Make stuff. It's fun.

I always try and spend my Friday afternoons working on new ideas and projects, focusing on creating, not just producing. Making something new is a great way to end the week.

Join me and make your own custom Kentile cutting board over two Friday evenings - February 17th and 24th, from 7:00-10:00pm.

You can monogram it (or not), add more stripes, do neat things with the grain patterns, or tweak the dimensions a bit. Make something you want to live with.

In the first class we'll talk about types of cutting boards, maintenance, and the techniques we use to make them. Shop safety will also be covered in depth. We'll then arrange and glue up our boards. In the the second class, we'll sand the boards, add the hand holds, and apply the oil and beeswax finish.

It's a great way to round out the week, and also fun because we'll have some wine and some of my favorite local snacks.

The best part is, when you're done, you'll have an awesome cutting board you made yourself, and will have learned some basic woodworking skills.

This initial class will be $160 (regularly $175), and is limited to 6 students. (This includes all of the materials for a standard 16" x 13" x 1 1/4" cutting board - if you have something else in mind - or any other questions - send me an email to me at pete@gowanusfurniture.com and we can discuss.)

There will be future versions of the class to be done in conjunction with Cut Brooklyn - you make your custom board, then use it in a knife skills class at Cut.

Cutting Board Class

Dates: Feb 17 & 24
Time: 7:00-10:00pm
Place: Makeville Studio - 119 8th Street (btw 2nd & 3rd Aves), Unit 208 Price: $160 (reg $175)

Click here to sign up!

We'll be at the Brooklyn Flea on Sun, Feb 5th. I'm pretty excited as will be unveiling the new  bike rack and shelving. At long last. Easy to install with an easy French cleat, as well as take down when you move. The world will never be the same.

Come by before all the snacks.

Here are some shots of the top of the bike rack, before I glued it up. Can sort of see that some of the cherry is a redder hue and sort of iridescent. Really pretty. I can't wait get the finish on. The live edge will look pretty sweet too.

This is the top shelf, made of two pieces of cherry, each cut into a number of smaller pieces.

Glued up it will look like this (some of them look "shiny" - it's even more pronounced and pretty in real life).

From the side - you can get an idea where it's going. The edge on the right will maintain the natural contours of the tree trunk, and can see the channel that will support the bike. (The channel that's sketched in will actually be about 1/4" to the right.)

In the end, similar to this, but will be better:

Of course, now working on the production model, so will have lots for sale! I've set up a "Bike Rack Mailing List" - if interested in one and want to see as they come out, send an email to hello@gowanusfurniture.com with the subject "Bike List" and I'll keep you in the loop.

There will be a few different versions, ranging from about $250 to $450, depending on the size and the work involved with the number of cool details we add in.

Gowanus Furniture will have a table at the Flea this Saturday - 10-5pm at the Williamsburgh Bank building. Come on by and say hello, can grab some Lime Boards too. Few things stuff stockings better. There will also be a number of cutting boards on display, as well as wall-mounted bike racks. 

Hope to see you there!

The shop I work out of - Makevill Studio - is having a Holiday Party and Open House on Sunday, from 1-3pm.

Makeville is a great place - lots of cool classes, open studio hours and memberships, and even an after-school program for kids. All the serous equipment you need, but still a very friendly place where beginners are always welcome.

Shoot me an email if going to come by - would love to say hello, and if care to see any cutting boards, I'll have some in various stages of completion. Or just come by for the snacks...

Utter nonsense, but a few folks have mentioned that. Even going so far as to chop on another cheap board on top of the Gowanus Furniture board. I'm not trying to shamelessly promote the cutting boards, but they are finished very well. Incredibly smooth, and using it will gouge it up a bit.

Here are some pics of the cherry and walnut from Willard Brothers down in Trenton. The walnut will become some small tables, and the cherry will become bike racks. Come by and see the goods in person at the Flea on Dec 10 and the BKCC Holiday Market on the 18th at Littlefield! (Tho def check out the Holiday Market on the 17th too - 60 different vendors each day.)

Heading down to Willard Brothers on Nov 18 to buy some cherry and walnut flitches. I think. They do have about every species imaginable, so may find something else that's cool and gorgeous.

On the left is a piece I bought a couple years ago. Didn't have access to a car at the time, so took the train down, brought it back on the train to Penn, then the subway back to Brooklyn. Worked, but, eh, less than ideal. And no chance to stop for snacks along the way. Much less of an adventure.

The plan for these upcoming pieces is to make a couple bike racks, as well a have an idea for a new table design, both of which will prominently feature the natural edge. 

They'll be available for purchase at the Brooklyn Flea Dec 10 and the Brooklyn Craft Central Market Dec 18.