Live Edge Mystery Wood Kitchen Island

[jack duren]

Too bad your not here. We could have fixed you up pretty quick...'http://www.customglassworkskc.com/

[Jim Becker]

AH...and that's a very kewel design element!

[Julie Moriarty]

Too bad your not here. We could have fixed you up pretty quick...'http://www.customglassworkskc.com/

I'm often missing the customer service I knew back north. But like I said, I think everyone here is thinking about beach, water and Margaritas. Great when on vacation. Not so great if you're trying to run a business.

I think I'm working on too many projects at once because they all seem to be taking forever. Anyway, the drawer fronts and doors are installed, along with the handles.





It looks like we settled on the rails and stiles to be dyed grey. The panels are cherry with a whitewash and 3 coats of poly on them. Once the final OK is given, I'll take them off and finish them. But some cool weather has moved in and that means I can finish the attic work. I have about 10 more can lights to install, some electrical circuits to add and TV coax to install. I'll be lucky if I get back to the island this week.

[Chris Padilla]

Nice project, Julie! Updates!!

[Bill McNiel]

Julie - we want to see the progress on the "sailboat hull" extensions!

[Julie Moriarty]

Nice project, Julie! Updates!!

Thanks, Chris. All the T&G paneling that is going over the plywood has been weathered and coats of poly applied. That will go on after the maple is whitewashed and finished.

The only other update since the last posting is we finally heard from the glass company. HOORAY!!! They couldn't temper the glass but they can shape it. So I told them to go ahead. That was about 4-5 days ago. Florida is always on island time so I have no idea how long it will take them to finish.

Today my SO is going to tackle the maple whitewash job while I finish up some electrical work in the attic, my favorite place to hang out.

Julie - we want to see the progress on the "sailboat hull" extensions!

Here you go, Bill...



The dados in the extensions are for buttons that will hold the live edge boards down while allowing for seasonal movement. I'm hoping that will keep the glass from being stressed.

[Bill McNiel]

Julie,
The "hulls" are lovely.

To minimize seasonal movement impact on the glass I would pin (fix) the inside edges and allow for movement to the outside (away from the glass). Just MHO - Bill

[Julie Moriarty]

That's what I was thinking, Bill. Now if the glass company would just get off island time and get to work!

Today my SO dyed the maple on the doors and drawers and whitewashed the maple on the cabinet while I sipped on an umbrella drink and soaked in the sun.

[Bill McNiel]

That's what I was thinking, Bill. Now if the glass company would just get off island time and get to work!

Today my SO dyed the maple on the doors and drawers and whitewashed the maple on the cabinet while I sipped on an umbrella drink and soaked in the sun.

Julie- you are supposed to be in the attic being really productive, not catching rays and drinking! Who do you think you are, a retiree?

[Julie Moriarty]

Julie- you are supposed to be in the attic being really productive, not catching rays and drinking! Who do you think you are, a retiree?

Oh no, you have it all wrong, Bill. When you retire you have no time to sit and sip umbrella drinks. You're too busy trying to catch up on all the things you put off before retiring.

[Julie Moriarty]

I've got my end of this project complete, at least until the glass arrives. They still are working on it.

Jumping into this weathered white/grey thing, well, I'm not quite into it yet. I wanted at least the maple to show its grain but my SO wanted weathered.


The colors are off on the door/drawer side of the cabinet. The frames are more black/dark grey. I think the picture picked up the amber light opposite the island.


I'm not nearly as happy with this as I thought I'd be. Whitewash and black dye on maple and cherry seem like sins to me. Oh well...

[Jim Becker]

I gotta tell you...all subjective thoughts about colors and finishing aside, because it is what it is...that finished project is OUTSTANDING!!! I look forward to seeing how the glass insert works out.

[Bill McNiel]

Julie,
As you know I've followed this "build" since you started posting it. The design and execution are very solid, very appealing, the inclusion of the "mystery wood" counters and sailboat hulls are done artfully. But....the multiple colors have created a distracting cacophony that diminishes the piece. It has become too cute? The cap rails, drawer and door profile create enough texture, the stains are distracting and take away from the overall form.

This, of course, in just my opinion and a probably a poor attempt to express what I believe turned a great piece into something average. You had a solid eye and obviously do great work!

Regards - Bill

[Julie Moriarty]

Bill, this may be the only piece I have ever done where the finishing just ruined it. But of the friends and neighbors who have seen the island, everyone loves it. I don't get it. I hate how the maple turned out. I don't really care for the two tone doors and drawer fronts. But when I have expressed that to friends and neighbors, they completely disagree with me. One guy is a retired art school teacher and he has done some amazing things with his house. He really has an eye for what works. He was over last night and said, "You nailed it!" He may have seen the confusion in my face because he immediately pointed out how everything works. But I still didn't get it.

When we moved down here a couple of years ago, we immediately realized there was a very different attitude toward natural wood tones, especially anything dark. And that may explain the differences in what is aesthetically appealing to one's eye.

I have already sanded down the maple to bare wood once, after the first failed attempt at whitewashing. I wanted to duplicate the sample piece I did but the product we used dries so quickly it's impossible to do on a large scale what you can do on a short board.

For now, I'm putting it aside. If I can find a decent white dye or whitewash, I may strip the maple again and give it one more try. As for the doors and drawer fronts, I think that ship has sailed.

[Julie Moriarty]

The glass company finally called and said the river glass was done. We had a little house-walk party scheduled on Friday and the call for the glass came Monday. So we dropped everything and went to pick up the glass. They didn't match the template perfectly so I knew I'd have to do some freehand routing. Tuesday morning I was out on the driveway, both planks set up on saw horses, setting up the template for routing the recess to accept the glass.

The night before I had scored, with both pencil and scratch awl, the outline of the river glass. That proved invaluable in setting up the 1/8" thick MDF template.

I started with a 1/8" deep mortising bit and took the wood down to the point where the bearing was up against the wood and the template was no longer needed. I routed the rest of the 1" wide recess with a deeper bit. Then I freehand routed with the 1/8" deep bit to the scribed lines. A few times it almost got away from me but I was cognizant of making sure when it did I was pushing away from the scribed line.

Next was to remove the temporary sealant on the planks, back to bare wood. I opted for a floor rated, oil-based poly to finish the planks. It brought out the chatoyance beautifully! But would it be ready by Friday? Three coats and at least 18 hours cure time before it can be "walked on", according to the directions.

I worked furiously Friday to get the planks and glass ready, including installing the table buttons and vinyl discs under the glass. Then I did something I probably shouldn't have - I waxed the planks. The chatoyance faded and I was very upset for not allowing the poly to fully cure. Oh well. Too late.

On Friday the party started at 5:30 sharp at the 80 year-old party boy's house. Yes, he's 80 and not about to sit still! After a while he announced it was time to walk to our house, about 4 houses away. I knew everyone would see the cloudy, waxy finish and be totally unimpressed. I tried to be Zen. And they walked in...




Immediately everyone circled the island and raved. There was about ten people surrounding it and asking questions. No one said anything about the cloudy, waxy finish.

Maybe it's time to just get on with the cabinet doors and drawers and stop beating myself up.