Mind the G ap

As we approach the two-year anniversary of COVID-19 lock-downs in Canada, a common perception has taken hold… That every day is indistinguishable from its predecessor. An observation commonly associated with Groundhog Day. So why not celebrate the monotony in the G ap Cave by repeating the last project… A Cherry hallway bench? Well for starters, duplication of a project requires untested skills that may not be up to the task. But tackling a similar but different challenge may be just the thing the G ap team needed to break out of the rut. So behold! A new take on the last project. This version features the same glorious Cherry as its older cousin, but is this time accented by breadboards in Ash held in place by purpose-made Cherry dowels. The raised side panels hint at the rising levels of confidence in the shop as of late, and the Ash racing strip turned into the feet speak to the efficiency that projects are now moving through the shop.

But fear not… there are plenty of signature G aps in this project to prove as testament to its handmade quality. I have a feeling that this project will be around for a long time, and be the envy of many G apsters!

Well wasn’t January a month for the record books! Extreme cold, for extremely long periods proved to be too much for the G apMan and Boy Wonder to hit some hardened lakes and pull minnow-size perch from the icy depths. Instead, the dynamic duo chose to dream of warmer, more inviting environs; captured perfectly in the not-so-copyrighted image found on this stunning hallway bench, fabricated from fragrant cherry wood that had been stored lovingly for years in a cattle barn. Imagine how a gentle breeze through its palm trees might whisk one away to the seductive dreamscape of a tropical paradise. And then, admire how that image straddles perfectly, a G ap that even a mother could love! C’est extraordinaire !

I hope that all you G apsters are ready for a new season in the workshop. I know that the G ap Man and Boy Wonder are certainly excited! But to kick off the season we’re going to return to the past. Just before getting kicked to the curb in favor of the SS BassMaster, a new media debuted in the shop… Walnut nano-veneer plywood. Yes you heard right… Nano-veneer. This stuff is so thin that a pencil mark can almost transfer all the way through. Still, if you are lucky enough to engage master G apsters in a fabrication project using this most delicate of materials you can construct absolutely beautiful media consoles like this example, trimmed in the most durable of Butternuts. Solid walnut panel doors hide any clutter that can be crammed inside!

Introducing on your right, His Majesty the King of Pepper, featuring a ceramic burr grinder at the base and Chess inspired refill crown/cap. A graceful vertical stripe of Tigerwood is embraced by it’s friend, the spalted Cherry Questionmark. The crown is the king of woods, Walnut, and the king’s slightly less dense cousin Butternut.

On the left is Her Majesty the Queen of Coffee, also featuring a ceramic burr element (Hey these royals like to keep it in the family. Look it up!) and a smooth chromed arm. Her Majesty is dressed in elegant Walnut and locally sourced Ash.

Both Mills are finished classic in Tung oil.

Even His Grace the Crown Prince of ‘is it dinner time yet’ couldn’t help but to check out the Queen to see if perhaps she was holding anything edible.

Well G apsters… today there were chips to the left of us… splinters to the right! Smoke was pouring from the depths as the Gap Man and Boy Wonder toiled to create the 8th and 9th wonders of the world. By the end, what had started out as mere blank canvases (canvi?) succumbed to the power of the lathe to emerge as — Pepper Mills!

Now… I’ve probably already exposed too much. So for now you’ll have to be satisfied with a glimpse at just the 8th wonder. To see both at once is surely too much for any man or beast to behold.

‘Til next time, mind the G ap!