A Diamond in the Rough: Using Salvaged wood for Custom Cabinets

Wow!!! OUTSTANDING!!!!! A labor of love..I love the way you reclaimed the old wood and brought it to life...GREAT Job!!!!
 
You have the potential for a fascinating project there.
Only a couple tips I'm capable of offering.
One, watch for a variety of woods. Houses in southern Louisiana in that era were often built from dissassembled flatboats that brought people and goods from Kentucky, Ohio and other points way north of where you are.
Two, keep spare planer blades on hand.
Three, don't be stingy taking progress pictures and notes. You might be able to sell a magazine article on the project when you are done.
Do keep us up to date.
 
Hi Chris,
Congratulations on putting that kitchen under your belt. Well done, oh by the way is your company "Mire and son" or "C. Mire and Dad". :D
Either way, a job to be proud of. :thumb:
Shaz
 
What a wonderful project. This is one long winded thread that leaves me wanting much more. Beautiful work! I would love to sit on a stump and just watch you work. Better yet, you need a side kick? I make a great go-fer. :)

Don
 
frank,
the house was a mix of cypress and long leaf pine, mostly cypress for siding and wall boards, pine was mainly used for beams and flooring. there were a few boards that were hard to distinguish. but they both have a distinctive smell when planed.

about the blades, my little delta has reversible blades, i went through 2-1/2 sets. meaning, 5 edges. and that was using the "flip one edge" method i started using. where i would only flip one blade when they got dull, then i had one sharp and one semi dull. i wasn't finish planing so i didn't need them super sharp, i just needed them to cut. at last count i had hit 20 nails with the planer, and this was after the homeowner went over them feverishly with a metal detector.

i will be returning to put a few final pieces of molding on under the countertop. during installation the homeowner decided not to level the lower cabinets because it meant raising one side 1-1/2" off the floor...that was in 10' :eek: the marble folks had to level the marble in order to get it to match up....so now there are gaps under the countertop. they aren't big gaps because they only leveled it enough to make the seams meet.

i'll take more pics when i go. that carrera marble should be outstanding on those cabinets.


thanks for the input
chris
 
shaz,
thanks, it is good to have it under my belt. as for my company name. more on that later, the paper work is still in transit. ;)

don,
thanks a bunch. i think the only thing exciting about watching me work are the temper tantrums that come at least twice a day. like the one i had when i noticed the veneer on my 70 dollar sheet of 3/4" alder had bubbled up on the side of my ref cab on the job i am working on now. yep, that's right, side was cut, dadoed, glued and nailed on waiting to be sanded and an area about 4x8" started bubbling up and cracking. trust me, my shop is not where you wanted to be at that moment. :D

oh, and my dad is retired, so he has already laid claim to the gofer/helper position..:thumb:

thanks again for the nice comments everyone.
chris
 
Very nice job, indeed! Bravo, Chris. And the trend is growing. Alot of companies are doing just that now. Anyone interested in sustainable eco-concious products this is an excellent resource:
http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages/

This is one of a series of small alter tables I had made from pallets that have entered my shop over the years.

BuddhasTable.jpg
 
Hi Chris :wave:,
With the new thread you started, I believe this too needs be bumped back into the fore front for those who may just look at the link you posted as merely black lettering on white background. You came a long way and it is worthy of praise, start to finish. Thanks for your faithfulness in keeping us abreast of your Labor of Love.:thumb:
Shaz:)
 
Top