Cool furniture, design objects and desiderata

[sugarbutch]

Are you still updating your blog, @SkinnyGoomba? I haven't seen anything in Feedly in quite some time

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I have been super lazy about the blog. I wrote an article for an English magazine recently and have been mostly posting on Instagram

 

[lefty]

Not a single straight/square edge to be found:
Claesson Koivisto Rune

Those are beautiful. Would buy.

Nice work, Skinny.

lefty

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thank you!

 

[venessian]

Thank you! Very much appreciate the compliments on my work. The legs start square only at the rough out, I planed two surfaces parallel then made them into parallelograms. The more accurate a start, the more one can move forward with confidence.

I draw the entire piece in detail on CAD. Once I have the leg angles planned out I basically connect the dots and it forms the angle.

If one were to simply take a square and tilt it at 15 degrees on two axis the faces will be no longer parallel to the faces of the skirt. So, by simply making those faces parallel it forms the required angle.

Oddly enough because of this effect, the angles of the shoulders being cut at an angle to their faces, it changes the angle of the shoulder by a minor amount. It was 0.5 degrees In my case. Enough so that I double checked it many times before making the cut (four cuts per shoulder).



View attachment 1278382



Plan until you confident and make certain of your angles on the machinery (or by hand). Hand work is pretty much required but not for the entire cutout.

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I have no photos of making the main mortises, I roughed them out on the slot mortiser, then finished cutting them by hand using a sliding bevel for reference.

The hard part is getting the angles right so that you don’t have to touch up anything after it’s cut, if you start tuning things it will be endless since everything effects everything.

This was the most challenging piece I’ve made, glad to see it well received.

Thank you very much.
Superb, clear replies and fantastic explanatory photographs. Really great work.
?

 

[venessian]

Those are beautiful. Would buy.

Nice work, Skinny.

lefty

Yes, CKR are really very talented architects/designers, and this collaboration with Yuji Takahashi / Karimoku looks fantastic, really beautifully balanced between elegant and relaxed, rigorous and exuberant, minimal and sumptuous. It is not easy to make sparseness look so rich, so well.

 

[venessian]

Thank you! Very much appreciate the compliments on my work. The legs start square only at the rough out, I planed two surfaces parallel then made them into parallelograms. The more accurate a start, the more one can move forward with confidence.

I draw the entire piece in detail on CAD. Once I have the leg angles planned out I basically connect the dots and it forms the angle.

If one were to simply take a square and tilt it at 15 degrees on two axis the faces will be no longer parallel to the faces of the skirt. So, by simply making those faces parallel it forms the required angle.

Oddly enough because of this effect, the angles of the shoulders being cut at an angle to their faces, it changes the angle of the shoulder by a minor amount. It was 0.5 degrees In my case. Enough so that I double checked it many times before making the cut (four cuts per shoulder).



View attachment 1278382



Plan until you confident and make certain of your angles on the machinery (or by hand). Hand work is pretty much required but not for the entire cutout.

View attachment 1278431 View attachment 1278430 View attachment 1278432
View attachment 1278429

SG, what specifically are the machine tools in these photos?
Most of your work is done by hand or by machine?
By hand iirc?
Which really blows my mind...I can barely saw a 2x4 straight by hand....

It looks like you have a very nice shop; that would be a real dream of mine. I used to build a lot furniture when I had access to one, and really miss that kind of work, a lot, both physically and emotionally, as it was so satisfying in both aspects.

(Once I took a night-school wood shop class only in order to have access to the tools and space (and because the prof was a RISD/Tage Frid graduate). The assigned term project was to make a frame for a mirror, any size/shape...so I built a 6' high x 3' wide chest of drawers/shelves/jewelry box/integrated light/integrated mirror. I was in that shop day and night every hour I could spare...and it was some of the most fun I ever had in my life! I loved every second, and even the memories now. It is such fulfilling work. You are so fortunate to have your skills, your knowledge and dedication, the space, all that. Bravo.)

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Awesome, glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience. That sounds like a nice project. Woodworking is a wonderful tactile experience, I truly enjoy everyday in the shop, often enough I feel like the days end much too soon.

Those machines are both mortising machines. I cut a lot of draw-bores with square pegs and I don’t like making square holes by hand so I use a hollow chisel mortiser for it now. A small square hole by hand takes eons because the chisel has no where to move, one just drills by hand and squares up the sides by shearing.

I have two mortising machines, a bandsaw, jointer/planer, sliding table saw, lathe, chop saw and router.

I do much if my work by hand, but I have machinery for many tasks. Some things are better done by hand, some better by machine. As example, a chair spindle is best made by hand, turned spindles are always a compromise. Hand planing, at its peak is the best way toward a perfect surface and often is extremely quick. Hand fitting is often required in many cases and is best when done efficiently.

One must rely upon one’s self for work outside of the envelop of machines, as example I flattened a 50” + wide piece of chestnut for a local furniture maker by hand. It was a difficult wood that stopped the sander where it had been tried. I was the last recourse. Five hours later I had a very flat tabletop for them.

By contrast, small square mortises are best done by machine. Thickness planing best by machine, etc. I like machines that improve upon my product and allow me greater range as a maker.

 

[gettoasty]

Maybe the the Super-Elliptical from '68, by Piet Hein, Bruno Mathsson, and Arne Jacobsen...

Something like this and in wood. Family things four legs looks more pleasing and not as clumsy.

 

[Bromley]

Awesome, glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience. That sounds like a nice project. Woodworking is a wonderful tactile experience, I truly enjoy everyday in the shop, often enough I feel like the days end much too soon.

Those machines are both mortising machines. I cut a lot of draw-bores with square pegs and I don’t like making square holes by hand so I use a hollow chisel mortiser for it now. A small square hole by hand takes eons because the chisel has no where to move, one just drills by hand and squares up the sides by shearing.

I have two mortising machines, a bandsaw, jointer/planer, sliding table saw, lathe, chop saw and router.

I do much if my work by hand, but I have machinery for many tasks. Some things are better done by hand, some better by machine. As example, a chair spindle is best made by hand, turned spindles are always a compromise. Hand planing, at its peak is the best way toward a perfect surface and often is extremely quick. Hand fitting is often required in many cases and is best when done efficiently.

One must rely upon one’s self for work outside of the envelop of machines, as example I flattened a 50” + wide piece of chestnut for a local furniture maker by hand. It was a difficult wood that stopped the sander where it had been tried. I was the last recourse. Five hours later I had a very flat tabletop for them.

By contrast, small square mortises are best done by machine. Thickness planing best by machine, etc. I like machines that improve upon my product and allow me greater range as a maker.

When do you find yourself using your slot mortiser over your hollow chisel mortiser?

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I sold the slot mortiser so I don’t use it anymore. The hollow chisel that replaced it is a very sturdy made machine so the mortise it produces is clean and accurate.

The hollow chisel required some effort to dial in. It was most certainly good enough as it was, but I wanted it really dead on. A lot of the time hollow chisel machines aren’t considered accurate, I wanted to make mine accurate and reliable, that started with the machine first, then the chisels.

Not sure if you guys are interested to know but here is some of what it took to bring that machine into close tolerances.

The fence was out of parallel to the X-travel by .010” over 22”. It was out of square by .007” over 6” and the chisel was out of parallel to the Z-Travel.

I had the table (and fixed fence) re-machined locally. Then adjusted the column to the main fixed ways.

I found all kinds of neat things that the factory didn’t apparently find, such as the chisel holder didn’t actually seat on its flange. So I repaired that and it went from being .006” out in two directions to being .001” out in those same directions.

This was more detailed than I show here, just a glimpse.

The chisel was next. I keep these super sharp.

I have another type of mortiser that I restored, it is called a ‘swing chisel’. It’s fairly limited in sizing but very effective.

Looks ok here, as received, except for the fact that the chisel holder was crashed into the table (bending it) and the clamp was broken off. The pressure switch by-passed and the bearings mostly dead. It was used without dust collection.

‘In working condition’ is accurate, but....

Re-machined the dovetail ways, the table, the chisel holder, replaced bearings, rewired, added dust collection, a chip blower on a switch, custom made carbide chisel and a new paint job.

The fence was missing so I literally made a cast iron fence for it and built a stop system with micro adjust.

 

[venessian]

SkinnyGoomba, is woodworking your profession?
You sure do have a ton of knowledge, dedication, ability.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thank you! Yes, it is my profession.

 

[venessian]

Thank you! Yes, it is my profession.

Fantastic, and again many congratulations on the excellent work.
Wish you the most success.

 

[bourbonbasted]

We're in the process of redecorating our home office and are struggling with a lounge chair...

Spoiler

Admittedly we won't be sitting in the chair much, but the goal is to have a place to plop down and read a book with a drink. My wife wants a more classic club chair option, but I fear the space is a bit small for a classic, bulky leather chair. Right now I'm leaning towards a Risom Floating Lounge Chair, but my wife doesn't think it looks inviting enough.

I'd love to get some recommendations or thoughts on chairs that are open/minimalist enough to fit a tighter space, while also being comfortable enough to complement the cozy intent of the room. I've included an in-process picture for reference. The poster is being hung this week, but it should give a decent idea of what we're looking at. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

View attachment 1207192

Figured I'd update this since I posed the question to the thread. We ended up going with an early Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin lounge chair. Given that our house has more of a bungalow feel, we felt the rattan detailing and corduroy cushions give it a warmer feel that's more in line with our house. While I love the hardcore MCM stuff, not living in a white-walled concrete box makes it a bit harder to blend. I think this chair strikes the right balance. Now just need to find a small end table and should be good to go...