Putting the Fur in Furniture

I’m a big fan of learning things. New things, old things, things that are beyond me. The one thing you keep learning as you learn things is that you can continue to learn things. For instance, I’ve been dabbling in physics since I was in my twenties. The term ‘dabble’ is fitting; my math skills are rudimentary and I still can’t quite grasp things that have to be described by math. I was in my forties before I finally figured out that geometry and algebra do, in fact, have a place in adult life. If you want to lay out a soft ball diamond and have it not look like a new Picasso-inspired sport, learn the relationship between the hypotenuse of a right triangle and the sides. Nobody likes it if the run from third base is sixty feet longer than the run to first base. Makes it hard to score.

Learning furniture building has been interesting. My only furniture constructions previous to this project had been shelves. They are utilitarian and functional without being glamorous. I will admit that I am fairly handy with tools, working in building and grounds maintenance for the last dozen or so years. My rough carpentry skills are solid. Finish carpentry less so. I’ve met people who are excellent at trim work. Their cuts are artistic. They work around corners with ease. Now try it at 1/12th the size.

This desk is my first piece of furniture. I kind of like it! The hardest thing was gluing drawers on straight as they tend to wander off if you don’t watch them. Almost as hard is the drawer pulls. Every time you touch the little plastic bin they come it, they launch out. There are 23,867 of them on the floor beneath my work space now. And they’re so small I will never find them with socks on. Possibly barefoot. I’ll let you know when winter is over. The floor is way too cold for bare feet.

This is the stereo. I have personally never seen one quite like it, except in the evidence photos of the crime scene. I’m still looking for knobs for the unit on top. This is the receiver. I’ve got some aluminum rod stock that will work for the big volume knob but I haven’t found anything suitable for the smaller knobs yet. A little more digging through my toolbox is in order. I’m particularly pleased with the glass shelf midway up.

I can’t take all the credit for this piece. It’s two different hutches that were cut up and pieced back together. The originals weren’t ‘right.’ This is better. I’ll work on lighting for the next photo shoot, when there are some items on the shelves.

The coffee table is an important piece. In the case file, there were pages of notes and several pictures of the table. Construction was difficult at four inches long, but more important was weight and balance. When the final scene is constructed, the coffee table is significant. The person who is in jail for this crime reported to the authorities that, in a scuffle, the table was knocked over. It was found lying on its side, similar to the photo above. The investigators tried for several months to get the table to tip over thusly. The way it is balanced, every time it is tipped over it rolls and lands on its top. The only way they could get it not roll over was to stop it in progress. This scale table is constructed in as exacting a way as possible, to behave in the same manner as the original. I did my own tests.

Resources have become a most important part of my world. As I’m not expert in things little, I’ve found resources for things I can’t find or don’t know how to do. The above photo has a treasured resource! LadyDelaney’s Etsy shop has become a favorite source for ideas, inspiration,  and custom work. The magazine under the table, the March 1970 issue of Esquire, is part of the case. Approximating it with the May 1956 issue of Life wouldn’t work. It had to be this issue.

Check out the items for sale on this page. Besides shoes and books, the collection of wonderfully weird and incredibly cool things never ceases to amaze me. If you need something specific, send an email. You can tell when someone is truly passionate about what they create. The creations of LadyDelaney are passionately crafted. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LDelaney  Click often, buy lots. I’m already making another list.

Furniture has been the focus of late. I’m dragging my backside while I look at the floor. I’ve got hardwood flooring to go down, but it really looks difficult so I lay it out and stare at it and find another piece of furniture to build. There are a pile of pieces already cut and ready to assemble for the next few pieces.