Unique Serving Tray – What Does it Symbolize?

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We are so grateful to our client for this information and for her kind words.  Here is the explanation which our client provided to us about this very unique Serving Tray –

The tray is lovely and will be a unique gift for this couple. I promised to let you know the origin of the drawing, so here it is.

The couple are both from Bremen Germany, the home of the Bremen musicians which is what the four animals are stacked on top of each other. There is a children’s story about them you can look up and they are a prominent icon and statue in Bremen. We could have chosen the founder, Roulan, whose statue is nearby the musicians, but he is not anywhere as well known outside of Germany and not nearly as cute!

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The Bremen musicians are on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town South Africa, where the bride’s family has roots and a home and where the couple was married during a residency for medical school for the bride in August.

On the left is one of the towers of the H. B. Plant Hotel, now the University of Tampa, in Tampa Florida, where the bride’s family also has a residence, the couple vacation here often and the bride had another medical residency here also.

So what the artist did was combine the notable features of each place in the world, which we selected, that the couple has ties to jointly.

The wood is fabulous and the translation of the sketch to the wood is very well done. I hope the couple likes it as much as everyone else!

You were very easy to work with and accommodating and responsive. Thanks for your help!

We truly want our clients to be delighted with their custom order, and to enjoy the process of bringing their design concepts to fruition.  It is always such a joy to hear from them after they’ve received their order.

Rebecca & Jim

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Unique Serving Tray

We recently created a very special wood Serving Tray which is to be a wedding gift. We were asked if we could work from hand-drawn artwork and carve a Serving Tray featuring the artwork. Our client had an artist prepare a drawing incorporating some elements that were special to this particular couple. The hand-drawn artwork was then mailed to us.

  • Image of the drawing which our client provided –

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  • We then scanned the artwork and imported it into our software. Per our client’s request, the image was stretched slightly to fill the Serving Tray –

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  • We then carefully traced the image of the drawing line for line. These vectors are necessary in order for our CNC router to carve the image –

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  • This image is a digital rendering of what was presented to our client for approval –

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  • Here is the finished piece –

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  • The carved image was machined 1/32″ deep. The image below reveals the detail which can be achieved –

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We had a great laugh with our client when we shared with her what we thought the artwork represented. We were completely wrong. Any guesses?

Jim & Rebecca

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Foam Sign Letters

Recently, I cut some letters out of Gatorfoam for a client.

This is an economical way to achieve a very eye catching sign for a business. Below are a few pictures of the project.

  • Here is a screen shot of the letters “nested” together to optimize the use of a rather expensive material –

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  • The letters after cutting –

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  • An “n” or a “u” . . . you choose –

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  • Another view –

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What can my robot and I cut for you?

JIM

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Custom Antique Truck Parts

I just finished a rather interesting project. I was commissioned to make some wooden parts for an antique truck. My client is restoring a 1933 Dodge Pickup and is going to cut the truck in half and “stretch” it four inches. Up until the late 1930s GM used quite a bit of wood in the manufacture of their vehicles. My task was to recreate a couple of boards which would be sandwiched between the cab and frame of the truck. I was provided with the boards from another restored truck to use as patterns from which to work and given the point at which to insert the additional four inches.

Following are some images of the old and new parts.

  • My patterns from a previously restored 1933 Dodge Truck –

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  • The new hard Oak pieces which are now lengthened the four inches –

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  • Another angle –

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  • I created some contours to conform to the shape of the frame/cab –

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  • A very sweet looking truck (Note the suicide doors!) –

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IF YOU NEED IT AND CAN’T FIND IT  –  I CAN MAKE IT!

JIM

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One-of-a-Kind Set of Furniture Legs

I have been asked to create a base for a small chest of drawers. This particular base is to have turned legs. I thought I would share the process of creating a turned piece on my CNC machine.

I use my CAD/CAM software to design and create the necessary vectors and toolpaths for machining –
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I then create a 3D simulation of the piece for review –
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I thought you would find it interesting to see what the toolpaths look like. This is an image of the toolpath for roughing-out the turned leg –
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This image represents the toolpath for machining the leg –
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Here is the toolpath for machining the flutes, something that cannot be done on a traditional lathe –
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Roughed-out on the machine –
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Here is a finished cabinet leg still in the machine –
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Finished cabinet leg –
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What can I turn for you?

JIM

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A Really BIG Shadow Box

We really enjoy creating Shadow Box frames for Jacob at Honoring Service. Jacob was commissioned to create a unique Shadow Box to honor a retiring Marine. The Shadow Box was to include a display of the Marine’s Dress Uniform. To allow for such a unique display, the Shadow Box frame’s inside dimensions were 26″ x 60″. As with all the Shadow Box frames which we create for Honoring Service, the frame was milled to Jacob’s specifications from solid 6/4 Cherry.

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Jacob also requested that we provide two additional Shadow Box frames which incorporate a display of our American Flag. You may want to visit his website and see the beautiful Shadow Boxes which he offers.

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Recent Custom Projects

We thought we would showcase some of our recent custom projects. Whether you are looking for an inspirational Wall Art, or if you are considering a custom carved wooden Serving Tray with your personalized design, we are here to create for you.

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Jim & Rebecca

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Seaworthy Serving Tray

There is always a bit of a challenge in a custom order. We enjoy challenges.

This particular customer wanted a special gift to give to their client. They chose one of our wooden Serving Trays to be custom carved featuring their client’s sailboat’s name and a sailboat image.

We wanted to personalize this with an image of their client’s actual sailboat. This gift was to be a surprise for their client, so our customer could not ask for a photograph. Instead, they emailed an image from the manufacturer’s brochure. We worked from this image –

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Our next step was to create vectors from our customer’s image –

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As with all our custom work, we provided a few digital renditions to our customer for their review and approval. They chose this design –

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Here is the finished Serving Tray –

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Jim & Rebecca

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Custom Book Shelves on a Budget

This particular project called for the creation of custom wall-mounted bookshelves on a reduced budget. Since the shelves were to be painted, I decided to use MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) for the shelves and corbels and to use Maple for the front edge to provide additional strength.

Once the overall shelving design was complete, I designed the corbels and cut them out on the CNC router.

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I routed a nice profile on the cleats and attached the cleats and corbels to the wall.

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It was a blessing to work with my son, Jameson.

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The Maple front edge was painted to match. The Maple provides additional strength for this bibliophile’s book shelves.

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What can I do for you?

JIM

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Oval Wooden Serving Tray Update

Our Oval Wooden Serving Tray prototype is nearing completion. The stain and a couple of coats of the hand-rubbed finish have been applied. The blacksmith is busy working on the wrought iron handles.

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We are also working on a different method of construction for another Oval Serving Tray.
You may want to check back and follow the progress of that prototype as well.

Jim & Rebecca

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