North Bennet Street Semester 2 Projects - Shamrock gettin'r'done

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Shamrock

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Michael
Here goes-I stayed busy this semester playing cards and building furniture. My goal of coarse was to complete all of my required pieces for the 2 year NBSS program in 1 year. (That's the shaker nightstand, the toolbox, a chair, a table, and a case piece)
I took care of the 1st 2 + a few other things in semester 1, so semester 2 had some big things to accomplish. Of coarse if you want more of the specifics I know of a really good place to find that sort of thing :wsmile: http://shamrockwoodstudio.com/blog

1st up was the chair. This class is taught as a group and my friend Sean and I were the only second semester students in the class. The instructors are switching things up a bit starting this year and we are moving from having to build a classical Chippendale type chair to a design that has a very basic structure that can be modified to be built with different design elements. Sean and I decided to build matching chairs in a modern style. We plan in the future to build a matching chess table and sell everything as a set.


Here it is:

20160405-Mike-McKee-side-chair-Small.jpg


It is made out of Cherry purchased from Irion Lumber out of PA, the socks are real rosewood (from one of the big guitar manufacturers 70's era stock) And the backsplat is quilted Spanish Cedar. The chess table will have the same themes (i.e. solid cherry base and top, with a quilted Spanish Cedar field for the board and the squares out of rosewood and holly)


Up next was my table project. Each project is supposed to challenge us with 1-3 different techniques and this table was my 1st attempt making a splay leg design as well as carving and making a hidden drawer. This table is called "basket weave" and will be featured this fall in show called "Radius" to celebrate the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts moving to a new location in Boston's seaport district.

Basket-weave-table-full-view.jpg


Basket-weave-Table-close-up.jpg


Basket-weave-Table-Hidden-Drawer.jpg


During this time I also got inspired by the HBO series "Game of Thrones" and decided to build a little marquetry side table called "scales". This table was selected and featured in the Annual Celebration of Craft Show for students and alumni at NBSS.

Scales-Table-full-view.jpg


Scales-Table-top-close-up.jpg


My last project for the year was my case piece. I got inspired to do a curved front door using the coopering technique and the whole piece is veneered. This was my 1st time doing the Ruhlmann inspired diamond pattern as well as adding the white perfling to every edge. The key cabinet features a hidden light (behind the bottom veneered inside panel) that illuminates when the cabinet is opened and illuminates the interior in a sort of reflection of the turquoise background that comes through the pierced key hook panel. The piece is called "bubbles" and is out of curly walnut (outside), curly red birch (inside), and some maple burl (inside veneered panel) the stringing is all holly.

Key-Cabinet-Front-View-e1466136755843.jpg


Key-Cabinet-top-view-e1466136905617.jpg


Key-Cabinet-open-view-e1466136866275.jpg


Up next, it's off to Brooklyn this summer for a 10 week summer apprenticeship with John Fischer

So now your all caught up, whew!
 

mlzettl

Matt
Corporate Member
Beautiful work, Mike. I love the Ruhlmann cabinet. An apprenticeship in Brooklyn - that will certainly be an experience! Thanks for the update and the photos,

Cheers,

Matt
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Mike,
Thank you for sharing. I am always blown-away by your talent and the "next bigger thing" you do.
It will be interesting to see your inspiration from your apprenticeship with John Fischer
 

Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
Mike, your work just keeps getting better and better. Thanks for keeping all of us updated on your progress.
 
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