Tag: woodworking

A table for…

…1:6? I’ve been looking through my backup folders and old projects, picking this little table as the next subject to show on here. I made it in 2011 for my niece, sized to go with the Barbies she played with at the time. Back then I posted my projects on a woodworking site (https://www.lumberjocks.com/HorstPeter), which I used to visit daily and rather enjoyed the project gallery, feedback and community too. Although I don’t remember why I stopped being a regular, it brings to the forefront once again how time and energy consuming it can be to stay active in even just one community, devoted to a specific craft. Add up various interests and all the different platforms available today and it’s very easy to have your work, as well as yourself end up fragmented.

That had been my main consideration for (re)starting my own site as a central hub, next to not being dependent on a third party. As interesting as it was to read my past project description and musings, I’m not someone to mirror old words…

…, but much rather look at the past illuminated by all the life lessons learned since then. So instead of simply migrating the projects to over here, I’ll back them up off-site while using them as a base…

…for new blog entries, possibly post-mortems to examine how something held up, or could’ve been improved. In this particular case, there really isn’t much to report though. The specimen is alive and well, all parts still attached to where they should be.

It’s one of those pieces that bring me a little happiness whenever I get to pick it up again. Just something about a table you can lift with one hand and admire its glossy, hand polished shellac finish.

Of Heart & Sap

With most of my recent work happening on 3d models, woodwork especially has taken a back seat for a long while by now. The want to return to craft a new piece is rising, but in the meantime I’ll use the opportunity to highlight my previous works here, starting with the Marriage Box and how it came about.

One day, I received a surprising letter in my mailbox. A friend of mine from a faraway country had invited me to his wedding. Sadly my lack of funds prevented me from going on a journey to attend their union myself, but at the least I wanted to send a part of me in my stead. 

So started the storm in my brain to float up a set of ideas which would come together in this little box, representing what a joining of two loving souls is meant to be and also keep safe the wedding bands when not worn.

Both of the main parts are made from the same piece of wood, a board of ash. One of heartwood, one of sapwood. While heartwood might be known to some as the strong, better quality wood and sapwood being something to avoid if you can, this really is only true from a very specific (and limited) point of view. So to me, this combination represents the perfect symbolism. All coming from the same root, all needed by the tree, yet each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Neither can stand upright on its own…

…but joined together, supporting one another, they form something more than the sum of their parts. Ready for their purpose, ready to be filled.

In this design, the lid acts as a connecting element as well as one keeping the contents safe from outside influence. Like a protective hand laid upon the loving partners. It is cut from Padauk, polished to a high gloss and features a pair of gilded, stylized rings, (which once again incorporate the theme of leaning on another). Like the rest of the piece, the choice of materials and finish has symbolic meaning as well as visual intent. 

Overall (in spite of my ever present inner perfectionist) I’m still happy with the design and of course that it was very well received and will be treasured for times to come. Satisfaction all around.

Wrapped up snugly for safe shipping

One thing I wish I did, now that I’m writing this post, is take photos along the way of crafting the piece. I’ve done it for other projects, but it seems the deadline on this one made me all but forget. That it consists of two identical parts, which come together through a visible, multi-dovetail joint when facing another pleases me greatly. Alas, there are only a few more photos to share and showing off interesting joints will be left to the future. Maybe it will motivate me to try something extra crazy, who knows!

  • Maybe I should use something more standardized than my hands to show scale.
  • The side view revealing a very different silhouette and forms.