| Project by CaptainSkully | posted 95 days ago | 378 views | 1 time favorited | 19 comments | ![]() |
We visited the Gamble House in Pasadena. As a woodworker, I was so moved by the craftsmanship that when my girlfriend showed me the Motawi tiles she really liked, I told her I would make a commemorative frame for them in the Greene and Greene style. It was extremely difficult for such a small project. It has splines and square plugs, with a scarf joint. I didn’t bother with any cloud lifts and it made the design too busy. It’s made from quartersawn white oak, and finished with Classic Oak and Sedona Red. The splines and plugs were finished with Dark Walnut. The funny thing is that my girlfriend’s Dad gave her a completely different Motawi tile framed for her birthday right after this, unbeknownst to us.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails
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19 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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4582 posts in 755 days
posted 95 days ago
Nice looking work! At first glance, I thought it was one of Dan's.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
ND2ELK
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2558 posts in 311 days
posted 95 days ago
Exquisite looking piece! You did a beautiful job on it. Thanks for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
thetimberkid
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1684 posts in 240 days
posted 95 days ago
Great job!
Thanks for the post
Callum
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craig1
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1 post in 95 days
posted 95 days ago
That a beautiful piece. I really like the color. Can you tell more details about the finish schedule?
jeanmarc
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1753 posts in 253 days
posted 95 days ago
Great job
-- jeanmarc manosque france
daveintexas
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224 posts in 413 days
posted 95 days ago
The frame looks perfect, really accents the tile nicely.
Thanks for posting
-- MISSION FURNITURE-My mission is to build furniture
drgoodharp
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122 posts in 665 days
posted 95 days ago
Darn you.
Here’s another great idea that I’ll have to try when I get time.
I’ve got some reclaimed Rookwood tiles from a fireplace I salvaged.
Great looking project!
-- Randy (P), rustic wood crafts, Morning View, Kentucky
SCOTSMAN
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539 posts in 122 days
posted 95 days ago
It’s beautiful similar to Charles Rennie Macintosh who came from my city of Glasgow Scotland he designed the top flower it’s called around here anyway the Glasgow rose.frame is as good as it gets inserts too really stunning well done to both of you .Alistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
WhattheChuck
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71 posts in 98 days
posted 95 days ago
Cool! I love G&G.
-- Chuck, Pullman, WA
CaptainSkully
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92 posts in 95 days
posted 95 days ago
The finish is all Minwax. First, one coat of Classic Oak, then a coat or two of Sedona Red applied with 000 steel wool. I tried to match the Greene & Greene color from memory. I even had to sand it back down to nothing to start over because it got too dark. The pegs and splines were all Dark Walnut, totally saturated to get as close to ebony as possible. After the staining, I glued the pegs/splines and put five coats of hand rubbed polyurethane over the whole thing. There was a lot of weeping at the pegs, which required constant dabbing for hours. This recipe was given to me by the buddy who commissioned the vanity base. I never would’ve found this on my own, but it’s pretty sweet if you don’t want a dark brownish red. It really showcases the white oak. I’ll use it again, possibly on a side table to go between two Morris bow arm chairs, if I can get the better half to approve the trip to the lumber yard.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails
CaptainSkully
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92 posts in 95 days
posted 95 days ago
P.S. Yes, I’m doing a lot of Mackintosh stuff as accent pieces to my work (i.e. pillows with roses in the corners, stained glass, etc.). Greene and Greene is awesome, especially as an accent piece. Their stuff can get a little overwhelming for me in large doses. I was thinking of a G&G table between the Morris bow arm chairs just to mix things up a bit.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails
Tim Pursell
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222 posts in 319 days
posted 95 days ago
Great job! The frame design and finish compliment the tiles perfectly.
-- http://www.grandprairiewoodworks.com
trifern
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4974 posts in 304 days
posted 95 days ago
Gorgeous frame. Thanks for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Bigbuck
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1050 posts in 200 days
posted 95 days ago
Very nice, that looks great
-- Glenn, New Mexico
Bureaucrat
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118 posts in 189 days
posted 94 days ago
I really like that modified scarf joint on the bottom rail. Elegant celebration of a classic joint.
-- Gary, Stoughton, WI, USA
CaptainSkully
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92 posts in 95 days
posted 94 days ago
Thanks! I actually cut the bottom rail in half length-wise, cut the angle across one half, dadoed out the notch while the parts were ganged, glued the two parts together to form each half, eased the edges with a file and sandpaper, then glued the two halves together and had a perfect yet invisible scarf joint. The key to tight fitting plugs is to pillow the top, then taper the sides so it wedges itself in. Prestain if you’re doing a contrasting tone.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails
DAN
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3500 posts in 520 days
posted 93 days ago
looks good … the bottom rail looks great with the greene and greene joint. Pinned miters are cool too,
-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com
James Early
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42 posts in 185 days
posted 87 days ago
That does look challenging, but you did a great job.
-- -- Jim E., Oswego, NY. Create, have fun, and work safely!
Mark D.
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79 posts in 305 days
posted 37 days ago
This piece made me smile. It’s small but so intricate. The frame you built is as much a work of art as the tiles themselves. Another great piece. Keep up the good work! -Mark
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