Dashschund Cribbage board

This is the photo that accompanied the request to create a custom cribbage board shaped like a Dachshund. Working with this stained glass picture, would we be able to get a vectored file to create the shape in the next photo. Judge for yourself, I think it came out very well.




Here we have the lovable Dachshund. This board is made out of hard maple and is around 20ish inches long. Now the trick will be to get the track onto the board in the space available.

Here is the finished product, it turned out great. The client loved the board.
We took it to the Majestic Art Show we were displaying at last weekend and took an order to create another board just like it only with a different kind of wood. It was so popular, if we had more we could have sold several more. I had no idea this was such a popular dog.

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

"Rock a Bye Baby".............PART ONE

This will be a project of love in the creation of a family heirloom. However I am sure it will become a popular project once it is completed.

It all began a few weeks ago with a phone call from my youngest daughter, and it went something like this:

She said "Dad.....would you build me a rocking chair?"
I said "Ummmmmm......Ok.......but this is the person who has been supposed to make you a pepper grinder for the last four years and you still don't have it"
she then says "well I think you will have a bit more incentive with this request."
then I said "Hmmmm oh really! Is there something you are not telling me?"
she then says " Well.......yeah I am due in the spring so you have 9 months(now 5 months)"

then I said "cool, congratulations or something like that, after excitedly hollering in her ear and doing the happy dance"

After searching on the internet and asking around, a LumberJocks friend said to me, you need to check out my buddies website. He said this guy is great and if you need help with his plans, he will be more than happy to help.

Once I started going through his site I knew I was in the right spot. As luck would have it, as we were talking, he said he had just completed plans, DVD and a template set on the very chair I was asking about. He said however, they won't be ready for several weeks. This was alright with me because of an upcoming trip to the Midwest and a list of pending project orders once I returned. I told him my plans and asked how much wood I would need for this project. He gave me my answer and then said being we would be passing right by his place near I-90, to stop by and check out one of his works in progress. Unfortunately weather took over and we were unable to stop on the way home, but a visit is in my future.


During the trip scheduled to the Midwest to visit family and considering the cost of hardwood lumber here in Montana compared to the price where it is grown and harvested in the Midwest. I decided to check out what there was to choose from.

During a conversation with another woodworking buddy from LumberJocks who happens to live in the Midwest near where I was headed, made this comment. "You have to go check out these guys. They are great and I really like them and their setup". He provided me with directions, but was unfortunately unable to go with me because of previous plans.

With my brother driving (whom we were visiting) and my wife, we were off to find the sawmill. Not really knowing what to expect, but trusting my woodworking buddy, I was excited.


As we pulled into the drive the first thing we saw was this sign. I knew then everything was going to be great.

Simpson & Son is a small family run business in Northwest Missouri and as soon as we started talking with the folks there I knew we were in the right spot.  They took the time on this cool crispy morning to chat with us and hear our stories, and tell us a few of their own. They obviously were very knowledgeable about the wood they worked with and were very patient with me as I went about selecting just the right pieces of wood for this project. 



Eyeing all the lumber stacked in sheds, and this was just one of them, I knew it would be a tough job, but one I was willing to take on.


Now the fun began, trying to pick the right pieces of walnut, which is the wood chose by my daughter and I.

I had been told I needed to get 8/4 lumber (2 inch thick) and that I would need about 50 bdft. Hopefully I picked up enough extra pieces just in case the saws make some miscuts.

My next problem was to not try and load up all the wood that I had to chose from. Putting me in this place was like putting a kid in a candy store. Oh my!!!!



I did behave for the most part and only got the wood that I needed along with a few other pieces of various other types of wood.

Well....they were using them as fuel for their burn barrel to keep warm while working outside. How could I possibly let those nice pieces of Oak, Maple, Sycamore, Cherry, Elm, etc etc etc.....end up as ashes..when I could picture the nice cribbage boards and other unknown projects they would make..

This is the pile of Walnut that I chose for this project. It is now acclimating to the inside of my shop and waiting for the project to begin.

I am trying to catch up on pending project orders and stock for up coming shows, while I wait for the plans and templates for this project.

Once I begin the building of this project, I plan on doing a blog as to this whole process and the trials and tests I go through. Scott the designer of these plans said, "no problem, you should be able to get it done in 1-2 weeks"

I just smiled to myself and thought....hmmm  ...... Yeah Right...... OK, we will see!

Stay tuned!!!

For more information about ordering your own custom project go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Glacier National Park Fund Sign Project

A while back I was approached by Kelly of the Glacier fund in Columbia Falls, Montana to see if I would be interested in doing a project for the park. How could I say no to a group that does so much for Glacier National Park.

Having lived in and around the park for the last 15+ years, I have a lot of great memories both personal and professional about the park.

Work has begun on this sign which is made out of a local harvested fir from RBM Lumber and is 29 1/2 inches wide by 16 inches tall.

The lettering on this sign was done by Montana Pine Treasures using a CNC router system






My little shop elf assisting with a bit of letter darking.





Here is the sign with a coat of golden stain applied.








The signs will be headed to the Echo Lake Cafe in Big Fork, Montana to be part of a display there.

The smaller board is being created to be displayed along with the larger sign and has slots along the bottom to hold business cards.

This sign is also made out of a local harvested fir from RBM Lumber and is 18 inches wide by 9 inches tall.

The lettering along the top will be lasered into the wood using a Epilog laser system.



More to be added as this project progresses.... Back to work for me....

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Giant pizza peel being created for The Wander Inn in Long Island New York.......UPDATE

This peel is completed and being packed for shipment.

Very soon it will be preparing those large 28+ inch pizza's being created at the Wander Inn in New York.

This large custom Pizza peel is being created for he Wander inn in Long Island New York. It measures in with a over 28 inch square paddle and a two foot handle.

Here is the initial glue up as the project begins. using pieces of a local birch they are biscuited together and clamped for 24 hours to achieve a strong bond.




Here is the backer board being sized up prior to glue up.
With the weight of a 28 inch pizza the handle and back of peel is made stronger by adding a strip of one inch thick wood.





This is gluing the backer board to the handle and a portion of the paddle.















The blue tape marks the edges of the valley which I put in each board to ensure the pizza has a smooth transition valley to slide into the oven.







Now the handle has been cut to shape and the planing and sanding begins to shape the handle and paddle to the final shape.


More to follow later...now back to the shop for me.

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Back in the shop.....................

Trying to get back in the swing of things here after a much overdue visit to the midwest. Meeting our three granddaughters was most definitely the highlight of the trip. Photos to be posted soon on my facebook page soon...

In the process of reorganizing projects and straighten and clean the shop. Prior to leaving rather left the shop in a mess to say the least...trying to get orders out...etc...

I was able to pick up some much needed equipment while in the "Big Cities" will post more on that when things quiet down a bit...

One good thing about the midwest is the abundance of very nice hardwoods at a reasonable price. Yes I was able to pick up material for a very special project which I will blog about once it gets into motion, waiting on plans and additional supplies. I wish I had more money and room while there I would have totally stocked up on hardwoods. I am not saying that hardwood dealers here are overcharging for their wood, but I certainly was impressed with the prices I paid in the midwest.

For more information about ordering your own custom project go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Large Hard Maple Lazy Susan..................Delivered and Loved

This large Lazy Susan will be used to place condiments and serving plates on for many years to come. It was recently delivered to its new owners and received welcoming raves by them. They were very pleased with the end product.



The top will be a 23 inch diameter circle with a metal mechanism attached to a smaller 13 inch base. This photo shows the top being glued and clamped.



This is the top board with the clamps off and after being cut out using a CNO router.






This is the base which will be attached using the metal bracket below.




Here is the top after being sanded and awaiting the first coats of poly. Polyurethane was used to allow it to be cleaned in case food was spilled on it while being used.




This is a 12 inch metal fitting to allow the top to turn. It has stainless steel ball bearings inside a sealed unit. It must first be attached to the base and then two holes were drilled to allow access to screw positions on the top part.





This is a side view that shows the height of it and the metal bracket between the two.






And here is the final product with it polyed surface.

This was picked up by the client and they loved the fact that a need was met. They had looked everywhere for a lazy susan this large and had been unable to find one this size until meeting me at a local Arts show.
I am sure this will grace the table of many family/friends gatherings and will serve them well for years to come.

For more information about ordering your own custom project go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Pair of Hard Maple in counter cutting boards have shipped.....

I am creating two large cutting boards which will slide into the counter top when finished.



They are being created out of hard maple and will be 24 inches long, 23 1/8 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick. There is a finger slot being cut into each end on opposite side to enable to client to pull the board out to use.

Multiple clamps and boards are used in gluing to ensure the boards dry level while being joined.

These boards are in the first glueup phase and are proceeding nicely.



On each of the the ends I will now glue and biscut a board the opposite direction to help stabilize the board. This is also where the finger pull is placed.


Board one after food grade mineral oil has been applied...








Board two after food grade mineral oil has been applied... The boards have been completed and are on there way to Minnesota

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Post updates........

I will continue making regular posts once my new software arrives for processing photos. Thanks Microsoft for being so user friendly....and making older software so incompatible with new operating systems.

Back to the shop for me...... Thanks have a great day :-)

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

09/09/09 at 0909

Welcome to this numerically special day(?)

Sorry for the lack of posting here in a few days. Had my main computer decide that it was tired and didn't want to work right. So needless to say I have been structuring a new laptop and organizing and streamlining it. Moving old files and reloading software is a very time consuming process, but a very necessary one. I still have a lot to go, but I am heading back to the shop and continuing on with current projects. All clients awaiting projects will be updated here soon.

Thank you for your understanding - Splinters

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

Giant Dark Walnut Cribbage board.....

Here is a giant Dark walnut cribbage board which was recently delivered to its new owner.

It was around 32 inches long, 9 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick.
I routered a slot on the back to hold the custom metal pegs that came with the board.


The grain in this board as you can see was really nice and loved by the client. It was given to him as a birthday present from his wife.

For more information about ordering your own custom board go to:
http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/