Ron Likes Homemade Furniture

[PapaBear]

On Tuesday's show, Fez mentioned his Grandfather (I think) made some furniture, and his family still has it. Ron sounded like he thought that was really cool. I loved hearing them talk about the smell of woodwork and lumber yards, and such.

My father is a retired phone company guy, but he's also a pretty amazing craftsman, when it comes to woodworking. I thought I'd share some of his work. Most of what he's done has been given away to family members, but here's a couple things we have around the house.

He made this china press about 25 years ago. It's 100% RAW cherry lumber. He designed it from a photo he saw of a piece that was being manufactured by Henkel Harris.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/chinapressfront.jpg

He altered the original design a little. The photo had much less intricate molding on the feet. He didn't purchase ANY pre-molded stuff. He made it all himself.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/chinapresstop.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/chinapressbottom.jpg


He made this Grandfather clock about 37 years ago...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/grandfatherclock.jpg http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/grandfatherclocktop.jpg

This is his shop. It's pretty cluttered, but he makes the best of a small space...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/theshop.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/theshop2.jpg

He started making these toy trucks for his grand kids (and now great grand kids) about 15 years ago. He made about 20 of them. He just started making a few more recently...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/trucks01.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/dads%20woodwork/trucks02.jpg



I spent a lot of time in the shop as I was growing up. I made some cool stuff. In my teen years, I mostly made pot pipes.

[Fat_Sunny]

Sweet!!!!!

F_S Really Admires People That Have The Skill And Patience To Make Things!

[JPMNICK]

wow that is amazing. I can not even comprehend how someone can make that stuff by hand in a garage. I wish I had someone in my family that could do that

[PapaBear]

wow that is amazing. I can not even comprehend how someone can make that stuff by hand in a garage. I wish I had someone in my family that could do that
The sad thing is, when he retired in 1988, we all thought he'd spend all his time out there, building more cool stuff. He's spent the majority of that time playing with computers, and obsessing over investments. I'm glad he's back out there recently. Even if it is just to make some toy trucks.

[Don Stugots]

Holy shit. that is some work he has done. awesome. it is amazing what people can do with their hands. i use my hands for jerking off, this guy makes works of art. sorry to gush, i love wood working.

[PapaBear]

Holy shit. that is some work he has done. awesome. it is amazing what people can do with their hands. i use my hands for jerking off, this guy makes works of art. sorry to gush, i love wood working.

Must...


resist...


urge...

to derail my own thread!!!

[Don Stugots]

now, you see. i wasnt even trying to. those were honest feelings and not me fooling around.

[Snacks]

wow thats amazing! :thumbup:

[PapaBear]

now, you see. i wasnt even trying to. those were honest feelings and not me fooling around.
I know. You just made it too easy. Now someone post some pics of their craftsmanship (not their wood.. ta ha). I want to see some cool shit from others. I wish I still had what I've made.

[cupcakelove]

Cool stuff PapaBear!! I wish I had handy family members.

[sailor]

speechless. that's shit i'd buy, even tho i know i couldn't afford any of it.

[PapaBear]

A friend and his wife came over with a piece of ambrosia maple that they liked the pattern on. The holes are caused by an insect called the ambrosia beetle. They requested a long narrow table that would highlight the pattern and preserve the holes. The design was a challenge, since being so narrow, the legs would have to be designed in a way that would keep it from falling over easily. I came up with the foot design that he finally used.

Here's the piece of lumber...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/DSCF0070copyLarge.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/DSCF0072copyLarge.jpg


And here's the finished product...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/DSCF0109copyLarge.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/snowmaninva66/DSCF0107copyLarge.jpg

He said, with the work that he put into it, it would probably sell for around $400. He gave it to them in exchange for buying him a nice new Canon printer.

[weekapaugjz]

good stuff papabear. my chick's grandfather does a bunch of stuff like that. in our place we have two oak bookshelves, two lamps that spiral between two different types of wood, a large cutting board with three types of wood, and a large wooden clock. all of the stuff is amazing and better than anything you could find in a store. when we get married, she said he would make us an entire bedroom set. i wish i could do stuff like that.

[PapaBear]

The fanciest thing I ever made was a chess board. The squares were alternating pieces of cherry and pine, with a mahogany border. It definitely wasn't as fancy as my dad's work, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to cut 64 squares of wood to fit precisely together. I wish I still had it.

[instrument]

that stuff all looks great, and i'm sure his chessboard was a lot nicer then the one i made in 9th grade

[dickydean]

PapaBear, your dad did some great work it makes my best work look like a camp craft project. That looks a hell of a workshop.I hope he's enjoying his retirement.