Three Pillars - and the stool

The project began as an epiphany during a coaching session (that's right... I was the one recieving the coaching - the last of three sessions. Thanks to Julia Kurusheva at Transformations.net.nz).

It appeared that although I had the three pillars required to run a successful business, namely; Entrepreneur, Manager and Technician, (Re: E-Myth by Michael Gerber) what I was lacking when it came to achieving the outcomes I wanted was the essential 'connecting' piece.

Much like a three legged stool without a seat I had what I needed in essence to stand up but nothing to connect the legs. And so was born - a little corny I know - the three legged stool. My three legged stool.

This stool, which continues to symbolise so much for me, is a combination of Oregon and Rimu. The Seat is Oregon saved from a demolished warehouse in Christchurch and the legs are Rimu up-cycled from an old 70's coffee table.

I love the shape and the different textures/grain of the timber.

   

Larch log Stool or Side Table

Lake Ohau Central Otago

At the start of 2016 I accompanied friends Andrew & Michelle Cummins Red Tree  to Ohau in Central Otago to remove a few very large Larch trees from a section overlooking the lake.

It was a beautiful week with a mix over heavy, sweaty and satisfying work culminating in a ton of stacked firewood, a clear section and a few Larch rings for me.

Me taking a dip in Hopkins River
Lake Ohau Tributary

The wood stack

After a couple of days of slogging it out, we took a trip to the local river and although extremely cold - yes in February - we took 'swift' dips.
The scenery is what it is really about however... just stunning.

Ring, legs & rusty
legs bracket things

B&D at work

9 months later and hopefully enough drying time for the Larch ring I start on the stool.

There is a lot of work to get the ring ready. I used a planer, belt sander, orbital sander and in the end a renovator to cut into the bottom of the ring in order to house the legs.

Finished stool.

A little detail.

Mason Bee House. With Bee Babies in Mud.

A Mason Bee House is a place for mason bees to build nests. They grab spiders and stuff them into holes, pack with babies then seal with mud.

They buzz like crazy when in action - hilarious. 




It is made from pine pallet timber and kanuka

Steel Wheel, hardwood farm gate coffee table

You may remember the wheels from a post I made ages ago - Gas Bottle Trolly - I finally realised an idea for the table.

Visiting the farm across the road where the farmer has been replacing old fences and gates I came across a hardwood gate lying in the grass. "Ahhh" I said to myself.

Well the timber sat int he garage for months next to the wheels. They must have had a conversation and conspired to get together - with my help.

 

For sale on Trademe

Coffee table - Pallet, casters and a slightly difrent look

I enjoy pallets

To up-cycle and recycle
To do up and to Build
Something not quite perfect
In a world obsessed with perfection

Cracked and bent

For Sale on Trademe

Chopper - Pallet wood stool

Some pallets are held together by small wooden blocks and I had wondered what could be constructed out of there 'superfluous' pieces of pine.

Chopper is the name I gave it as it looks like a chopping board on legs, I guess.



Lots of glue and staples
(I love my finishing gun).

Pallet chair - 2 seater

very upright

painted blue and sitting in the garden... nice

2 Seater Deck Chair - Pallets again.

Update for the two seater... it is now red and has a red companion table.

This 2 seater is a little different to the first one and there was a weight bearing issue due to the fact that pallet used for the seat is orientated 90 degrees, so I reinforced it with a capping on the front which sorted the bending issue straight away. Bla bla.

Bird houses

These are made out of pallet timber and an old door handle. Each one is different.

Maybe the sparrows will nest in these instead of the roof cavities.

Iconic with castors... of course.

The ABC beer crate is iconic in NZ especially when it come to Lion Red and DB. I came into possession of the crates - must keep the source under wraps - and have been making all manner of things from them. This coffee table is the latest crack at something useful... with castors.

Houlihan - fine legged retro grunge

Finding good legs is not easy. Whilst on a small trip to pick up our new dog Stanley, we stopped in at a few second -had establishments in Woodville. That is where I found the legs.

The table top needs no explanation other than it needed rebuilding and sanding.

The Railway Cart Project

This is one is a little larger.
I believe it came from a freezing works and was used to move 'product'.

When I saw it at the demo yard I wanted to 'play' with it. That means - pull it apart and make something new out of it.

Its in bits and it's rusty. Need kauri.
I know it looks munted, and yet there is hope and I love the colour of rust and steel.

It is housed in a large shed 2 km down the road at a friends farm - very generous of them. Truth is I needed the aid of a forklift to get the thing off my truck and my friend has one on his tractor... wicked.

It looked so much better up the right way and with the wheels still attached 

Pallet Coffee Table

On Casters no less.

Obviously this is a pallet that has been upscaled to a coffee table. This is not a new idea by any means... just throw pallet coffee table into google and there they are... thousands of them. Regardless, I love the idea and once again it is turning the proverbial 'firewood' into something useful.

This one is pine and has had a light sand on the top. I added fillets of timber to fill the gaps on the lid and a block to each corner to lift the table up for the casters.

Obviously it could be painted, stenciled or what-have-you. It has been sold :-)

Pallet Chair

 I don't know what type of wood this is. I would imagine that a serious carpenter would call it fire wood, however I like it because it is hard and heavy and there is a deep red in its grain.

I like chairs. The shape and the reason for them... sit and contemplate, eat, chat... whatever. I have always wanted to make a chair that works.

Pallets are a great source of timber which means I can experiment and there is no real cost other than transport of the pallets. I always make sure that I get pallets when I travel to town (Gisborne or Wairoa) making sure I never come home empty handed.

This chair caused many a pondering moment because I do not have a massive shop full of tools, I have to consider how to make it strong and sturdy without nails, bolts and screws everywhere. Dowel is used usually and all maner of jigs and contraptions to make things fit like a glove. In my case - glue, screws and hope.

In the end it looks good - is a bit 'upright' - and yet comfortable to sit on at the table.

3 legged stool

I found the log at Blacks Beach, Mahia Peninsula, Hawkes Bay. Carried it for what felt like ages back to my truck. It is a heavy piece of timber.

The legs came from a second hand store in Gisborne.

I love the crazy look that it has. The combination of nature and retro, and the three legs. Three legs are so much easier than 4 in this instance because the stool will always balance - if you know what I mean.

It is a stool if you have long legs or it is a small table - as shown here.

The log sat in my garage for 4 months until it dried out and because it is drift wood, it was already soft and well worn - the beauty of drift wood.

I slathered it with boiled linseed oil to protect it and also to give it a warm honey glow.

Not too shabby!