired another cabinetmaker to help me with the installation. These units are a little big to handle by myself. I could have done it, but I saved myself a tremendous amount of time by hiring in someone else.



This is the finished project after I was done yesterday afternoon. Just a little bit of moulding to go around the marble and it will be done. The customer was very happy and so am I. It is not the largest project I have ever done, but it may be the most complicated. It may also be the most rewarding. This will go down as one of my favorite projects I have done.