Oregon and Tallowwood Trestle Table

This is a Trestle Table I built for a local Deli/Cafe. The top is salvaged Oregon from a shop tear out 20 years ago. I split the original posts in two then finished them to a 40mm thickness and coated them in Estapol for a durable impervious gloss finish. The trestle was made out of Tallowwood using open mortise joints with bolts for an industrial look. I finished the trestle in  white paint then sanded it back slightly to show Tallowwood peakaboos.  2.5M long 90cm deep 75cm high

 

 

Backwoods Original

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Furniture Face Lift

This was a job on commission for a client. The job was to make a dinning room table for apartment sized living. When I went over for the consultation this old Harvey Norman job was what was to be replaced. We came up with the idea to refurbish the table top and make a new frame for it. Table on a budget! The table top was made in Malaysia on order by Harvey Norman and it looks a lot like some type of rainforest timber. Doubtful that it was sustainably felled but unfortunately the deed has been done, so saving it from landfill or firewood was all that could be done.

I stripped the table top and finished it with Tung Oil. The frame was made from Australian hardwood. Open mortise joints were used and I dowelled them through with old broom sticks.

Thinking about how you can restore/rethink existing furniture pieces to make something fresh is a great idea so think about it before you head off to get something new.

A.C. Barton

 

Dinner With Gravity…. and a View

This project was a collaboration with a good friend of mine Sarah Winter. She came to me with a challenge to make a 5.4m dinning table that can be easily taken apart and put back together for a touring theatrical show. Here is the process and end result of that conversation.

I was lucky enough to have dinner (and wine) at this table in full flight. The basic concept is for 18 strangers sit down at a table where the food floats around suspended from large helium balloons, as a menu is passed around with suggested topics for conversation, I ended up making a pact with some guy that I would make a conscious effort to meet more people and drag myself out of the workshop more often. It was as close to having dinner at the mad hatter’s table as I think I’ll ever get. A beautiful night, if Dinner with Gravity comes to your town, make a reservation.

Although I do site design, this amazing space wasn’t dressed by me but by Sarah winter and her Dinner with Gravity team. I made only the window table.

The good photo’s in the first panel were done by Dane Beesley yep yep, and the shitty photo’s were done by me…

Books With a View

 

This project was designed in collaboration with the client on commission. She stands 2400X1500X400

The concept was to replace an old TV cabinet chuck the TV and replace it with some books. We wanted it to be useful both standing in portrait and lying in landscape.

I used salvaged Silky Oak windows for the exterior texture which were filled in with French Oak that was milled out of beams found in a barn house from the Lavoix Valley, France. The shelving was constructed from mixed Australia hardwoods. I used box joints, mitre’s and dowel joints in the construction.

This project was a welcomed challenge and I have to thank the Flemming family for being brave and choosing a bold handmade piece for their home.

Photo’s by Sean Young at SYC Studio’s

A.C. Barton

 

Coffee With a View

 

This is a coffee table I built on commission for a local Samford retailer. I have a slight infatuation with old window frames at the moment. I think its because in my mind they are on of the last remaining commercial products that still use some pretty nice joinery techniques. They are usually made (these ones including) of Silky Oak which is chosen for its characteristic of staying in shape once placed in joinery.

This particular piece was made from two window frames, re milled 40mm flooring, and bearers milled down into 65×65 legs. I used open mortise and dowel joints in its construction. It has all been finished in food safe natural Tung oil which is made from tree nuts.

Special thanks to Sean Young at SYC Studios for taking these great shots.

 

Stay tuned for two more window frame projects coming up.

 

Aaron

Handmade Christmas part 2

This planter box was made for my grandparents. Nan gets a kick out of being able to tell us what on the plate was from her garden… Grandad gets a kick out of getting his hands covered in dirt… Winner

Progress Report

This is a job I’m working on at the moment… The brief was a chunky outdoor garden bench…  100% recycled/re milled Iornbark… The cross arms are from retired telephone poles.

Tools of the trade…

This is a collection of some of the tools i came across in my travels last year… I’m really interested in old tools partly because of the feeling you get when you find one, it’s all about the hunt… I spend a lot of time going to antique stores, dump shops, estate sales, and garage sales looking for them usually to no avail. Its funny… i think alot about who might have used them before, what they used to make, and will i pass them on to someone else? If these tools could talk… The other side of it is the tools are often of a far greater quality then widely available tools now, plus they’re usually cheaper to.. go figure..

Some of the stories that go with these old fellas are:

No 5. Stanley jack plane – I bought this in Castlemaine for $110 visiting Greg Hatton

No 4. Marples/Bailey finishing plane – Bought this one at the local markets $25

Little palm plane/drill bits – found at an estate sale, in the most incredible shed!

Marples 3/4″ chisel/Mallets – Given to my by my grandfather. I use these alot

Estwing 16oz claw hammer – hopefully first of many, given to me by my uncle

Calipers and metal working tools – Inherited them from my great-grandfather NW

Stanley no. 66 hand beader – bought in north Melbourne from an antique store – $35

Stanley hand drill and axe head – From the dump shop. Total… $4 ha!