Dining Room?
“Hey Hon- what’s for diner ?”
‘Plywood sandwiches’ crosses my mind but my throat doesn’t summon the words. It’s a surreal feeling working through the big build these past two weeks- from paper to plywood and now starting the solid wood components there is indeed a tipping point while working through a new design.
Salvaged plywood chair, mahogany trestle table with strong coffee and a wife that has a good sense of humour
There will always be the hump, the top of the slide- those few dark hours when a new design is still coming together…a kind of calculated uncertainty, ‘ a quiet terror’ is definitely not a stretch in vocabulary. Having this much on the line, these over sized sheets of plywood, littered throughout our dining room- the basement wood-shop isn’t even an option anymore, the pieces wouldn’t fit down the stairs.
I mention ‘the scale of work’ quite often in my book and I wish I had of gone back and read those sections again before I started this project! All joking aside, its really an incredible journey pushing yourself through a construction that really is more than the ‘cup’ should be holding. I don’t have any regrets but quite the opposite really- if you had of asked me on Saturday or Sunday how it was going I might have told you differently- but that was the turning point. It’s that dark side of the moon when you’re pretty sure everything is coming together just like the paper or the computer promised but then reality creeps in and there you are with just the saw dust and the splinters…That’s when it all gets pushed to the wall and you either push it back a little harder and find where the design is working and you get excited about being able to see it coming together- or you curl up into a shell and you wish it was different and you should have used this or done that instead.
‘He not busy being born is busy dying-’ Bob Dylan said that-
Designing furniture is a little bit like that., either its being born or its dying…
which end are you on?
Which side of the story do you want to be a part of?
Walking into my dining room today, sitting in my curb side-mid modern plywood chair- looking at the veneers in the large plywood sheets lying across our solid mahogany trestle table, leafing through a book on Scandinavian furniture I just borrowed from the local library this morning, I’ve realised that the project is working and this is a good day indeed.
Sure, I wish I was down in the wood shop rolling shavings out of some solid planks- but that’ll be this weekend with those incredible pieces of curly maple as they turn into a table top- but for now the job at hand is to focus and see the design as it unfolds.
Work makes life sweet- remember?
Cheers-
8 Comments
Hey Tom,
Glad you see the sunrise again after goin’ through a weekend where you probably thought you were watching the last ever sunset on this project
After your first blog on this project I thought the size of your shop would be questionable and it would probably be ‘dining room time’ again…..nice to hear your family just kinda ‘adapts’ to it and is no too bothered about sawdust in the soup.
I’m awaiting the first pictures where we can see things come into shape!
Oh, and I like being born better!! But than again ‘ living is lethal’ as they say around here.
Hang in there, all will turn out well!
This situation is common in the building world. In fact thats exactly where one should strive, when the “cup” is full(or in my case overflowing). Its the stretching to accomplish the unknown that develops skill and confidence.
I’m encouraged by your honesty and willingness to share the reality’s of craftsmanship.
Work does make life sweet-
I will drink to that!
Cheers!
Pictures as soon as it’s assembled. At this point its still only large pieces- the front, the sides, the top, the bed box portion, the head board- the final assembly won’t be until it’s packed in a van and taken over to my clients home. That’s the final assembly and I’ll be sure to get some good shots!
thanks for the interest.
keep well.
I really liked the “quiet terror” bit. Very well written. I look forward to hearing how the story ends.
Tom, It’s always a pleasure to hear your words. Since I’ve gotten the book and DVD, I have your voice to associate with the written word. I can’t wait to see how it all comes together. I’m glad to know there’s still that freak out point, even in a professional. It’s always good to have a little fear. I’m assuming the handcuffs were just in case you felt yourself ready to bolt from the project.
)
Vic,
thanks for the comments…and yes, there is always still a bit of the ‘freak out point’ – I sometimes think that’s part of the joy while working wood. If it was just a walk in the park maybe it would get boring? maybe not- I’m not sure I’ll ever know the answer to that one- who does?
As for the ‘hand cuffs’
when I read your comment I thought- what the heck is this guy smokin’ but then I noticed the picture- ahhh- the ‘hand cuffs’
it’s actually two casters siting on the table top- they’re walnut and aluminum, very contemporary design….these will be used on the side table that goes with the main bed piece. they do look like some hand cuffs though- good call !
cheers-
me too!!