Surfboard Meeting Table

This job took me back a little.

This is the second time I've made a Surfboard table; the last one was the Surfboard Coffee Table
back in June 2013 which I designed and created to expand my work.

This one is a world away from that one; at 3 metres long (10ft) and a very high 110cm tall (431/2").. it's much bigger, which was the initial brief from Sketch Studios.

The only way that I felt the Surfboard would look right, was if it was a 1950's style longboard, with quite a traditional look, sitting on the trestles or bench that it was made and finished on.

The juxtaposition of the stripey high gloss board with an old, well used and distressed frame meant the board could be complimented well. Made from Grey 'Sun bleached' timber that would work, and look great on the South coast of the UK.


Normally here, I would go through how I built this seriously cool table...

This time, a lot of the build was on Twitter with finer details and explanations for my followers to view. https://twitter.com/jam73e

We have taken so many photos, that when I came to edit them down, I had about thirty left and just thought I'd put loads on here for you (and me).

So here you go, enjoy (by the way, new photos added at the end of the table in situ )

Please click on photos to enlarge

In the display area of my workshop

The framework beneath

This timber was new, but Sun bleached.

All new cuts i.e. joints exposed 'new' wood, so it all had to be coloured to get back to the Grey finish.

We carried the table outside to get some natural light onto it.

Love the reflections of light through the trees.

The Ash & Sapele was a good choice as the woods 

compliment each other highly.

It was difficult to choose the images to not include,

 its just so cool.

Well, every now and then you have to be in the frame...

Probably my favourite (above) 

And you can't help but run your hands over it. Silky smooth, Cheers Matt

I'm 5'9" so this shows the scale

The underside in the daylight is just so great.. I love it

Hopefully you'll agree, it just doesn't look new, at all.

The paint splats and drips.

With my stamp just on the end grain of the through tenon.

Carpet over the top timbers to keep from scratching the board when you are polishing them up.

Love the Grey and the honesty of the jointing.. I've even used nails to show the simplicity of the framework that would be made for this 'workhorse'.

Another few in a different location..

Then back into the workshop to finish off 

More wax on the fin.

Satin finished on the underside, all sealed and waxed on here.

Under the bottom rail.

Had to be dated.

Back on the floor where it was distressed.. 

Just fits in perfectly as 'the bench they were made on'.

Rings and drips.. love it.

Remember all of this frame was only made last week. 

I hope you enjoyed that. I loved making it and especially the finishing on the base.

Thank you list.

Beth, for finding me.

Ruth, great communication during build.

Tom, intern with me. "Only a few weeks left now Tom"

Matt, for the high gloss.

Ellie, photos and delivery.

You can follow me on here and on Twitter, where you would see more work in progress shots and during build photos.

Thanks for looking 

All the best

Jamie

Here are the photos of the table in the office, a great setting for this unusual table.

So much daylight.. 

Love the lighting above.. great colour scheme 

the contrast of the top and the base makes me smile...

The view as you walk in from the decking

The view as you walk in towards the meeting room.

The gloss is great, and you can now see the decking, with it's great weathered look

Do you want something different ? or need something different ?

Thanks for looking

Jamie

Art in Action review

Yesterday..

My first time and thoughts of this very high profile, top event of the year..


A couple of times I've heard about this event.  "Why aren't you going, Jamie..."    
 "You must go..."       "It's just the best event..."   "..The work and the quality.."  "...ooh this and ooh that.."

Okay... I get it.. thank you..


I was chatting to Vic Bamforth, and then up came the Art in Action event again.. That was it, when Vic said he was going and if I wanted to go..I just had to.

Not an early start, got there around 10:30 (it opened at 10am) and to the most unusual parking system I've ever seen, but more on that later.

It was seen that the day was going to be the hottest of the year, and it was living up to the radio and TV  hype..one word ...    HOT.. or two REALLY HOT..

The map we had from their website was very useful, showing places to eat and the different marquees, in alphabetical and numerical order (someone had done this before, it made it so easy to get around)
The food and drink stalls were brilliantly positioned, so when we needed a drink, we didn't have to go far.. and the food was fabulous Red onion and Tomato on a beautiful Ciabatta bread, with Elderflower juice.

First stop for us was the Glass tent, this was Vics area of expertise, and it was great to be introduced to some of his old friends and some of the Glassblowers that I have met  at the Ruskin Glass Centre, who have used the blowing studio.

Christiaan D. Maas with Vic Bamforth in front of Christiaans work

So that was great to walk around the tent with so much fabulous glass on show,  and the quality was exceptional, I was blown away by some of the work, trying to get your head around how it was done...

 (yeah, can't help it, I just feel the need to understand some of the process, then it all makes sense) 

I do appreciate the beauty first..

Catriona  MacKenzie was showing people how she works beads over a flame.. 

some beautiful work, great earrings and other jewellery.

I've met Cat a few times now, she comes to the glass blowing studio to make larger pieces. I'll put a bit more about Cat's work later..

In the Textiles tent were some beautiful and unusual pieces..

I liked this, and know that my Mom would like it too..it's just mad.. but seriously cool

notice the standard lamp behind the chair..

Love the Dog, but the newspaper was marvelous, the detail..

Not in the woodwork tent, but in the Practical Class Teachers Exhibition tent

so, while there are classes going on, the teachers work can be seen (and bought) from this varied  range.

This is one of the pieces that welcomes you into the Sculpture Park

I'm not the biggest fan of sculpture work, I appreciate it, but don't really warm to it..

This wire piece was very cool..

This was huge. The guy who made these was working on a massive laminated block.

3ft square 7ft high.. 6 months work..gulp

Here's more of his work.. very traditional skill and style. 

But skills that we need more people to get into, if not for new work, for restoring pieces.

This piece by James Morton-Evans, was in the Best of the Best tent,

Vic and I had already seen his fabulous work in the Woodwork tent..

Exceptional quality, the timber was beautifully worked, this in Sycamore, looked bleached.

His interiors were superb.. For me this was the most outstanding piece of woodworking at the show

These little guys were great, Penguins in the state we've seen them in on the nature programs, 

keeping warm, huddled together..

These were very natural..I loved the use of the driftwood,

I think this piece was called 'Under and over the Waves'

Here's a detail of under..great fish..

Looks great doesn't it..  frayed fabric joints worked really well, great to match the loose cushions

So in the Best of the Best tent, people get to vote for their favourite

Not an easy task, there can be many different ways of choosing, 

Which one would you like to take home, the most skilled. 

Comparing one skill against another, that's never going to be easy.

Other things going on.. Workshops and classes

A teacher just going through some of the lesson, brilliant isn't it.

You can prebook before the event and there is a tent (25 this year)

where you can get your Practical class tickets

a class in full swing

A life drawing class from one side, where the same model is being sculpted from the other

Peter Wood (appropriate name) demonstrating some pole lathe techniques to the class

Michel Del Campo.. this guys work is absolutely out of this world.

Both Vic and I just couldn't stop looking at it, 

this piece is the same as the painting he has in the Best of the Best, he's seriously talented.

and this is his work..

I didn't crop some of these so that you can get a feel of the atmosphere and surroundings

So almost back to the start again. Christiaan was demonstrating his wonderful glass blowing techniques.

That Apple on the marver is what he's making..

when he asked if anyone wanted to help make some twists in his piece..

well I had too, would have been rude not to..

This is Nicki Steel, and her first time in front of a large audience 

Nicki 'spun' this plate, she was great. Well done Nicki.

And to end this piece is one of Michel Del Campo's paintings,

this also tell's you about the weather we had too..

So,  that was my first experience of the Art in Action event..

I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and have to agree with Vic, that you could quite easily spend a few days here. Wonderful, till next time.

Oh, one last thing. Did I mention the car parking. Well It was a little mad, I've only ever parked like that when I've had to park on a ferry. Yes.. parallel parking, our whole line was wrong and we had to all reverse back n forward to get closer to the line next to us.. A big concern, no but in those temperatures, we could have been in the event quicker and maybe the road wouldn't have been so blocked up with traffic as we were coming on to the site.

Hope you enjoyed, 

All the best

Jamie