vurv design

Dog pod on Dog Milk

2012-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

I just noticed that my Dog Pod was featured on Dog Milk. Thank's Dog Milk - and back at you. You were one of the first serious design blogs to feature my work.

Dog Milk - a sub-site of Design Milk. It's the best resource for good dog-centric design. Always clever finds - don't look for bone shaped feeding stations here.

How U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work - From the NY Times

2012-01-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

Why are we so bedazzled by electronics? Do you have a smart phone? - then read this. Face it, so much of what we desire is driven by designed obsolescence rather than true innovation. After all, while the information age is driven by the gadgets, it is the content that is important and not the gadget itself.

Think about how much you love your glass screen, no matter who made it. Would you be willing to pay twice as much for it if you knew it was made by middle class Americans, who not only would pay taxes, but would also spend their income directly in our economy?

From the NY Times article, by By CHARLES DUHIGG and KEITH BRADSHER

A foreman immediately roused 8,000 workers inside the company’s dormitories, according to the executive. Each employee was given a biscuit and a cup of tea, guided to a workstation and within half an hour started a 12-hour shift fitting glass screens into beveled frames. Within 96 hours, the plant was producing over 10,000 iPhones a day. . . . . “If it’s the pinnacle of capitalism, we should be worried.” JUMP

We should be outraged.

2012-01-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered Oliberté Shoes from a GOOD article:
http://www.good.is/post/how-oliberte-the-anti-toms-makes-shoes-and-jobs-in-africa/

They make great shoes, and the company is built on a strong ethical foundation. I am sold. I love to support companies that are built upon good ethics, rather than simply maximizing profit.

Then I learned that the founder, Canadian Tal Dehtiar, appeared twice on the show, the Dragon's den. The concept of the show is that aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors, who then decide if they would be willing to invest in their proposal. Here is the segment that Tal Dehtiar appeared in. Like my sister said, it makes me want to strangle Kevin O'Leary.

dragon's den

As consumers, let's give our money to the Tal Dehtiars of the world and stop supporting the likes of Kevin O'Leary. They've almost run their course, but unfortunately, they won't stop until they run everything into the ground.

another reason to know who makes your stuff

2012-01-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

Another reason to know who makes your stuff. And another reason not to obsessively buy new electronic gadgets. Sure they are cheap, but there is still a high price to pay. Besides, it doesn't matter how you interface with the internet - it's all the same content.
If you think about it for a minute, you would realize that, globally speaking, we are the 1%

From Good:

More than a decade ago, Nike paid a huge price in reputation when it was caught selling sneakers made by children. In the past decade, most of us have come to believe those labor issues have been solved by auditors surveying factories and ensuring that the conditions are such that we can continue to by stuff with wanton abandon, without guilt. . . . But all that only gives us a false sense of comfort. Today, hundreds of millions of workers are still subject to treatment and conditions that would horrify you. JUMP

Anjali Appadurai - What if she is right?

2011-12-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

I think she is right. I also think that we need to continue to take matters into our own hands - to "stop feeding the bear that's rampaging through the village" as I love to say. In this way, as individuals, we don't have to wait for change to come from above, but instead to start change from the bottom up.

At I time when I'm embarrassed of my country - this young woman, (from Coquitlam) sums up what so many of are thinking.

Take 5 minutes out of your day to listen to this address. It's a very simple message, that we need to take to heart.

Platform bed on my Behance portfolio

2011-12-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

Clicky

Mr Squirrel, You're Welcome - new work

2011-12-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a design for a squirrel house. Two pieces, with a nice big roof to keep them dry and safe.

series one feeder images - new

2011-11-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

these feeders are wall mounted

Floor Chair - is that your floor in my chair?

2011-11-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

My newest project, a chair made from salvaged white oak flooring. I use a material that has virtually no value for salvage - and usually ends off being carted off with the rest of the debris. Click through for more info.

All the water and air on earth gathered into spheres and compared to the Earth

2011-11-20T19:14:00.000-08:00

Left: All the water in the world (1.4087 billion cubic kilometres of it) including sea water, ice, lakes, rivers, ground water, clouds, etc.

Right: All the air in the atmosphere (5140 trillion tonnes of it) gathered into a ball at sea-level density. Shown on the same scale as the Earth.

Kind of small amounts, eh? Less than I would have imagined

Today in the Shop: reclaimed floor chair

2011-11-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

Floor chair progress: I am continuing to prototype my first chair. I have recently laid a floor out of reclaimed oak strip flooring from a house about to be demolished, and I had a ton of leftover pieces. This type of flooring is ubiquitous, and of little value because of the immense amount of labour involved in removing it, and its narrowness. So, I set out to find uses for it.
On this prototype, I am working at the basic form, and figuring out how to most elegantly exploit the nature of this raw material. I have been learning quite a bit about how to use these strips, I'm quite happy with it so far. Here is the progress to date:

Before and After: junk desk to showpiece

2011-11-14T12:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, this turned out better than I predicted. I found this hideous desk in a back alley, and noticed it had some potential. I peeled off the crummy plastic laminate from the plywood, and wrapped the whole thing in 1/8" thick bamboo ply. I straightened out the legs, painted them, and now Jian has a new desk!

Will the End of Oil Mean the End of Growth?

2011-11-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

In so many ways, recession is good, and growth is bad. I mean, the economy can't grow forever. Perhaps it's time to embrace the concept of recession. Food for thought from Good - article by Andrew Price

It’ll be nice when this recession is over and the economy starts chugging along again. When GDP resumes its ordained upward trajectory. When we finally get back to growth. After all, the economy should always be growing, right?
Well, maybe not. As you probably heard, the world’s population raced past the 7-billion mark sometime in the last few weeks. Meanwhile, we’re running out of water, rare earth metals, and oil. With resources dwindling and population booming, can the global economy sustain endless growth?

Jump

7 Billion and Counting

2011-11-11T18:03:00.001-08:00

From Quirks and Quarks
Saturday Oct. 29, 2011

The world's population has more than doubled in the last 50 years. 4 billion new humans since 1950.
Is the human population in overshoot - that is, already past the carrying capacity of the planet, using fossil fuels to feed and sustain the population? What is the carrying capacity of the earth? Dr Madeline Weld suggests that it may be as low as 100 million to a maximum of 2 billion. With this in mind, will populations stabilize, or will there be rising death rates?

This is a riveting discussion - if unsettling

Link
http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audioplayer.html?clipid=2161605717

http://www.cbc.ca/quirks

My plan A -

2011-11-09T21:23:00.000-08:00

How Wal-Mart Could Easily Pull Thousands of Its Employees Out of Poverty

2011-11-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

This article is more relevant than ever. " If Christy Walton alone gave up just one-eighth of her wealth, she could fund the wage increase by herself." Would she even notice this?

short article from good here

Today in the Shop

2011-10-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

I've just started prototyping a chair. I think this is one of the most challenging things to design well - I've never felt ready to tackle this. I've made a couple preliminary mock ups of the main joint. I am using oak strip flooring saved from a house that was being demolished - it is perfect for this.

I also found this desk in the back alley on my way home from walking Jian and Weijin to school. I love the metal legs. It's made from plywood, and not particle board, so I am able to re-veneer it, and clean it up. I've already covered the top in bamboo veneer. It is going to be for Jian's room. It doesn't look like much now, but it will be great!

new Coffee Table

2011-10-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple images of a new coffee table I have just finished. It's currently available on my Etsy store. It's made from bamboo, and jatoba veneer, with a fern frond and resin inlay.

we are the 99 percent

2011-10-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

These are the grassroots. We all have stories like these, don't we? http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/

Today in the Shop

2011-10-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am working on a new design for a coffee table. It has an inversely symmetric pattern on the top - one half bamboo, the other half Jatoba - an old piece of veneer I've had laying around collecting dust. Down the middle will be a resin inlay with embedded fern fronds. I hope to make good progress on this piece tomorrow, and it should be up on Etsy by the end of the week.

more new wall desk images

2011-09-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

bamboo wall desk finished

2011-09-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

This nice little desk is finished and is shipping right away. It features all bamboo veneer.

Today in the Shop

2011-09-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Today I am doing some final fine tuning to the bamboo wall desk. Tomorrow will be polishing and final assembly.

I'm also working on a custom console for a Mitsubishi Delica. I will post pictures of this installed when its done.

Squamish Chief

2011-09-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

We hiked up the Squamish Chief yesterday. It is a 700 meter tall rock that towers above the city of Squamish. It is very popular with climbers - plus there is a hiking trail up the backside. The view at the end is stunning. The cliff edge is right there.

Today in the Shop

2011-08-31T14:09:00.001-07:00

The drawers are assembled now, I think the corner detail is beautiful. It's nearly done now, the last piece that needs to fabricated is the desktop.

I have added a new item to my Etsy store. These are made from the cutouts on my pet feeders. I hate just throwing them away. I finished some up, and we use them around the dining and living room for all kinds of things - trivets, coasters, under vases. They look best on non-wood surfaces. The Pottery, buy the way, is from Steven Provence Pottery - a friend of mine from my architecture school days.

Today in the Shop

2011-08-24T16:33:00.001-07:00

One of the most stressful operations on a wall desk is attaching the first outer shell to the cabinet. It's a flurry of measuring, gluing, clamping, measuring again, re-clamping, re-measuring again - all before the glue starts to set. The first shell has to be perfectly placed, everything else is derivative from this one action. Plus, there is no undo option, or back button.

Ah, but it is all setting nicely - time for a nice cold Trader José!

Today in the Shop

2011-08-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Finger Joints!

I'm working on the last component of my most recent wall desk.

Decemberists at Malkin Bowl

2011-08-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

>Cindy and I saw the Decemberists last night - a really great outdoor concert. Pics:

Oregon - my new favorite state!

2011-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

But don't worry, I still love you Washington.

Here are some images from our 11 days touring around Oregon. Sand dunes, volcanoes, and beaches. . . . fantastic beaches!

hobo trailer pt.3

2011-07-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is the first trip out in the the trailer with the new configuration. I wanted to try it out, to tweak things a bit, before spending too much time on the rest of it. I'm working on the interior now, I will have more pics up soon.

Weijin caught a trout

2011-07-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Weijin caught a trout last night at Alouette Lake. She was thrilled and excited until we got it in the canoe, and she realized that she had caused it's death. There were mixed tears of joy and sadness. This was a valuable experience for us all, when you eat meat, you take a life. It's just that someone else usually does the life-taking part.

A Feeder for Fang Funk

2011-07-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

I sent Chris Funk, of the Decemberists a medium Douglas fir feeder for his pug, Fang.

I love this band, and can't wait to see them here in August, in Stanley Park. Here is the NPR tiny desk concert: a really great performance.

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/23/137247476/the-decemberists-tiny-desk-concert

This week in the shop

2011-07-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

My big project this week is this bamboo veneer wall desk. It is well underway, and I should mostly finish it this week. I still need to make the drawers and the desk surface, then assemble the whole thing. I will post more pictures as I move a long on this.

Today in the Shop

2011-07-18T06:58:00.001-07:00

I'm gluing together the interior frame for the bamboo wall desk I am working on. I have found that pre-finishing the interior surfaces before gluing makes life a lot easier. There is no need to worry about glue stains, excess glue can be wiped off with water before it sets.

I should be able to start preparing the interior of the shell today. The unusually humid weather here this summer has slowed the curing time of my finishes significantly. It's made it a bit harder to predict my timing on things. My garden likes it though!

Spark - Great episode featuring Tim Wu

2011-07-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2011/01/spark-133-january-9-12-2011/

A really great interview with Tim Wu that puts the internet giants (google, twitter, apple, etc) into a larger sociological context, argues for internet neutrality, and predicts the rise and fall of information empires. A thought provoking listen - and who can resist the voice of Nora Young!

Today in the Shop

2011-07-11T12:31:00.002-07:00

I've started building the cabinet for the next wall desk I am working on. This desk is going to be bamboo. This core is one of the more complex parts of a wall desk build - there are a lot of details in these pieces, plus it has to be strong.

Today in the Shop

2011-07-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today in the shop, I'm working on a bamboo wall desk. The two shell halves are pressed and I have trimmed them and started getting them ready for finish. Today I will begin constructing the interior cabinet section.

I'm always working on feeders as well - this time a series 3 deluxe, and a couple of small single feeders. All the cutouts for the bowls are cut with a hand held router and template.

Canada Day Celebrations

2011-07-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Jian and Weijin at Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam - Canada Day festivities.

hobo trailer pt 2

2011-06-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here it is with paint! The body still needs a bit of work, but it's looking much better. I chose yellow for the top because I can't imagine a reason that I wouldn't want to be easily found. Plus I like it.

the hobo trailer

2011-06-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Like I don't have enough projects on the go. Our old tent trailer leaked all winter and had to be gutted. The 1968 frame and sides are all still solid, so I have set out rebuild it for this summer's camping season.

I plan to re-configure it in to a very simple sleeping structure - essentially just a tent on wheels. So far, I have constructed the plywood and fiberglass top. Next up, the folding sides.

What I love about this trailer is how simple it is. We love camping, we love road trips and exploring the back country. This trailer lets us sleep up off the ground, keeps us dry, and lets us haul a modest amount of gear around. Best of all, it weighs nothing - we used to pull it with our little pontiac vibe.

I will post more pics as the refit moves along.

a hummingbird in my hands

2011-06-15T20:50:00.001-07:00

What a remarkable thing. A hummingbird hit our window this morning. I looked out, and there it was on the walk, stunned, wings splayed. I gingerly helped it back onto its feet, I couldn't just leave it there. With a little coaxing, it climbed up onto my finger. I held it there in my hands for a while, while it was breathing heavily, and shaking a little. I waited. I put it down in on the relatively safe little garden on our front step. I watched as it calmed down, regained its composure, and flew off into the maple tree in the front yard. It was one of the moments I will remember for a long time. I wonder what this little guy made of the whole thing.

Fancy Clamping

2011-06-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

These simple little feeders are not easy to make. They look simple, but they require many different steps to make. As you can see from the photos below, the clamping process for these simple forms is quite complex, and can only be done one feeder at a time.

do you want to feed the problem bear that's raiding your town?

2011-05-31T22:48:00.001-07:00

Alexandra Morton was referring to the way, as consumers, we are pumping dollars into the hands of the very corporations that are destroying the world we know. I've been saying this quote a lot lately. I was delighted that this talk on Saving the Salmon, concludes by asking us to look at our own consumer behavior. Listen to this brilliant cbc ideas lecture here:
Alexandra Morton

The most beautiful Ellipse bed ever

2011-05-05T14:20:00.001-07:00

This bed is on it's way to Kelowna, B.C. It was a really nice piece of walnut, with lots of dark contrast. The finish has to be seen and felt in person. I use an oil based Urethane finish - sprayed on with 5 coats this time. It gives a soft amber cast to the grain of wood. I find it to be less "harsh" looking than standard furniture lacquer - and silky to the touch. Most furniture makers don't use this because it takes so long to cure between coats - around 6 hours. Lacquer, on the other hand, cures in minutes.

would you pay an extra $58 for a US made ipod?

2011-04-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

This idea came from Good: Link

Yes! Of course.

The manufacturing middle class is disappearing in North America as their jobs head overseas - nothing new here. Witness the fact that the top 400 richest Americans now have more wealth than the bottom 50% of Americans combined! This is crazy. Responding to lower and lower pricing, without regard to other factors may be attractive in the short term, but over the long haul is decimating the middle class.

Not to mention, when you send your dollars overseas, you are supporting questionable environmental practices, unfair labour practices, and undemocratic political regimes - and on and on. Spending more on North American produced goods means you are supporting all that we have grown to love and expect from a good and democratic culture.

What can you do? Go shop on Etsy right now! It feels good - the money you spend goes to resurrecting a manufacturing middle class. There you will find earnest, hardworking and admirable North Americans who are heralding in a new era of American Craftsmanship. Vote for change with your dollars. You may not change the world, but you help change it for one person.

Apple Slammed by Chinese Environmental Groups

2011-01-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is why Apple is rotten. Sure, there are all kinds of reasons to be skeptical of this report - but come on, last! Don't they owe the good people of the earth a little better stewardship of all they are trusted with. link

Apple is not good. They are stylish, not good. They are slick, but not good.

For a refreshing corporate attitude - check out Marks and Spenser's plan A
Mark's and Spense�r

2011-01-24T18:32:00.000-08:00

This walnut pod is on it's way to Denver. Walnut is clearly Papito's colour.

I have finally left apple behind

2011-01-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

Why switch to Ubuntu? When Macs are so great!
1) The number one reason is poor corporate ethics. Any content that you legally purchase from the itunes store, for your ipad, iphone, ipod can not be moved to another platform without breaking the software locks.
2). The whole "app" environment discourages and stifles competition - and I'm not just talking macs here. What makes the internet great is the fact that no one controls it. Anyone can produce content, and any small upstart developers can hang up their shingle and join in. These newly emerging, platform specific environments are very highly controlled, expensive and yes, censored by large corporate interests. I want a digital life that is more open, not more restricted. How many of your apps do you actually need anyway?
3.) Coltan. Google it! It is used in virtually all electronics, by all manufacturers - cellphones, computers, games. It comes from the Congo. The human rights atrocities surrounding its production are appalling. As a consumer, I cannot dismiss my complicity in the market for this blood mineral. Small though my protest is, I have vowed not to buy any new electronics that contain this mineral until the human rights abuses related to its mining are addressed.

This all points me to Ubuntu. It is an open sourced, community based Linux operating system, that does not have inherent restrictions imposed by the producer. It also does not have obsolescence built into its fundamental corporate model. This means I was able to buy a computer that cost almost $4000 4 years ago for about $300 today, and use it for everything I need. To top it all off, the operating system, and all the software, including analogues for all popular applications are totally free. Tech support is free. Applications are backwards compatible.

I have a very active digital life; in fact, my livelihood depends on it. I am relatively tech savvy. However, I have lost my techno-lust. The life cycle of most consumer electronics is far too short, and we are paying a huge human and environmental price for this designed obsolescence. For me, it is all about the content, and not the gadget. Besides, I'm getting bored with Apple's aesthetic.

www.freegeekvancouver.org

Make this Better

2010-12-18T13:33:00.000-08:00

By Broken City Lab. I love this - these kind of unloved remainder spaces are everywhere. These spaces often define the tone of a neighborhood. So, I love when you pass a formerly vacant lot to see it occupied by a community garden. A vaguely uneasy space is transformed into a happy place. And is seems, that no matter what neighborhood they are in, they are so often made of found materials, and are decorated very differently than the surrounding homes - much more whimsical. The best part about them, they bring the people out. It gives people a place to go in their neighborhood. Get's you thinking about what else we can do.

modern cat winner

2010-12-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

I've just sent these two fabulous feeders to the modern cat giveaway winner, Sherry Krum and her Bengal. They should arrive in Annapolis just in time for Christmas! Congratulations!

Pussy and Pooch - new shipment of feeders

2010-12-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

Both locations of Pussy and Pooch have just received a shipment of vurv feeders. They have a wide assortment of series two feeders - most sizes and finishes. If you live in LA or Longbeach, this may be your last chance to get a vurv feeder before christmas.

From their website:

THE Ultimate Pet Destination... Pussy & Pooch brings a playful, edgy and fun twist to the traditional pet store experience with distinctive pet products and services. A colorful and interactive social setting for pets and their parents... Feast on a meaty pet meal at the Pawbar or lather-up your pooch in the Bathhouse...
Modern pet furniture. Stylish pet accessories. Organic pet food. Premium spa products.

Koto Shop in Aspen Colorado

2010-12-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

I just sent these feeders to Koto shop in Aspen, Colorado. Walnut + cherry. These are the only Vurv feeders in Colorado. If you need an awesome and unique handmade gift for a pet owner, these beauties are arriving somewhere around the 20th. KOTO 409 East Hyman Avenue, Aspen Colorado

SFmade

2010-11-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Brilliant! Kate Sofis from SFMade - Her ideas are so absolutely commonsensical, yet so radical in the context of the gobal industrial/consumer frenzy. 3.5 mins

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2iBkzd/www.good.is/post/the-modern-factory-sfmade-brings-manufacturing-back-to-san-francisco//r:t

Feeders, feeders, more feeders

2010-10-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

Christmas orders are starting to come in! I think it's easy to forget that all my feeders are hand made by me. I have way too many feeder options to keep an inventory of everything on hand, so it means I manufacture the feeders as the orders come in. These feeders represent a couple of days of work, and they are going all over the US, Canada, Belgium, and the UK. If I am not satisfied with a feeder, I will refinish it rather than ship it out. You may end up waiting an extra day or two for your feeder, but I just can't ship a feeder until I'm satisfied with it.

coming soon

2010-10-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

A single, wall mounted feeder. This is a variation of the series one feeder. It will make a great water dish and can be mounted anywhere. This will be great for animals that like to forage a bit for their water - like in a bathroom, or kitchen.

small things

2010-09-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

I am now using these black rubber stem bumpers for the feet of all my feeders now. The previous bumpers were silicon. These ones are softer, and "grip-ier" than silicon. It will keep feeders in place a little better - plus they are made in the USA.

Jian, Oliver, and Papito

2010-09-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

I love this

Back to Work

2010-09-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

Change of seasons - Kids are back in school - time to look back at a great summer! (click for a higher res show)

Oliver with an XL series one

2010-08-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a new photo of Oliver eating from a XL series one feeder in maple. Oliver is German Sheppard sized and weighs about 100 lbs.

wall desk progress

2010-08-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

Mr. Flippy is almost done. After much wet sanding and polishing, the front looks great

I have also attached the desk surface to the cabinet - so all the hard work is done. I just have to do a little detailing, and attach a few more pieces of hardware. Then, photographs, and it's ready to ship.

wall desk progress

2010-08-13T15:49:00.001-07:00

Flippy has a lid.

saltspring island

2010-08-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Photos from my family trip to Saltspring Island. It's so beautiful there, and it's only a short ferry ride away.

wall desk progress

2010-08-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Nearly there! Just a little more assembly, then I can cut out the desk surface. I know I'm repeating myself, but man, the hand polished surface is nice.

New Product - in Situ

2010-08-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

here are a few images of my newest product. TP plus space for moist wipes, or a spare roll. The exterior is hand rubbed for a silky smooth finish. Available in wenge, walnut, cherry, douglas fir, maple and bamboo veneers. Pricing will be $199.

Canadian + Handmade

2010-08-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

A very nice feature about my dog accessories from Canadian + Handmade. Check it out here!
C+H

Bum Chum

2010-08-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

New Product! One side for TP, the other side for moist wipes, or a spare roll of TP. Silky smooth hand rubbed finish on the lid.

Pricing TBA

wall desk progress

2010-07-30T16:17:00.001-07:00

The drawers are ready to go. Nicest one I've made yet. The finger joints are necessary because of the very thin material I am using for the sides - there would just not be enough gluing surface any other way. It seemed a shame to hide this detail away.

wall desk progress

2010-07-30T15:38:00.001-07:00

Finishing the Finish

I've been at a standstill with the finish on this desk. I've been having issues with dust. I think the warm moist air slows down curing time on the finish, allowing more time for dust to settle. After spending 1/2 day in the shop cleaning and removing dust and re-cleaning my equipment - I still had much the same result.

I hadn't tried hand rubbing a finish for quite a while, but really had no choice. The basic concept is that all applied finishes will have imperfections - unevenness and dust etc. After laying down the final coat of finish and allowing it to cure, you start with a fine sandpaper and slowly move up to finer and finer abrasives, and finish with a polish.

The result is fantastic! I worked it up to nice satin sheen, not too shiny. But, more noticeable is the way it feels - so smooth and silky - sprayed finishes never feel this nice.

So, now that I have this solved, progress will get back on track for next week. All that's left is basic assembly and finishing the desk surface.

wall desk progress

2010-07-26T18:10:00.001-07:00

Today I cut little finger joints, lots of them. I cut out and assembled the drawers, they just need finishing now. I started hand rubbing the exterior of the shell to prepare for the final assembly.

Sometimes I feel like wood working is my hobby. I spend far more time running my business than I do making things.

In the Studio

2010-07-23T17:26:00.001-07:00

Today, I finished up prototyping under bed storage for Weijin's bamboo bed. I plan to make two more of these compartments. The compartment is huge, but it looks very unobtrusive as it curves in.

I also put the finishing touches on a cabinet that is going into a commercial space - a kind of front window for the store. I haven't made the base for it yet.

wall desk progress

2010-07-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's starting to look like a piece of furniture. The shell is now finished, just needs a little final detailing. The center cabinet is complete and ready to go, I will try assemble everything tomorrow, so I can measure and cut the desk surface. With luck, this will be finished early next week.

Vurv pet feeders in Austin Lifestyle Magazine

2010-07-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

My Series Two pet feeders were featured in the Austin Lifestyle Magazine this month, thanks to Lofty Dog, our Austin retailer. Link to pdf

wall desk progress

2010-07-20T19:32:00.001-07:00

Today I laid out and cut the core box for the wall desk. There were a few details to refine, the previous wall desk was a prototype. Next I cleaned up and sanded the interior surfaces, and glued the pieces together. Tomorrow I plan to attach the back, the french cleat for wall mounting, and hopefully attach the two outer shells.

wall desk progress

2010-07-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Today, I trimmed and sanded the shell halves to prepare them for finishing. The first layer of finish is applied. It's always a relief to get to this point, because there are so many things that can go wrong and ruin a piece. I was also able to get the desktop into the press.

Holiday photos - Birkenhead Lake

2010-07-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

wall desk progress

2010-07-09T08:14:00.001-07:00

The shells for the desk are out of the press. They are still in a rough state, but they came out perfectly. Next, I will trim them, and clean them up to prepare them for finish. This should happen on tuesday.

We are just leaving on a much deserved long weekend to Birkenhead Lake. 4 days of sun, swimming, and canoeing.

Ellipse bed - Maple/celery

2010-07-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

I just finished this bed up for a local client. I love the maple/celery combo. They also got a large feeder to go with it. The cushion was constructed by a Vancouver upholsterer, Marc Cocar. He does great work. The client will pick this up tomorrow!

wall desk progress

2010-07-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I've finally been able to get a start on the wall desk I will be documenting.

First step - cutting and pressing the shells. The two halves are pressed separately in a vacuum press. It will sit in the press for about 4 hours while the glue cures. I will press the second half, and probably the writing surface tomorrow.

Little Bandit

2010-06-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Can you see the goldfish scales in his teeth?
The crows were making a huge ruckus this morning outside my window. I looked out and there was this raccoon in the yard. As I watched, he jumped into the little pond in our garden. I bolted outside (grabbing my camera first) to chase him out before he ate the gold fish. Well. . . he wasn't the least bit scared of me, and I was too late. I'll have to find another way to keep the mosquito larvae out of the pond. It's a bit comforting to know at least some wildlife can co-exist in a human environment.

A new face at Vurv Design!

2010-06-15T13:12:00.001-07:00

That's right, my family has just taken custody of this little rescued Long haired Chihuahua. You can bet that Pepito will well equipped with Vurv gear. His face will start to show up in product photos soon!

wall mount desk

2010-06-11T14:46:00.001-07:00

I'm going to document the progress on the latest wall desk I am making. It is destined to go to knoxville, TN. So far, I have picked out a nice piece of black walnut veneer. I will begin pressing this on monday.

It's too bad about Apple

2010-06-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

It's too bad about apple. I used to love them. Their design. Their software. It was cool, because it was so great. For me, function always comes first and Apple's operating system was always so much better than Windows. A pleasure, satisfying.

The newest Apple products are definitely both of these. People are converting from windows to Apple like crazy. Unfortunately, apple has neglected the function part of the equation. They have intentionally limited their OS, locking it to everyone except those they sanction. They have become too smug. It's incredible to me that apple has convinced millions of people that it's acceptable that when you buy music, you can only listen to it on their applications. If you decide that you want to switch away from i tunes, tough luck. Same goes for i-anything.

The cool demographic has already moved on - many to Ubuntu, who's very essence is open source. What does this mean? Freedom basically. Ubuntu is a community. Ubuntu is created by its users. Ubuntu is free. It's a democracy.

On the popularity and coolness bellcurve, apple is at it's peak - give or take. The mainstream taste makers are on board. But the game changers have left. Apple is not that different - it's just wearing a turtleneck. It's only a matter of time until everyone else catches on.

If you are not outraged by Apple already, listen to this:
http://podcasts.tvo.org/searchengine/audio/800832_48k.mp3

Is this the end of cheap Chinese Labour?

2010-06-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Honda workers in China, after being on strike for about two weeks, secured a 24% increase in salary. Chinese workers are increasingly aware of their collective power to affect changes in their own circumstances. Couple this with a growing realization of the discrimination against them as cheap labour and it's easy to imagine the end of cheap Chinese labour. I can't imagine a better scenerio for the North American Middle class, and for the Chinese. Not to mention that it will stem the flow of cheap, low quality manufactured goods. From google news:

Link

Vurv on Cargoh

2010-05-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice posting from Cargoh - they are "a place where artists, musicians, designers, and other miscellaneous creative types can be seen, heard, and collected in one community driven marketplace."

Great community, nice post!

Bent Plywood Beauty

Cory Doctorow in the Guardian

2010-05-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

image from the Guardian photograph: Bart Nagel
If you don't know Cory Doctorow, you should. Google seach the name "cory" and he's the top hit.

What is most important about Cory Doctorow is not his science fiction - but the fact that he is pioneering new models for profiting from intellectual property. He has taken on giant publishers, and the insane copy write laws that have crept into our everyday life (who do you think the 30 000 word license agreement for itunes purchases protects?) He is not only championing a new model for distributing and profiting from intellectual property - he is also proving that it works by giving away all his writing for free, and finding other means to generate income. To do otherwise is to deny the reality of our time. "it's very hard to monetise fame, but impossible to monetise obscurity"

Read the recent Guradian article about him here

If this piques your interest, follow him on twitter, and listen to some of his lectures which are all over the web.

Weijin's new bed

2010-05-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

The barefooted cobbler's children get a new pair of shoes!

It's rare that I can actually afford to spend time making projects for my own family. It's been a long time coming - this is Weijin's new bed. Bent ply and bamboo veneer, sleek and simple. The structure of the bed is contained in the curved sides. I plan to make some wheeled storage boxes to fit under it. I like to be able to see under a bed, it makes a small room feel a little less small. Weijin loves it!

The Treasure Box

2010-05-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is as campy as I get. I justify it because they are functional. I think every kid needs one of these.

Heirloom design - built to last

2010-05-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

. . . .GOOD: What do you mean by “heirloom design?”

SAUL GRIFFITH: An object with “heirloom design” is something that will not only last through your lifetime and into the next generation, but that you also desire to keep that long because it’s beautiful, functional, and timeless. . . .

From www.good.is Read the entire article here

By the way, my daughters play with my lego from my childhood - and we continue to add new sets to it. Same goes for our first generation Fischer Price toys - just as relevant today as ever.

Interview for Cullami

2010-05-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Cullami: Discoveries from the Handmade Market

. . . . Aside from your business, what keeps you busy?
For me the question is “what keeps you not busy”. . . .

Read the rest HERE

Another reason to buy a series 1 feeder

2010-04-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

It's wall mountable!

I will be adding the wall mounting kits to the website soon. The stainless steel bowl fits inside as a saucer. One more way to satisfy my wall mounting obsession!

In Circle pets giving away two series one feeders

2010-04-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

S.F. based InCircle Pets is giving away two series one feeders. Details here:

While you are there, take a look around - there is a wealth of information for not only S.F. area pet owners, but any urban pet owners. It's a great site.

Interview for Premium Pet

2010-04-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

. . . .What are your thoughts on being an independent small company contributing to the global craft economy?
Wow, that’s a big question. While our consumption based global economy is going strong – I think there is an emerging realization that it is fundamentaly flawed. Everything is finite. . . . Check out the whole interview here:

New Series 1 Bowls from Vurv

2010-04-12T16:10:00.001-07:00

New Series 1 Bowls from Vurv

Blog post from Dog Milk - Dog Milk is a website dedicated to modern design for modern dogs.

Is this packaging really necissary?

2010-04-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

I needed some new toothpaste. There was a deal, buy the toothpaste, get the brush for free, so I did. When I opened it up, the amount of packing material seemed ridiculous for a plastic toothbrush, and a tube of toothpaste. I know that the paper is all recyclable, but don't kid yourself, there is an environmental cost to all that completely unnecessary material. Are we really so bedazzled by the shiny packaging? We're supposed to feel good about recycling all this barely used waste - how about not making it in the first place? Imagine a world where the tubes of toothpaste all sat on the shelves naked, and toothbrushes were were not in plastic blister packs. I think we would still buy them.
I

Vurv.ca relaunched

2010-04-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

After a lot of work, I have finally relaunched vurv.ca. I have tried very hard to keep the site a simple as possible. There is still more work to do, but the site is much more unified than the previous version.

www.vurv.ca

Made in Canada? By Francis Lemieux

2010-03-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

We have a new game in our house. It’s called Finding Stuff That’s Made in Canada. It not quite like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it is getting close.
When I was growing up in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, almost everything was made close to home. I grew up in “The Steel City” of Hamilton Ontario and in the farming area nearby.
My Dad worked at Westinghouse, a gigantic factory occupying several city blocks. Almost everything that used electricity in our house came from Westinghouse. Most of our neighbours worked at jobs that involved the making of something, everything from soap to steel.
A variation of the Find Stuff That’s Made in Canada game is Find Stuff That Used to Be Made in Canada. It’s too easy, as long as you have some stuff that’s more than a few decades old.

Continue reading http://relevantwoodworking.blogspot.com/2010/02/made-in-canada.html

Casa e jardim

2010-03-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

link

Short mention and images of the Dog Pod and Ellipse bed in this Spanish publication.

In the Studio

2010-03-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Today, I am working on an all wood ellipse, and an all wood pod - both in wenge. I will have images of these before I ship them. Like the feeders, they look better with all wood veneer instead of the plastic laminate.

Meet Zoe

2010-02-22T20:48:00.001-08:00

My family has been fostering this cat, Zoe, since before Christmas. It has taken this long for her to settle into our house - we have another cat, Cinder, and a dog, Oliver. She is an adorable, petite little cutie. Expect to see her now and again in Vurv photos

Animal Wellness Center - featured retailer

2010-02-19T13:17:00.001-08:00

We would like to welcome our newest retailer, and congratulate Dr. Annie Harvilicz on opening her new Animal Wellness Center, on 2803 Main St. in Santa Monica. I love the wellness approach to heath care - a focus on promoting good health, rather than simply treating illness. I also love the simple and modern design of the facility, designed with both humans and K9's in mind. The L.A. Times article and Los Angeles Magazine articles posted below provide some great images and more information about the centers.