Archive for the ‘San Fernando Valley’ Tag
After I started making small surfboards, it was inevitable that I would make more.
Then I got an order for 24 more. 12 were to be the original large size, which I’m now calling cheese & cracker surfboards. The order was also for another 12 in a new medium size. The 12 large ones were to be identical, and the 12 medium ones would come in 2 designs, 6 each.
OK, go.
Here’s the photo story of making the 12 large ones.
It starts at a lumber yard: in this case, Peterman’s in Oxnard.
Too much lumber to fit into the rack, so it has to stand up until processing can begin.
Hardwood is sold in odd sizes … so seemingly no matter what you need, there’s always waste.
Hard Maple sorted into pieces I need, pieces that I’ll use later … and waste.
And sometimes the waste is cracked. The grade of lumber generally available for sale assumes – assumes! – 20% waste in everything I buy.
Oak.
The stacks of parts are ready for what I call “picking and processing” the boards.
The last board.
The boards get taped up after the pieces are selected … to make them easy to move around the shop prior to gluing.
12 boards … well, I made 13 … ready for glue-up.
I have the best tools. I’ve been using the whipped topping bowls for years!
You can never have enough clamps … or room to store the ones you do have.
13 blanks, glued up and ready for smoothing and shaping.
Ends trimmed, and the shape of the final surfboard is drawn onto the blank so I know which side is going to be up.
This is the table saw set up for cove cuts, the sweeping curves under each edge of the large surfboards. The board placed across the saw becomes the fence that the boards are pushed into as they go through the blade.
When the top of the board is only 1/4″ thick, the cove cuts are done.
These are the “not a surfboard” pieces, cut off at the bandsaw. Now, everything is ready to sand, oil and finish.
24 surfboards, ready for delivery.
Large Surfboard for Anacapa Homes. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Cherry & Red Oak.
Medium Surfboard for Anacapa Homes, # 1. Hard Maple, Padauk & Yellowheart.
Medium Surfboard for Anacapa Homes. # 2. Cherry, Hard Maple & Black Walnut.
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For some people, small is the way to go in the kitchen. These boards hope to satisfy that desire, though I’ve already been told I don’t make things small enough.
Everybody’s a critic.
These boards could be small cutting boards. They could be serving pieces.
I’ll let you decide the best place to use these.
I do know that my next round of production will include some small boards: I keep getting people that really want to buy my $35 boards (which, as you may guess, are not the largest ones on display).
So, you see, I’ll keep working on getting smaller.
Small Board # 15 – 037. Cherry, Black Walnut & Hard Maple end grain. 11″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Small Board # 15 – 040. Cherry & Jatoba end grain. 8″ x 14″ x 1-1/2″.
Small Board # 15 – 043. Cherry, Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Jatoba. 8″ x 10″ x 1-1/2″.
Small Board # 15 – 042. Yellowheart, Padauk & Hard Maple end grain. 14″ x 8″ x 1-1/2″.
Small Board # 15 – 038. Cherry, Black Walnut & Hard Maple end grain. 10″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Small Board # 15 – 041. Black Walnut, Cherry, Purpleheart & Hard Maple end grain. 7″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Small Board # 15 – 039. Hard Maple, Cherry & Yellowheart. 10″ x 14″ x 1-1/4″.
Small Board # 15 – 036. Hard Maple & Jatoba end grain. 7″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Cheese Board # 15 – 022. Black Walnut, Cherry & Hard Maple edge grain. 10″ x 12″ x 1″.
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I love this design of cheese boards.
Some people want these to be cutting boards, but they’re really not; they are serving pieces. The elegant curves that are underneath these boards are made on the table saw & help them to sit very lightly on the table. For a photo essay on how this design is made, see the link below.
These are the first surfboards I have made since January, and they proved to be crowd favorites last weekend at the Ventura 4th of July Street Fair. Only two of these sold, but they were a focus. I even had a competitive woodworker tell me he wouldn’t steal my design!
Which made me laugh.
After all, I saw this idea on a TV show, PBS’s “Rough Cut – Woodworking with Tommy Mac,” and then “improved” the deisgn with better proportions and prettier wood selections, in my humble opinion!
Surfboard 15 – 14. Cherry, Hard Maple, Red Oak & Purpleheart.
Surfboard # 15 – 10. Black Walnut & Cherry.
Surfboard 15 – 13. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Surfboard 15 – 11. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Cherry.
Surfboard 15 – 09. Black Walnut, Purpleheart, Red Oak & Cherry.
Surfboard 15 – 08. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Cherry.
Surfboard 15 – 15. Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Cherry & Purpleheart.
Surfboard 15 – 12. Hard Maple & Jarrah.
Surfboard 15 – 16. Black Walnut, Red Oak, Hard Maple & Cherry.
More
Cutting Sideways = Curves
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These handled boards are proving to be quite popular. They’re more versatile than a counter-top cutting board.
Take them from table to stove to counter and back again. Do your work where you’re comfortable, and then carry the board to the stove to add to your concoction on the stove.
That’s my theory, anyway!
The first three are long handled boards with a larger cutting surface, about 10″ x 16″. The smaller boards have the circular handles and a cutting surface that’s about 9″ x 12″.
All boards are about 3/4″ thick.
Sous Chef # 15 – 39. Birds Eye Maple & Jatoba. It’s a beauty.
Sous Chef # 15 – 38. Black Walnut, Yellowheart, Teak and Birdseye Maple. 10″ x 18″ x 3/4″.
Sous Chef # 15 – 37. Black Walnut, African Teak and Birdseye Maple. This board has a wider work surface … I got carried away and couldn’t bear to cut anything off.
Sous Chef # 15 – 36. Maple, Jarrah, Cherry & Jatoba.
Sous Chef # 15 – 35. Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Yellowheart and Padauk.
Sous Chef # 15 – 34. African Teak, Black Walnut & Yellowheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 33. Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Cherry.
Sous Chef # 15 – 32. Black Walnut & Yellowheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 21. Hard Maple & Jatoba.
Sous Chef # 15 – 20. Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 22. Hard Maple & Purpleheart. 9″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Sous Chef # 15 – 23. Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Jarrah.
Sous Chef # 15 – 26. Honey Locust, Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Birdseye Maple.
Sous Chef # 15 – 27. Black Walnut & Honey Locust.
Sous Chef # 15 – 28. Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 29. Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Yellowheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 30. Hard Maple, Padauk & Black Walnut.
Sous Chef # 15 – 30. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Sous Chef # 15 – 31. Goncalo Alves, Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
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It’s been my # 1 request for quite some time, and I’ve finally gotten the first batch of chess boards out of the shop. It took a while.
Each of the boards are made with 2″ squares and a 1″ contrasting border surrounding the playing area. The border is 1″ thick, and does have non-marring rubber feet underneath to ensure a steady surface for the games.
Finish is mineral oil with a top coat of locally-harvested beeswax mixed with mineral oil. Yes, that’s the same finish as my cutting boards, and there is no real reason that these chess boards should be food ready … the oil finishes the woods in a natural coating that’s easily refreshed, so I stuck with the same procedure as the 30+ food-grade boards I was finishing in the garage woodshop at the same time.
I am not selling chess pieces currently, though Mrs. M is already in my ear about that. If you happen to know a carver or a turner that wants to make some great chess pieces for me, I’m interested!
Chess Board # 01. Black Walnut & Red Oak squares with a Cherry border. 17″ x 17″ x 1″
Chess Board # 02. Black Walnut & Hard Maple squares with a Goncalo Alves border … AKA Tiger Wood. Perfect for spirited games.
Chess Board # 03. Mahogany & White Oak squares with a Walnut border.
Ches Board # 04. Padauk & Honey Locust Squares with a Cherry Border. Note that the orange Padauk will change over time – particularly with UV exposure – and will end up a nice warm brown.
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With a sudden burst of production (amazing what you can get done when you stop going to events!), the inventory is suddenly growing. I’ve passed 100 pieces in inventory, again.
I thought I was low with full size cutting boards … so here’s a bunch.
Thank goodness. We have a big event this weekend, the July 4th Ventura Street Fair. The event’s in downtown Ventura. Set up can begin at 3am, the directions say. I think we will be just a bit later than that.
If you’re wandering around Ventura on Saturday, come see us in booths 427/429. With a huge amount of luck, I’ll be back under 100 boards after this weekend….
That would be a good thing, right??!!
Cutting Board # 15 – 051. Black Walnut, Jarrah, Purpleheart and Honey Locust end grain with juice groove. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″.
Detail of Cutting Board # 15 – 051.
Cutting Board # 15 – 052. Cherry, Black Walnut, Jatoba, Purpleheart and Hard Maple end grain with juice groove. Absolutely unique grain in the hard maple. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″.
Detail of irridescent rays in cutting board # 15 – 052.
Cutting Board # 15 – 053. Hard Maple & Purpleheart edge grain with juice groove. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″. This board sold the first time a customer saw it.
Cutting Board # 15 – 054. Hard Maple & Jatoba edge grain with juice groove. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 055. Black Walnut, Cherry, Hard Maple & Jarrah edge grain. 11″ x 18″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 056. Cherry, Jatoba, Purplehear and Hard Maple end grain. 14″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 057. Black Walnut, Cherry & Jatoba end grain with juice groove. 16″ x 20″ x 1-1/2″.
Close up detail of Cutting Board 15 – 057.
Cutting Board # 15 – 061. The meat eater’s board. Hard Maple end grain with juice groove – a deep, wide juice groove. 13″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 058. Black Walnut, Cherry & Hard Maple edge grain. 14″ x 11″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board 15 – 060. Cherry and Jatoba, AKA Brazilian Cherry, end grain with juice groove. Commissioned piece. 14″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″.
Cutting Board 15 – 059. Hard Maple, Yellowheart & Padauk end grain with juice groove. Commissioned piece. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″.
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These engraved boards have proven to be extremely popular wedding and anniversary gifts. I’ve delivered many of them not pictured here … because I have to wait until after the boards are presented!
I’m keeping three designs in raw, unfinished stock, so I can deliver these boards in about 3 weeks … as long as I keep production ahead of sales. All of these boards are 2-sided, with routed fingerholds to help flip the board easily. The first 2 designs are engraved on one side (so that’s the display side) and used on the other. The third design is meant to be used on both sides.
The three wood designs are:
1. Hard Maple edge grain, approximately 7″x12″x1″. One engraving design has a last name with some scrollwork, the newest version has a pop culture saying: Best. Day. Ever. The cost is $50, plus $12 shipping.
2. Black Walnut, Cherry & Hard Maple edge grain, approximately 10″x12″x1″. This design has seen the most creativity, with people coming up with personalized designs time after time. I love the golden anniversary boards; this design has commemorated 2 of those! The cost is $60, plus $12 shipping.
3. Hard Maple edge grain, approximately 12″x16″x1″. The bride & groom’s name goes in the upper left corner, the wedding date in the lower right. A juice groove separates the engraving from the cutting surface. With the groove, that side could be used for meats and the flip side for vegetables. The cost is $100, plus $15 shipping.
One variation of the 3rd option was done with a Hard Maple end grain board with curved ends … see that board at the end of the photo essay. More of those are going to be made!
A variation of the all maple engraved board … Best. Day. Ever.
This style of board is walnut, cherry and hard maple. I call them the “est.” boards, because that’s the original design. But as you can see, many people have gotten creative.
All maple engraved board. Last name & scroll work.
Wedding boards … edge grain, hard maple, with a juice groove.
Special wedding board made with end grain hard maple. 13″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″. $150, plus $20 shipping.
The curved end of the board lends itself to a unique inset routed fingerhold.
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