FAQ
How long does a commission take?
This very much depends on the amount of commissions on backorder at the time. Please contact me for an estimation. Commissions will be placed in queue from when a deposit is made.
Can I have it made in different species and finishes?
Yes. Please contact me to discuss. Please note that when the piece has steam bending involved, it limits the number of compliant choices in species. Choosing different species will also affect the cost of the final product.
How can I care for my chair?
This depends on what your chair is finished with.
For natural oils. Clean it often with a damp microfiber cloth and apply some furniture wax if a little extra lustre is desired. I like Gilly’s Carnauba Wax Polish.
For a soap finish it is good practice to apply a new coat of soap every 6 months. The beautiful thing about soap finishes is that the develop a richer and more beautiful patina over time as you continue to apply new coats. Please ask me for instructions, it’s very simple and easy.
What about caring for
Danish Cord?
Danish Cord is coated with a wax finish and is moderately repellent to dirt. Avoid wetting and leaving it damp. That said, if you do spill anything on it, be quick to wipe with a dampened microfiber cloth and dry with another.
Can you make me a custom design?
Please contact me, I’d love to discuss what’s on your mind!
Do you use sustainable
sources of wood?
Yes. I only use wood that is from a sustainable source.
Australian wood that I use is often from a tree that’s come down in a storm on a farmer’s property or when the farmer has need to remove it.
Timber from forests is always from PEFC certified and sustainably managed forests.
PEFC is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.
The Process
The Wood
It all begins with the wood. My designs are produced from sustainably sourced woods. A lot of care goes into selection before starting a chair to ensure the grain aligns for optimum strength as well as aesthetics.
Shaping
Many of the parts for my chairs are shaped using a variety of traditional hand tools. Hand tools leave behind lovely faceted edges and interesting surfaces that can be seen in the changing light or felt when running your hand over the chair.
Turning
Many of the parts for my chairs are created on a lathe. They’re turned round with a variety of chisels and gouges. While the machine turns the wood, turning is very much an art of the hand.
Joinery
The joinery used for my chairs is all traditional. You won’t find anything that can be tightened with a screwdriver. Just wood and glue. Joints used are very strong and last a very long time. The reason for this is that wood moves through seasonal changes, it responds to the atmosphere around it. When you use a wood to wood joint, it moves together as one preventing imbalances and loosening.
Steambending
Chairs fit the human body and the human body is an organic and curved shape. To conform wood to our shape it sometimes must be bent. Sure you could cut the shape out but that isn’t always very strong. A tree generally grows straight up to the sky. Following this direction is very strong. When you cut across it, you significantly reduce strength. Luckily with the power of steam, one can bend straight fibers around a corner to create a desired shape without loosing the wood’s integrity.
Finishing
I use natural finishes on all of my work. Oils are the best way to protect wood and show off it’s beauty. I like to keep the look of the timber I use as true and natural to it’s self as possible. Almost as if it were just wet. Alternatively I will sometimes ebonise the wood. This is making it black. When I do so I ensure that finish doesn’t fill in the grain of the wood but penetrates it. This leaves a beautiful textured effect which changes with the light.
Weaving
Some of my designs are woven in Danish Cord. Danish Cord is a highly durable and sustainably made cord. It’s made from three plys of twisted paper. Danish cord has a beautiful texture that complements wood and comes in natural or black. Over time it acquires a lovely patina. It can be woven in a variety of patterns, each with a unique look and feel.