Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The New Porch

Not too long ago, just moving out of my basement workshop was a fantasy. Well, now that I've been in my shop a few years, the finishing touch was obvious, the porch. Luckily for me, my brother Andrew and our friend Keith were looking for a summer getaway, and I had the perfect use for their carpentry skills.


We had some fun with the timber framing portion of the structure. Every time that I get to layout the cross supports, I get a charge knowing that if the math is right, everything fits just so. It's different than the "eyeball" work that I'm used to in chair work, and if the pieces weren't so heavy, I might just be lured into the trade.

After the tough work digging piers in Sullivan county soil ( 4 rocks for every dirt) and moving green timbers, the boys got their reward, christening the porch while shaving some spindles for a couple of balloon backs. Besides cooking them dinner every night, I had to throw something into the deal!



I've got some fun stuff in the works that I want to share, but my computer decided to die (I actually think that it heard Sue ordering the new one) and took my photos along with it. I'll get the photos reshot and start talking curved stretchers soon.

5 comments:

  1. Pete,
    Great work! What a fantastic addition to your workshop. Working on the porch must be an exceptional treat (for you and the dogs). Will you ever again want to leave home?

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  2. Peter,great looking addition.It
    encourages me to add to my shop.I can hardly turn around inside.I need
    a work room real bad. It's good to have help.What a nice brother and friend.Will send you shop pictures soon,thanks
    Kerry
    PS. think they would come to Georgia?

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  3. Peter,
    Thanks, now if I could just get some chairmaking time in to enjoy it. And you know the answer to the question, I never want to leave home!

    Kerry,
    beware what you wish, they are from Georgia!

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  4. Pete,
    I was wondering if you could recommend a reamer for the top of the arm stumps on a continous arm windsor?

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  5. Reaming the hands can be done with a number of tools. I've used cheap plumbers reamers from the hardware store as well as more pricey a fast cutting reamers for instrument makers. I now use a Herdim 25:1 ratio cello reamer. For the cash (around $70) it's a great tool, but honestly the job can be done cheaper. If I was buying a reamer now, I'd check out Victor Machinery Exchange (a machinist supply house) and see what they have, I recall seeing some tools that resemble my cello reamer, but for about $20. Good luck!

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