Custom Woodwork By B.O.B.

    Though designing and creating new pieces is fulfilling, I take great joy in breathing  life back into existing works of wood.

   Reincarnations - Reclaiming the wood from past works and transforming them into new pieces that can be past on for generations is among my favorite tasks. 

    Following are a few examples of reincarnations I've done.

    Once upon a time (mid 1850's) there was a Brazilian Rosewood square grand piano, hand crafted in Hamburg Germany that looked very much like this one.

    Traveling across the Atlantic Ocean it arrived in Pennsylvania where it was loaded on a barge and shipped down the Ohio river to it's proud new owners in Kentucky.   I suspect it provided joy to the ears of many for decade upon decade.  As generations passed it remained in its home, yet at some point was placed in a basement cellar for storage.  Here it battled the elements of moisture and termites till it met its near demise.  At this point the next photo is a semblance of its aged condition. 
 

     A wise family member salvaged what he could of the intricate hand carved and crafted piano. He approached me inquiring if there was a possibility of salvaging the legs.  The next photos are of the salvaged pieces.

    It was interesting to see how the termites would eat the pine and mahogany case wood right up to the Rose wood and stop. Brazilian Rosewood has been on the endangered species list for some time now.  The perfume industry devoured most of the forrests for the floral scent of Rosewood oil.  My shop smelled so nice as I milled and sanded pieces.

    After bathing the remnants in mineral spirits and strippers, the reincarnation process began.

Rebuilding the leg bodies.

Presto!  reincarnated as a desk

Here

Reclaimed oak lumber from science lab work stations

Reincarnated as a Butcherblock Serving Cart

Early 1900's cained rocking chair salvaged from a barn in New Jersey

Reincarnated as a Six Leg Rocking Chair

A customer brought me this Maple bed from her mothers estate.

She had me change it into this canopy bed.

Reclaimed cedar beams from house fire reincarnated as custom deck railing.