White Oak Dining Table Legs Process

1. The prepared blanks in White Oak were mounted on the lathe. The blanks were very heavy.

2. The blanks were all turned to cylinders so I could see what I was dealing with.

3. The cylinders were turned down to specified dimensions.

4. The carvings were laid out on the blanks to best work with the grain.

5. Roughing out around the carvings.

6. The blanks were then cleaned around the areas left for carving.

7. The carving details are laid out.

8. Roughing out the carvings.

9. Shaping and cleaning comes next.

10. Applying the buttons.

11. The finished legs after the buttons have been shaped and a final cleanup has been done.

12. The legs being applied to the dining table base in the cabinet shop.

Picture Frame Process

1. I had a picture frame design in mind for a nice print. It is hard to make something original when it comes to frames. Once approval was given and Ash was chosen as the material, the machining process began. I created a jig to hold the frame pieces on an angle through the Thickness Planer.

2. The inner and outer frames glued up using keys to reinforce the mitres.

3. Fitting the ebony pegs and checking the alignment of mortices on the inner and outer frame pieces. The sample is in the middle.

4. The frame disassembled and the finish being applied.

5. The Ebony pegs being inserted and pinned in place.

6. The completed frame hanging on the wall.

Newel Post Caps Process

1. The commission was for 32 White Oak newel post caps to sit atop 32 newel posts in a large residence. Blanks were glued up in long lengths before being machined to size.

2. Cutting the angles on the top.

3. Rough blanks ready to carve. The sample carving for customer’s approval is in the front row left.

4. Laying out the design.

5. Routing away excess material on the sides.

6. Routing excess material on the top with a smaller router.

7. Turning the button at the top of the cap.

8. The carving was done in stages to ensure uniformity across all 32 pieces.

9. Using a different style of vise to gain access to difficult areas.

10. Final clean up.

11. Sanding the bottom area most of which will be covered with a moulding used to secure the cap to the post.

12. Ready to ship.

Corbel Process

1. A prototype was commissioned by the customer for approval.

2. Once approval was given the glue-up process in White Oak was begun.

3. The blanks were band-sawn to shape and secured to wasters.

4. Basic layout of the blank being shaped.

5. The blanks were carved in stages with a close eye to the prototype.

6. The surfaces were carved relatively cleanly at each stage of work.

7. The completed Corbels were then fixed to a bracket.

8. The matching Corbels ready for the finisher and then installation.