Some news: this will be my last desk post before the white background photo shoot. In other words...I'm basically done!
When work is moved to Noah and Max's garage that is a sign that construction is over. With no open space in the wood shop, their garage is a perfect multi-purpose project zone...for finishing, caning, photo shooting, bike storing and clothes cleaning. Very productive week.
First came finishing...and here is one of the only Jon-action shots in the entire blog, taken at the start of applying the first coat.
Max captured this brilliant shot...and he also helped me as the oil wipe off guy. Residual oil that doesn't sink into the wood needs to be wiped off around five minutes after its applied; given the size of the desk, I needed help (4 times over) and it only cost a Moreno's burrito...steal.
I used white pigmented Osmo as my finish...same as my chair. The legs and stretchers (tight grained) were just right, but with the open-pored face grain, the white really stands out. Mixed feelings right now.
With the finishing done, caning came next, which is a totally new discipline for me, but something I thought I'd really like. It's basically weaving with the peeled bark of a tropical tree vine...very similar to rattan. Instead of me explaining the process however, I'm just going to include pictures and a link to a different blog on cane repair...where I figured it out. Props to David Johnson in Los Angeles (another burrito owed) and his furniture making studio, Sidecar Furniture. He was repairing a Danish chair, but the process was similar enough: Hans Olsen Rocker.
The function of my caning is (obviously) not for sitting but storage and keeping books, ipads, whatever...off the desk surface while remaining easily and quickly accessible. I caned across it's length first and with each strand, I had to pre-drill little holes or the pin nails would split the cane.
The twist in the cane is optional, but I thought it was cool. It also adds variety to what would otherwise be a very rectangular affair.
I did finish the weave and I did really enjoy it...but I'm going to wait to include a full close-up shot until the real photo shoot. I will include this last picture though, a perfect recap of my work week in the garage. I sure will miss the gentle rumbling of that dryer.
