Nice Legs!
If you love a large, shapely table leg as much as I do, then you’ll love seeing just how I made these incredible trestle legs for a large dining table!

Knotty or nice.
Not all things go the way we want, like this table top. This is actually a top we built last year, but over the winter one of the knots dried out and got soft. So it had to be repaired!
Here’s a fun glimpse at the process I used to remove the knot and then visually put it back! Hope you enjoy the show! ⠀

2 years and 20,000 miles.⠀
This is a case where the furniture literally fits the room. Over 2 years ago I was approached about building a table capable of seating 16 people. The couple was in the planning stages of their new home and wanted the room to fit the large dining table. ⠀
During the design phase I suggested the addition of a central lazy Susan to allow the use of all that open area in the center of the table. A plan was set. Now the house is finally complete and the table is in! ⠀

A leg to stand on.
A quick vid of me turning a bench leg from white oak. 

Spun around. 
Here I’m working one of the largest pedestal bases of my career. A 15 inch solid wood turned pedestal. Made from a large block of mahogany, this is one hefty beast. 
This is actually attempt number 2 for this base, the first was too cold and blew apart from the heat caused by turning it, a lesson I was not happy to learn... ⠀⠀

All around great guys.
Have you ever seen a ten foot wide round dining table?
And if you wondered how a table that big became round, here’s a quick peek at the process. 
In case this isn’t impressive enough, the center of the table will be an eighty inch free spinning lazy Susan. 
It’ll give a whole new meaning to “Pass the potatoes”!

The search for perfection. ⠀

Not everything I make can be as perfect as I want, but that definitely doesn’t stop me from trying.⠀
So if in the course of leveling a table top I find a tear out at the joint, I’ll also find a way to make it disappear! ⠀

I caught a dove by the tail. ⠀

I’ve received a lot of messages and questions about my techniques for cutting half blind dovetails. So for all those that are curious, here it is. ⠀
With the exception of the dovetail marker and having better tools now, my process hasn’t changed much in 22 years. ⠀
I didn’t edit out anything, so the video goes fast, but if you watch a few times I think you’ll catch everything. 

Knot going to cut it.⠀

Unfortunately the wood I get from the mill isn’t always perfect, and sometimes those imperfections end up in a piece. ⠀⠀
Like a large knot on the underside of this round tabletop, that found its way to the edge. ⠀⠀
Here’s a quick look at the repair process. Once it’s stained and sealed, it’ll be like it was never even there! ⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀

I took a turn for the better.

Who doesn’t love a nice pedestal? ⠀
The 2019 design forecast is suggesting a move towards more curved pieces and round tables, so I’m expecting this to be the first of many this year! ⠀
This big hunk of mahogany was a joy to turn! Wood turning has always been one of my favorite hobbies, and getting paid to do it absolutely rules! ⠀
I hope you enjoy watching me get filthy, cause I definitely enjoyed the process! ⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀

Like toast, fries, and kisses.

There’s something wonderful about the soft shine of a well executed French polish. ⠀
After sealing and waterproofing, the wax polish adds a look and feel that no other finish can give. Smooth to the touch and easy on the eyes, it’s the perfect finish for this live edge slab. ⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀

Lean into the curves. 

You know I’m a sucker for the details, especially when they define a piece. Like turning a simple entry table into a eye catcher.
These little half venn circles were fun to make. I hope you enjoy the process as much as I did! ⠀⠀

It was just another mortise Monday.⠀

If you’ve ever wondered how square holes were made in wood, here’s a speedy lesson. ⠀
I’m working on an Amish inspired, shaker style dining table out of beautiful quarter sawn white oak. ⠀
Needless to say, there’s a lot of hand tool work going into this piece. Thankfully I’m not Amish and I get to use power tools for some of it! ⠀

What you see is what you get. 
When most people think about woodworking, they think about the cutting, shaping, joining and sanding. But when you look at a piece of furniture, it’s often the finish that you notice first. So I thought I’d give a little insight into the staining process. The idea is to soak the grain of the wood with color and enhance its natural look. ⠀
Here I’m applying a dark coffee stain to a ten foot oak conference table. ⠀
Makes a big difference, doesn’t it?