Monday we start working...

So like last week this week has been a lot of design work still. But that ended today with a final presentation of our design. I finally settled on making an entertainment center. This unit will have some modular elements to it. Inside the cabinet there will be 3 if not 4 separate smaller cabinets that will be movable and removable. They will be able to hold components and DVDs.

The front will have 2 doors that slide along the length of the cabinet. This allows you to put the doors anywhere you want. Also there will be 2 sliding back panels for the same purpose.

We were to be inspired by something Australian. I choose the fact that I think that the people here are a very industrious people. They are hard working and have a very hands on approach to things. So this piece gives the user a chance to move things around and set it up the way that they like. The inspiration was meant to be subtle.

But I get to start work on Monday. Which will be nice, since there is a lot of work to be done. I will be using veneer for the entire piece. Which means a lot of work, putting solid lipping on all the boards. Then just making veneer lay-ons will take a good many hours. Especially sense I plan to do a random veneer pattern on the front sliding doors. We shall see how it all goes. Believe me there will be lots of updates and photos during this project. So keep coming back for more.

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Testing a new service...

Well I haven't posted as much as I like these last few weeks. I guess that's because I haven't had a lot to say. Really these last two weeks have been design time. The week so far I have settled on a final design. I am going to build a low entertainment center. It will have some removeable cabinets that can be stacked anywhere on top or within the main cabinet itself.

Right now I have spent the last day and tomarrow on building a true to life 1 to 5 scale model. Today I got all the pieces cut out and routed a 2mm groove for my two sliding doors to sit in and run on. That right my doors on this little model are actually going to work. I was so stoked when everything went as planned.

Well I just downloaded a new blog publishing service. It's called ScribeFire. It allows me to blog and not have to actually log into blogger and do it through there. So I am going to test this out and see how it works.

Anyways until next time all...

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What I love about Design...

What I love about design is how fast it changes. When I say love I really mean HATE. I entered the day with what I thought was a good idea. I left a group critique while many doubts. Not from my fellow students, but from the head of school. I always appreciate his input, but he loves to ask why? Why did you do it like that or this part like this? Sometimes I really just want to say because I like it that way. But in the design world you can't say that. You have to be able to justify why you are doing it a certain way. I left school today with the same feeling that I had during my chair project. Which weren't good feelings. I was really frustrated with everything.

With that said I came home and had a good play with my little boy, ate and good dinner and took a little break. Then I picked up my sketch pad and drew something that I think puts the other concept to shame.









These cabinets were made by a guy names Roy Schack. He is a designer maker here in Australia. My concept is based of these cabinets. But they will become modular and be able to stack and be laid down on there sides and become an entertainment center or desk. So I will present this new idea on Monday. Cross your fingers for me.

Until then...

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Going Design Crazy....

So this week has been really good. Neil showed up on Monday, it is really good to have him back in the building. With that said this week has been a lot of drawing. As always I started the week with one idea and now I have a completely different idea. I started the week designing a dresser. The dresser had asymmetric drawer sizes. That progressed to a display case that was hung from the wall. Then that idea progressed to a wall hung entertainment center. Well the final idea has stayed with an entertainment center. But it is no longer wall hung.

I don't know if any of you remember the mirror that I made last year. The mirror had two frames that were mounted to the wall. Then the mirror itself hung from the frames. Well this entertainment center has the same approach. There will be two arms that lean against the wall, at the top there will be a pivot point which is connected to a frame work. When I say frame work I mean some sort of lattice type work. But this frame work will hang from these arms. Then I plan to build 4 different types of cabinets. All being different in size and shape. But these cabinets will have a fastener that will connect them to the frame.

The idea behind this design is that you the owner will have the freedom to arrange each box in any fashion that you can think of. Giving the buyer design ownership of the piece. I know that it's hard to imagine the piece, I plan on having some drawings and maybe a rendering of it soon.

Also some potential good news. I recent found out about a show in Sydney for a design magazine called "inside". Anyways they are calling for student work, so I submitted my stool and chair. They want to display both with 6 extras of each for possible sales. Anyways I told them that I could not supply 6 chairs. But I could do the stools. They will pay for the shipping from Tassie to Sydney. So I had to provide them a shipping estimate and then they will get back to me about everything. They need to make sure that the shipping will fit into there budget. So fingers crossed on this one.

So until next time everyone... 60% of the time, it works everytime


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I reckon my renderings are getting better...

Well there are a few new things that I thought I would try. First, there is a new feature offered from Firefox, that allows you to see what I am listening to while I post. Whatever song that I am listening to while I am writing. So we'll see if it works.

Second, I thought I would post a few new pictures of the things that I am learning in my elective class this semester. I have chosen to do photo realistic rendering as my final project. So currently I am trying to just design and few pieces of furniture and make them look good.
































What so you think? I know that they are small, but do the look realistic at all? Anyways the dresser in the pictures is one that I am thinking of developing and making for my final project. It's a very asymmetrical piece. There are a total of 7 seven drawers in the piece, most of which are not the same size. Anyways we'll see. Have a good weekend all, Monday is the beginning of the end for me here at school. But no need to think about that now, I still a little less than 3 months left.

So until next time... Don't cry for me Argentina, just keep kicking butt in the rugby world cup.

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Marquetry.. I'm just not "Cut out for it"

Ok Ok what a terrible title for this post. For those of you that don't know what Marquetry is, basically it's little piece of veneer cut out to form something. Maybe a flower or an animal of some sort. I started the week out giving it a go. But soon found out that it wasn't for me. I should have knowen from the craving class, I'm just not cut out for working on such a small scale. I can't handle really small tools in my hands.

With that said the first day of the class was a lot of fun. But I couldn't focus on the job at hand. one reason is I am worried about the next project starting on Monday. Neil Erasmus is coming back to teach this last class. He was the head of the school last year, if you remember. Anyways I want to build something big and complicated. I first started thinking about a desk. But then my thoughts drifted toward a sideboard and finally they came to rest with a dresser. I have what I think is a pretty good idea of a cool dresser. I know I say that about all my projects. But if I don't love them then who will. But I know that it is going to take every last minute to make this. So I have sent the last few days doing some CAD work and figuring out dimensions, I guess preparing so that I hopefully get a quick jumpstart next week. I will let you know.

I also this week had another article posted on the Wood Talk Online website. So check it out. It's great fun writting article for that site, I hope to get a few more written and sent in the near future.

So until next time... that's the way the cookie crumbles

The weekend is here...

So the week is over and the weekend is here. The weather here in Tassie is great. Like I said spring is in the air. So what did I do this week with the time off? Well let's see, I slept in a couple of days and I did some updating on my official website. Although they new updates have yet to be implemented. I hope that all gets taken care of in the upcoming week or so. I have spent a lot of time looking for inspiration for my next project. I have come to the conclusion that I am going to build a desk. Now weather or not Neil allows me to do so is a different story. But I reckon he won't have a problem with it.

But I spent a good portion of the week with the family, which was a lot of fun. I also spent some time trying to get some stuff done for our graduation exhibition I wrote up a press release to send out to all the press here in Australia. That was a lot of fun, and good practice. Because I plan to do the same for all the local papers and television stations when I get home.

We start a one week Marquetry course on Monday. I'm not sure how excited I am by this. But I will give it a go and see. You never know it might be a lot of fun.

So until then... I'll let you know.

Couldn't stay away

Well even though I have the week off I couldn't stay away from the shop. But this time I took my son with me. He loves coming down and visiting me when I am working. And every time he comes over he wants to build something. He usually says "Dad let's build a truck". So yesterday we both went in together and spent alittle time with some scrap pieces of Pine and some glue and a drill. He loves to go into the machine shop. I think it's because he gets to wear ear and eye protection. But we went in to use the chop saw and the sander.



We made the frame of the truck and them I found an old toy truck that was broken and put the wheels from it onto the new truck. Don't worry toy making world this is as far as I ever see myself going down that road. As if you all were really worried in the first place.

Until next time... from the mouth of babes comes this quote "Dad, Do it"

Trying something new

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