panel cutting on table saw

 
here is the jig and set up that Gagan and Esteban used to make the raised panels for the cherry doors that I spoke aboubt recently. As you can see it is pretty intense and required resourceful on the floor thinking. But that is the job of a cabinet benchman, to use the tools and resources avaialable to make wood products. Sure it may be easier with the latest cnc machines available on the market but then we would be machine programmers and not woodworkers. One thing that this shop great is our wide variety of skills. We make all types of wooden products, the products are always changing and so is the process. the table saw panel had some advantages down the line in production.

pieces of art

that is what our client called each one of her doors. She said "each one of these is like a piece of art." she is referring to her cabinet doors. the pictures of what she is talking about is the cherry doors in the previous post. the pictures of the unfinished doors shows all of them together roughly 41 pieces. all solid cherry, a nice raised panel and an applied molding. We cut the the panel mold on the table saw, which actually worked out really well, Gagan said that we didn't have any burns, which we usually get when we make such a large cut in cherry. Also it expedited the sanding of the raise because we could use flat sanding block. the only complication is the applied molding needs an extra cut in it so it beds tight and evenly. you can see the applied molding in the second picture, it is really nice. The finish on these doors is top notch. it is very smooth and very consistent, it looks great in place, and the grain of the paneling is very active and has so much character, it is no wonder that the client thinks they are pieces of art. All the credit for these doors goes to Gagan, and Esteban, they made them and they finished them, and they are beautiful, nice work guys, Kidder Blaisdell would be no where with out you guys.

cherry panels

 
 

 
 

more meetings, better focus

we are now having brief staff meetings everyday. I think it will help us stay focused on the priorities. The once a week is good, but everyday is better. our priorities are in a constant state of change. Why? because job site conditions are in a constant state of change. our install is dependent on job site conditions. the everyday meeting gives me a chance to take stock on where the priorities stand and make adjustments.
Many of my clients have been telling me that my business model doesn't work. I can't blame them because we are late on some projects, not all but some. at times I think that my model doesn't work. Fact is my model as it is being executed doesn't work, but that is because we aren't executing it the way it needs too in order to work. It isn't working because we are over loaded with work right now and in a state of catch-up. I really need to hire another installer to help me with the install. the system that I am developing for my wood shop is going to work and will be the model for all other modern wood shops. it isn't complicated it is modeled after a restaurant basically. I need to extract myself from such a intense installation role. And spend more time actually running the company.

plumb bob

 
here I am setting a door frame. Many comments come out from the guys near by when they see a plumb bob. One guy said to me "I haven't seen a plumb bob out on a job site in years". I don't know what to say, but this is how I learned to hang a door when I was 18 years old, that was 20 years ago. scary but true. I find this technique to be fool proof, the pieace that you see at the bottom of the jamb is temporary, it come outs at the end, but it is exactly the same size in width as the top piece, and cut exactly square. The plumb bob needs to fall on the center and the edge of the bottom board to ensure plumbness and keep the door frame coplaner.