Another on Deck

[Mark Yundt]

I got the confirmation that this job is a go. But I don't believe anything until the deposit check clears. Or they at least send me some blocks to carve!
At this point I don't have the sketches from the Architects as to exactly what these pieces will look like but this gave me enough to go on to bid and have a very good idea of what they're looking for
It's a pretty amazing home to say the least. It will come in at around 45,000 sq. ft. and be quite something with a grand ballroom, limestone columns all over the place with some amazing details even down to the flooring. I'll show the prints if you're interested as I have piles of them in my shop.
Anyway these quick shots of some of the prints hopefully will give you some idea of the home and the work I'll be doing. Granted there isn't too much carving but It'll do.

The first shots show the 10' doors but the design has changed from this shot of the elevations showing the door with the Transom.
There will be more panels ( as the first pic shows ) and of course the panels ( like the last job I just wrapped) will be framed with Leaf on Leaf Acanthus moldings as you can see the sketch in the second photo. About 30 ft. of 2" molding per door and there are 8 of them in this case.

Third shot a small Keystone.
Fourth shows what will be a pair of over 3 ft long brackets front and side view with swags.

Fifth show the entrance to the Wine room where there may or may not be some Corinthian capitals. Undecided as they aren't sure if it will be wood or limestone caps.

[Mark Yundt]

As shadows to the Capitals will be these Pilasters wrapped with Egg and Dart moldings in photos 1,2&3.
Last three shots show the layout of the Ballroom. Here you'll find inlaid exotic woods with Basalt perimeter along with being flanked with rows of columns and a fireplace at each end. The ceiling will be an impressive Coffered design.

[Mark Yundt]

For an idea of what this home will look like I dug up some other photos of the very first carving job I was involved with. Up to this point I had carved one piece of Acanthus mldg. The second thing was doing this Egg and Dart. And then the Shell in the cabinet. Since then I've done over a Dozen some up to 4 ft wide.
I really like the Pedestal and Acanthus leaves my friend carved to support the Marble bust of John Paul Jones.
Also,, the four carvings in the shot are parts of door frames my friend also carved .They are carved out of one piece of stock. You can spot them in some of the photos. And yup,, I got to do more of the E&D! Whee!
Pretty much everything you see that isn't a straight run of millwork, meaning anything that looks carved from the mantles, to capitals, keystones came out of my friends shop. In many cases since most of this is painted , he carved the masters and then pulled molds from them. Who want's to carve 20 or 30 of those Capitals? We love carving but we ain't nuts.
Isn't Architectural carving just too cool?

[Mel Fulks]

I've looked at all those for a while now,really enjoyable. I find the design of the pair of mahogany doors a little modern and
odd with those short brackets over the carved moulding. Particularly like the design and work of the J.P. Jones set up.

[Mark Yundt]

Actually the doors are spot on for the period and the small brackets supporting the pediment is historically correct. It's a very traditional way of handling them dating back,,, well ,,, centuries.
Not modern in the least.
Believe me, these Architects know their stuff. This was done for the State Department, Diplomatic Reception rooms in Washing DC Capitol building. This was just outside then Secretary of State George Schultz's office.

Just Google " pediments over door photos" and you'll see what I mean.
For the Architect google Allan Greenburg. He has some credentials. And check Wikipedia.
For others doors check out my friend Steve Hendricks Historical Doors.

[Mel Fulks]

I'm familiar with the form, but I think a lot of people would see this example as a modern interpretation. The brackets are cramped and pushed by the moulding. Seems a little provincial compared to the fine work. But I've had to make things by
drawings I didn't like,too. Certainly the design is not as convincingly period as the one with the bust.

[Mark Yundt]

I respectfully have to disagree. That is exactly what they should look like. Check your history of classical Architecture. And check the resources I listed. Examples of this are readily available.

[phil harold]

i love this

tell me more
thanks

[Mark Yundt]

The millwork company built the niche cabinet and needed the clam shell. Most that I do go into diagonal corner cabinets .
This one was approx. 3 ft wide and 1 1/2 ft deep. They get carved in a number of styles with this one on the plain side.

Construction is just a stack of half circle rings that gradually get larger. When stacked and glued it resembles the old amphitheaters. Then you cut away the steps to create a half bowl shape. Then lay in whatever flute design you like and carve them in.

Might seem confusing with just a description like this but the concept is pretty simple.
I've done them in Basswood ( painted like this) as well as Cherry , Mahogany etc. from 2 ft up to 4 ft wide in a variety of styles.
on some where the cabinet is open ( no doors) the flutes will curve over the facing surface . Some will have tapered scrolls along the bottom edge starting from a scroll on the outside and tapering in to the center. Some flutes get stepped and take on a very delicate , elegant look. Lots of variations .

[Jim Underwood]

How's this job coming along, Mark?

[Mark Yundt]

Jobs such as this are booked months or a year in advance. So at times they move at a break neck glacial pace . But pieces should be showing up soon according to them.
I bid on the overall designs then they get revised , approved ,redrawn as will happen on a project this large( not so much my end of it) until they finalize what the client wants, the architect redraws it, the millwork plans it and can start to send stock .
On a 45,000 sq.ft. House where nothing comes off a shelf at some box store such as doors,windows and even the moldings have their own cutters made it's a mess of drawings and specs. The moldings for the doors I'll be doing need to have custom profiles made according to the Architects design, the millwork Co. then makes the blades, the sticks, and gets them out to me.
Then with pieces such as the Corbels or medallions the MW co. Glues up or makes the blanks according to what I want. So it's back and forth.
Just pranked them the other day. One carving will end up being 1/2 inch in height and they wanted to know what thickness I wanted. I told them 83/164 ths. They laughed but they'd do it if I said so.
A long answer but just a glimpse into the mechanics of a job such as this.
It's never as simple as someone saying "I want a Shell" and you pop one out.

If you remember the tree I did, it's back!
Turns out the designer neglected to provide an important detail and now I'm splicing on an additional foot in height to it.
Pretty clever how I got another 40 pieces of wood attached to the top of the already carved and finished tree.

[Mark Yundt]

How's this job coming along, Mark?

Some pieces are starting to dribble in.
A small Acanthus leaf corbel/keystone and 4 small oval (2X4") medallions which I'm carving now. Just crazy small things with 56 beads about 1/8" around the perimeter. A flower in the center. These will go in the men's bathroom just off the ballroom.
Theyll fit into the facia above each leg between the sinks.