Hey y’all, sorry that this blog has been a little quiet lately. Trust me when I say that I feel very guilty about it. The perfect storm of activity has me in it’s grasp and I should have lots to share soon enough. In addition to working hard on filming and editing content for The Hand Tool School, I have been squeezing out a few projects that I plan to showcase on this podcast. The Federal banding and stringing I briefly mentioned in my Hepplewhite inspired hall table will make another appearance and a beautiful Queen Anne style card table is finishing up right now. I have a small tool build in the editing hopper right now, and some Mahogany stock for a cool little Asian style stool seasoning in a corner. In other words, there is never a shortage of stuff to film and talk about, just a shortage of time to do it all. Thanks for your patience while I try to get caught up.
Additionally, I am hard at work during the day with my new employer, J. Gibson McIlvain building a new site and setting up a blog. I’m sure just what I need is another place on the web to write about stuff, but I am very excited by this venture as a way to talk about an industry that serves us all by supplying the raw material we all love. I can’t tell you how exciting (and somewhat surreal) it is to have exotic and domestic hardwoods flowing in and out of my office each day, or to look out my window at 20 foot high stacks of Genuine Mahogany. I feel truly blessed, but there is not much time for reflection. So as you don’t think I’m complaining I figured I would share some pics of my new surroundings.
My new workspace. Not pictured is the Windsor Chair I sit in, or the 2 Morris style rockers in the sitting area of the office. The big Walnut desk is a pleasure to work at even though computer cords were clearly not something thought about while it was being built. Now I just need a bigger monitor or two so I can see what I’m working on.
Upstairs is our conference room. The entire floor is filled with fine furniture, many of which are actual antiques since the company was founded more than 200 years ago and the pieces have been living here since then. 
Around our large dining table where we have lunch during meetings are these beautiful Queen Anne chairs. They exemplify the “neat and plain” colonial American style of the early and mid 1700s.
Surrounding our two conference/dining tables are a variety of pieces from sideboards to low tables that show off some of the lumber we import and supply from around the world.
One piece that really catches the eye is the serpentine chest made in the Chippendale style. The applied cockbead molding around the drawers is effortlessly done and the Philadelphia style ball and claw feet give a sturdy feel to the overall stance. It is an inspiring piece.
So that’s what I’ve been up to. Again, sorry for my lack of posts lately, but have no fear I have plenty more to say. Stay tuned.
Shannon,
I want a picture of your Windsor office chair. I have made a few continuous arm Windsor chairs, but they haven’t made their way into the office. I want to see what style you have. Does it have casters or just legs? Does it swivel? I am an engineer and work behind a computer all day, but would love to have a Windsor to put my duff in.
Josh is it a typical sack back Windsor. Because it does not swivel or have casters, I will probably switch away from it to a typical office chair soon because it is not functional. I have seen people add the swivel base to a Windsor however and I think that would be great. It might be a project for the future. It has been almost 2 years since I last built a Windsor and it is probably time to give it another try.
I am looking forward to your upcoming podcasts as I like your projects and style. I find you are easy for me to relate to and that is saying something as I generally don’t like anyone
This comment made me laugh Bryan. I’m so glad you like the podcast. I have so much fun making it, but I’m afraid I have set my standards of production much higher than when I started so I’m taking longer to produce them these days.
Shannon,
When you landed this job you must of thought you had been struck by lightning, the odds! What a fit, this will open whole new avenues to you that you would never have thought of, congratulations!
I keep pinching myself to wake up but so far it still seems to be the real thing!