GET INSPIRED!
Take a look at some of the things we’ve created over the years. While it is not everything, it gives a sample and an opportunity to share little seeds from our journey!
Stax! - The Rocking Puzzle Challenge Game
We made this game to bring together several ideas into one, engaging experience! Battle your opponent to stack the shapes on top of the rocker without it tipping over. The first person to get their opponent to collapse the stack, or get the rocker to tip over, wins!
Painting Easels
Over 300 pieces to this simplistically complex project. Cabinet-grade, birch ply with Ash structure and trim. The whitewash finish is Mixol white dye in polycrylic and the trim is ebonized and topped off with clear polycrylic.
It fits a full size mattress so give this special needs little girl room to grow. When she is old enough, the walls easily come off and we can add rails.
The Luminescent Coasters
Did you know that some wood has natural luminescent properties that are exposed under black light? We didn’t know what species this was initially, so we asked the members of several woodworking groups and one person said, “Hold it under a black light. If it glows, it’s definitely Black Locust.” After a few curious re-reads of the post, we decided to give it a try and BAM!
The Barnwood Table
This is Ash lumber that was salvaged from structural beams in a collapsed, 125 year old barn. We made a breakfast nook table top to replace the commercially-purchased table made from wood-like material. We used epoxy to provide a nice surface while giving strength. With some bow ties and a little bit of universal dye, we felt like we had a great symphony, rot, wormholes, and all!
Castle Platform Bed
Over 300 pieces to this simplistically complex project. Cabinet-grade, birch ply with Ash structure and trim. The whitewash finish is Mixol white dye in polycrylic and the trim is ebonized and topped off with clear polycrylic.
It fits a full size mattress so give this special needs little girl room to grow. When she is old enough, the walls easily come off and we can add rails.
Cigar Ashtrays
A good friend asked us to make a couple of cigar ashtrays after seeing a social media post about one made for personal use. After a little discussion, we selected some pieces of Black Walnut and Hackberry and set to work. Both of these are finished with Rubio Monocoat to retain and enhance the natural wood beauty and help protect it from falling ashes.
The Whisk(e)y Bar Shelf
The wood was selected to fit a “whisk(e)y” theme. The Oak represents the oak of whiskey barrels. We used a vinegar ebonizing technique to recreate the toasted look of the inside of whiskey barrels…without the mess. Cherry was selected for the shelves and inlays to capture the rich brown/red color of whiskey.
The Charcuterie Cookies
What started out as rough, chainsaw-cut wood cookies, turned into conversational charcuterie boards. We started out trying to flatten or reshape these cookies, but it was at a time when we didn’t have a router mill, bandsaw, or many of the other tools and techniques we’ve acquired over time. So epoxy saved the day!
The Puzzling End Tables
These two tables’ tops were made from what we originally figured to be scraps from milling some Black Walnut logs. Because the pieces were still sizeable, we didn’t want to throw them into the burn pile. So we put them in the kiln with everything else in hopes that someday we would find a use for them. Well? That day came!
The Cedar Chest
Cedar is known for its scent, insect repellent properties, and its ability to absorb odors. It is very often used to make chests like this one. What started out as 12’ (~4m) cedar boards in a cull pile at the local big blue hardware store, full of warps and twists, became this chest. It will lovingly store linens and things for years to come.
The Book Tree
When you have an avid reader, the first problem is keeping them stocked with books. The second problem is finding creative ways to store all their books. Enter this clever design for a bookshelf that reduces the footprint while increasing the capacity. Made from spalted Silver Maple and finished in Rubio Monocoat, this shelf is, well, already full.
The Leopardwood Tables
When I saw Leopardwood for the first time, I can only think about my mother-in-law as she is a BIG fan of leopard print. She had some nice Adirondack chairs, but no place for her drink, book, or phone. So we solved the problem with these twin tables made of Leopardwood and White Oak. The tables are finished with five layers of Spar Urethane (thinned and unthinned).
The Bandsaw jewelry box
Hackberry wood has a coarse grain. It is can have green and gray hues in its grain, which is why we picked it for our first bandsaw box. This was made for a very special fashionista who needed a nice place to store her jewelry.
The Solar Kiln
Last year, we got into milling some of our own wood, harvested from downed trees in the area. But it takes roughly one year per inch (2.5cm) of wood thickness to air dry. We studied all we could about water and wood, kiln designs & operations, temperature, EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content), and on. While we can’t recite equations used in kiln operations, we've gotten some great results!
The Barnwood Chandelier
The wood was selected to fit a “whisk(e)y” theme. The Oak represents the oak of whiskey barrels. We used a vinegar ebonizing technique to recreate the toasted look of the inside of whiskey barrels…without the mess. Cherry was selected for the shelves and inlays to capture the rich brown/red color of whiskey.