Week 28: Back in production!!

Finally, after 28 long (and somehow very fast) weeks, we are starting to build furniture in our new workshop!!  The road to get here has definitely been up and down, but we are so excited and very much relieved to be finally producing furniture again.

Here is our first large load of wood, delivered and ready to go.

John doing some panel dimensioning on the new table saw.

Some walnut panels that are in the process of being finger-jointed.

Here are a number of prepared finger-jointed panels that are awaiting glue-up to become a batch of our very popular Touch benches.

And here are Thomas and John putting parts for our Petits Fours Bed through the sander.

Week 27: All the final details…

The organization of the shop is continuing. Even though it would be nice to just get production started, it is important to get everything in place so that when we start making furniture again it can happen efficiently and effectively. Here are some images of the fine details that have been keeping us occupied.

Creating shelving and cupboards for all our supplies and small power tools.  This wall of storage is awaiting doors to close it all in and keep it dust free.

Organizing our assembly area so all our hardware (door hinges, drawer runners, etc) are easily accessible.

Finalizing airlines (blue), dust collection piping (silver) and creating hanging racks for long sand paper belts.

John making shop carts.

Salvaged clamps that have been scrubbed off and are all set, ready to go.

Week 26: Taking the plunge with new machinery

Well, this week saw us take a very exciting step to push our business to the next level. After much planning and deliberation (that began long before the tornado took place) we have invested in a 5-axis CNC (computer numerically controlled) router! Our machine of choice is the Homag BMG 500, an amazing German-built machine that is considered one of the best in the industry. 

While the business person in me is continually scrutinizing the cost vs return on investment, the designer in me is giddy with excitement about the possibilities this machine has to offer. Not only will it improve the accuracy and speed of our production, it will allow us to open up our design scope to incorporate curves and angles in a way that we never could produce efficiently before.

The order is in and the machine is expected in the summer. We cannot wait to get it into the workshop and put it to work for us!

Week 25: Adding return air to the dust collector

Just when you thought we could not add any more piping to the workshop, we have gone ahead and installed a return air system on our new dust collector. This allows the air that gets sucked out of the shop with the dust system to be returned back into the workshop dust free, saving on heating costs and improving general ventilation. It is a small opening (as you can see below in the foreground), but makes a huge difference. 

One of the hazards of fine wood dust is that it is extremely explosive in the right (or perhaps I should say wrong!) circumstances. All dust collection units are equipped with blast gates that allow the force of an explosion to release outside of the building and not blow back into the workshop through the collection piping.

In light of this, a dust collector with a return air system requires an essential feature called a spark detection system. It operates to detect any possible flammable material (a minor spark) and sprays it with water before it reaches the main dust container, avoiding an explosion. You can see the attachments for the spark detection  (waiting to get wired in by the electrician) on the main out-feed pipe below.

The other element necessary is an abort gate on the return air unit, which will automatically shut if a spark is detected. In the case that an explosion does occur, this would prevent any of the fire being forced back into the shop through the return air piping.

Here are some images of the guys installing the outside section of the return air to the main dust collection system on a grey snowy day.

Week 23: The building is complete!

Although the work continues apace on the inside, we are so excited to see that the outside of the building is finished! Here are some views of how it looked on a recent bright winter morning.

Week 22: Freshening up

While we continue to focus most of our energy on the set-up of the workshop, we also started the face-lift of the office, including some nice bright paint there and in the foyer to help keep us awake on dark winter days.

We also took delivery of our new front door, and the exterior light fixtures were put into position. Looking good!

Week 21: Some notes about our machinery

Ever since the tornado happened, Thomas has been working night and day to make sure that the workshop will be back up and running as soon as possible, and most importantly that our machinery will be repaired or replaced in time to coincide with the completion of the building. I have to say that he has done an amazing job so far!

We were very lucky in the grand scheme of things, as although there were a few sad casualties that needed replacing, much of our machinery was salvageable. Here are some specific before and after photos to give you a peek at what has been happening on the machinery side of the recovery operation.

Our table saw received a lot of damage, as it was situated close to the overhead door and when the tornado struck, the force of the wind sent the sliding table to its furthest position and then some, almost ripping it clean off the body of the machine. Needless to say, this was one of the machines that needed replacing.

In searching for a replacement, Thomas finally settled on a Format4 tablesaw from Austrian machinery manufacturer, Felder. With over 50 years of manufacturing experience, their machines are known for precision performance.

The other major casualty of the tornado was our wide-belt sander. We are very fortunate to be able to replace it with a larger, more complex machine, by Butfering. This German-built machine weighs 7 tonnes (!) and was a beast to get into position, but we are excited by the opportunities it will provide us in terms of functionality and finish quality.

And here are some other before and after shots of our ripsaw, moulder and planer.