Basement Bar Makeover! Pt.2

Continuing my previous post basement bar makeover with some results.

I wanted to tile the top for ease of cleaning and color, I ordered a select set of tiles.
Doubling up 3\4” plywood for the top and offsetting the edges to account for the angled Oak arm rest. I created a L-shape connecting to the wall into a air vent bump out.
Primarily white laminate particle board, It was accented with solid wood and veneered with Red Oak. I kept the Oak front. Painting it the color of the walls so the grain shows through giving it a rap around look.

On both side faces I glued on Oak plywood and edged it with Oak moldings. Depending on space I added rectangle frames for decoration. The top was tiled with 1/4” spacing for grouting. I took a tile to a local shop were I had a hole drilled for the sinks faucet. First time worked out with no breakage. The trickiest and most expensive part was with the angled miters on the molded arm rests. With small and basic tools I surly managed to make high tolerance cuts with minimal gap fillings.

With the left over cuts from the Oak plywood and trim I used it to box in the mini fridge. Doors are just 3/4” MDF with simple and clean hardware. I finished the Oak with two parts of stain. Liberal amount of Ebony stain applied then wiped off to set into grain, then lightly sanded then a mission style brown was wiped on and let sit. After all stain applied and dried I then sealed with two coats of semi-gloss varathane.

I am very proud of this project. It was one of my first independent jobs that dealt with array of challenges with both construction and keeping a client happy and excited every step of the way.

I would love to get in the business of building bars and fine indoor woodworks. I greatly prefer bench work in my own shop but there is a great joy to be found in on site carpentry, all of which are of great interest to me.

Rich

Basement Bar Makeover! Pt.1

A Couple years ago I was building a basement for a new home owner. Most standard stuff such as steel stud walls, electrical, plumbing, drywall, pot lights, trim work and painting, simple but with quality in mind.

There was an ugly old school partial board bar existing in the basement that the owners wanted nothing to do with and asked me to tare out. The owners had an idea about buying a table or a new bar to be put in the same spot.

After inspecting the bar I knew I could restore and bring it within the taste of the homeowners with less cost then buying something new.

My idea's for the bar was to drop the top, increase the tops surface area, match the color with the walls and other accents to match the surroundings. Shelves, doors and a nook for a mini fridge was to be added and I wanted to uses the molded oak bar arm rests you often see.

After presenting my ideas the owners they were excited and gave me full creative control on the project.

Part 2 of Basement Bar Makeover will be posted soon.

1983 Volkswagen Rabbit w/Upgrade!

VW fans of the world! I have something for you!

This is a carving I made my friend for his 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit shifter head. The piece was carved into the end grain of old growth and dry Black walnut from the Appalachians. I chose to carve into the end grain to ensure the details and condition, since carving along the grain would have a greater chance at splintering and chipping. I soaked the carving in an antique oil finish to enhance the colour and to further protect it.
It was a lot of fun to carve such a small scale and detail.
Thank you my friend for the opportunity!

He tells me its the best piece of the car, I like to think so.

I am available to do small carvings if anyone is interested.
Currently I am working on a Teak carving for the VW front emblem.

Rich

No Wood Left Behind. Part 2.

Continuing from my previous post I would like to complete my circle of thought.

Other uses for collected scrapes of varied sizes are Safety implements like push sticks, feather boards, jigs, stop blocks and test pieces. Its important to determine what will be worth keeping and what should to be turned back into carbon dioxide.

One thing to consider is that working with smaller pieces can present a risk of danger if using machines. So only use the pieces that you are certain to have safe means of doing so.

The reasons why small pieces of wood are disposed of are worth looking at.
In the mind of a professional craftsmen he would not be bothered with these small pieces because their is a project at hand, a time line and bills to pay. Usually he will have a stash of useful sized hardwood for Jigs, Push-Sticks and test pieces leftover from commissions. But more often then not they will just throw away great pieces.

As for students enrolled into a program or a lone craftsman I feel they should be well aware of the use of all wood, if its for the project at hand or off cuts to be for future use. For the most part students will be busy with reports, deadlines and main projects that most will feel they should not be bothered with such things. Most often their is not much care for the wood, just that the project is finished leaving many pieces behind. Whats important is to waste little and have a confident understanding on wood selection and estimation.

So by collecting select pieces you are saving on future materials for small applications that otherwise would have been cut from a larger board and producing more waste. Being an environmentally aware society we are there are many small ways we can all contribute. Truly this is not limited to scrapes, its about responsible use of this wonderful material.

In the next part I'll talk about the greater lessons and creative aspects when dealing with limited materials available and responsible use. If its a small off-cut of quartered White Oak to the long single board of eighty year air-dried Mahogany. Every..single..cut..counts..period.

Rich