Just finished this Walnut side table. The top is an off-cut from a massive slab used for a desk a couple years ago - rich tone and beautiful grain. The base is also from Walnut off-cuts lying around the studio. The 3-legged base is sculpted and quite light, contrasting the monolithic top . The central joint where the three stretchers meet is pinned with little brass tenons.
Another book I received as a gift over the holidays. Richard Olsen has done a beautiful job depicting some of the great handmade houses mostly along the California coast. Full of inspiration and the story behind each creation.
Rose & Sons
Keeping up with my blog entries isn’t something that comes naturally to me. I have to make an effort and put aside time to keep this current.
On that note, weeks ago I finished installing all the table tops, counter top and shelves at the newly opened Rose and Sons.
After talking it over with Anthony, we decided to build everything out of solid riftsawn White Oak. All the woodwork is finished with a rich chocolate colour. Since the picture below, we have installed adjoining ‘U’-shaped shelves around the upper walls, adjacent to and opposite the bar. The place looks great and it’s always packed with people loving the amazing comfort food. Congratulations Anthony.
Handcrafted Modern: At Home with Mid-century Designers
Received this book as a gift a few months ago and thought I would share it.
Beautiful concept to shoot homes of midcentury designers and builders using only natural light and only those homes that are still being lived in by their owners or kept in their original state. Photographs are fantastic and very revealing. A glimpse into the personal spaces of some of the most inspiring designers. J.B. Blunk’s cabin is one of my favourites.
Tufted Wood
My friend Alex was by the other day with one of his latest creations - Tufted Wood. 
We helped with the finishing and assembly so it can be shipped to New York for photos and media exposure. Bon voyage.
Boathouse Tables
I had the pleasure of collaborating with Bradley Denton during the summer, designing and building a set of reclaimed White Oak tables for a gorgeous boathouse on Lake Simcoe.
The coffee table is quite big but works well in the large, open space. The side tables are a simple frame design, topped with marble.
Side Table Construction
I was commissioned to make this side table by a client. Here it is in pieces ready to be glued-up. Ash is a very strong wood quite similar to Oak and it stains well.
Here it is fitted together, glued and clamped. Tomorrow it will be stained black and finished. The top is attached with screws. Simple, strong and beautiful.
The coffee table is coming along…. Spent some time yesterday getting the legs and lower shelf ready for glue-up. The slats that make up the lower shelf are shaped to fit into mortises created by the Domino - a jointer made by Festool that cuts oval recesses using an oscillating router bit sized for different tenons that they also produce. I made 37 slats to fit perfectly into the evenly spaced mortises cut along the shelf stretchers. Most of them will be pressure fit, but I will glue a few of them to connect the two pairs of legs.
Night tables are finished. The riftsawn white Oak has a beautiful deep caramel-brown tone and the regular grain pattern is my favourite.
This wide slab of reclaimed White Oak has been sitting around the studio for a few years now. It is starting to split in a few places, so I wanted to get it butterflied. I have a few small pieces of African Blackwood that is very dense and strong and a good neutral-tone choice for butterflies. First the butterflies are cut. Once they are outlined on the top with a razor knife, the bulk of the material can be routed out with a small bit. After that, they are fitted with careful, patient chisel work.
These reclaimed White Oak hooks are above the bench with sliding doors I made for this client. Both have contrasting white lacquer to compliment the oak.
Just getting these White Oak night tables glued up. Simple frame design with white laminate for contrast on sides, shelf and drawer front.
City Home - Into The Woods
Toronto Life’s 2012 City Home issue is out and I am included as one of the experts interviewed. I’d like to thank Ariel Brewster and Sean J. Sprague for coming by the studio to see what we do here. The article - Into The Woods - features some of the work I do and the invaluable people and businesses that help make it happen.
Guitar
I have been working - but mostly not working - on finishing this guitar I started building almost 10 years ago. There was little to do and I finally got it finished.
It is based mostly on a 1920’s Gibson L-0 but has some major differences - bracing pattern, materials, bindings, purfling, etc. It has a Western Red Cedar top, Mahogany back and sides and Ebony fretboard. It sounds great - very bright and lots of volume. So happy to finally have it finished and playable.
