Fence Project

[Brian Holcombe]

I've been doing an AC surround for a my son's school in my spare time, whatever little I have(it's a co-op and I like to take on the more interesting work to make my hours). I designed a new fence to replace the old.


It's composed of two sections, but I've got one up and completed (mainly) less the slats which I have mocked up but not attached just yet. I decided to make it using traditional joinery and using alaskan yellow cedar. The material is divine, as always.


This is the smaller section, the larger will look the same.


No slats:


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Slats mocked up:


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I had my mortiser setup for another job during most of this project, so I chopped these out by hand. This material chops easily so I just use whatever chisel fits (24mm) and chop at a low angle to split the material out quickly. I do 95% of the work with the bevel and then touch the side walls with the back.


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After I freed the machine up I cut for draw-bored pegs. Most often you see round draw-boring, but it can be done square as well.


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Finished joint, the pegs are white oak.


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I ran strips down the inside to hold the slats since I couldn't bring myself to cut visible holes in the uprights and I did not want to see screws on the slats from the front. I may need one or two at the extremes, but I can live with that.


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I draw bored a bridle joint on this project, it's interesting to do so. I put the offset toward the outside of the joint for this because the forked sections are the 'tenon' and the center is the 'mortise' in how it functions. I didn't take a close up, but you can see it in the first pic.

[David Myers]

Cool project beautifully executed.

[Phil Mueller]

Nicest AC surround, well, around. Get ready. You know there’s going to be a few parents who ask “can you make one for me?”

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks gents! That’s the hope, Phil. This is not entirely selfless :D I’m also quite happy that they were willing to spring for the good stuff (ayc). It should last a good long while.

[David Eisenhauer]

As always Brian, nice work. I do admire the chamfers on your work.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice work.

jtk

[Brian Holcombe]

Thank you, both!

[John Kananis]

Very nice, Brian.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thank you, John!

[Pat Barry]

Looks to me like this is destined for the SMC Hall of Fame!

[Brian Holcombe]

I'll settle for the hall of frames :D Thanks Pat!

[Christopher Charles]

Thanks for posting Brian and that AYC does look divine!

Will look forward to seeing the completed piece.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thank you! I’ll post it up.

[Mike Allen1010]

Brian, thanks a lot for posting – the pictures of your work and extraordinarily well executed details are always an inspiration.


I obviously can't add anything to previous comments. I'll simply echo your Son's school is extraordinarily lucky to have an AC surround that is more than equal to the finest furniture produced by master craftsmen in design, materials and execution. I really hope this showcase of your talent leads to many opportunities to produce similarly beautiful objects for future clients.


On the other hand, you've absolutely ruined any sense of satisfaction I had for the utilitarian yard structures I've built:). Somehow pressure-treated Doug fir pales in comparison to the Alaskan yellow cedar, not to mention the equally painful comparison of of your fine joinery with my galvanized nails construction. Keep up the good work!


Best, Mike

[Patrick McCarthy]

Seems to be this would be somewhat like Rembrandt coming over to help me paint a project . . . .
Brain, your work is always exquisite.

[Brian Holcombe]

Hah! Thank you, Mike! I hope so as well.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Patrick!

[Brian Holcombe]

Installed. We had intended to keep the original posts, but as it would turn out they were a bit too rotted. Infact the 'demo' took about 30 seconds, I pushed lightly and the entire surround broke off of the attachments and fell over. It further disintegrated as it was removed. Being it was a sunday I was a bit limited on posts, so I grabbed some from the local big box and cut them on site. Install took about 8 hours.

I installed by mounting to the surrounding area then reinforcing the mounts, I had assumed the posts were dug in but they were not. The ground had many electrical conduits running around the area so the previous install likely worked to avoid those lines. I decided not to dig. but instead just put large rocks under some of the contact points with the ground and tamped down the soil a bit under them.

The strips along the inside cover the screw battens which hold the slats. There were two holes per, which was visually jarring so I decided to cover them with those small strips. I regret not being able to wipe down all of the finger prints so I'll likely do that on the first day of school. Though, with a minor bit of weathering they were surely disappear.

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[Phil Mueller]

Very nice Brian. If only everyone who walked by would realize the skill and build details that went into that. They will appreciate it, nonetheless. You couldn’t talk them into a brass plate with phone number, huh? You need to work on those selling skills, my friend :D

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Phil! A brass plate...I like that. :D

[Patrick McCarthy]

"I regret not being able to wipe down all of the finger prints . . ."

Well, truth be told, I WAS going to comment upon how distracting the fingerprints are . . . . . but I will be damned, as I can't find any. Brian, we are all big fans of yours, but I am certain I am not the only one out here who thinks you might, occasionally, be a tad bit too hard on yourself.

Excellent craftsmanship, sir. I hope the people at school have at least a little understanding of the quality of that enclosure.
Best, patrick

[Christopher Charles]

Looks fabulous, and I agree that few will appreciate the skill (design and execution) involved.

Best,
Chris

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks gents! One thing I do on every project is to email photos to my clients detailing the build, I did so in this case as well. It helps everyone to understand what was involved in the build and my clients enjoy such details. Many people wrote thanking me, which I very much appreciated. It’s also nice, as a crafts person, to be given complete artistic license like I was here.

Im hard on myself as I believe in continuous improvement. So I’m always searching for ways to make something slightly better. I try to take an honest assessment of what I can do better after each phase of each project. Sometimes it’s something immediately apparent, other times much less so.