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b From the Workshop of Ron Brese
I often wonder if my customers fully appreciate some of the real quality features that I incorporate into my furniture pieces. I will no doubt continue attaching drawer parts with variably sized and spaced dovetails because this is a feature that I feel my pieces need in order to have lasting value. Even though the majority of my customers are pretty knowledgable I often doubt that even they see the need for drawer bottoms made from solid wood in lieu of veneered plywood. Besides the obvious differences between studio and manufactured pieces, such as fit, finish, and design that is not derived for ease of manufacture, what are some of the elements of your pieces that you think are not appreciated by even the most knowledgable of your customers? Will you continue to persist in adding these features whether your customers appreciate them or not?
Ron
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ron
seems like the few who'd really recognize & appreciate the details you're referencing are mostly woodworkers- like a builder you make a custom built in or a door for- or maybe an architect that gets dirty sometimes. i almost think most of my clients are cross eyed the way they delight in recieving their pieces without really looking at them much.
it's a good question though.
as long as it's in the budget, i'll keep knocking myself out making the things i couldn't make yesterday- that's how it all started in the first place.
alex
*RonThere are a lot of notes in a fine piece of music that I'm sure you can't identify, but I bet you know the music you like. Leave it to the composer to understand the mechanics of the art. If you leave out the details that come from your heart you forsake your soul. Believe me this is what even your most ignorant client is drawn to, and even if they weren't, you're not doing it for them you're doing it for you.Terry
*I hope so. I charge enough so that they probably notice the dent in their wallet, but they shouldn't see any dents in my newly delivered piece of furniture. Slainte, RJ.
*Ron,FWIW, I like Terry's analogy. Getting to the "bottom line" so to speak; my clients seem to appreciate my efforts judging from their willingness to pay, total absence of complaints, and the fact that all my commissions come by referral.Dano
*b From the Workshop of Ron BreseDanford, I agree. Were it not for referrals and repeat customers I would have been out of business years ago, so it must be the little details that make such a big difference, besides like Terry said I'm doing as much for me as I am for them. I can't really see myself doing it any other way.Ron
*Call me a romantic but . . . I feel like we're building not just for the customer but for generations of recipients that we can't even comprehend. Just because the customer doesn't see it right away doesn't mean it won't go unnoticed beyond the point where the maker is standing the room looking for kudos and appreciation. It's my name in 100, 200 and more years that keeps me going. Yep, pathetically romantic.
*I have a theory about this kind of thing.people don't need to know why they like something, a piece of furniture, a piece of music, etc. - only if they do. if a piece is in harmony with itself, it will be in harmony with the viewer/listener. if the grain is perfectly matched and aligned to seem all of a piece, nothing will stand out and catch their attention, and they will likely never notice, but they will like it. if not, it will seem unsettled to them, and they may not know why, but they will not feel that same "harmony."People can dance to what used to be called "disco", because the rhythm tracks were generated by machines at roughly 120 beats per minute, which matches our heart beat when we're out having fun and dancing. But if you sit down, and listen to some old funk or r&b at about the same tempo, you might not know why it sounds more "alive", but it's because the tempo "breathes" - that is, it changes slightly as the humans who were playing it tried to pick it up or pull it down for different sections. Just like a real heartbeat. I don't care if they don't know why they're moved, so long as they're moved...SB
*Finishing????? If I have to do more then Min-Wax stain and/or Polyurethene top coat I'm dead in the water. Exterior projects are oil based sealer and paint (Gliddens only) and if the client wants something else It's a whole new learning experince for me. I feel that woodworkers don't spend a lot of time learning the art of finishing. I was told when you design a project start with the finish first and work backwards. I am going to take that approach this year and see how it works.Dave in Pa.
*David, try this approach...You know what different finishes are supposed to look like (or if you don't, that's a good goal to learn this year). In each job you do, think about what finish will be right for the piece, not which finish you can do. different styles and uses will help determine what the finish should be, for aesthetics and durability...SB
Ron,
You mentioned the use of solid wood bottoms to your drawers. As a novice I have a question, does the expansion of solid material cause a problem compared to the use of veneered ply? Also, do you use solid, or joined solids, to construct the panels? I thought one of the strengths of plywood was its stability in resisting seasonal/ humidity changes. With this in mind, does this affect the overall strength of what the drawer will support? The change in orientation of the grain in the various plys should lend additional strength.
I would appreciate a response as I would like to build a number of cabinets for my home and want to "do it right the first time"!
Thanks,
Sydspal... Chris
SYDSPAL,
I use solid wood on my drawer bottoms as well. The reason I use it over ply is because; A: It can be cheaper to resaw drawer bottoms from secondary wood than pay for ply. B: Traditional furniture doesn't use ply. C: It's a hallmark of better built pieces.
In order to use solid stock over ply the only changes necessary to the drawer box is to make the drawer back shorter than the other 3 sides. That way the solid bottom can move by sliding underneath the bottom edge of the drawer back. It's held in by one screw in the center of the drawer back from underneath. Any glue (if necessary)should be use ONLY in the groove on the drawer front and NEVER on the drawer sides or back. Grain should run across the width of the drawer and not front-to-back. This months edition of FWW has an article on building hand cut dovetails that shows a pretty good cross section of a drawer with a solid bottom and how to attach it.
Best of luck
RP
I've got the mag but, didn't notice that point. I'll have to look closer. Thanks
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