Bob Bags Bar Bubinga Bupdate!

[Per Swenson]

I know, I know, sounds like a NY Post or Variety Headline.

Hello All,

I often insinuate that the other half of Swenson and Swenson

doesn't put in a 40 hour week. Well he makes up for it.

The hard part is arranging work release from the home for

doddering cabinet makers. What with the bocce ball, bingo

and buffet lines one can be hard pressed to press veneer.

These are pictures of the Bubinga that will be applied to the


overhang of the bar.

The idea is to add a little pizzazz to our plain old dull

mahogany treatment.


First shot, taping the seams
2nd, glue up.
3rd checking the bag
4th close up


Enjoy.


Per

[Jim Becker]

That'll keep the eyes of the bar patrons moving!! Nice!!

[Richard Wolf]

Looks like you taught him well. Nice wood and work.

Richard

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Wow, that's beautiful Per...I just cut some Bubinga for the cutting boards I am glueing up today. I love working with that wood!

[Jay Knoll]

Per

Nice, real nice work and great to have your Dad working with you.

Ever go through a good art museum? And notice the longevity of many of the artists (even in earlier centuries when medical care wasn't as advanced as it is now)? Creative people seem to have a long life span. Good lesson for all of us, and Bob seems to be a great example.

Jay

[tod evans]

nice work bob!...

[Wes Bischel]

Per,
You do have a way with words.:D Beautiful work Bob!

Wes

[Cecil Arnold]

Per,

That's beautiful, first rate work. I just want to know how old you were before you could keep up with Bob, 35-40?

[Mike Cutler]

Bagging Bubinga, or Bocce ball... Hmm. Bagging Bubinga, or the buffet, now that's a no brainer.:D :D ;)

Nice vac work Bob. That should be a stunning piece when both of you are finished.

[John Shuk]

Very nice. I see alot of bars that I bet bar owners pay alot of money for that are .........not worth the money(gotta keep in Ken's good graces). It is nice to see it being done right! I'll happily lay my money on that one. Keep the pics coming.

[Alan Turner]

Per and Bob,
Nice work. First round is on me.

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Per! Is that what is known as waterfall figure in bubinga. I have heard bubinga referred that way in descriptions without photos.

Corey

[Frank Pellow]

Bob, that looks great!

Per, you must be really proud of your dad!

[Per Swenson]

Thank you Everybody,

Corey, Waterfall? Ok sounds good too me.

I know it as lot 94. I originally bought a pile of this for

a lawyers office. Then decided he didn't deserve it.

Frank,

Yeah I'm proud really, all kidding aside I am just thankfull

he refrains from dressing like Vinny "The Chin" in public.

No Promises, but If I remember my camera,

(the sheets are loaded on the truck) and I will begin the finish process

monday and hang em soon.

'Till then we thank you all for looking.

Per

[Vaughn McMillan]

Beautiful wood, Per. That's going to be a stunning bar when completed, and I'll be looking forward to the pictures.

BTW, you look good in the pics with your beard trimmed up a bit. When you gonna show some shots of Bob? [ducks and runs...;)]

[scott spencer]

Niiiiiiice!!!!!!!!!

[Bill White]

spell aliteration?
Looks great.
Bill

[Per Swenson]

Aliteration,

I think you have something there,

next post will surely be titled,

Boldly Beautified Bubinga Bob Bagged

Should be ready for photos Wednesday

Thanks everyone.

Per

[lou sansone]

hi per

couple of questions


1. type of glue your dad is rolling out - how long is the open time?

2. how you go about loading the bag

3. I assume you use a scored board as the lower platen inside the bag, is that right ?

looking good

Lou

[Bob Swenson]

Lou
BETTER BOND BAGS BABINGA
We are using “Better Bond” cold press veneer adhesive, but I use Tightbond III For the veneer on bar tops.
Don’t stop for coffee
We use two long 1x2s to hold the bag open and slip the panel under a piece
of aluminum window screen on top of the scored platen.


I learned Per every thing I know and he still knows nutten!:cool:

[lou sansone]

hi bob

aluminum screen! wow what a neat idea. do you get any indenting of the screen into the wood? Do you sort of tape the screen to the piece you are going to press to keep it from getting twisted up into a knot ?

thanks
lou

[tod evans]

lou, (sorry for interupting bob) , i use plastic window screen in my bags. i`ve also found that aluminum flashing works great as a curved caul...02 tod

[Bob Swenson]

Lou- the screen goes in the first, than we slip the panel under it while holding up the screen with the 1x2s on each side. Pull out the 1x2s, seal and pump.

Tod
I use plastic screen on small pieces, on the large ones the extra screen spacing gives the air an easy way out.
The glue comes through the pores in the bubinga and forms little beads in the screen that Per sands away later (not with out a lot of @##@#%&*), best to separate them as soon as possible. The stiff aluminum makes it easier.

Love the idea of using flashing on curved pieces.

This bubinga would make a handsome guitar.


Bob:)

[tod evans]

bob, when i`m doing flat work on porous veneer i`ll either wax my caul or use waxed paper, i`ve never tried placing the screen wire directly on the veneer. in my big bag i have two rows of doubled nylon screen running the length of the bag under the bottom cauls, i place my work on top of these cauls and the top caul on top of the work with more screen on top of the top caul....i`ll give the aluminum a try next time to see if i get better results or if it`s faster....tod

[Charles McKinley]

Its about time you guys stepped it up a notch or two! I don't know how much life is left in that "plain old dull mahogany treatment" of yours. ;)

Stunning work and materials as always.

Is this for the bar from the ceiling post?

[Per Swenson]

Yeah,

I know Bupdate is cheating.

Anyhoo, Yes Charles, its the same bar.

What happened next.

The panels where brought to the job and first

scraped to remove the glue pressed through the pores.

Then sanded with 220.

A wash of seal cote shellac was applied.

This will cause any other glue and smutz to become visible.

More scraping. Sand to 220. 'nother wash of sealcote.

Ok,Ok,why you may ask are you using seal cote when I clearly

see can of Target WB shellac in the picture below?

Seal cote is Alcohol based and drys FAST.

Filler time, no beer jokes.

We used Target high solids grain filler, brush it on,

wait 10 minutes, scrape it off.

Sand the whole deal to 400.

Now spray it with the Target WB.

Lightly sand to 400.

Cut the ends at 5 degrees,

Stick em on the wall.

I will give them one shot of Target Precat Varnish in the morning.

Then trim around them.

Per

[Per Swenson]

Oh I almost forgot.......

Per

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow just look at that grain. That is beautiful guys!

Corey

[John Lucas]

Per and Bob, superb work. The bubinga is a masterpiece, grande scale. I hope they can appreciate it. The last image enlarged is best view of overhead also...WOW!!!
One thing that is sortof lost in all this is that a vacuum bag can give you the very flattest surface, when done which makes scraping and sanding possible. You cant get that in any other gluing method in my opinion. What say ye Per?

[Nick Clayton]

Per and Bob,

Simply stunning. Thank you for sharing your trade secrets as well.

-N

[Paul Engle]

Nice work Bob, say i have some cdx on my kitchen bar needs covering ...... hows next tues 8am ???????
If women cant find ya handsome , they should find ya handy " says Red.
If women can find ya ..... run" says Paul

[Jon Shively]

Trade secrets? For a newbie like me, they are still secrets!! Hell, no secrets to it, pure unadulterated magic!!!! Beautiful work gentlemen. 100% CRAFTSMANSHIP!!!! Job well done. I can only dream that I could turn out something half as beautiful.

[tod evans]

looks good! nice work guys!

[Per Swenson]

No pictures today,

Thanks all.

Paul, allow me to explain the cdx.

The old bar was completely gutted to the block walls.

It was plaster on lath on block. Reframed walls and ceiling with a

27 foot micro lam (little tiny sheep) holding the whole deal airborn.

Then sheet rocked and spackled (one coat, fire code)

5/8 CDX is then applied to the walls as a continious nailer.

The walls will be paneled. Now our wood needs to be, how should

I say it? Coaxed? Nah that doesent have the full flavor. Beaten

into submission. With the ply I can attach all kinds of clamps,

custom made wall dogs etc, to get the stuff straight and flat.

I keep threating the patrons, yup the joint is open.
(I built a temp bar and wall)
To just paint it brown and leave.

What the hey I tell em, Between drinking all day and watchin oprah

you guys wouldn't know the difference.

Per

[tod evans]

per, so many don`t fully understand the size hammer that really fine woodwork sometimes requires:cool: ....tod

[Per Swenson]

Hey everyone,

Here is a coupla shots with a little trim and some target coatings

WB varnish.

The first picture though, cause they are worth a thousand words,

is one way I get wavy lumber flat on the wall. Thats why CDX.

Per