WHF Blog

 

This is the second of four videos of the "Evolution of a Pool Table". In the video you begin to get a good sense of what the final table is going to look like. It shows what the old hand hewn oak looks like with the fine sanding and lacquer finish applied. Our unique Cayonland Copper corner details are installed on the table legs. The finely carved leather rails and leg panels created by renowned tooler Phillip Smith. Noah Pfeffer is the well known jeweler responsible for the hand cut turquoise sites set in silver bezels. He is also the craftsman who made the refined silver Western Heritage logo set into the end rail. I incorporated seven deferent species of wood throughout the the pool table. I used 200+ year old oak for the super structure, walnut on the top rails, poplar for the sub rails, reclaimed rosewood for the rail edge caps, 100+ year old pine barn siding for the rail aprons and 80+ year old douglas fir for the raised panels in the tables skirt. I believe the marriage of all these different woods along with the tooled leather, jewelery quality sites and professional grade felt form a perfect union.

Custom reclaimed wood pool table from Western Heritage Furniture. This pool table's design is based on elements from our Teton Collection of Furniture. Inspired by the grandeur and beauty of the Teton Mountains in western Wyoming, this Teton table has a massive presence. It incorporates a combination of reclaimed wood beams, hand carved leather and copper details seamlessly married together in this one of a kind creation.

The Pool table's superstructure will be constructed using two identical hand hewn oak beams. The exact history of these beams is unknown, however we reclaimed them from a barn in Iowa a few years back. The barn was constructed about 100 years ago using Douglas Fir. These beams were salvaged from a much older structure then reused in the building of this barn.

In the video you will notice the nature of the ax and adz marks left by the original craftsman. One can tell a lot about the craftsman by these markings as well as the fact that both beams are exactly 7" x 7" square. This particular pioneer probably fell these trees 170 to 200 years ago, long before there were saw mills.

Tim McClellan...hey I think I can hear the ocean.Well, another extraordinary year is winding down as we look forward to a prosperous new one. As you may know, over 130 banks did not make it through 2009, however, you are still here and so are we - a small victory - but still a victory nonetheless, because of you. Congratulations! As of 2010 Western Heritage has decided to quit playing the recession game. Join us in another prosperous new year.

-Tim & Tim

Holiday fun at the WHF Christmas party:

Tim McClellan...hey I think I can hear the ocean.

Jimmy Corrigan proudly displaying his new gun cleaning kit...although we're not sure if Jimmy should actually have a gun in his possession.

Neith Owens with a public service announcement: "Never operate woodworking equipment under the influence of alcohol."

The dovetail joint is the strongest way to join two pieces of wood. It is also one of the oldest known construction methods for furniture making.Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are found in furniture entombed with mummies dating from the First Dynasy of ancient Egypt, as well as the tombs of Chinese emperors. It is argued that this joint predates the written word.

Western Heritage Furniture dovetails are both hand-cut and hand-fitted. The strength, history and natural beauty of the dovetail joint represents the very soul of Western Heritage Furniture.