Pete Bennett Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 Although I am a furniture maker I do occasionally get some odd requests. I've made a Tabernacle that had to be blessed by a Bishop but, more odd than this a couple of weeks ago my phone went just as I sat to dinner, (don't they always) I was met by the voice of a very aged and crackly voice "Hello my dear, Devine-Money here, but then it is isn't it?" How do you answer that? She went on to say that a friend of mine, whom she had never met told her I would make her a pair arched doors, Of course I said stupidly. I am now in the process of making a set of doors measuring a shade under 4 metres by four metres in solid Oak! I've attached a pic of another Odd job completed a few years ago now for a Polish Lady 'Cold I line her ceiling in a similar manner to the local Catholic Church was how this one started. The ceiling measures 11 metres by 9 metres about 37 feet by thirty. As my friend keeps telling me 'They're out there' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamking Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 Wow. Talk about an odd request. I like it though. I think I would have gotten dizzy applying all of those to the ceiling. Odd requests kind of go with the territory when you open shop. It's tough to judge at first, but as you get better at deciding what you should and shouldn't take, it's pretty fun to get those off-the-wall jobs. I think the strangest thing I made was a set of crown molding out of solid foam. Or was it the indoor chicken house? I can't remember. They all run together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyNoName Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 I think the odd requests make woodworking more interesting. I don't really want to go into trim carpentry, but doors, pulpits, ceiling lights... I am open to it all. I just finished a portable chicken coop. Now that was different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trace Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 This is the floor board pattern for a PA-21, the note said. It is 3/8", 5ply marine grade. Great, I said to myself, no problem. Except there was no name or return address. The letter was from Dundas, Ont. I made the piece, finished it with a good spar varnish, and waited. The phone call came about three weeks later, wondering where the piece was. Try explaining to the customer why it had not been sent to them. We did get things taken care of, and they became one of my best customers. Non Carbourndum Illegitimus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Odd pieces, I am home. I love them and sweat bullets. It becomes difficult to price them. A couple of months ago I built a couple of solid Alder doors, about 45mm thick x 2.3 meters tall and they were heavy. I can't imagine doing 4m x 4m. Next odd request will be four garden gates. Odd requests stretch our capabilities and forces us to learn new skills and possibilities. again, tough to price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Brown Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 This all brings up a good point: I think those odd requests are a lot of what seperates us (at least to the masses) from Ikea. You can't order those things out of their catalog. These requests are where we can really show of what we can do, and if it's someone no one has seen before, that will probably get them to take a closer look and realize "Hey, this is really different. You know, I've always hated that plain old dining room table, I wonder if he could do something different for us?" just a thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Revolving watch display cabinet with lighting. Not for a store display or anything, this guy just had a lot of watches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted October 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2010 Wow. Talk about an odd request. I like it though. I think I would have gotten dizzy applying all of those to the ceiling. Odd requests kind of go with the territory when you open shop. It's tough to judge at first, but as you get better at deciding what you should and shouldn't take, it's pretty fun to get those off-the-wall jobs. I think the strangest thing I made was a set of crown molding out of solid foam. Or was it the indoor chicken house? I can't remember. They all run together. Absolutely agree Adam but, I started my shop more than forty years ago, you'd think I'd have learned by now, but, to be honest as long as I enjoy it and enough money comes in to pay the bills I don't get too precious. I've met some amazingly eccentric people and had some 'unusual' requests along the way. As my lovely lady Sue would be the first to tell you, when she met me every one warned her that almost all my friends were either eccentric or just plain mad. she's kind of joined us since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted October 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2010 This all brings up a good point: I think those odd requests are a lot of what seperates us (at least to the masses) from Ikea. You can't order those things out of their catalog. These requests are where we can really show of what we can do, and if it's someone no one has seen before, that will probably get them to take a closer look and realize "Hey, this is really different. You know, I've always hated that plain old dining room table, I wonder if he could do something different for us?" just a thought... Exactly!! If you go to my web you'll see a dining table that is ten feet by four feet with an eight feet long hot tray let into the top. It's covered by a matching plank at all other times. I made a mistake when agreeing to do this as I intended to set in four 'Brabantiers' which are ready made hot trays, only to find they are no longer made. In the whole of Europe there was one left in an 'Argos' store in Uk. So I had to design and make the whole thing in Zinc, complete with the little flaps that extinguish the candle things that sit in their pots. It's all controlled by a lever hidden beneath the top. It works well and the client was delighted. Isn't that what it's all about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted October 2, 2010 Report Share Posted October 2, 2010 Exactly!! If you go to my web you'll see a dining table that is ten feet by four feet with an eight feet long hot tray let into the top. It's covered by a matching plank at all other times. I made a mistake when agreeing to do this as I intended to set in four 'Brabantiers' which are ready made hot trays, only to find they are no longer made. In the whole of Europe there was one left in an 'Argos' store in Uk. So I had to design and make the whole thing in Zinc, complete with the little flaps that extinguish the candle things that sit in their pots. It's all controlled by a lever hidden beneath the top. It works well and the client was delighted. Isn't that what it's all about? It didn't happen without pictures! (please?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted October 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2010 It didn't happen without pictures! (please?) Hi Paul I've attached some pics but they are low res so may not look too good. My website is www.boisservant.com where you can, if you really want to, have a better look. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted October 2, 2010 Report Share Posted October 2, 2010 Very nice, Pete! Love the arch under the table; really came out nice. Definitely gonna pop your web site into the browser and give it a look after lunch. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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