Klavohn Carpentry

Fellow craftsmen have been visiting my shop every day to see the progress on this walnut coffee table. High-end work is the best way to recruit top talent. The table is almost ready for delivery.

Yesterday, I posted about a sapele cross I repaired for a local church in Atlanta which had developed a crack in one of its joints. Here is how I solved the problem.

The previous carpenter had filled the crack with flexible putty. That lasted about 6 months until the putty failed and the seam reopened. I was tempted to fill the gap with epoxy resin. The risk with epoxy is that when the table expands again the epoxy would not give way and instead a crack would go through the limbs of the cross - ruining the piece for good. So, that was ruled out.

What the client and I decided upon was to install spiles - those are long thin strips of wood typically used to fill gaps in a wooden boat hull. I cut a long, tapered joint into the tabletop and installed spiles of sapele to match the table. Then planed those level with the table. When the table does expand again, the spiles should expand at a similar rate since they are the same species of wood as the table. The table can now be refinished. The result will be a beautiful wood-matched joint that is also weak.

This is important. A weak joint in this case is a benefit. It will act like an expansion joint in a concrete pad. If the wood cracks, it will crack in the weak joint which can be resawn rather than the limbs of the cross. The goal here is to preserve the beautiful table.

There is a lesson here. Accept that material is imperfect and use that imperfection to your advantage. I learned that from the old salts of the wooden boat community.

These old wood doors might be showing their age. But, they are far superior in material and manufacturing to modern hollow fill doors you get in new construction solid wood can be repaired and refinished.

CINDY'S HOUSE UPDATE:

Just putting the finishing touches on the master bath renvoation. This is going to make for some awesome before/after pics.

For hardware, we opted for Baldwin Brass. Yes, its 10 times more expensive than standard k***s. Totally worth it on this house!

How awesome is it when a repeat customer, Julie Buckley, recommends you for a video!!! Shout out to the amazing Alex Pepper who created this video for Klavohn Studios. Alex is a true artist and awesome dude! I'm so blessed to have such incredibly gifted people in my sphere. If you like the video, please like and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

I hope to get more content soon.

Klavohn Studios Klavohn Studios is a family-owned custom cabinet shop serving the greater Atlanta area.We specialize in kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, built-in furniture...

Who doesn't love a good before and after pic...

Installation day for a client of Klavohn Studios.
Work is more than a paycheck. It can be a source of beauty, joy, and pride. A true craftsman builds to his own high standards of quality and sees his work as the effect of his own mind, body, and labor. An idea becomes reality. Raw material is transformed into something useful. That is the craftsman's mark on the world - a testament to his unique will and determination. My hope for our fellow American workers, be they professional or artisan, is that they render a deeper connection between their labor and the value it creates.

Our favorite drawers...

Our Favorite Drawers

Introducing, the Millennium Craftsman Collection by Klavohn Studios

Slimline Bookcase by Klavohn Studios