joinery
How is our work different from others? We combine modernism and craft to bring out the best of both; quiet composition, line and function on the one hand along with timeless quality, warmth and presence of well executed craft on the other.
The joinery we use is old-fashioned and time-tested, most notably by the Shakers and Japanese. Our work is made entirely of solid wood and this joinery provides the strongest connection possible and also allows the wood to move. The joinery is at once pragmatic in connecting pieces together but almost more importantly it communicates the living, breathing quality of solid wood.
We cut our dovetails by hand with a Japanese saw and chisel and our butterfly splines used in our tabletops are fitted with hammer and chisel as well. Our spindles are hand shaved with a block plane, heated, and then glued into place where they expand to their normal moisture content to make a non-loosening joint.
The wood that is used in our furniture comes primarily from salvaged logs from Oregon; Western walnut, Oregon White Oak and Oregon Ash from the Willamette Valley and Myrtle from the southern Oregon coast. We use solid wood of the same species throughout our pieces. The low chest of drawers, for instance, is made entirely of solid walnut (even drawer bottoms, backs & sides) except for the drawer guides where a harder wood is required.
The finish we use is pure tung oil. We apply it by hand over several weeks to allow it to cure properly. The initial coats are thinned with a non-toxic citrus solvent to allow the oil to penetrate, providing greater protection. The oil is within the wood and therefore allows you to actually feel the grain. It highlights the natural beauty of the wood. On work where greater wear is anticipated, we turn to more durable finishes but strive to keep them as natural as possible. We do not use paints, stains or dyes. We work with incredible material and our job is simply to showcase it.
