Some of this weeks projects.

From week to week I never know what comes my way for product. Occasionally, a local friend of mine calls who buys estate sales and lets me know that he has something that might interest me. This week was no exception. He called and said he had about half a dozen cupboards/cabinets in various state of disrepair that came from an estate.

Some of the cabinets I can piece back together, others get salvaged for parts and pieces to create new furniture pieces. I love doing this kind of work. The wood and cabinets I work with have a history that intrigues me. Many of these old cabinets were built very simple for a very utilitarian function. The wood has a quality about it that was found in lumber yards in the early 1900's but is no longer available. The hardware is often easy to work with and has a wonderful patina when restored. One can see and feel the history and lives that must have lived with these items for years.

One of the larger projects I finished this week that also must have had an interesting story to tell was this wonderful old workbench. This has actually been a workbench project that has been in my shop for a long time.

The various pieces were scattered around the shop and finial were put back together this past week.

It is a rather large maple top work bench with two working vises and a great old cabinet for a base. It reminds me of a beautiful workbench I saw in a Shaker village I saw some time ago. The top has a look of wood polished and well used. The base is a pumpkin red color.  I just put it in at Bluedoor here in Grand Rapids two days ago. It would make a wonderful workbench again for someone or perhaps its new life will be that of a kitchen island. It still has more story left to tell.