Gallery

Poplar Country Hutch

This hutch was designed for a country home in Western Massachusetts. It was constructed from poplar, a medium density hardwood which can be planed or sanded to a very smooth finish. Poplar is rich in color including olive green, pinkish brown, dark grey and pale purple. Although not discernable in this photo, each set of panels, doors and drawers were book matched. Purple glass pulls contrast nicely with the white pickling finish.  Three coats of water based polyurethane provide a hard, clear protective top coat. The finish and style were chosen to match the existing kitchen cabinets. This one piece hutch is rather large, with dimensions dictated by the customer. It stands 87 1/4" tall, 41 1/2" wide, 27 3/4" deep at the bottom, 17" deep at the top, and when the glass doors are closed the shelf can accommodate a 12 3/4" diameter plate.

Shaker Drop Leaf Table

This Shaker drop leaf dining table was made for a woman who lives in Walpole, Maine, where Shaker furniture is very popular. The requirements were that it comfortably sit 6-8 people with leafs up, allow for chairs to be placed under leafs when down, and simple tapered legs. Her choice for hardwood was tiger maple. This piece measures 80" long, 25 5/8" wide with leafs down, 42" wide with leafs up, and 30" high. Leafs are mounted with the classic rule joint. Apron and legs are joined with mortise and tenon and reinforced with pegs that display nicely. To make the tiger stripes pop out, this piece was stained with Moser's 1490 Golden Amber water-based aniline dye followed by 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and finally 2 coats of hand rubbed J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax.

Secretary

This secretary was a gift to my daughter upon graduating from Wellesley College.  It features a solid cherry body with dovetail joinery. Drawers are made of blistered maple fronts and birch bodies with hand dovetailed joinery and beveled, floating bottoms. The lapped back boards are secured with wrought head nails. Ogee feet are hand shaped, and care is taken to match grain that flows around the corner. The desk is finished with Pennsylvania cherry gel stain, 4 hand-rubbed coats of Waterlox Original Tung Oil and a polyurethane topcoat.

Side Table

These side tables were made and sold in pairs. I have made them using tiger maple, shown left, or cherry shown right. They stand 27” tall and the top measures 20” x 17”. The tiger maple version is first stained with Golden Amber aniline dye followed by hand rubbed tung oil and a top coat of polyurethane. Cherry tables are not stained, just  hand rubbed with tung oil and a polyurethane top coat.

This design was inspired by an antique owned by a friend. I was taken by the very delicate, narrow, tapered legs and two drawer look. The original used low quality construction techniques and the top looked too heavy. The new design uses solid traditional construction. The double drawers are hand dovetailed with beveled floating bottoms and Shaker maple pulls. All joints are mortise and tenon. The heavy top look was fixed by first enlarging it in both directions, and then tapering the edges.

Cherry Bed

This double bed was made for an artist on Cape Cod who wished to add a bit of the Berkshires to her cottage home. The design is not mine, but adapted from an article in Workbench Magazine, Heirloom Bed, March/April 2001, page 52. Constructed entirely of native New England cherry, it is finished with a natural, hand rubbed tung oil. Cherry will darken naturally with age to a rich reddish brown. The legs and rails are one piece, no glue-ups. This adds a little to the cost but makes the finished product more appealing.

Though not visible, the curved rail of the headboard has a natural grain pattern that looks like a dolphin jumping out of the water. We are always looking for natural patterns to incorporate in a piece.

This bed is rather high, with a clearance of 12" under the bed to allow for storage and easy cleaning.

Shaker Blanket Chest

This traditional Shaker blanket chest is made of tiger maple. It has one drawer with dovetail joinery and a tapered floating bottom. The carcass of this piece is also constructed using hand cut dovetails. When first used in the 17th century, dovetails were merely a joinery technique and hidden from sight. Later on they were integrated into the style and finish of a piece. Today, hand cut dovetails are a sign of craftsmanship, proudly displayed by cabinetmakers, and poorly imitated by commercial manufacturers. Here hand cut dovetails can be seen in the body, legs and drawers in the right photo. Also, the trim on the top is mounted using a sliding dovetail which prevents splitting and cracking of the joints as the top expands during seasonal changes. This can be seen when viewing the back edge.

This chest is stained with Moser's 1490 Golden Amber water-based aniline dye followed by 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and finally a coat of hand rubbed J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax. The hinges and stays are polished brass. The stays lock the top open until released, a safety feature that avoids the top slamming on a finger. 

This piece measures 20 3/8" deep, 40 1/4" wide and 27" high.

Shaker Wall Clock

This Shaker Wall Clock was a 50th birthday gift for a friend. It is modeled after an original designed and built by Isaac N. Youngs of the New Lebanon, NY Shaker village. It measures 28" tall, 11 1/4" wide and 5 7/8" deep. The carcass sides, top and bottom are joined using sliding dovetail joints, not used in the original, but provides for stronger construction. The doors are joined using through mortise and tenons. Mortise and tenons, like the dovetails described above, were originally hidden, but in a piece like this they add to the simplicity and elegance.

The clock dial (face) was drawn using a CAD tool & printed on inkjet printer card stock. Four coats of spray polyurethane were applied to keep the ink from smearing when touched, and also to give the face a slightly yellow, older look. The glass is held in with Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty, which dries slightly yellow, again providing the older look.

A quartz clock movement was used because they last longer than most mechanical movements on the market today and provide two years service between battery changes, avoiding the weekly ritual of winding a spring. Hinges are solid brass, and the doors hare held shut with embedded magnets. The finish is 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and one coat of J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax.

Sofa Table

This sofa table measures 18 1/2" deep, 38" wide and 29" high. It is similar in design to the end tables shown above. The tapered top is carried through to reduce the overall massiveness, but the tapered legs are slightly wider to compensate for the larger surface area, and the side by side drawers are lipped. Constructed from highly figured tiger maple it is finished using Golden Amber aniline dye with hand rubbed tung oil and a top coat of polyurethane. This table would look equally striking constructed of curly cherry and naturally finished.

This table would look equally striking constructed of curly cherry and a natural finish.

Shaker Audio-Visual Center

This piece was designed for an individual who wanted an audio-visual entertainment center in the Shaker style. This is accomplished with the curved crown molding, dovetailed feet, wide stiles on either side of the door, and frame & panel construction. The carcass construction uses mortise and tenon joinery on the frame & panel ends, and dovetailed rails on the front and back. Faithful to Shaker tradition, drawers are constructed with hand cut dovetails and beveled floating bottoms. Native cherry hardwood is used throughout the entire piece. Hinges, drawer pulls and door knob are solid antique brass. Baroque glass was chosen because its wavy surface compliments the grain of the cherry drawers and slightly obscures the high tech components housed within.  Dimensions are 80" tall, 36" wide and 26 1/4" deep. A satin smooth finish is achieved with 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and one coat of J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax.

Normally the drawers of a Shaker piece are graduated, but true to Shaker beliefs, form follows function; these drawers will store CDs and DVDs, and therefore are all the same height. The upper cupboard will house audio and video components, with provisions for air movement to keep electronic equipment cool. The video display is a plasma unit that hangs on the wall, hence is not housed in the entertainment center. To make cabling between components easier a "barn" door was provided on the back. This door can be removed to gain access to input and output terminals.

The Shakers were quick to embrace new technology, and would no doubt enjoy today's audio-visual components, though I am sure they would prefer to hide them in an entertainment center like this.

A note about shop drawings. I draw all furniture plans in 3D using TurboCAD™. Every joint, sub-assembly or finished assembly can be viewed from any angle ensuring the drawings are correct and pieces will go together during assembly. This is analogous to building a prototype, only it is much quicker and problems can be resolved on paper without the waste of costly materials. You can view the front and side of this piece as it was drawn in TurboCAD™ and rendered in 3D. Note that changes were made in the final piece, e.g. the muntins and mullions were eliminated from the door because it was felt their lines would "fight" with the audio-video components inside.

Bedside Table

I made a pair of bedside tables for a couple who wanted to complement their country style pencil post bed. The table stand is cherry with blistered maple drawer fronts outlined with a walnut cock bead. Drawer pulls are cherry, cut with long grain exposed. These tables stand 27 1/2” tall. The tops measures 18 1/2” x 23”. The finish is four coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil.

The combination of blistered maple and cherry contrasts with the walnut to direct your eyes to the figure in the drawer front. The gentle curve in the lower apron gives this piece a country look while the tapered top suggests a delicateness. However, rest assured the solid construction of this piece will ensure it lives to become an antique of value.

Tall Shaker Wall Clock

This Shaker Wall Clock, like the one above, was also a 50th birthday gift. It is inspired by an original designed and built by Isaac N. Youngs of the New Lebanon, NY Shaker village. It measures 30 1/2" tall, 11 1/4" wide and 5 7/8" deep. Construction is identical to the clock described above.

The carcass is solid cherry. The door frames are black walnut. The panel in the lower door is book matched spalted maple. Spalting occurs when wood is decaying, and spalted wood is generally considered worthless. However, when caught in a stage of decay where the wood is still hard, it can provide a unique and beautiful figure. Spalted maple is often found in piles or stacks of fire wood. It takes a trained eye to spot good specimens. 

A quartz clock movement was used, but instead of displaying a functionless pendulum, the lower compartment has been turned into a small storage cabinet with adjustable shelves. The traditional peg board hanger has been removed, though a key hole is provided in the rear to allow for hanging on the wall. This clock would look equally elegant sitting on an office credenza.

The contrasting colors of cherry and black walnut combined with the figure of spalted maple give this piece a more contemporary look. The finish is 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and one coat of J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax.

Cherry Chest Of Drawers

A custom five drawer cherry chest in the Shaker style. Simple and elegant. This chest has unusual dimensions dictated by the rather small area it will occupy in a Cape Cod cottage bedroom. It measures 32 1/2" wide, 45 1/4" tall and 15 1/2" deep. The drawers are graduated in approximately 1" increments from 5" to 9 3/8". 

The cherry wood for the body was cut and milled by Gary Rodd of Russell, Massachusetts. The cherry for the back is marked by Hairy Woodpeckers and was cut by Paul Waite on his property on Mica Mill Road in Chester Massachusetts. It was fastened to the body with traditional wrought head cut nails. The drawer bodies (excluding drawer fronts) are made from spalted birch. Drop drawer pulls are semi-bright brass . From the photo of the top you can see that the carcass is constructed using hand cut dovetail joints as are the feet and all drawers. Like many of my pieces this one was finished with 4 coats of hand rubbed Waterlox Original Tung Oil and one coat of J. E. Moser's Premium Quality Paste Wax.

Butternut Gun Cabinet

The butternut hardwood used in this gun cabinet has been supplied by the client and harvested on his own property. Butternut is dark brown in color, though lighter than black walnut which it resembles. Like black walnut it can be sanded to a polished finish.

Because his house is an old home in a heavily wooded area in Chester, Massachusetts the client prefers a somewhat rustic and simple look. To achieve this goal, and in keeping with the way wood might have been used two hundred years ago, no attempt was made to hide the worm holes and structurally sound knots. In addition, the design incorporates no curves, just simple straight lines with the exception of the gun dividers. Both the top and bottom carcass is constructed with