MIND OF A BLACK WOODWORKER IN ARIZONA

Willow Acacia; The turning process of wet/green wood. From the pictures at the bottom. You can see the amount of cracks I needed to attend to. After  the first turning and each time I finish a turning, I add a mixture of shellac, walnut oil (which I didn't like, and used lest of each time.) I also tried tung oil mixed with shellac and two parts alcohol. I can say, as you can see, no other cracks or larger cracks developed. I consider my process a success. the moisture meter is now reading 7.5 to 10% .                            The third picture from the top shows a clear coat finish of cyanoacrylate, sanded to 1200.   Filling with azurite, gold dust,silver dust, turquoise .  Carving out the existing cracks.  Covering, with excess fall off, to help slow the drying process.  My hollowing method used.  All tooling handmade  LED LIGHT,...

Green turning, and my experimen t.  Willow Acacia, vessel. This is an  ex perimental workings. I started with green wood. cut about 6 weeks ago,  maybe longer. stored out in the desert, mostly just through the winter....  I  started turning  while wet. I turned it thin as could muster. The base was a little thick, and as I set it in a room to dry, it cracked, and the to top  warped, which I liked. This is a very learning piece. As you can see, I  remounted, and watched the wobble, I added the base because I was able  to remount it.  The cracks, were filled with turquoise  and copper flakes. I  added a  little vine like design. I will post better pics along with  the  finishing process. Oh I am trying something different in the finishing. I  mix shellac, alcohol, danish oil, and a little walnut oil. I will not a walnut again, takes too long to dry. The shellac is to form a ...

As this fellow, me, grows older, and the ever changes world carries along it's flow. I some times struggle to keep up with ever changing winds that blow. We are well into our new shop and offices. Small and cramped as we skirt through the motion of the every day attempt to keep our head above the water line. I am ever hopeful that a life saver will be thrown my way, to pull me from this drowning carpentry bed. As I am ever hopeful that one day my endless devotion to the art of woodworking will save me, and I will be blessed with the prosperity of my continuing s of  the manifestation from my mind to my hands . Hey did I tell you that I once owned a company named "Manifestations" :) As I sit here, in the middle of the night, smoking a backwoods cigar, and drinking a glass of ice water. I think about how small things have change. For one instead of a single malt scotch I now drink water. What change this flow of life created... It's a beautiful night, here in Gil...

Photos - Google+ i,m not sure if this works. click on photo - google and see kitchen install We where out on this rainy day to install a kitchen, we just finished building. We still need to complete it, as you may see. A few doors, a drawer front, and some hardware items, trash pullout. The style is a mission style or craftsman's style doors. Everything went as to plan and our customer is very happy. We will return after the tile floor is laid. We are waiting on some solid surface (LG Hi Macs) to complete to counter tops. This kitchen will be a stunning addition to the renovation of this Tempe home. keep a look out for more updates.

Photos - Google+ i,m not sure if this works. click on photo - google and see kitchen install We where out on this rainy day to install a kitchen, we just finished building. We still need to complete it, as you may see. A few doors, a drawer front, and some hardware items, trash pullout. The style is a mission style or craftsman's style doors. Everything went as to plan and our customer is very happy. We will return after the tile floor is laid. We are waiting on some solid surface (LG Hi Macs) to complete to counter tops. This kitchen will be a stunning addition to the renovation of this Tempe home. keep a look out for more updates.

Well to update you just a little. We could not sell very many tools. I attempted to transfer the business to two younger fellows, my step son and man my stepson grew up with I worked and trained under me for many years. The friend also rents a space from me. I wanted to get them to run the business with me in the back ground. This did not work out. They just could not see eye to eye on operations. So now my son and I have relocated the business to a smaller suite. We have reduced our  activities to just a few client's we feel comfortable with and also only take on work that we feel fits a less  overwhelmed by paper work. We are working on a small kitchen. We have work lined up for a mouth, and leads that may take us into the coming fall. So we are busy, and it's just the two of us in a 2 thousand square foot suite.  we moved from a 3500 square foot space that we where in for many years. We are a little cramped but we are working on making productive. I like it, the space ...

here is a short note on the going on's of my life as owner operator of a cabinet shop. I have know for some time that a change must come. it's hard to to allow change, even though it is ever changing. I have found it more difficult to deal with suppliers who do not keep there word on delivery dates. Contracts just wanting to pass all responsibility to the superintendent and the sub's.  At the age of 54, I find it more difficult to juggle all the aspects, or to wear so many hats needed to operate a business of this nature. The business of commercial cabinet production, even on the small scale I have been reduced to, from the fall out of the rescission. I want out. I want to sell everything and start fresh, with an on line business.... We will see in the next couple of mouths.  Wish me luck and keep a look out for more updates.