Huge Thrill

Re: Huge Thrill

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>RJ

That is a fantastic compliment! I would love to see examples of your work. Can you post a few pics, or a link?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Congratulations, RJ

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Yes, that's pretty proud company.

Posting Pictures

R.J.Whelan

>Derek ... I really struggled with whether to post the forgoing "boast".

My personal outlook and religion dictates a humble approach to life and my work so I have always resisted the temptation to post pictures.

Thank you for the kind words; I will ponder them as I once again wrestle with the question of whether to post pictures.

- rj -

Re: Huge Thrill

Lyn J. Mangiameli

>I think you got it right the first time, as I see it, you are sharing the joy of being recognized for the tasteful, high quality work you do. You are sharing it with friends who have some abilty to appraise and appreciate both your work and the recognition you have received. I am both warmed and cheered by your report--a feeling one usually would not get from someone who was simply bragging.

From one who has Eames and Noguchi and Nakashima (just one piece) in the house, and who has struggled greatly to create furniture to integrate with those designs.

Re: Posting Pictures

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Hey RJ, congrats on the comission. Posting a pic of your work is not about you; it's about the wood, the design, the ideas and function of the piece. It always inspires me to get to work when I see well done pieces posted here. And we could probably critique it pretty hard and really make you feel humble ;)

Re: Huge Thrill

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Congratulations R.J.!! This must be very exciting for you indeed, as I know it would be for me. Not to be a wet blanket, but are you sure that this fellow isn't fibbing to you? Let's see if I can illustrate my point. I have a small collection of block planes that I think are pretty neat. One day at a flea market I bought a China made blue and red painted piece of junk to go into the collection. when asked I explained that you have to have an ugly one aroubd to really be able to appreciate the beauty of the nice ones.

Nay, I'm funnin' with ya' Bro. A hearty Congrats to ya', sounds like you're "arriving" eh?

On the subject of "bragging", my view is this: There is norhing wrong with it if it is for the purpose of merely saying "This is what I made and how I did it". The line is crossed when the "bragger" gets a bad case of the "I's", which starts to give the reader the feeling that this person feels s/he is the greatest WW to ever work wood, and every decsion I made is the right one everytime because I am the smartest person to ever live. No sir, merely showing what you've accomplished and saying how you did it is alright in my book, and if you care to thank a higher Spirit for the Inspiration and Ability to have been able to do this, than I see not wrong with that either.

Todd O.

Pictures can be inspirational, educational

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>I wish people would post more pictures of their work. I find the pictures both educational as well as inspriational, and indeed they can be "worth a thousand words" . I have been inspired to build things similar to what I have seen posted and others have contacted me to inquire about things I have posted. And, on occasion, the picture shows how a design or construction problem was solved.

A humbly posted picture would never be considered boastful. So, please post...........

Re: Huge Thrill

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>Thanks for thinking of us when you wanted to share.

Re: Huge Thrill

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>RJ after the communications we've had over the 6 or 7 years on the web...I can safely say this is the neatest thing you have ever posted. Totally out of character for you to brag so blatently but neat:-)

(I'd brag too)

If the posting of pics is still out of the question at least give us a write up of the style and construction. Wood species,etc.

Good on ya.JR

Teaching

Wiley Horne--Glendora CA

>R.J.,

Very, very happy for you, having benefitted from your teaching over the years (remember the 19 steps!).

Maybe there's a 19 steps in this project somewhere. Whatever you could see fit to release on the concept, special design issues, grain matching problems, finish issues--any of this would be most appreciated.

If you would feel compromised, or perhaps the client's interest compromised in some way by photos of the actual project--discussion would still be of great interest.

Wiley

Re: pictures

Matti Kuikka

>Besides my heart-felt congratulations I'd like to point out that probably everyone who tries to work with hand tools strives conciously or unconciously to understand wood. If by sharing your feeling for wood with pictures you could help amateur apprentices like me, I think you would be doing a service to this community and not bragging. Obviously you have been given a gift and by being asked to be presented at Nakashimas side this has been recognised.

Matti Kuikka

Re: Posting Pictures

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>RJ,

I think picture posting can be boastful or humble - much depends on the spirit with which the posting is made, just as much depends on the spirit with which you approach the making of the thing itself. If Nakashima had not been willing to have his work photographed and written about, how many of us would have had the chance to learn about his designs and philosophy?

So many of the best builders (I think of Nakashima and of Sam Maloof) are humble in their attitudes; yet they are willing to show and speak about their work.

The same is true, by the way, of good teachers. I still recall Mr. Penning, a history teacher of strong opinion in my junior year in high school, who probably discussed history in his sleep; yet who informed us, when explaining our term paper assignment, that he learned something from the papers submitted every year.

Re: Huge Thrill

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Please post your work. Freely sharing what you have been given is never a boastful gesture.

Description

R.J.Whelan

>Here is a description of the table and how I built it:

The table measure 14� wide by 58� long and 34� high.

The legs, apron and top are made from African mahogany.

I was able to find just enough straight-grained material to rough out the four legs which feature a slight taper from top (1-5/8�) to bottom (1-1/8�). I put a slight bevel on each corner with a spokeshave. I smoothed the legs with a my C&W set very lightly (probably .0005 - .001) � this stuff tears out pretty bad, but the straight grain areas are a little easier to deal with.

The apron measures 5� and again I looked for material that wasn�t too figured. Aprons are attached to legs with a 1-1/4� x 4� tenon and pinned with 1/4� ebony pins turned on my tiny lathe.

The drawer is made from Paduak that had a nice quilted figure. The knobs are turned out of ebony; sort of a mushroom shape � pretty simple. The sides are fiddleback maple and are fitted to the front with sliding DTs- not my usual joining style, but kind of cool to see when the drawer is pulled out. The bottom is aromatic cedar (real wild figure with a 1/4� maple inlay bordering the perimeter).

I resawed the top out of my remaining 8/4 material � the table length was dictated by the grain in the material; I had an 8� stick and about 5 feet of it had pretty figure that looked really cool when book matched. There are five butterfly keys along the glue line (decorative only) made from the same Paduak as the drawer front. I shaped the keys on the TS and then cut them into 5/16� slices on the trusty BS. I scribed the keys onto the top, removed the majority of waste with a router (shame on me) and did final fitting with a couple of sharp chisels.

The finish was as follows: 1 coat of 50/50 BLO, tung oil sanded in with 220; 1 coat of the same oil sanded in with 360; 2 coats of seedlac (with a few drops of turps to help the brush marks smooth out); sand with 360 after the second coat; 3 coats of tung oil/varnish/turp sanded with 600 between first and second coat; rub out final coat with 0000 bronze wool; pure beeswax adds a bit of luster.

Total construction time was 26 hours over three days. Total finishing time was 3 hours over about 10 days.

The tough part about building this again is going to be finding similar material � the customer saw the table in an art gallery that owns the table (not for sale) and he wants his to match the one he saw as closely as possible. Looks like I�ll be making a drive to LA to pick material.

I promise to post a picture of the new table when it's done.

- rj -

Re: Huge Thrill

Derek

>R.J.,

Contrats! That is quite a complement. The only thing I'd add is that it could not have been made to a nicer, more helpful gentleman!

Derek

Re: Posting Pictures

William Duffield on the Cohansey

>We are here to learn, and to share what we have learned with those from whom we have learned valuable lessons. Please post the photos, along with your observations about those elements of the project you think worked, and those on which you developed the important insights after you had competed the project.

Congrats on your patron's complements, and on your appreciation of them, and on your sharing them with us. I'm sure you would not have posted this if you had not valued his opinions.

Re: Coincidence?

Matti Kuikka

>About a month ago I bought a couple of stack sawn planks (right term? not squared nor quarter sawn) They are khaya ivoriensis which I suppose is the same wood. They are about 1" thick, roughsawn and about 60cm at the widest, 40 cm at the narrowest. The grain is in parts pretty interesting and I have them standing in my shop. I have planed parts of them with a high end japanese plane that I use to "look into wood". I have several questions about your finishing, but must think about and try it.

My maybe overambitious aim is to make a table for my laptop where I can rest the mouse in my hand without squeezing my considerable stomach. I had as a distant inspiration a curved desk from one of Krenov's books. I think that Nakashima-like solutions with butterflies and such are more considerate towards wood than the krenovian, a bit forced approach.

I have also thought about a swivel and tilt chair of the same planks to replace my nakashima-aping two-legged chair with more comfort. Also the chair is made from black alder (in Finland called also poor mans mahogany).

As you can see I'm real interested and as it happens also a little impatient. If you don't consider it an intrusion, I'd be happy to furnish you or your gallery with an e-mail adress that is capable of receiving good photos and an assurance of not copying photos or furniture or publishing or..

As an amateur I don't think that I'll ever be able to match your speed or skill. My time frame is next winter and quality level hand made.

Matti Kuikka

-46 vintage apprentice preparing for retirement time

Re: Huge Thrill

Dave Anderson Chester, NH

>In addition to my hearty congratulations for such a great compliment, let me make a coupla comments RJ. As others have said, it's probably not really bragging, but rather sharing good fortune with friends and acquaintances who can truly appreciate the meaning of your commission. Perhaps more importantly, you have been a valued member of the community both here and on the Pond. You have offered us much over the years and we truly appreciate your advice, commentary, and good fellowship. I'm meandering a bit, but the point I'm trying to make is that you have always shared with us, and I would ask that you continue to do so. This forum is about sharing, helping each other, and occasionally even a little massage for the ego. Please post whatever you feel comfortable about offering including pictures. If it makes you uncomfortable to do so, we will understand and not harass you, you are a friend.

Congrats!

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I too would be thrilled and just itching to tell someone about it. Glad you told us! I for one look foreword to seeing it. Thanks for agreeing to post a pic!