MY PHILOSOPHY IN LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN "TO GIVE WHEN YOU CAN, AS MUCH AS YOU CAN". I EARNED A DEGREE FROM THE FIRST NATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CANADA AND THEN WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK FOR THEM AND MANAGE THEIR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. SO, WHEN I LEARNED THEY NEEDED A BOARDROOM TABLE, I WHIPPED UP THIS ONE AND GAVE IT TO THEM.
A CUSTOM BOARDROOM TABLE
BUILT FOR AND DONATED TO THE FIRST NATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CANADA
Biography of Barry Crowe
From the age of ten, I began my lifelong passion as a gearhead and woodworker. I often had tools in my hands and creative ideas in my head while my friends pursued more typical playground activities. In fact, I won Canada’s largest inventors show in 1996 and am still looking for the home run with product submissions to various companies. I gradually honed my woodworking skills through various jobs as a cabinet builder and finishing carpenter. I further explored my combined interest in fine art and furniture making as I completed my Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) at the University of Regina. My professional life includes positions as Manager of Purchasing for a Crown Corporation and then a university, Procurement Consultant and Project Team Member for one of Saskatchewan’s largest rural development projects, Property Manager for some of the Saskatchewan’s Governments largest occupiers of leased space. And, what I am most proud of, the very successful management of the First Nations University of Canada Capital Campaign. Currently, I am diligently laying the cornerstones for a thriving precision custom woodworking business and accept fine furniture, residential and commercial custom woodworking commissions while raising Mathew (5) and Michael (7). The inspiration for the Jefferson Writing Desk came from Thomas Jefferson, a student of politics and a prolific inventor.
THIS BED WAS BUILT FROM SURPLUS AND REJECT PANELS FROM A KITCHEN CABINET DOOR MANUFACTURER. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE PANELS ARE FROM, OR, WERE FOR, KITCHEN CABINET DOORS.
PERHAPS ALL YOU HAVE IS A PILE OF LUMBER LIKE THIS, OR ROUGH TIMBERS OR EVEN LOGS (logs need to be cut, stickered and dried first - one year) FROM A FAVORITE TREE THAT WAS HANGING OVER YOUR NEIGHBOURS PORSCHE, I CAN TURN IT INTO FURNITURE THAT WILL LAST GENERATIONS. THIS PILE OF LUMBER IS MANITOBA GREEN ASH. THE STUFF THAT GROWS LIKE WEEDS ALL OVER MANITOBA - GOOD FOR ME! I BOUGHT THIS LUMBER FROM A FINE GENTLEMAN THAT HAD HIS COTTAGE SITE CLEARED, HAD THE TREES MILLED AND THEN BUILT SOME FURNITURE, THE CABINETS (kitchen, library and built ins) FOR HIS HOME WITH IT. HE THEN USED THE SAME TREES TO MILL CUSTOM FLOORING FOR HIS ENTIRE TWO LEVEL COTTAGE AND SOLD THE REMAINDER TO ME - THAT'S WHAT THE TABLE BELOW WAS MADE FROM. I HAVE MILLED THIS ENTIRE PILE NOW AND HAVE ENOUGH STOCK TO MAKE THREE MORE TABLES FROM THE CHOICE BOARDS. NO KNOTS, SPALTING OR PUNKY PARTS.
THIS IS A GREENE AND GREEN INSPIRED DINING TABLE THAT IS A PROTOTYPE OF A PRODUCTION ITEM THAT I INTEND TO PRODUCE. THIS TABLE IS MADE FROM MANITOBA ASH THAT GROWS IN ABUNDANCE AROUND WINNIPEG. THE UPSWIRLS ON THE APRONS ARE WALNUT AND THE PEGS AND CORNER G&G ELEMENTS ARE EBONY. THE ASH USED FOR THIS TABLE IS THROW AWAY ASH, OR WHAT WOULD BE USED FOR FIREWOOD. MY INTENTION WAS TO GIVE THE TABLE A RUSTIC QUALITY WHILE INCORPORATING CLASSIC LINES FROM A GENRE OF THE BEST FROM THE ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT. I USED THE WOOD, KNOTS AND ALL (some stabilized with epoxy and others filled with automotive body filler and topped with acrylic paint) TO DEMONSTRATE THAT COMMON FIREWOOD ASH IS WORTHY OF A MORE KNOWBLE CALLING. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PRODUCTION STARTS, ONLY CLEAR TIMBERS WILL BE USED, UNLESS THE CUSTOMER LIKES THE KNOTS TOO. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY THIS TABLE IT IS AVAILABE FOR $1,100.
THE FOLLOWING PICTURES DOCUMENT THE TABLE'S CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
THE FOLLOWING PICTURES DOCUMENT THE TABLE'S CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
THESE ARE A PAIR OF NEAR FIELD MONITORS MADE FROM THE VERY BEST OF COMPONENTS. DON'T LET THE MODEST PORPORTIONS AND STYLE FOOL YOU - THESE SPEAKERS WILL ROCK YOU!
COMPONENTS: SCAN SPEAK 15S/8530K01 WOOFER, SCAN SPEAK D2905/9700 TWEETER, SEAS EXCEL W15CH001 WOOFER (rear firing).
COMPONENTS: SCAN SPEAK 15S/8530K01 WOOFER, SCAN SPEAK D2905/9700 TWEETER, SEAS EXCEL W15CH001 WOOFER (rear firing).
IF YOU ARE UP ON YOUR LOUDSPEAKER COMPONENTS, YOU WILL NOTE THAT THESE MODEST CABINETS ARE ARMED WITH SOME OF THE BEST TRANSDUCERS, OR SPEAKERS, THAT MONEY CAN BUY. OF COURSE, THESE ARE SCANSPEAK REVELATOR DRIVERS...AND THAT'S NOT ALL. THERE IS AN EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE SEAS EXCEL DRIVER IN THE BACK TOO!
AND HERE IS THE PROOF. INSIDE THERE ARE EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE CROSSOVERS THAT WERE UPGRADED WITH BETTER WIRE. THESE CABINETS ARE EXTENSIVELY BRACED AND FEATURE DOUBLE WALL CONSTRUCTION. A VERY HEAVY AND CLEAN SOUNDING PAIR OF CUSTOM SPEAKERS.
HERE ARE ANOTHER SET OF CUSTOM SPEAKERS THAT ARE MUCH MORE INVOLVED TO MAKE THAT YOUR REGULAR BOX. THESE WILL ALSO HAVE THE SCANSPEAK COMPLIMENT OF DRIVERS. TO GET TO THIS POINT, THESE SPEAKERS HAVE TAKEN ABOUT FOURTY HOURS. FIRST MANY OAK OFFCUTS WHERE GLUED, CLAMPED, CUT TO THE ROUGH SHAPE THEN GROUND AND SANDED TO THIS.
THIS IS THE FRONT TOP CORNER OF ONE OF THE CABINETS. YOU CAN SEE THE REBATE THAT I AM CAREFULLY CUTTING WITH CHISELS, SO AS TO FIT HE UPPER TWEETER BAFFLE WITH THE CORESSPONDING RABBET. THE BAFFLES WILL BE WALNUT FOR A PLEASING CONTRAST.
THE EIGHT PICTURES ON THE TOP AND LEFT SIDE OF THIS TEXT IS A CUSTOM ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. THE OWNER WANTED SOMETHING MINIMALIST COMPARED TO WHAT THIS REPLACED. IT IS MADE FROM STRAIGHT GRAINED MYRTLE AND MYRTLE BURLS FROM THE SAME TREE. ALSO, CARPATHIAN ELM BURL, BURR OAK AND EBONY PLUGS, AND TEMPERED GLASS WITH FULL EXTENSION 100 POUND HEAVY DUTY DRAWER SLIDES. |
LEST YOU THINK ALL I DO IS BUILD SPEAKERS, THEN PLEASE SET YOU GANDER UPON THIS. IT IS A KRENOV INSPIRED TABLE AND CABINET. THE BLUE TAPE WAS TO KEEP IT TOGETHER AS WE MOVED TWO THOUSAND AND SOME KILOMETERS EAST FROM LOTUS LAND. THE OAK CABINET DOORS ARE TRIMED WITH WALNUT BEADING AND INSET WITH A STYLIZED SUNBURST. THE CABINET IS PRIMARILY OAK AND THE TABLE STAND IS PRIMARILY WALNUT. THE LEGS ARE 32" LONG WITH A 3/4" FOOT THAT TAPERS GRACEFULLY TO A 1 1/4" WIDE LEG, JUST BELOW THE TABLE TOP. THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETE IN ABOUT A MONTH AND I WILL BE SURE TO POST PICTURES OF THE COMPLETED KRENOV INSPIRED CABINET AND TABLE THEN.
KITCHEN CABINET EXAMPLES
THESE ARE SOME OF THE KITCHEN CABINETS I HAVE DONE IN RECENT TIMES. I HAVE BUILT WHAT SEEMS LIKE MILES OF CABINETS AND COUNTERTOPS. TYPICALLY I WILL ORDER CABINET DOORS WHEN THE SCHEDUAL ALLOWS FOR IT, BUT IN THESE KITCHENS I MADE ALL THE DOORS AND DRAWER FRONTS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO WAIT FOR THEM TO BE MADE BY A CABINET DOOR SUPPLIER. ALL OF THESE CABINETS FEATURE FRAMELESS CONSTRUCTION, USE OF LARGE PULL OUT DRAWERS INSTEAD OF SHELVES FOR POTS AND PANS STORAGE, AND ALL THE OTHER NEW AGE STUFF LIKE FOLDING TOWEL RACKS, WIRE BASKETS FOR CANNED GOODS AND OF COURSE, A LAZY SUZIE.
OTHER CABINETRY PROJECTS
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF A DISPLAY CABINET THAT WAS MADE TO DISPLAY A LETTER AND GIFT FROM THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY TO THE FIRST NATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CANADA, A ROLLING AUDIO VISUAL CART MADE FROM SOLID MAPLE, AND A MEDIA CABINET THAT HELD A COUPLE THOUSAND CDs, and DVDs.