Aug 11

Harry & Hermione Wands – Daniel D. Brown, 2018

I made these wands for a couple of burgeoning young wizards. Harry’s is made from walnut, while Hermione’s is ash. Carved by hand.

 

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I finished whittling these little wands for a young Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger (@jennifermxavier). While not nearly as intricate as the “real” things (the kids are like 4-5ish so I wasn’t going for perfection especially on Hermione’s), the Harry wand is actually 11” (and contains a real Phoenix feather core. Kidding), while Hermione’s is 10 3/4”, as per Mr. Ollivander’s specifications. Harry’s is walnut, and the faux bark crevices were darkened with chalkboard paint. Hermione’s is ash, stained with vinegar/steel wool and then resanded. Finished with @odiesoil. Cut first on a bandsaw, then with a @morakniv sloyd knife. #harrypotter #woodenwand #harrypotterwand #whittling #odiesoil #madeinpittsburgh

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Jul 19

River Coffee Table – Daniel D. Brown, 2018

We finally have a new coffee table! Lombardy poplar (not to be confused with tulip poplar, which isn’t actually a poplar), walnut, epoxy (West System), and blue ocean pigment (Eye Candy). This was definitely a learning experience, with many mistakes and challenges along the way. But in the end, I’m more than happy with how it turned out – and it’s much prettier than our old particle board/veneered table. The top came from a tree cut down across the street from our house. It had been standing mostly dead for several years (like most of the Lombardy poplars in the US). I chainsawed and milled the log myself. This table took me almost exactly a month to build. See my instagram for several posts detailing this build.