The Factory Cart

I am constantly surprised about the difficulty of handling some of our supplies and materials. Initially, we were positive that the forklifts would be enough to satisfy our handling needs but we were wrong. Because of this, we consistently have to design and fabricate stuff that can handle the sheer scale of our work. The handling techniques are often unexpected and the mass of our work continues to escalate.

With the hole between the warehouses completed, we needed a way to move materials back and forth between the two spaces.  Ken also needed a way to safely cut the large reclaimed timbers. The solution was a large factory cart that would serve multiple purposes. The cart would also allow us to receive materials from ground level and it would include rails on the bottom side so it could be moved with a forklift.

Steel frame on casters

The Studio requires something really large for the scale of materials that we use. However, there isn’t a lot of utility with a really long factory cart so Ken designed sliding extensions on both sides of the cart. The frame is steel and has an open center for cutting large pieces of wood. The cart also has removable handles and a sacrificial top.

Sliding extensions on both ends

It is a beast

We use this cart every single day in the Studio. It is so useful that we are contemplated fabricating a second one.

Connecting the Warehouses

Since we now have two warehouses side-by-side, we have the ability to connect the two so we can quickly access the materials stored next door. We keep our forklifts in the warehouse next door so we needed a connecting door that was large enough for our materials, and the forklifts. This would provide the studio with the ability to transfer equipment and materials from warehouse to warehouse seamlessly.

Before Picture

First, Ken met with a couple structural engineers to determine it was safe to cut a hole between the two structures. Instead of hiring contractors, Ken created a way to do the task himself (as usual). So for many days, the boys chipped away at a solid cinder block wall. Ken welded a structural doorframe that could accommodate for a garage door and reinforce the large hole.

Framed out

We now have a bay-sized garage door that allows us the ability to move materials and access our warehouse space with ease.

The Lonely Door

With the loft still being under construction, there isn’t a whole lot of privacy in the space. However, we made time to make one door. This door was considered to be the “test” door but the results were so amazing that we will be using the same technique to fabricate other doors when we get around to it.

Ken found some reclaimed flooring from a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse at our favorite salvage yard and there was enough to make two door fronts. Not wanting to use all the wood for one door, we decided to use the reclaimed flooring on one side and reclaimed cedar on the other.  The cedar was a reclaimed beam that we cut into veneer using the band saw and arranged in a random horizontal pattern.

Reclaimed school flooring in a vertical pattern on the front of the door

Reclaimed cedar in a horizontal configuration on backside

To add an industrial element, Ken fabricated steel hardware to incorporate into the design. Thus, completing the lavatory door.

Installed door with hardware

When the door is opened, there is a hint of fabulous red that shows around the edgeways.

Hint of Fabulous Red

 From the inside, the cedar door is beautiful. I still can’t decide which side is my favorite.

Look from the inside

 Hopefully we get around to making some more doors soon. 

Tub (Final Phase)

When we began designing the Loft, we took a trip to Mexico and got inspired to incorporate a hot tub into our design. Staying true to the open concept, we decided to make it the focal point of the master suite. We went with a Jacuzzi two-person, chroma therapy soaking tub. Ken surrounded the tub with reclaimed timbers and finished them off with hand-forged steel. The results were stunning.

Custom, hand-forged steel for the corners

Tub surround

In order to fill up the tub, Ken got creative. He fabricated a water hose that comes from the ceiling, allowing the water to fall into the tub. Since the water had to fall 10 feet, water would splash outside of the tub. After several attempts, he created a laminar water nozzle that would align the molecules just perfectly so that the water falls into the tub and disperses within it so that there is no splashing. The water is turned on by the hand wheels on the wall between the tub and the steam shower.

Laminar nozzle from the ceiling

 This is my favorite architectural in the Loft, it is such a beautiful sight to see every morning.

Staircase (Final Phase)

With the LEDs and architectural element installed, it was time to make the stairs functional so that we could enjoy the deck just in time for warmer weather. The stairs are constructed of reclaimed timbers dating back to the 1800s from a building located in the Stockyards of Fort Worth, Texas. Each beam (stair) was hand-shaped and stained.

The chosen beams after they were hand-shaped

Lined up ready to be stained

 The steel step halfway up the staircase is for structural support and adds an additional element to the stairs. We are still debating on whether or not to leave the step as is or patina it for a darker steel look. The LED feature allows us to program the stairs to be any desired color with a remote. 

Completed Staircase

This architectural is important to us because it is the first thing you see when you walk into the loft. Your eyes are immediately drawn to it at the back of the warehouse. It creates an alluring ambience as the light from the skylights diminishes each evening.

View down the hallway just got a lot better

With the stairs finished, we are able to enjoy the deck upstairs for parties, yoga, gardening, and much more.

Stairs are finished! 

Staircase (Phase Two)

Phase two of the staircase turned out really well.  It took a couple of attempts and quite a bit of effort, but I am very happy with the results.

The architectural is designed to provide depth beneath the stairs while breathing life into what would otherwise prove to be a very dark area of the long hallway.

This is actually the second install. After I installed the first, I ended up destroying it.  I found myself explaining what I wanted it to be, and looking at something that wasn't really what I had in mind. I think it stays much more true to the intimate, organic nature of what I wanted, not really able to discern where one element stops and another begins.

Indirectly lit by 640 programmable LEDs, I can dial in virtually any color I wish.

The architectural itself was milled in three sections and finished by hand.  I also designed the rails to provide indirect lighting at just the right angle, without ever exposing the actual light source.  The lighting is controlled by 640 RGB LEDs with a controller that allows me to dial in virtually any of 16 million different colors.  White, Blues, and Yellows seem to show the best.  Depending on the holiday season, this should prove very entertaining.

Now all that's left is to fabricate and install the steps themselves...

My Fascination with Hand Wheels

I like a good hand wheel.  What can I say?  It’s kind of like my thing for boxes, but that’s a whole other thread.  Not really sure where it comes from, but when I see an old hand wheel or valve shut-off, my imagination runs wild with the creative possibilities.

Mostly for style, but partly for vindication against all those who ridiculed me over the years for acquiring so many hand wheels, I have decided to incorporate them in a very prominent way throughout the space.  The most obvious installations of course being to control water.  Thought I would share a couple of examples here.  But keep in mind, we are not limited to flow control, for my fascination with hand wheels knows no bounds…

The big wheel controls the hot water, while the small controls the cold.
(the shiny part in the middle will go away once I fix the patinas)

The story behind these gets pretty complex, but let’s just concentrate on the valve and aesthetics part for now.  I wanted a more industrial feel to the hot/cold water control for the Jacuzzi I am installing (skip over the fact that it is in the middle of the bedroom, that too is a whole other thread).  Took a bit of engineering, but I ended up marrying these two hand wheels I got from an abandoned factory up north to modern gate valves used to fill the Jacuzzi.

Picked the hand wheels (out of my extensive and vast collection : )

Figuring out relative placement

Started a small (but contained) fire in the studio

Fabricated these cool mounts for the gate valves.

Figured out how to link the hand wheels to the valves.

Built this cool cover...

Set everything in place until the brick was finished.

But it doesn't stop there.  I have these three hand wheels from a decommissioned power plant in Connecticut that would be perfect to use in the showers for the three other bedrooms.  Trick is to marry them to a modern valve control with temperature/flow control and anti-scalding, kind of a requisite for any modern shower.

A little prototyping and fabrication later...

One finished shower valve.

Based on the prototype, I will fabricate all three and finally install them in the wall.

They will eventually end up here, once the showers are completed.