Talk about a nightmare. My client called several woodworkers and they did not want to touch this one. What you don't see (picture on left) is the back wall but if you take a look at the other picture (below) you will see the template that was made to get the angles that are required to build the cabinet.

Notice the walls? 22.5 degrees and 45 degrees to deal with and get everything to fit. My client wanted glass shelves (the glass man was not thrilled with this since on the left side each shelf had three cuts and the other there side were four cuts. Just before I started on this and after he did approve the drawings, he asked me can you add shelves for wine bottles? No problem, I would just need to redraw the plans and get his approval with the adjustment for cost. And he wanted the stain (finish) to match the cabinet below, along with the kitchen cabinets.

This was one of the craziest projects I ever had to do. Also most walls are not plumb and the angles are not always 45 degrees. Some can be off several degrees, that is why the template was made for this project since I wanted it to fit snug against the wall and did not use molding to cover the gaps.

When this piece (English) was made. somewhere around the early 1900's I assume, the top was not part of the hutch, only the bottom. My client wanted a top build that would match the bottom in color and wood grain. The bottom unit has never been refinished and actually was in really good shape.

I began by taking photos and a lot of measurements of the bottom to duplicate everything above. Just above the bottom piece top drawer you may notice some indentations (carvings) that are also replicated on the top piece above the center glass panel. One strange request they had was to have the back of the unit covered with a mirror. The top unit is still removable and no modifications were done to the bottom, so it can be put back to its original condition.

Just when this project was done they wanted me to build a bar unit for a all in the same room and make it look like the original hutch in the top photo. So back to the drawing board and what you now see at the right is the result. I actually wanted the wine rack to have diamond shape bottle holders, but they wanted the ones you see. Granted you can get more bottles of wine in this limited space. The center drops down to form a small table surface and there is additional storage in the inside for the other 'Adult Beverages' that one may need for the special occasion.

We all have childhood keepsakes and this one was no different. Originally this did not have the foot-board and was in really bad condition. You would be too if someone kept you in a shed since the 1960's. One day while cleaning out that shed he ran into something he had not seen in years and almost gave it to the trash man, but he wanted his son to have it and had to find someone to restore it and add the foot-board.

I took the entire headboard apart, since most of it was already falling apart and reworked every piece of wood, replacing one or two pieces that were too damaged or missing. The side rails were not made out of wood only a metal bed frame. So on top of adding the food board I also added the sideboards and place angle iron to them for extra support.

Having a small home and being a single lady presents problems when you want to entertain guests. These types of tables have been around for years and take up a very small space when not being used, but can seat eight people for that special occasion.

My client saw a picture of one in a magazine and wanted to know if I could make one simular to the picture. She wanted it made of cherry, of course (cherry is expensive and difficult to work with and it burns easy when you try to saw or route it), but the finish and grain is something of beauty. The three large center panels that make up the top are cherry plywood. Yes plywood. Plywood is very stable, does not warp or expand with changes in humidity. Not cheap however, but a time saver as for labor.

I wanted to give my oldest daughter something for Christmas and my wife found a picture of a chest. I liked it but did not like the box joints and the fake drawers along the bottom, so I made some modification and began the project. I used various size, staggered dovetail joints and make extra storage out of the drawers. The one at the left is solid cherry with only an aromatic cedar bottom, the one at the bottom, that I made for the other daughter. Everything is solid brass and yes the lock does work and has a key. The finish is oil and there are several coats on it. My only mistake was I should have used potassium dichromate to age the cherry.

<<< Warning about potassium dichromate >>> it is not something to play with as it can kill you, cause kidney failure, blindness and other major problems.

The following Christmas my other daughter wanted one too, but her's was made of walnut. You can see the aromatic cedar on the bottom of the chest.

Some people will tell you the entire inside of the chest needs to be lined in cedar, but this is really not true. Also you cannot use any sealer on the cedar and ever so often you need to lightly sand the cedar to bring back the aroma and protection that cedar give to your cloths.

My loving wife wanted a computer desk a few years ago and she told me she wanted it to be dainty. Thin legs, have a keyboard that could be hidden from sight and a drawer to put stuff in.

Ok, when someone tells me dainty it means a few things to me; tapered legs, small frame and a top that is tapered that looks thin but in fact is not. "What kind of wood do you want me to make it out of?" "Cherry", she told me. Of course, one of the most difficult woods to work with and expensive. Well a happy wife is a happy life, correct? The large front draw drops down and pulls out that hold the keyboard and the mouse.

This antique closet is a drawing of the original one that someone want made for their sister. She had the original, but her sister wanted one too.

If I have the opportunity to see the original one, things go smoother. If I can bring the original to the shop, life is sweet. But a lot of the time I cannot remove the original, I may only have an old picture and things become very difficult.

The original was made from red oak and the two small drawers at the top hold another secret. Sure you can place your jewelry inside, but if you know where to push on the back of the cabinet, the drawers come out and there is a hidden compartment in the rear. The large gray area on the right is a mirror, on the top left is a door that has one shelf inside and below that are four drawers. The molding is another issue that really can make or break the project.

There are many more pictures of items I have built for my clients, but it could fill several pages of this web site.

Also let me warn you about these types of projects. They are expensive to make since wood is not cheap, the hardware is not cheap, finishing them is not cheap and the labor costs can be high. remember, you are not ONLY paying for the work, assembly and finishing, you are also paying for the drawings.