2014 Is Here! What Of Last Year?

So 2014 is now here!

My plans for the last year didn't really go as I would have liked. I planned to have a full range of products ready to go. This didn't really happen but I still got a good handful of designs and items sketched up, worked out and finally built. But unfortunately many half finished projects.

This was one of my bad points of last year. Being fully focused on a project then I would have a brainwave of something else that I liked the thought of and I started pursuing that instead. This had me sometimes using timber from something I'd previously made already which then put that build further behind than it was.

ANYWAY!

I am now looking at the positive builds that came out of last year that are going to be part of my range of products being up for sale this year.  With more to come.

The best (and admittedly most stressful) project was my 3 Tier Solid Oak Shoe Rack.

This has 40x40mm framework, 3 tier slatted shoe rack, a slatted bottom shoe box to the right hand side with my signature design lift off lid, a dovetailed drawer at the bottom, again with my signature design and slatted bottom and finally all sides paneled.

This build proudly boasts:

A size of 1350mm x 650mm x 400 (L x H x D)
64 mortise and tenon joints, 
12 dovetail halving joints, 
2 dovetail housing joints, 
28 channels cut for the paneling to sit in
Finished in 5x coats of Danish oil and a generous coat of clear paste wax.

I chose to use slatted surfaces for everything for air circulation and didn't use one screw in the whole build.

There were a few stressful moments in this because I kind of made this up as I went along. It started life as an open sided 2 tier rack with a removable storage box at the bottom. I soon thought it is a little bit to normal for my style of work. So I added a drawer instead of a box... Then I added the box on the side... Then I decided I wanted to close off the ends and back with panels... Then I wanted to add my geometric style design to the drawer front and wanted to sink it into the framework as it closed to finish flush... I then added the same design to the lift off lid on the shoe box.

Every time I added something in it messed with something I had already fitted. But I got around it all and finally finished with the above results. It really does stop people as they pass it and they have a good look and play with the drawer.

Next!

My next idea that I stuck with from the design sketch to the end was a set of drinks coasters.

Set Of 4 Solid Oak Interlocking Geometric Drinks Coasters   

These were a thought I had originally for an extra gift to include with this coffee table design of mine.

Each of the coasters have their own unique shape meaning they will only fit together one way and once locked together they made one big coaster for plates or bowls etc.

This is basically my take on the puzzle piece.

I soon found out after completing my first set that they are VERY time consuming. All edges are hand finished with a chisel to eliminate any possible large gaps which may occur if using just a bandsaw. Plus these coasters are 19mm thick and the bandsaw really doesn't like it that much!

As the time it takes to make a set of these is very high for what they are I decided to make them as a separate product. These are currently available from both my Etsy and eBay shops for around £20 (excluding postage costs).


These are the best of the bits I finished last year when I found the time in my busy day to day life to work on my own projects. As I work full time with hectic deadlines and silly overtime hours I feel I missed out on many days and hours that I could have been in my own little workshop building the things I have thought up.

I have big plans for this year.

I want to have my furniture in shops! 

I'm plan to get my range up together and go and see all my local furniture shops and see if I can get myself a spot in their shops.

I also plan on having more products available in my online shops as well as scheduling in a day or two every week or so for social media updating. Meaning you will hear from me and about my projects more regularly than what I have previously updated. On my Blog, Twitter, Etsy, Facebook and my website!

Here's to the coming year!

New website!

I have finally got a website for my work!

www.ryondesign.co.uk

It used to take you here to my blog but not any more! I has been a very long time coming but the wait is now over. It will be updated on a regular basis when I complete work and when new exciting things come about.

Watch this space!!

It's been a long time...

It has been a long time since I've blogged about anything. What I've been building, designing, creating or just doing in general.
Since my last post (31st July 2012) I have moved house (rented) 3 times which was not stressful at all!
One of the properties had rubbish heating that cost the earth to run. It was so cold you could see your breath in the air while watching TV. It had a serious damp and mold problem, kitchen cupboards stank, we had vermin living in the loft and our agents did nothing to help us.
So in all a terrible experience. It is worth mentioning we viewed and moved in when the summer was here so none of the problems showed until we were there.
So fighting our agent and trying to sort our living situation took priority so my furniture making suffered.
I managed to start a few new projects but I never really got stuck in due to the living arrangements.
But a good thing to come out of the time missed was I now have my own small workshop that I am currently working away in. In which I will build up my machines and hand tools with every sale of my work.
I have opened an eBay account that will turn into a full shop with more products and items for sale and I am now on instagram also.
This year is my year! I will have more products available, more stuff for sale and more people will know my work and that I exist in the world.
So. Watch this space!

Bespoke Oak Framed Norwich City Shirt

Over the last few months I have been designing and making a 2" deep box frame to display a signed Norwich City football shirt. It has taken a few months to build because I was secretly making it for my mum, she had no idea! This meant I had no real deadline to meet. When I had other jobs to do this project kind of got pushed to the side for a while until I had some free time to work on it.

The idea was to make a deep, breathable frame for the shirt to hang freely inside. I wanted to make sure no condensation could build up on the inside of the frame as this would harm the shirt.

A little about the shirt.

My mum is a HUGE Norwich City fan. For her birthday last year she was given the shirt by a friend of hers who managed to get it signed by the complete premier league promotion winning squad. Her friend that got the shirt is a cousin of the Goal keeper. So this is a very special shirt and I felt it needed something interesting and eye catching to display it in.

This is what I came up with:

Following my signature style of work, I used my multiple changing cube design, hand cut and finished from solid pieces of oak. I cut a unique profile into the oak to hold the clear perspex into tightly so it cannot move, a 1 inch thick area for the shirt to hang freely inside of and a 3mm rebate for a backing board.

I used a 45 degree angle on the corners with a hidden spindle inside each joint for extra strength when gluing. I also chose to use a decorative joint called a butterfly key. These small keys lock both sides of the joint tightly to one another and stops them from separating while looking gorgeous.

I made an oak hanger for the shirt which was fixed from the inside to the top part of the frame.I also added a majority of small holes in the sides of the frame for air circulation so it could breathe easily.

The backing was also handmade using 3mm thick strips of oak which I run down in a table saw to the thickness required and made them into a panel to fit the frame.


I will share a few photos of the build from the first marking out to the finished piece:

This is what I started with, 4 pieces of oak I prepared to 60mm x 40mm. This is the unique profile marked out and ready for removal.

This image shows the profile cut out, the cube design cut into the oak and the 45 degree angle (no spindle).

A quick test fit for square and angle fitment. This image also shows the cube design quite well.

All the sides rubbed down and edges softened. The oak hanger location being marked out to the frame.

3mm oak backing board panel made and fitted to its place.

The glue up, clear perspex fitment and butterfly keys driven home.



The finished frame:

                                                          Finished with the shirt mounted, ready for display.




I am so happy with this frame. It is like nothing I've ever seen before. It easily draws your attention straight to it when you enter the room it is displayed in. There has been a lot of praise for this from everyone that has seen it. Pictures really don't do it justice!

It has also had offers made from Norwich City fans which I unfortunately had to turn down. This was a gift for my mum. It is currently hanging in the middle of her living room where it looks completely at home!

Solid Oak Chest

Things have been a little quiet from myself for a while unfortunately. Many things have accounted for this including a big shape up in my place of employment, mountians of extra work in said employment, a house move and general life. I am suprised at how quickly time has flown by! I am a little disappointed at myself for letting my oak work live on a back seat and leaving it there for so long.

That time has now come to an end. I am back in the zone and scribbling down ideas and designs I'm going to tackle next and it is a great feeling. Why I let it go for these past few months I do not know!

So about this Oak chest.

I have a good friend that does genuine medieval reenactment and he casually asked if I can make a chest for him to carry all his armour, as he uses a large hold all bag at the moment which is not very authentic. So I agreed I would make him a chest. I set about with a few drawings and joint ideas to which he swiftly said no to. He wanted a very strong square box with a lid sat on top, but... with no joints that could be seen.

I suggested maybe a hidden dovetail joint which is not very 15th century I know, but it will be very strong and not visible like he wants. Downside to this idea was the 45 degree angle which the dovetails are cut into which was not used back then. I went through all the basic box joinery with him and he stopped on a lap joint and wanted that, which was easy for me but not very strong at all. So I then suggested fitting dovetails into the lap joint creating a lapped hidden dovetail joint.

A bit complex but ideal for what he wanted. Very similar to the hidden dovetail but modified to fit into a lap joint. The dovetails get hidden from view once fitted tightly together and the box from above looks lap jointed.

If I have lost you with all these joints I apologise. A quick run through with picture of what I did.

I started with these lovely air dried boards.

I then ripped down the boards and hand finished the edges for a perfect join and glued them up.

After sanding smooth and cutting to size I then set about marking the lapped hidden dovetails.

An example of how the joint works once chiselled out.

Once everything was cut out, I made the chest base which was cut to size and lap jointed to the bottom of the 4 sides. Everything fitted nice and tight so out came the glue and clamps to glue everything up.

After checking the squareness I letting it all dry over night. The next day came the first coat of oil and making the lid. (sorry no pictures of the lid making)

After everything was complete and 3 coats of oil were applied the end result was this.

The lid was slightly wavy which you can see in the pictures and my friend loved it.

I finished this the day before he took it to his first event this year which was a close call to get it done in time.

The idea I last heard was he wants to fit leather straping for hinges and a buckle type fitting to secure the lid down. I think once the leather is fitted it will totally transform this already very beautiful chest into something very unique which is my ideal finish to a project.

One last thing to do before it is finished. I am trying my hand at wood burning and engraving as he would like his genuine family coat of arms embedded into this chest as it is made to last. This chest might well be passed on through the years which makes me even more proud to have made this.

I will be sure to update this as soon as progress is made to it.

Finished coffee table.

I have completed my most recent coffee table project with amazing results. A simple design with stand out features make this a coffee table that stands out in any room it will be placed. The huge knot that takes over the whole of the top is a gorgeous feature that you just cant help but admire.

You can see in the sunlight that this coffee table is very unique. You can never get these colours and patterns in the same place like this again. The large knot really makes this coffee table. But looking round this piece you will see other amazing lines and colours throughout the whole table.

The rounded edges on the legs and angled feet give this table a simple but eye catching appearance. Hand cut mortice and tenon construction makes this a fully solid and sturdy coffee table. The gorgeous whole waney edged top is held down using screw and button method. This allows the top to naturally move without twisting the table out of square.

There are some very beautiful medullary rays (silver grain) running horizontally on the inside of the legs that just add to this tables large list of unique features.

I really enjoyed making this coffee table and I am over the moon with the end result!

My love of Danish oil

Danish oil is my preferred finish to all my work. This is because the transformation it brings to a piece.

The images below shows what amazing features that danish oil can bring out in the oak. This waney edged coffee table top had many features to show off even before the oil was applied to it, but coupled with the oil the results were outstanding.

With the oil rubbed in with a microfibre cloth, just one coat (there will be 5 in total) transformed the piece with patterns, colours and lines that were unseen until the oil was applied. The golden colour which the oil has also gives off a warm feeling from the furniture once it is completed.

 

The results of Danish oil still amaze me. I love it and it is a bonus that it is also so easy to use.