Busy As Always
- June 19, 2010
- Category: Daily Diary
- (19) Comments
While I’ve been lounging on the deck with Faeden and KT-Whippet
and dressing tiny horses in pretty pink trimmed fly sheets,
Mountain Man has been busy building the kitchen cabinets for the Ozarks. Maple or pine? We’d been going back and forth but we chose maple. Mountain Man had logged some beautiful maple last year, complete with old tap holes. We thought how wonderful it would be for someone to have a kitchen in the Ozarks that would be totally unique.
Here are the boards before Mountain Man starts to work on them.
And here’s the tap holes from long ago.
Wood lesson for you: You will not find wood such as this maple in any retail outlet. The wood Mountain Man is using would be sold commercially for pallets or firewood because it contains a lot of heartwood (coloring). Commercial outlets want uniform coloration.
Working:
Building the section for the range which will slide into the middle.
Some of the cabinets he’s made:
On to another time consuming part of the process; hand rubbing oil into the cabinets. Another wood fact: Hand oiling brings out the beauty of the wood and it allows for the wood to change over the course of the years. Commerically purchased cabinetry and other wood items have been sprayed with a lacquer that contains ultraviolet protective elements so the wood always remains the same. That’s why when I look at my store purchased maple furniture, it bears no resemblance to these cabinets.
This piece will be in the kitchen as an additional counter. All the cabinets will have to be hand oiled many times. This is the first coat of Danish oil drying.
I love the beauty of natural wood, hand rubbed and ever changing and reflecting the hues of the forest but Mountain Man has told me lots of people prefer the commercially prepared wood that stays the same. Which do you prefer? And if you are in the Vermont vicinity and want a handcrafted kitchen, just let us know. People enjoy knowing where their food comes from these days but how cool is it to know the tree that turned into your kitchen?
I definitely prefer the natural wood. So beautiful!
Date: June 19, 2010
I like the natural wood too. Your mountain man is remarkable! I bet he could build anything and do it all by himself. Does he ever go out with the boys or have any hobbies he does just for fun … like fishing or photography?
I wanted to say too that I have been loving your pony photos.
Date: June 19, 2010
I would definitely prefer the natural wood. I dislike the cookie cutter, assembly-line cabinetry today. But doesn’t a custom-made cabinet set cost a lot of money? (And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, due to the obvious intensive labor that goes into them).
I am renovating my kitchen and will probably purchase the cookie-cutter cabinets just because of the price issue. *sigh* But if I could, I’d go to Vermont to get custom maple. Enjoy!
Date: June 19, 2010
I tend to like the natural organic look of wood, if it has colorations and squirrly graining, it has charm and character. Guess that’s why we chose hickory for our kitchen.
Unfortunately our cabinets were mass manufactured and came from a big box home improvement store, so unlike the lovely cabinets that your Mountain Man is making that will be beautifully constructed and crafted with much love and attention to every detail. Your kitchen is going to be stunning, can’t wait to see it when it is finished.
Date: June 19, 2010
The natural for me too. That will be beautiful in a kitchen and very unique. MM and my Daddy are so much alike. He loved working with wood. He did a lot of carpentry in my aunt and uncle’s house. My uncle is my Dad’s brother. They have passed on now. My aunt just sold the house and I will never see my Dad’s work again. Makes me very sad and her too. Just too big for her, she is moving into an apartment at the retirement home. Love the pink on the babies. Have a great weekend!
Date: June 19, 2010
Oh I definitely would prefer natural wood if I could get it.. I don’t mind if it changes. To be honest, I’m not sure what that means because I now realize that the wood in my home hasn’t been left in it’s natural state!!! I don’t like those spray laquers because of the harmful chemicals used. I’m convinced that they offgas and I dno’t like that!!
Anyway, natural wood furntiture, cabinets etc for me pease
Mountain Man does simply beautiful work. I pray that whoever occupies that home will love it and appreciate it just as much as you do!!!!
Greetings from Oregon, Heather
Date: June 19, 2010
I love wood, makes me sad to see it painted over instead of showing nature’s wonder. Mountain Man is very talented.
Date: June 19, 2010
Anything out of Mountain Man’s shop, to me, would beat mass produced cabinetry. I can’t really afford, either, nowadays, but I know what I’d want if I won the lottery and were shopping!
Date: June 19, 2010
I love natural wood. It is so beautiful. Would the Danish Oil work on floors also? We still haven’t put anything on the wood floors FarmMan cut on the sawmill here for the downstairs flooring. We both like the natural color and hate to stain it..I can’t wait to show him Mountain Man’s pictures.
Have a great weekend.
Pam
Date: June 19, 2010
I like natural wood wood too. My dad just loved working with wood–that was his favorite past time. It is very cool indeed to know the tree your kitchen cabinets were made from!
Date: June 19, 2010
“Wood lesson for you: You will not find wood such as this maple in any retail outlet. The wood Mountain Man is using would be sold commercially for pallets or firewood because it contains a lot of heartwood (coloring). Commercial outlets want uniform coloration.”
I’m glad you give lessons, I don’t know anything about wood, but I have an expert (don’t we all) eye in picking out rich beautiful wood cabinetry, furniture, etc.
I definitely prefer (heartwood, coloring) wood. I don’t like any of the wood furniture etc I see for sale in stores….looks uniform, boring and without any personality…and most of all looks so identically molded? and assembly lined.
You should really think about setting up shop, would be very VERY popular here
Date: June 20, 2010
Always, Always, ALWAYS the natural wood, straight from the tree, no messing about…other than allowing it to dry, of course. We’ve hemlock on our barns and think it looks fabulous! It suits these old mountains and this old homestead. There’s just enough hemlock to side my studio so Dave’s not going to go with that nasty plastic stuff. Thank God! I hate vinyl but if others do like vinyl, that’s okay by me. I just don’t want it on my studio or house. Vinyl and plastic are like putting lipstick on a pig; what’s the use? It’s no prettier and it’s still fake.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! -grin-
Date: June 20, 2010
I do love Mountian Man’s work shop. I actually like either kind of wood. I just so tired of veneered particle board cabinets. I have 60s hardwood cabinets that are all wood and wouldn’t give them up for anything. They are in need of cleaning and new hardware but I would not change them out except for any of the home improvement store cabinets.
Ha, I had to laugh about knowing the tree that made the cabinets in your house. I would venture to say I couldn’t tell you if the wood even came from this country. I think it’s a worthy thing to buy as much of anything as possible locally no matter what it is. If I can’t get it locally then I try my best to by American. Good luck with finding a shower curtain that’s made in America.
Those were very nice pictures of Mountain Man working in his shop.
Date: June 20, 2010
How lucky you are to have such a handy guy. The cabinetry will be absolutely beautiful when finished. Can hardly wait to see the end result.
Date: June 20, 2010
I think it’s very cool, especially to see the old tap holes, how unique; love it!
Date: June 21, 2010
First of all, can I just say AWWWWW at the weenie fly sheet? So cute AND practical too
I would LOVE to be able to afford hand made, hand-oiled cabinets for my dream kitchen – they are so beautiful and solid! They look like they will last for a hundred years, unlike my commercially made kitchen (which I like as it does the job, but hey, I can dream of better, right?). Mountain Man is so talented! Those cabinets are going to make the kitchen a gourmet experience all on their own. Just gorgeous!
Date: June 22, 2010
Love the craftsmanship and gorgeous outcome of the wood for the table!! Living the life you two are…simple, pure joy!
Oh, and some sweat of the brow…cleans the pores!
KacyK
Date: June 25, 2010
Looks great as does all his work, I also love the natural look. Since mountain man cuts his wood from your woodlot does he have a kiln to dry or just air dry it.
Toolman
Date: June 29, 2010
You are very lucky and blessed to have your own wood cabinets harvested from your own woods. I have Hickory handmade cabinets and they get better each year! The hickory was harvested from my land and made by the local Amish. My cabinets will outlive me.
Thanks for sharing your mountain man’s hard work
Date: June 29, 2010