Pete Brown
01-12-2007, 10:15 PM
Hi All
Just a quick introduction. I'm a hobbiest and DIY-type. I'm in the software consulting industry but would do woodworking full time if I was good enough at it to make a living at it :)
I started with some really basic woodworking in 2002 or so, shortly after I bought my first house. I made a couple simple things including a fireplace mantel (http://www.irritatedvowel.com/HomeImprovement/Mantel.aspx). That was my first real project, but I'm looking forward to replacing it with something nicer when I've finished my other projects.
I've been working on a home renovation for over a year now (with a baby delivered shortly into it d'oh!) including putting down all new floors (including a second layer of subfloor), new stairs, opening up a wall, new windows, and a whole new kitchen. My wife is a saint for living with a temporary kitchen (two cheapo cabinets a cheap sink and some clearance countertop) in various stages and lots of household disruption for so long.
The kitchen is taking me forever and a day, but I am building all the cabinets. I contracted out the plumbing, electrical, windows, siding and drywall, but did the floors, trimwork, demolition and reframing, cabinets etc.
I have one of the world's smallest shops, my shed out in my back yard (http://www.irritatedVowel.com/pub/housebackyard.jpg). That's one thing that contributes to getting things done slowly. I can only work on one cabinet at a time in there and often use my table saw as a work surface (although I did just get the Festool MFT which has helped a bit).
Some photos of the work so far (none have doors or drawer fronts):
Lazy Susan Cabinet (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/11/22/Corner-Lazy-Susan-Cabinet-Installed.aspx) (and construction here (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/10/20/Base-Corner-Cabinet.aspx))
Wall Oven Cabinet (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/10/28/Wall-Oven-Installed.aspx)
Original Kitchen (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/photos/petes_photos/images/101/original.aspx)
The size of my shed means I can't process lumber more than 6' long, so that is a design constraint in how I have built my cabinets. I also can't manage sheet goods in there, so I use a Festool 55 saw and guide to break those down. All my wood and sheet good storage is in my house.
Here's the wood I started with (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/07/09/497.aspx). I resawed it with my MM16, stickered it and let it acclimate in my finished basement. The original boards were upwards of 2" thick (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/05/15/437.aspx)by 10+ feet long by 14-20 or so inches wide. I bought a whole tree's worth of matched lumber (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/04/01/319.aspx). Some call it wormy maple, some call it ambrosia maple.
I've read posts here quite a few times in the past and just decided to join yesterday after reading the Domino thread. I look forward to participating more in between bouts of ruining perfectly good trees :) I'm hoping to learn more from the folks who have been doing this for a while.
Pete
Just a quick introduction. I'm a hobbiest and DIY-type. I'm in the software consulting industry but would do woodworking full time if I was good enough at it to make a living at it :)
I started with some really basic woodworking in 2002 or so, shortly after I bought my first house. I made a couple simple things including a fireplace mantel (http://www.irritatedvowel.com/HomeImprovement/Mantel.aspx). That was my first real project, but I'm looking forward to replacing it with something nicer when I've finished my other projects.
I've been working on a home renovation for over a year now (with a baby delivered shortly into it d'oh!) including putting down all new floors (including a second layer of subfloor), new stairs, opening up a wall, new windows, and a whole new kitchen. My wife is a saint for living with a temporary kitchen (two cheapo cabinets a cheap sink and some clearance countertop) in various stages and lots of household disruption for so long.
The kitchen is taking me forever and a day, but I am building all the cabinets. I contracted out the plumbing, electrical, windows, siding and drywall, but did the floors, trimwork, demolition and reframing, cabinets etc.
I have one of the world's smallest shops, my shed out in my back yard (http://www.irritatedVowel.com/pub/housebackyard.jpg). That's one thing that contributes to getting things done slowly. I can only work on one cabinet at a time in there and often use my table saw as a work surface (although I did just get the Festool MFT which has helped a bit).
Some photos of the work so far (none have doors or drawer fronts):
Lazy Susan Cabinet (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/11/22/Corner-Lazy-Susan-Cabinet-Installed.aspx) (and construction here (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/10/20/Base-Corner-Cabinet.aspx))
Wall Oven Cabinet (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/10/28/Wall-Oven-Installed.aspx)
Original Kitchen (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/photos/petes_photos/images/101/original.aspx)
The size of my shed means I can't process lumber more than 6' long, so that is a design constraint in how I have built my cabinets. I also can't manage sheet goods in there, so I use a Festool 55 saw and guide to break those down. All my wood and sheet good storage is in my house.
Here's the wood I started with (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/07/09/497.aspx). I resawed it with my MM16, stickered it and let it acclimate in my finished basement. The original boards were upwards of 2" thick (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/05/15/437.aspx)by 10+ feet long by 14-20 or so inches wide. I bought a whole tree's worth of matched lumber (http://community.irritatedvowel.com/blogs/pete_browns_blog/archive/2006/04/01/319.aspx). Some call it wormy maple, some call it ambrosia maple.
I've read posts here quite a few times in the past and just decided to join yesterday after reading the Domino thread. I look forward to participating more in between bouts of ruining perfectly good trees :) I'm hoping to learn more from the folks who have been doing this for a while.
Pete