Kitchen job as ADVANCED Woodworking? WTF?

[joe mendel]

Many of the really good woodworkers I have known over the past 50 years, have been forced to do kitchen cabinet work in which to garner an income to keep the lights on in the shop so they can someday do the projects they dream of doing.  This is the thirteenth and FINAL kitchen job in my career (2002).  Not all kitchen jobs are the same. Some cabinet jobs are straight forward, then there are some more involved then others; I submit this as the latter.

The stainless steel pantry door was a special order to match the upper cabinet. The curved pulls were custom curved from purchased straight stainless pulls. Using my vacuum press I was able to match the curved profile of the drawers.

The upper cabinet has strips of stainless steel, cut by me, and adhered to the cabinet. The walnut desk is veneered over a substrate of mdf. The drawer pulls installed in such a manor so all the drawers could open without impeding each other. It took a bit of designing on my part to pull it off properly.

The kitchen was not designed by me, but by an architectural firm in Washington, DC. They commissioned me to build the project. The head of the firm came to my workshop after seeing the results in the clients home, just to shake my hand and tell me how impressed he was on how I followed his vision of the project.

The cabinets have the grain running in a continuous horizontal direction. I used a flitch of eight 4' by 8' sheets. I spent three days marking, numbering and cutting with a razor knife to catalog which piece went where to insure the flow of the grain to match.  The grain follows around the door edges and matching perfectly on the inside of the doors as well.

All the curved surfaces were done on my vacuum bag(s). The puck lights on the overhead valance were installed by me. The rest were done by a local electrician.

The counter tops were poured concrete made by another firm, but installed by me.

[BonPacific]

That's one hell of a job Joe. Did I read that right that you used a vacuum press to curve the stainless drawer pulls?

[joe mendel]

On 6/18/2022 at 5:20 PM, BonPacific said:

That's one hell of a job Joe. Did I read that right that you used a vacuum press to curve the stainless drawer pulls?

Yes, that is correct.  I made multiple plywood molds and sandwiched the bars between the two pieces and used vacuum pressure to bend the metal.  I over-bent the bars, and there was a degree of spring-back which I had to contend, and compensate for in the mold profile. 

[Tom King]

Very impressive.  Next time you can charge double.

[joe mendel]

On 6/18/2022 at 5:49 PM, Tom King said:

Very impressive.  Next time you can charge double.

No, no, NO.   I have kitchen cabinets far behind me in the rear-view mirror.  I only did this particular job because the client and the architect specifically wanted me to do the job.  I only agreed to do the work because they "made me an offer which I could not refuse."  No horse head in my bed, but they did put ample Benjamins in my bank account. 

[Tom King]

I understand.   I'd like building Federal furniture better too.  My fear would be that it would be put in a house with 8' ceilings, wall to wall carpet, and 3-1/2" baseboards.

[Coop]

That is awesome! How many days do you figure you had in this job?

[joe mendel]

On 6/18/2022 at 9:55 PM, Coop said:

That is awesome! How many days do you figure you had in this job?

Seven months of work by myself.  The finish was commissioned out of my shop.  I hired two guys who are great installers to help me put everything in place.  Install took three days.

[Coop]

Wow! I can see where the benefits reaped would keep the lights burning for a good while! 

[drzaius]

That's a kitchen that is of the quality in both design and construction that will never go out of style and in 50 years still be interesting and beautiful.

[joe mendel]

On 6/20/2022 at 9:36 AM, drzaius said:

That's a kitchen that is of the quality in both design and construction that will never go out of style and in 50 years still be interesting and beautiful.

...Until a new owner buys the house, and guts the kitchen because the new head of the house decides that they want their own design so they can make the kitchen "their own."   THAT is a primary reason for not liking to do kitchens, that and they are generally stupefyingly boring to build--this job being an anomaly.  I like building more heirloom pieces, even if they end up in a thrift store, they won't usually be dismantled.

I do appreciate your sentiments on the gig.

[Tpt life]

I see curves a lot, however, matching the curves to countertops etc. is epic. 

[drzaius]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:07 AM, joe mendel said:

...Until a new owner buys the house, and guts the kitchen because the new head of the house decides that they want their own design so they can make the kitchen "their own."   THAT is a primary reason for not liking to do kitchens, that and they are generally stupefyingly boring to build--this job being an anomaly.  I like building more heirloom pieces, even if they end up in a thrift store, they won't usually be dismantled.

I do appreciate your sentiments on the gig.

Maybe with some luck it will survive. I was involved in reconnecting a large bungalow built in 1956 (the year I was born) that had been cut in 2 for relocation. The was a beauty, a mid century modern through and through. the kitchen was still completely original right down to the linoleum countertops trimmed with aluminum edging. The house could have been a museum piece. That new owners loved it that way and maintained the originality as much as possible. the kitchen was really cool, but nowhere near the same league as the one above.

[BillyJack]

Turned out nice. I have done thousands of kitchens before I went full time furniture. Kitchen pay better than furniture.

I have 7 days a week to  build a dream project and yet I go fishing...

 

[Chet]

On 7/15/2022 at 8:12 AM, BillyJack said:

I have 7 days a week to  build a dream project and yet I go fishing...

Ya gotta do what makes you happy at the time. 

[BillyJack]

I think the problem is when you know you can, there's not much drive. When I was learning I was always looking to build that one of a kind project. I tried that with poker tables. It's a tough market to find buyers...

[Coop]

We’ve seen pics of the cabinets but not of the fish? 

[A Guy In Town]

See, now that up there is real craftsmanship!  I honestly do not believe I am capable of such beautiful work.  I just don't have the patience, or the eye for DETAIL that is required. 

I have always said, "I can build a beautiful redwood deck, a gazebo, or an awesome utility trailer or a fire escape, but don't ask me to build a grand piano, an RV, or a grand staircase!"

"A man has got to know his limitations." - Dirty Harry

Joe

[Ronn W]

On 8/11/2022 at 11:03 AM, A Guy In Town said:

I honestly do not believe I am capable of such beautiful work.  I

Pick a dream project and work towards it one skill at a time, you'll get there.

[BillyJack]

There have been hobby woodworkers who can spend 6 months to 3 years on a set of cabinets. Has a lot to do with time, money and a desire to learn and finish... if you wish to see a lot of curved work look at commercial cabinet jobs. Many reception desks are curved.

[gee-dub]

Congrats on your last kitchen .  Kudos on the wonderful use of an array of skills on that build.  Bringing someone else's design to life adds an additional challenge.  It's a lot easier to draw those cabinets (although I'm not much good at that either) than to bring them into the real world.  Congrats again.

[joe mendel]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:21 AM, gee-dub said:

Congrats on your last kitchen .  Kudos on the wonderful use of an array of skills on that build.  Bringing someone else's design to life adds an additional challenge.  It's a lot easier to draw those cabinets (although I'm not much good at that either) than to bring them into the real world.  Congrats again.

Thanks, and you are correct.  The client just passed me a check,which is no small thing, but their appreciation is uneducated and purely reactionary to the visuals.  However, the architect whose vision I was a mere vehicle, knew what he had drawn and was really excited when he saw it live and in 3-D.  I think that is the response we as craftsman look for as affirmation, a positive critique by someone who can drawn it, but can't make it.   Or someone who can not quite get to the level you have attained, but understands it--like a baseball player with warning track power.   Thanks for the comment, glad you liked the completed project.

[drzaius]

Every time there is a new post to this thread I again have a look at the pics and am amazed all over again by both the design and execution. I don't think I'd ever get tired of that kitchen.