4:45 heading to Nashville

AA platinum doesn't seem to have any cred in this old borrowed truck

Packing for the Nashville show this morning

We are packing the truck this morning in prep for the Antiques and Garden Show.  Will be leaving by 5:00 in the morning to be there to set up the booth at 8:00.  Quite an honor and nice surprise to see the article "Artist finds beauty from fallen trees" in this morning's Tennessean.

video referral from very satisfied customer

My first youtube referral from a very satisfied customer.  (Hope he's not skipping school today)

duck!

In addition to our three rescue dogs, we have several mallards in the family.  They've all been doing great. That is, up until a few weeks ago, when I heard two gun shots, and saw lots of birds immediately taking flight.  A friend reported that two high school age kids were in camo gear in the creek with shotguns.  Jeeze!  (There's a neighborhood on each side of the creek!)  They must be good shots because they got two of my sic ducks.  Since then two more are missing, down to these two now.  Between local idiots, a red fox, turtles (a neighbor saw a turtle take one down one last summer), and I have a feeling even some of these big catfish,  it's amazing they've lasted as long as they have.  

where's milk and bread when we need it?

We received a beautiful surprise this morning.  We (southerners) have no idea how to drive in this stuff.  4wd helps!

More work on this old oak slab (back)

oak slab swirl

one man's trash, not mine

We are getting ready for next week's Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville.  Last year we set up 3 big slabs in addition to a few tables.  I think the slabs were a magnet to the booth.  Here we are using a brush to get tung oil down the cracks of this 220 year old oak slab.

way to go Shannon-Virginia's new Episcopal Bishop

Listen in Saturday to Jack Dever's Home Improvement Radio Show

Will be interviewed on Jack Dever's popular radio Home Solutions Show Saturday morning 8:40 (cleveland time).   If you are in the area listen in, or you may be able to listen in online Saturday by going here:  http://www.jackdeveronline.com/radio_show.html

last coat of tung oil on three oak timber tables

We just applied the last coat of tung oil on these three oak timber tables.  They'll be ready to come out of the finishing room in the morning.  If I have time, I'll try to get some pics before we start packing for the Nashville Antiques and Garden Show.

help me here with this oak timber table

Ok, I've got this amazing 8' long oak slab.  Seems perfect for a dining table.  One problem.  Back three years ago, when we were flitch cutting the log into lumber, we ran into metal in this slab.  We removed it by poking the end of a chainsaw around, making a notch and pulling it out.  The notch is more than visible, and there is a hole all the way thru the slab.  My thought is  that this makes a wonderful table with a little story behind it.  Linda just walked by, saw it for the first time, and can't imagine leaving the notch in a beautiful thick oak timber table like this.  Ok blog and facebook friends, what do you think??

back to the oak timber table we started last week

Here's a pic of the top and one leg of the timber table we started last week.  I'll try to do a better job of getting pics as it's making it on through the process.  consumer goods and services.

making progress on new website

Once I decided to go for it, it really wasn't as hard as I thought.  Made the decision to rebuild the site with a CMS instead of the bludomain flash based site I've been using.  Have lot's more work to do, but seem to have most of it worked out.  Stop over and take a look.  If you are seeing this from my "log blog" just look around above the header, and roam through the links and galleries.  I'd love to hear any thoughts.  - Just be aware, Several pages aren't enabled yet.  If you are reading this thru facebook, you can visit here:  blog.robinwadefurniture.com

modern organic low table in the works

I'm seeing a modern organic low table.  Yesterday we cut five small legs out of a wonderful oak slab.  The other side has a nice gray, weathered look.  Here Andrea is cleaning up the edges with a draw knife.

starting on oak timber table legs

This morning we applied (on and off)  a second coat of our tung/linseed oil on three tables in the finishing room.  That's all the finishing we can do until the order of tung oil arrives.  

Next we started on four oak timber table legs that recently arrived from the kiln.  Our big 42" bandsaw and 20" planer are taking care of the start of the process just fine.

Natchez Trace info center

Just before Tn hwy 64 exit near Ethridge Tn, is this little Natchez Trace info center.  Two wonderful trace drives in two weeks. 

an exception

I almost never eat fried food, but at this little market on hwy 64 just off the Natchez Trace Parkway exit, I seem to make a regular exception.  Fried chicken and potato wedges are my standard fare whenever I'm in the neighborhood at Self's Market.

another look at the plug going in the oak slab dining table

Another 15' long thick oak slab

This is the 15 foot long oak slab we planed yesterday.  If you have a big room, and need a big table, it's available.