How I spent my summer vacation

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95
Location
Montclair, NJ
Thought I might post some woodworking. I took this job over the summer, figuring things would be slow in my other (unnamed) venture. Also liked the challenge and the fact that I was going to do the whole thing on my CNC (a Shopbot). They are the main entrance doors for a temple... 9 feet tall and 42 inches wide and 1 3/4" thick. Logs. They wanted solid wood this time, wouldn't budge.

Oct.172006016.jpg


These are the originals I was to replace. The veneer is peeling, from years of taking on water... the acrylic is fogged out and you can't even tell that there is stained glass in there.

My plan was to bring my laptop on vacation and sit on the beach and write the program...then once back in the shop edge glue some edge jointed rough 8/4 african mahogany into huge slabs that the Shopbot would surface for me... then mill the pockets for the stained glass (no two of the curves are the same)... then cut out the final shape. All while I was busy doing other things.

All in all pretty happy with them, and the customer is thrilled. The green jamb gets painted.

newdoors.jpg


Many thanks to Tod for his wealth of information.
 
The doors look awesome.:thumb:

But, I don't want to be the one to break it to you. Either you pic is mirrored or you milled the entire thing backwards.:eek::huh:

It don't take away from the fine workmanship and effort you put in, and if the customer is happen and gave you the check then great.

Some day I will be able to build something so nice that people will pay me for it, then again, not.
 
Funny, I didn't realize that I must have flipped the picture during editing...I was trying to rotate it. :rofl: I made a lot of mistakes...but thankfully not that one. It's the temple logo, they'd have noticed...they sure noticed everything else.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the kind words.
 
Very nice work Craig. :thumb: So what is a job like that worth? ( if you don't mind me asking) and how long did it take from start to completion? Any pointers as to how you milled out the windos and attached the glass? What is the weight of the finished doors? Any problems installing them? :huh:

Yea i am the one that asks the magician how it was done. :rofl:
 
I charged $15,500 including installlation. Probably could've gotten more but it seemed fair at the time. You never know... I figured it would take a month, but it was probably closer to 6 weeks, but I was working on other projects at the same time. The shopbot runs all by itself after you hit go...but I spent about a month saying "I'm gonna hit go":huh: You know that whole measure twice thing. My favorite part, which I need to photograph is the molding on the inside holding the glass. If you notice in the original photo, there was molding inside and out. I made the front flush, cutting the pockets on the CNC from the back. The moldings on the inside are cut from one piece...no mitres in the corners. I can't imagine being able to make these any other way. The installation went surprisingly well. All I needed was help getting them out of the truck and up the steps. :) And thanks for fixing the pictue Vaughn, that's how I remember them.:dunno:
 
I charged $15,500 including installlation. Probably could've gotten more but it seemed fair at the time. You never know... I figured it would take a month, but it was probably closer to 6 weeks, but I was working on other projects at the same time. The shopbot runs all by itself after you hit go...but I spent about a month saying "I'm gonna hit go":huh: You know that whole measure twice thing. My favorite part, which I need to photograph is the molding on the inside holding the glass. If you notice in the original photo, there was molding inside and out. I made the front flush, cutting the pockets on the CNC from the back. The moldings on the inside are cut from one piece...no mitres in the corners. I can't imagine being able to make these any other way. The installation went surprisingly well. All I needed was help getting them out of the truck and up the steps. :) And thanks for fixing the pictue Vaughn, that's how I remember them.:dunno:

Yes Craig you have to get some pics of the inside molding to post here. Would love to see a demo of the shop bot too if you had the time or maybe just a couple of pics of it in action. :thumb:
 
...then once back in the shop edge glue some edge jointed rough 8/4 african mahogany into huge slabs that the Shopbot would surface for me...

Craig I'm curious what glue you used to glue up that mahogany that would be exposed to the elements like that, and what did you end up finishing it with?

Beautiful work. With proper care those doors will still be there 100 years from now. Amazing what short work a CNC will make of a project like that. I just ordered a shopbot myself, but a little BT32 for small stuff.
 
Titebond II...just glue and clamp. Oh and I crossed my fingers.:thumb:

After much consternation I went with marine varnish for the finish. They were ok with regular maintainance...the architect owns a boat.;)

I've sprayed tons of conversion varnish but recently had an issue with compatability between different manufacturers, after one company changed hands and their recipe. I didn't want any problems down the road. Still not sure if that was the right call. What say you? And how'd I do price wise? I know that's always a touchy subject.
 
Titebond II...just glue and clamp. Oh and I crossed my fingers.:thumb:

After much consternation I went with marine varnish for the finish. They were ok with regular maintainance...the architect owns a boat.;)

I've sprayed tons of conversion varnish but recently had an issue with compatability between different manufacturers, after one company changed hands and their recipe. I didn't want any problems down the road. Still not sure if that was the right call. What say you? And how'd I do price wise? I know that's always a touchy subject.

Don't know about price... biggest thing I've made is a traditional shaker side table, so you're way out of my league in that department.

Good call on the marine varnish though given the possible problem down the road with incompatability. For jobs like that, that issue would become pretty important. I work all over Jersey servicing observation wells, is this door in NJ by any chance? I'd like to run by and see it.
 
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