How they're made

   Customers often ask me technical questions about our creation process so we made this page to show off our stuff.

   While we do occasionally offer in-stock items, the majority of our business is designing and building customer request. So, the outline below will follow that path.

Step 1  A new customer contacts us with an idea of what they want or need. Sometimes that can be fulfilled with a standard offering such as a 3' wide by 6' tall bookcase. Other times we're looking at a totally custom one-off build.

Step 2  After a few discussions and sketches, the design needs to be drawn up with a computer drafting program. 

Step 3  The individual parts and pieces from the drafting program need to be aligned and optimized to best fit on a 4'x8'x3/4" sheet of cabinet grade maple plywood. We use plywood because it offers more long-term stability than traditional solid wood boards.

Step 4  The optimized pattern is then programmed into a CNC cutting machine. A CNC takes the human error variable out of the process. As long as the program is correct, all the parts come out perfect every time.

Step 5  After some careful sanding a 1/4" strip of solid maple is glued and clamped to all exposed edges. This hides the end grain of the plywood but also provides a very tough protection against dents and dings on a shelf or bookcase's most vulnerable area.

Step 6  After the glue is dried and the clamps removed, the shelf pieces are sent through the edge rounding shaper machine to smooth out and beautify the maple nosing.

Step 7  Parts are carefully sanded again and then they are ready for finishing. We use a professional grade finish that is more durable, scratch resistant and chemical resistant than anything you can find at the local big box store. Each piece is carefully sprayed with multiple coats and then hung up to dry.

Step 8  The final assembly. While many craftsmen use screws and other mechanical fasteners for assembly, we prefer the dado and glue method. While this makes assembly more difficult and time consuming, we believe that the cleaner look and structural rigidity are worth the extra effort. A dado is a slot cut in one piece that provides a strong three sided glue joint for the adjoining piece.

    All sides and shelf pieces are glued and clamped at the same time.

    After the clamps are removed, any missing dividers can be glued in place.

    After all the structural parts are assembled and dry, the back is installed. we dado and inset the back for a cleaner look.

Step 9  The creation is ready for pick-up or delivery. We have created what we believe is the most beautiful, durable and functional shelf or bookcase that can be made. Hopefully it will bless your home with beauty and utility for generations to come.