Hello to all our fellow wood workers out there, and great job for doing what you love. Even though there are times that we get frustrated with a project that we are working on, run into on problem after the other; like finding new scratches everytime you change the angle of your light, whoops dropped it again, dang I forgot to do that or where did that run come from? We stick with it because it is a part of us, we love it and with every item that we make, we leave a little piece of ourselves in that piece of wood.
I think one of the things I love is seeing a piece come to life. We start out by harvesting limbs off juniper trees, with a better trained eye we can see the curve or twist in the wood and know that there is something cool under that ugly thick bark. We bring it home and try to pressure wash the wood as soon as possible and get it out of the sun so the wood does not discolor. I think that pressure washing is one of the funnest parts of the process because we can see what is truly under the outer layer, it is in a way like christmas, you never know what you are going to get and every limb is different.
Once the wood is cured we of course go to work either on a custom order or for building inventory. From there it is a whole lot of sanding, leveling, grinding, sandblasting and sometimes the project gets thoroughly “blessed” if you get my drift. Then of course we have the final project ready for spraying and then added to our website or shipped off to the customer.
We all have our own process and way of doing things, and this is what makes us all so unique. I dont think that there is a right or wrong way to do anything as long as the outcome is what we expected or better than , and that we are having fun while we are doing it. By no means do I consider ourselves professional, we are self taught, mostly by trial and error, and of course what we found on the web. What is so great about this place is that we can share our stories, learn from one another and become more inspired, and to know that we are not alone in the dust filled days of sanding and grinding.
So kudos to you all for sticking it out and doing the best that you can. Nice to meet you all and I look forward to building many lasting friendships.!!!!
-- Tim & Candy Hicks Custom Log Furniture www.rockymountain-twist.com Dust... What Dust
8 comments so far
Scott Bryan
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9949 posts in 362 days
posted 250 days ago
Hi Candy,
Let me welcome you again and congratulations on your first blog. I appreciate the personal insight that you posted. I have often said that the story behind a project is often as important as the piece itself. And this same philosophy applies to blogs as well.
Thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
jjohn
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392 posts in 253 days
posted 250 days ago
New here myself and as yet don’t know enough about what to say or where to go, but this whole thing; “LJs” seems to grabs you and won’t let you go.
I also think its the very fiber of what all the woodworkers have in common, The love to create something out of what was almost nothing. whether it’s an art piece or just a simple table. still comes out the same…Something from almost nothing.
Most everyone has this creative gene. Most likely handed down from our creator “The creator of all things”.
Wish you well here and in your shop. Great first Blog entry.
-- JJohn
Pretzel
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95 posts in 285 days
posted 250 days ago
Welcome Candy,& JJohn.
Hope you enjoy LJ’s
-- Pretzel L8agn
ND2ELK
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2564 posts in 314 days
posted 250 days ago
Hi Candy
I also put my first Blog on tonight. Once my computer literate wife showed me how to add photos to my Blogs I had to try it out. To give you an idea where my computer skills are. God only gave me two fingers to type with.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
GaryK
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8565 posts in 528 days
posted 250 days ago
Welcome to the best site on the web!
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
rikkor
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8632 posts in 414 days
posted 249 days ago
Welcome Candy. This is a great site if you are into woodworking (which obviously you are). Glad to have you with us.
-- Maplewood, MN
frank
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1420 posts in 746 days
posted 249 days ago
Hello Candy;
—-and welcome to LJ”s and also what a great first story blog, you have created for us here!
I also have just come back from spending some time over at your website, where I see that the wood you use is juniper. Your tables of juniper are eye beholder’s….so I will be coming back there often and following your work plus your links page.
Also noted is the aspect of your work, where I understand that you are gathering all the wood and all else that follows….great page there on your seeing into the wood for ‘wood art’.
Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
scott shangraw
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247 posts in 609 days
posted 249 days ago
Welcome to LJ Candy!!!It’s kinda neat to see someone else doing something out of Juniper .I do a little with it myself.Ours here in New Mexico looks a little different it’s called Alligator Juniper.What species of Juniper is the stuff your using?Is it what they call Rocky mountain Juniper ? Ours doesn’t seem to have the twist and the two contrasting colors under the bark.I usually slab mine and use more as lumber but would love to get ahold of some of what you using for legs etc.Anyway I like your work
-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com