Kidder Blaisdell Woodworks

milling rought lumber

2010-03-08T03:48:00.000-08:00

there is a photo that I hope will post here. It is a picture of wood half way through being milled. I was making shutters for a house interior, really nice shutters with solid 6/4 maple rails and styles with balsa wood louvers, I will try to find a picture of the finish product. The photo shows the 6/4 maple stacked up with sticks in between each layer. The reason for this is to let the wood dry out some more. I smoothed out three sides of each board and the next step is to rip these parts to near their finished dimension. before I rip them it is a good time to let them dry out for at least 24 hours. When I smooth out the sides I am exposing new wood cells to the air, when that happens the new cells absorb moisture and that can cause the wood to change shape again. Never try to mill stock like this all at once, if you do it will move slightly. Also when I rip these parts they will again move because of the changing tension within the board. So I will rip these parts in larger than what i need and we will mill them again to their finished sizes. this is one of the area where you can't rush the process, wood is an organic material and it requires patience when working with it.

this is how we do it

2010-03-08T03:47:00.000-08:00

variety

2010-03-03T15:46:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention that you can also see some mahogany doors to the right in that same photo. Door makers is another market that stands on it's own that we compete in. So I have just identified three totally separate markets that we can effectively compete in. These different markets utilize the same asset base and very similar operation processes. This is how I perceive KBWC a woodworking shop that serves the cause of woodworking in many different markets so we will therefore survive any economic climate. It is the goal of this company to get a market share in each of these markets.

variety

2010-03-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

this photo below is one thing that we are striving for here at KBWC, this one way that we continue to challenge ourselves, by doing a variety of things. The wooden counter top is actually a whole other market that we compete in other than cabinets. The black kitchen panel is not only an unusual finish but also another market that we compete in, that being kitchen cabinets and kitchen designers.

variety

2010-03-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

A mahgany top and an oak island panel with jet black finish

panel cutting on table saw

2010-02-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

here is the jig and set up that Gagan and Esteban used to make the raised panels for the cherry doors that I spoke aboubt recently. As you can see it is pretty intense and required resourceful on the floor thinking. But that is the job of a cabinet benchman, to use the tools and resources avaialable to make wood products. Sure it may be easier with the latest cnc machines available on the market but then we would be machine programmers and not woodworkers. One thing that this shop great is our wide variety of skills. We make all types of wooden products, the products are always changing and so is the process. the table saw panel had some advantages down the line in production.

pieces of art

2010-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

that is what our client called each one of her doors. She said "each one of these is like a piece of art." she is referring to her cabinet doors. the pictures of what she is talking about is the cherry doors in the previous post. the pictures of the unfinished doors shows all of them together roughly 41 pieces. all solid cherry, a nice raised panel and an applied molding. We cut the the panel mold on the table saw, which actually worked out really well, Gagan said that we didn't have any burns, which we usually get when we make such a large cut in cherry. Also it expedited the sanding of the raise because we could use flat sanding block. the only complication is the applied molding needs an extra cut in it so it beds tight and evenly. you can see the applied molding in the second picture, it is really nice. The finish on these doors is top notch. it is very smooth and very consistent, it looks great in place, and the grain of the paneling is very active and has so much character, it is no wonder that the client thinks they are pieces of art. All the credit for these doors goes to Gagan, and Esteban, they made them and they finished them, and they are beautiful, nice work guys, Kidder Blaisdell would be no where with out you guys.

cherry panels

2010-02-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

2010-02-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

more meetings, better focus

2010-02-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

we are now having brief staff meetings everyday. I think it will help us stay focused on the priorities. The once a week is good, but everyday is better. our priorities are in a constant state of change. Why? because job site conditions are in a constant state of change. our install is dependent on job site conditions. the everyday meeting gives me a chance to take stock on where the priorities stand and make adjustments.
Many of my clients have been telling me that my business model doesn't work. I can't blame them because we are late on some projects, not all but some. at times I think that my model doesn't work. Fact is my model as it is being executed doesn't work, but that is because we aren't executing it the way it needs too in order to work. It isn't working because we are over loaded with work right now and in a state of catch-up. I really need to hire another installer to help me with the install. the system that I am developing for my wood shop is going to work and will be the model for all other modern wood shops. it isn't complicated it is modeled after a restaurant basically. I need to extract myself from such a intense installation role. And spend more time actually running the company.

plumb bob

2010-02-01T18:17:00.000-08:00

here I am setting a door frame. Many comments come out from the guys near by when they see a plumb bob. One guy said to me "I haven't seen a plumb bob out on a job site in years". I don't know what to say, but this is how I learned to hang a door when I was 18 years old, that was 20 years ago. scary but true. I find this technique to be fool proof, the pieace that you see at the bottom of the jamb is temporary, it come outs at the end, but it is exactly the same size in width as the top piece, and cut exactly square. The plumb bob needs to fall on the center and the edge of the bottom board to ensure plumbness and keep the door frame coplaner.

trying to keep up

2010-01-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

We have been so busy that I haven't had time to write any post in the blog since 12-29-09. It is a good time to busy given the economy, I think I might have sold some jobs at artificially low prices to make sure I had work that now we are to jammed out with out the ability to hire additional personal. Although some clients don't want to here that I have hired additional personal, they want me to do the install regardless. That is a compliment to my ability but really unnecessary, I have to respect the wishes of my clients. I don't think that I am all that good at install, maybe I am just immune to it and don't see it for what it is, perhaps I am really good at it and it just seems easy to me. we have hired some help for our install needs, his name is Paul Ferrier out of Stoughton, he is really good and comes in only on a part time basis, 2 or 3 days a week. He runs his own company as a cabinet builder and installer I would recommend him to anyone.

who helps us

2009-12-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

eagle woodworking is where we buy our drawers, that is Patrick sitting at the desk in the photo below, I guess he counting the money or something. no just kidding Patrick we love you here at KBWC. never, ever have I gotten a drawer the wrong size from Eagle. There is something happening at Eagle in the quality assurance department. if they even have departments at Eagle, they are a progressive manufacturing facility so they may not have departments, but either way all the drawers are made to order and always in the time frame the say. Which is a huge help to me, I can order drawers and know when they will be ready, and I can rely on the quality. In this photo you see the front office and also where I pick the drawers up. most folks get the drawers sent to them, but me I like to pick them up. I like to talk to Patrick about production issues, and general economic issues, and just see how they are doing. Behind this office is a huge wood shop that makes only drawers and drawer inserts, I marvel at their success in building just one thing.

drawers

2009-12-15T19:40:00.001-08:00

here is where i get my drawers. they are the only thing we out source. this business is called eagle woodworking, it was founder is still involved with the business. it is one of my favorite place to go. It is a true wood shop manufacturing facility. right hear in Massachusetts. That is Patrick in the photo he is the general manager of the business. In over ten years of buying drawers I have never returned a drawer for any reason.

eagle woodworking

2009-12-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

2009-12-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

2009-12-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

good protection

2009-11-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

I was on one of my jobs today and came across this. I really like seeing this kind of protcetion of the cabinets post installtion. This is one of MacArthur construction's sites, they are a very good builder. They have really good subs and a well run job, and still they go the extra mile to protect the cabinets after installation from accidental damage.

how we do it

2009-11-16T18:44:00.000-08:00

the bottom photo's are of a library that we started installing this week. If you look at the picture of the panel laying flat you will see how I trim the panels to the correct length on the job using a festool skill saw. The tricky part is that the panel molding protrudes beyond the face of the panel so you can see how I used pads that the track of the skill saw ride on. then you can see how they look when they are attached to the wall. this is a mahogany frame with a African cherry burl veneer, it also has a red mahogany stain.

the next picture is of a tool box that I use for high rise condo jobs, where getting tools in and out of the job is very time consuming. So I leave my tools on site in a locked file cabinet that I have converted into a tool box. the whole thing is on casters so it can easily be moved around the site in and out of peoples way. it becomes sort of my site office, and it has many supplies that help not only me but anybody who may need them.

the top pictures are of a kitchen job. the point here is a technique that I am using for leveling the cabinets. You can see the leg levers under the cabinets. I can set the whole bank of lower cabinets that have the skirts applied at a height higher than they are going to go, I can then scribe them as a whole to an unleveled floor. I then take off the levelers and then screw on the plywood skids that the cabinet will ultimately sit on. the height of the shims is equal to the amount that I set the scribes too. it has worked very well.

2009-11-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

2009-11-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

2009-11-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

a good monday for the team

2009-11-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

we had our staff meeting today. We laid out the weekly goals and talked about the long range goals for the rest of the year. We have room for two more jobs that I am hoping to get this week, all my marketing activities of this past year have gotten our work in progress back up to normal levels. So unless these two jobs fall thru I will be sold out until January.

I have made some changes to the weekly goal sheet that I give out at the staff meeting. I started to lay-out a note taking format on the back side of the sheet. Everyone's phone number is now there. I show all the prospective work that we are bidding. And then I show all the current jobs in list format and in a cash flow graph. This way I can manage our responsibilities based on the payment forecast and make sure that they are aligned. The better jobs are the ones where clear production milestones are laid-out in advance and when they are met payment is made immediately. When that happens you have business harmony.

both Gagan and Esteban had some good ideas today. Gagan made a last minute decision to switch tasks with me so I could work on profile machine, instead of driving. quick thinking and observation on your feet gagan. Esteban suggested that we use a close color on the back side of the doors in order to stretch out what last color we have for a job. The back of the doors would be only a shade different. We have a few jobs moving thur the shop that are very close in color. Good thinking Esteban why waste material if we don't' have to.

new equipment

2009-10-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

this coming week I've got some good things coming up. I will be looking at some more jobs and have new contacts to pursue and jobs to bid. WE have a Kaizen event this week. I got a new shaper this week, well new to me that is. It is nothing special but hopefully a solid work horse. It was built on Cape Cod by a machinist, it has 5/16" thick cast iron walls on the cabinet. All the fence movable parts are steel or cast iron, so it should remain true and work well for many years to come. It smaller than our other two shapers, less horse power and a smaller spindle. It has a 1" and 3/4" spindle, I could easily get a 1.25" spindle made so all are tooling fits, or we can use bushings. I do have one 1" bore head so I can use all of our custom blades without problem. I am hoping to set up some more overhead lights in the shop this week. We moved around some more machinery on Monday this past week as our Kiazen event. We moved our sanding machine about 10' in one direction and greatly increased the amount of space in the finish preparation area. Which we immediately filled with the cabinets of job 99. which are really starting to look amazing, I can't wait to start our install there.

door stock

2009-10-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

the picture below is taken from the top edge of a door. You can see clearly how the veneer is on the wide surfaces and the solid wood is on the short faces. This is how it is done throughout the industry, Although Doors of Distinction in Wisconsin still only uses solid wood for their styles and rails. the center material is some kind core, in this case it is strand lumber, I have never used this type, usually we use solid wood core such as poplar or pine, small pieces finger jointed together, I would like to try this strand lumber as I have seen some warpage in the finger jointed stock.
Also in this door one side of the veneer is thicker than the other side, I am not crazy about that, Gagan says it's no problem but I wonder about the effects of an unbalanced stick, ie the thicker veneer will absorb more moisture than the thinner side of veneer.
We didn't make this door, I just took a photo because I am interested in the strand limber core.