This is a weekend home that we are doing the cabinet work on.
All the work that we are doing is in Mesquite. Kitchen, baths and built ins.
This place is located outside of Austin, TX. House is built on a radius, don’t know what that radius is but its big.
There is still a lot of finish work to be done, haven’t been out to the site in a while so maybe its getting close.
Doug
Someone tell me how to delete a pic, that first one is huge!
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yikes.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
guess we wont be seeing coffered ceilings on this one but keep your camera around please
is that "barndoor" hdwe over the entrance to bunkroom?
Barndoor hardware on the bunk room, pantry and some closets.
All the drawer and door fronts have steel wraped around their edges.
Everything in this house is either vertical grain fur, mesquite, pecan(floors) or stone. No plaster walls in this place.
Its supposed to resemble an old bunkhouse, not really much in common with a bunkhouse though.
The view off the porch is overlooking the swiming pool, very incomplete at this time and the barn to house the toys!
Doug
Where did you get the barn door hardware? Do you know of a source online? I have been thinking about using it for a project I am cooking up.....
Mike
I dont know where the hardware came from, we didnt provide it. I'm sure I can find out though.
I know it had to be damn pricy though, seemed like everything regarding hardware in this place was.
I built some sliding doors for someone(side job) he wanted exposed hardware, we just got some barn door hardware from the local Tractor Supply store.
All the hardware in this house has been "painted" to look like old metal, dont know there method but they did a great job. You would swear that it's all old rusty metal, except it doesnt rub off on ya.
Doug
All the hardware in this house has been "painted" to look like old metal, dont know there method but they did a great job. You would swear that it's all old rusty metal, except it doesnt rub off on ya.
You sure they aren't using acetylene? Did that recently on new hardware for a 200 yr old place. Started out with new stuff, beat it up with a 30 oz ballpeen, cooked the crap out of it (and all the paint), oil dip, degreaser dip, rinse, wiped off the residue, GC was tickled. Only ignited the oil 3 times.
That ballpeen'll put an arm on you. Distress it, and then you have to straighten it. I'd recommended real forged (from somebody else). PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Acron has a lot of stuff like that.
http://www.acornmfg.com/browse.php?cId=5
They make everything big in Texas, huh?
Jeeze, you did make a good move. I really enjoy seeing the work you are involved with. Are the post and beams verticle grain fir?
I think I've read you type that you don't like mesquite, well I like enough for both of us...and those scraps can grill some bodacious steaks<G>...between you and Brisketbean, you've shown me that Texas is not all the vast wasteland I used to hurry through to get to the herbage your neighbors to west proffer...LOL
Got any close ups of the bunks? Don't worry, we can fix that later!
I'm not sure what the post and beams are, maybe southern yellow pine? We didnt do any of that stuff. It was all stained when I first got there. Deffinitly not VGF though.
I'm not a fan of working with mesquite, does all kinds of funky stuff. On this we resalled most of it and laminated it to substrate, to cut down on the warping.
Yea all the scraps get snaped up real quick in the shop, everybody wants it for smoking!
I'll attach a couple pics without reducing the size, maybe you can see them better. I took all these pixs real quick, waiting for the clean up to be done to shot the good shots!
I think there is a lot of wasteland here in TX, just that Austin area has some serious coin.
Hey I got some pics of Fabio's little winter get away if you need some celebrity shots!!! :)
Doug
Edited 10/3/2004 7:32 pm ET by Doug@es
Here's how we laminated the mesquite up. Vacumed it.
Nice stain job if that's yellow pine, very even.
Is that mesquite vacuumed to mdf? 3/8ths? What kind of glue? My experience has been that the stuff likes to move from state to state.
I know the mesquite's squirelly, but it sure's got some character. You probably can't tell I envy you<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!
The mesquite is glued to 1/2" mdf if its a drawer or door front and then 1/4" mahog. ply on the back of that. Then the fronts are sanded to 31/32" thick, then banded with 1" steel.
The piece that I showed is an end panel so it just gets the mdf, I think its 1/2" also.
In most cases we just used yellow glue.
Painters did a great job on all the stuff that I saw, they actually have there own building on site, air conditioned and all, they take everything in and finish it and bring it back and reinstall. Obviously some of it they have to do in place. They do a good job of hidding our mistakes!
Stoke the painters! My therory too: putty n paint, make a carpenter what he ain't<G> and I hate getting putty under my own fingernails, ha ha ha. Dang, their own bld? Musta been some job. Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Is this a main house or for vacation?
Jon Blakemore
Just your typical weekend getaway place. Theres is only one bedroom and the bunkroom in this place. Somewhere around 3 to 4000 sq ft.
Thats gonna be one fine home,
now that you gave us a taste of what your working on,
keep the pictures coming so we can see the finished product,
I love those bunks, they look great
You gotta love those projects for the small "getaway" cabins . . .
Mesquite has got to be one of the prettiest woods in the world...
...when you cut that nasty looking tree down and turn it into magic that is.
Judicious use of the wand there Doug - stunning as usual.
Kevin Halliburton
And with that, the great emporer Oz gently floated away on a curtain of hot air, laughing at the unfortunate ignorance of little people beneath him. But under his breath he cursed that stupid little dog...
Thanks Kevin
I dont think I would recognize a mesquite tree if it feel on me though.
I have heard they are not much to look at.
Doug
Doug, take some pics next time you're vac-bagging. We want to see the press in action.
I can't belive you've been in TX for a year and couldn't ID a Mesquite. You certainly seem to know how to work it for a newbie to the species. It's kind of like a multi-trunk Spanish Oak had a sordid affair with a wild Mahogany and produced a cantankerous, unruly child isn't it?
Rumor has it that the cattle coming up from Mexico during those cattle drives of yester-year would eat the Mesquite beans along the way and then deposit them further and further north, in well fertilized piles, allowing them to migrate their way through Texas. From the looks of them, I'd say that sounds like the perfect way to plant one.
On the other hand, They are so full of character and beauty when they are worked, and they impart such a rich flavor to smoked meats, that the mesquite is one of my all time favorite trees. Burls for turning are no problem, the real trick is finding a piece straight enough to use for anything else.
In my mind, natural, free form, Mesquite styled furniture is the embodiment of Western culture and architecture and about the most beautiful application for the species. I hope to build a free form, mesquite bed for the master bedroom when I get this house finished enough to need one.Kevin Halliburton And with that, the great emporer Oz gently floated away on a curtain of hot air, laughing at the unfortunate ignorance of little people beneath him. But under his breath he cursed that stupid little dog...
I agree about mesquite furniture......When we were in Tucson two years ago(going back this December) our friends burned mesquite wood in their fireplace......What a wonderful smell!
We visited several furniture places in Tucson and Phoenix and fell in love with the pieces.....They last for years!
Kevin
I work with a guy that's been here his whole life(literally, kinda feel sorry for him) he showed me a pic of a breakfront cabinet that he built, curved front, bookmatched veneers, unbelievable, its beautiful. All out of mesquite.
He is a fantastic woodworker, he says he wants to build a traditional highboy with it someday. Hope he gets the chance, he does fantastic work.
Hell I barely recognize walnut and oak!!!
I do have a half truck load of the off-falls, plan to learn to smoke some meat!
Doug
Edited 10/5/2004 8:22 pm ET by Doug@es
Mesquite also has a higher density than most other hard woods. It's not listed on my density scale but I believe it measures around 52-54 pounds/SF making it one of the hardest woods available without getting into the sure enough expensive stuff.
The high density also makes it burn longer and hotter - just about the perfect firewood. Using processed offcuts for smoking is a good plan. I find smoking meats with the bark on imparts a little bit of a bitter flavor so I usually peel my logs before they go in the smoker. Of course, some people really like that extra bite.
A ready supply of mesquite is one of many nice things about living in Texas. Kevin Halliburton And with that, the great emporer Oz gently floated away on a curtain of hot air, laughing at the unfortunate ignorance of little people beneath him. But under his breath he cursed that stupid little dog...
Mesquite is one of those woods that surprises you. You think its just a garbage tree and then all of a sudden you find out it has 100 different uses.
Another surprise for me was the Maclura pomifera, aka Osage Orange, aka hedge apple, aka hedge. I can remember them as a kid and thought they were just a garbage tree (and a PITA to mow around).
Turns out, not only is osage orange a fast grower, but historically was actually used as a natural barbed wire. Plus it is a super-dense wood that is rot/bug resistant. Green it runs around 62lbs/cu ft, dry around 56. Some wood workers also like using it.
The osage is the hottest burning wood that I know of that grows naturally in the US. Some webpages say it is approaching coal in its heat output. Here is a link that lists the heat output (among other things) of various woods They don't list mesquite, but I think it would be about the same heat output as hickory?
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/forestry/g881.htm
And those green-brain looking 'apples' are supposedly disliked by insects, so people put them around their homes to keep the bugs away.jt8
Kevin
I'm doing a side job here in San Marcos, the owner is a bit of a woodworker, has a couple of mesquite pieces in there house.
While talking to his wife tonight she showed me some mesquites out in their horse pasture. Yea, they ain't much to look at!
I was trying to schedule the work that I want to do this weekend on the house and she said that they wouldn't be home, going to Fredricksburg, "Mesquite Festival".
I may have to drive out there, she said that there is a lot of vendors selling their wares, mainly mesquite furniture.
All this talk of mesquite has just made me hungry for some BBQ, gotta go.
Doug
Have you ever tried the BBQ at the Salt Lick?
Not yet, just hear of it from time to time. Have to give it a try though.
Doug
It is simply amazing.
Also, Blacks in Lockhart and Luling City Market in Luling if you ever get over that way.
Just can't think of any really outstanding place for BBQ in F'burg.
There should be some nice Mesquite work over there. Pretty nice little place used to be in Gruene, just up the street from Gruene Hall. Think they moved.
in Lockhart and Luling City
Might as well add Louis Mueller in Talyor to that list.
(Motor up to Round Rock on 35, and take 79 east to Taylor, about 35-40 minutes from Round Rock.)
County Line is closer, if still in North Austin.
Mind you, Stubb's (Red River & 6th) is worth a trip: http://www.stubbsaustin.com/restaurant.php
Here's a neatpage I found googling: http://home.earthlink.net/~johnbabcock/bbqindex.html
And this: http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2001-03-16/food_second_all.htmlOccupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Well, Cap....between us we are sure gonna fatten Doug up a bit. That second link is pretty good.
Might have to start a thread on BBQ places.
Doug, also try Iron Works if you are in downtown Austin. Stubbs is close by so recommend checking it out but it's better when you go on a night that they have a band you like.
If you want the best BBQ in the state there is a little place in Llano that is hard to beat. http://www.coopersbbq.com/home.asp. Be prepared to wait.
We've got three places in and around Abilene that manage to give them a serious run for their money though.
http://www.periniranch.com/ in Buffalo Gap - Don't miss their Jalapeno cheese cake (yea, I know - but trust me on this one)
http://www.squaresbarbque.com/index.php - Best sauce, hands down.
The other one is a little place in Abilene called Harold's pit Bar-B-Que that's not quite fancy enough to have a web site - Depending on where you sit you will probably be able to hear Harold in the kitchen singing beautiful, black, southern gospel hymns. He's almost as talented a vocalist as he is a cook - almost.
And finally, just down the road a bit to Wingate:
http://theshed-wingate.com/ - Just a rancher and his wife who decided to invite a few friends over for Bar-B-Que and the next thing you know they had to convert the shed to a restaraunt when word got out about how good it was.
There - that ought to fatten you up for the holidays. Let's eat!Kevin Halliburton And with that, the great emporer Oz gently floated away on a curtain of hot air, laughing at the unfortunate ignorance of little people beneath him. But under his breath he cursed that stupid little dog...
The Fredricksburg food and wine fest at the end of this month is another event worth making. I may surprise my wife with a weekend trip to Fredricksburg for her birthday for the event.
You definitely want to make the Mesquite Festival. I imagine a wood smith like you might come away with several good ideas. It seems like you've been kind of "branching out" into new styles (for you) with ease since you arrived in Texas. A lot of what's new to you in Texas woodworking is honestly starting to get a little tiring for those of us who have been living with it for a while. I think there is a lot of room for someone with your "Victorian style" and experience to blend the rugged and the refined into something a little more interesting and unique.
You are right in the heart of affluent Texas clientele who would eat that up with a spoon. IMHO, this latest project you're working on is headed in exactly that direction. I'd pair it down a bit, but I like it!Kevin Halliburton And with that, the great emporer Oz gently floated away on a curtain of hot air, laughing at the unfortunate ignorance of little people beneath him. But under his breath he cursed that stupid little dog...
Doug, nice work. Beautiful stuff.
You'd not soon forget it if one fell on you - mesquite trees have 1-2" long spikes all over them. Smallish, gnarly tree, leaves are a pale kind of green. Actually it's not surprising that you haven't seen them in Austin as they are mostly south and west of here. I've also heard the cattle drive migration story Kevin referred to.
Yeah, the amount of money floating around Austin is outta sight. Thanks for posting .
it took me 2 pics to figure out how ya pulled the long drawers out with a ladder built in front of them!
"Oh ... I see the knobs now ...."
cool detail.
Jeff
I was with ya till that last pic 'looking-up-at-the-loft'.
Fell outta my chair.
Doug, I want to know about that stone arch. Is that real stone? How did they get that stuff to stay up there if it is?
Yea, it's real stone!
I'm not sure how they did it, I wasnt around durring that part.
I heard the welders talking about having to put a lot of iron up there, then they said that there was two layers of stone, not sure why, dont no squat about mason work.
I dont know how the stone was keyed in, I'll have to take some pictures of the stone looking up, wont be back out there for a while, floor guys are draging their feet, I think its a bit more work than they thought.