Handmade Furniture
The definition of handmade furniture can mean different things. The dictionary defines it as: movable household equipment, made or prepared by hand rather than by machine, or, made by hand, not by machine, especially with care or craftsmanship. I define it as, made by me, alone, as precisely as possible, with my two hands, from beginning to end.
I freely admit that, contrary to the dictionary definition, and some woodworking purists, I do use machines. They are an integral part of my workshop; in the same way that hand tools are an indispensable part of my workshop. I will always use and need a table saw as I will always use and need a hand plane. Each tool or machine serves its own designated purpose and usually many more. It’s also about learning how to use what you have, as with many applications in woodworking, things can often be accomplished in a variety of different ways. Machines allow that variety of use and designated purpose to streamline the building process. It can take hours sometimes days to prepare rough stock for use, which in reality, is only the starting point for most projects.
Working as a cabinet maker or building furniture on your own is a time consuming process. From conception and initial design to final clear coating and waxing, the amount of man hours spent on any piece of handmade furniture is seemingly limitless. These limits, more often than not, are bounded by the accuracy and stubbornness of the builder. Speaking as a perfectionist with a good eye and a harsh tongue for self criticisms, I often find it hard to walk away from a piece of furniture that I’ve completed without finding or seeing some minute detail that only I would ever notice.
Coffee Table
Wood is both beautiful and tactile. It has an incredibly diverse range of use; from framing houses and building boats to musical instruments and fine handmade furniture. I work with a variety of building materials that each have their own specific qualities, properties and uses, but for furniture, I prefer to work with solid hardwood that demands clear coating and avoid staining, filling or painting whenever possible. I like the contrast that’s provided by the natural colors and tones of different wood and prefer to let the wood speak for itself.
Cherry End Table
Solid wood is a natural material as opposed to a man made material. It is whole and pure, and because of its durability, has great intrinsic value when turned into furniture. Its color becomes deeper and darker and more and more beautiful with age. It has warmth, liveliness and an individual quality that springs from its prominent texture and natural graining. I honestly expect every piece of furniture I build to become an antique (exist on this planet for at least 100 years) and go through its own natural aging and patina acquiring process. Solid wood continues to expand and contract in conjunction with its seasonal surroundings long after its days in the forest. I respect old handcrafted techniques and well-tried construction methods that deal with this unique feature.
Time Capsule
The photos in this gallery represent my continuing journey and development in the world of woodworking and furniture making. Everything in this gallery was designed, built and finished by my hands alone. I apply traditional methods of construction and combine them with contemporary design.
Bird's Eye Table
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