XL

[Mike]

I have always wanted one of these chairs.

would you like a CROWN TOO lol

[65Buick]

That is one heck of a chair. Refinishing that wood will take a whole bunch of time. Amazing craftsmanship.

Kind of a side question: Do all you guys have shops that people come to asking for your services? I don't have a shop. But I wish I did.

[SteveA]

A shop - kind of important !  Can you use a part of your garage or basement ?  Maybe rent space from another crafts person ?

SA

[65Buick]

I'm using half a standard two-car garage for the upholstery, and a small 11x11 bedroom for my big machine and various fabric work.

A shop would be dream. Maybe in the future.

[SteveA]

Yes a dream but can be a big expense.  It's sounds like you have a decent set up.  No room to hold pieces unless they are ready to be worked on.  When work slows down there isn't a big rent to pay -

My shop is small but it's enough - it's set up nicely and I only take in one piece at a time - the thought of expanding sounds expensive
SA

[SteveA]

All the repair + replacement pieces are done.  I need to start veneering the long side rails and areas of the main leg where the side rails dowel into

[SteveA]

Missing about 16 small square pyramid shaped elements and two longer shaped ones.  Back to the rosewood - because there's no carving - the saw blade makes short work of this decoration.  The blade is tilted 20 degrees and the tenon jig rides on top of my fence -

[SteveA]

The top of each back post had been cut off maybe to fit against a wall - found a nice piece of Brazilian Rosewood - enough for both chair posts. 

[SteveA]

[MinUph]

.

Kind of a side question: Do all you guys have shops that people come to asking for your services? I don't have a shop. But I wish I did.

I know most here are small one man shops. I did that for a little over 30 years. I now have a shop with walk in customers and employees. I love it much better. Not so boring and we have people in most days to have work done. Yes there is a bigger nut to crack but like i said, I'm enjoying it.
There really isnt all that much more to move into a retail shop except rent etc. If your doing the work then you have what you need. This business doesnt require much to operate.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Steve, love the XL chair.  Know my hubby would like the extra room.

65Buick: I have our entire basement for my "shop".  People in town know where I am located and I have a LOT of foot traffic.  Some days I wish I didn't have as much foot traffic.   You don't have to rent in any specific area of town.  Just set yourself up so that you can function, do your stuff, develop a favorable reputation and before you know it you will be established.  I do no formal advertising at this point (media).  I get a lot of "we drove by and saw your sign" or returning customers or referrals.

Virginia

[SteveA]

Little progress - re-veneering the posts where the side and back rails are doweled into the legs.  Previously hide glue but it failed when the rail loosened. 5 veneered areas were bad which I chiesled away down to the oak substrate.  I had some old rosewood veneers - .040 thickness which I glued down with urea resin to avoid any movement. 

[Darren Henry]

Awesome work as always Bud. Just for fun [and those who don't have a woodworking background] how many hours have you got invested in this piece so far and what do you think the final bill would be if you were doing this for a customer at regular shop rate? i think some people's jaws would drop.

[SteveA]

Darren if I was doing this for a customer I don't think they could justify the time necessary to do it correctly.  I'd be casting pieces and using fillers to cut corners. Joints could be glue injected instead of disassembly - Hand stripping - no way -  A customer would want to see the end result without care for how you got there. I probably have 30 hours in and could be in for another 50.  The biggest challenges left are to make paw feet in the front to replace where the feet were cut off to install casters and onion shaped ball feet for the back legs.  The other pain is one finial is lost which you can see in one of the earliest photos.  It's 5-1/2 inches wide x 13 inches tall and carved all over.  I got a quote from a guy who has a cnc cad machine that can copy the existing finial - he wants $ 500.00 + the glue up -  but it's something I can make given I have no deadline to complete.  You can't find 6 in. wide rosewood without a glue up.
If I did this for a customer who just wants a serviceable chair with a new finish and isn't concerned about a sympathetic restoration -
$ 3500.00 for the woodworking +  3 yards mohair red fabric, gimp, buttoned backrest, re-spring seat - arm rest pads, fix wood where old tacks from several reupholstery jobs made the rails like swiss cheese in places -  another $ 800.00
SA

[Darren Henry]

Thanks Steve. I just wanted everyone to appreciate how big a job this is. You're actually making better time than I would have guessed. You must have all the really cool toys in your shop.