http://www.robincorell.com/sculpture daily 0.75 2017-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439408998983-0OX8ZFAS3LOO9U1QTCPX/image-asset.png Sculpture Arroyo steel, bronze wood,stone 24"h x 22"w x 5"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439408998983-0OX8ZFAS3LOO9U1QTCPX/image-asset.png Sculpture Arroyo steel, bronze wood,stone 24"h x 22"w x 5"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439409037647-4VJ6QHWJJCM03D6SBW81/image-asset.png Sculpture Ghost Tree House bronze, steel, light 27.5"h x 22.5"w x 4.5"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439410656284-K1Q3ABW87QP3HIM2R11B/image-asset.png Sculpture Loggerheads wood, lead, copper 31"h x 15"w x 10"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834523984-3JVSH6G6VYBIU1E0C697/This+One+Picked+Me.png Sculpture This One Picked Me steel, cast bronze 10.5"w x 15.5"h x 2"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834629692-2YTVKXYGCWGQ30SUXW98/Wishing+House.png Sculpture Wishing House steel 12.5"w x 17"h x 1"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834695186-M2RKZPZCFOC9E797O8SI/heart.png Sculpture untitled steel 12"w x 16"h x 1"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834765612-YUJUPS4JHBTBVMS0D9Y6/Where+The+Water+Meets+The+Wind.png Sculpture Where The Wind and The Water Meet steel 14"w x 17"h x 1"d https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834826272-Q4UZ651KS857TXB4POTQ/self+portrait.png Sculpture Taurus 30"h x 12.25"w x 1"d steel, moonstones, light https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1493834881708-R11LH0S4MC5GA7YXCCXH/Fool%27s+House.png Sculpture Fool's House 36"h x 18"w x 7"d bronze, steel, light http://www.robincorell.com/drawings daily 0.75 2015-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439416246254-27RT182CC1VE153J6RAO/image-asset.png Drawings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439416246254-27RT182CC1VE153J6RAO/image-asset.png Drawings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439416859992-ZNFCNTXHNPONCQOT1V58/image-asset.png Drawings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439417088202-9DA0TWX7BRL89UPAWPX3/image-asset.png Drawings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439416462092-KY01TPBSTC6OISOKO07S/image-asset.png Drawings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439492231546-SWJODZV04Q8GZ9Y8L28G/image-asset.png Drawings http://www.robincorell.com/inthestudio daily 0.75 2016-05-14 http://www.robincorell.com/inthestudio/2016/5/14/making-shavings monthly 0.5 2016-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463275255173-ZJC9DASML399H64WILF3/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Making Shavings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463269024318-IW7GZPVA0SJ28EEALQP6/20160512_195239.jpg In The Studio: - Making Shavings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463275351129-CM85PYBK3QSRU87VLW4Q/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Making Shavings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463275498303-U4D8XGYC77TWRK880KWZ/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Making Shavings http://www.robincorell.com/inthestudio/2016/5/12/4slkafd23js4dtck5tio78fp6cn42j monthly 0.5 2016-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463076475162-46QXNNTQ3FSW1UQECV4H/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Because I Can https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463262543745-E4HX5TWHLZ20J1PN8SXI/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Because I Can https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463262389707-02K5GV5D4S8MQAV9IAI8/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - Because I Can http://www.robincorell.com/inthestudio/2016/5/11/knsfayhj5mroqu5lkbp36hdf5znv82 monthly 0.5 2016-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463018174066-ZK28I7ZGCOWOOQB8W9AL/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - The Work Before Work Can begin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1463015893783-CWV2XY4JP921MYJO8DWF/image-asset.jpeg In The Studio: - The Work Before Work Can begin http://www.robincorell.com/inthestudio/2016/5/3/revatt-table monthly 0.5 2016-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1462293763271-OXT6LQOGDOYG8OVZGE4K/image-asset.png In The Studio: - Sculpture with a Table Top http://www.robincorell.com/home daily 1.0 2016-05-04 http://www.robincorell.com/furniture daily 0.75 2015-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827449748-IZ81V02W9B338Q8731HI/Fallingwater_chair.jpg Furniture - Fallingwater chair sold 60"h x 22"w x 22"d claro walnut I have always admired the tall backed chairs designed by Charles Rene McIntosh and Frank Lloyd Wright but a beautiful as they are they are almost universally criticized as painfully uncomfortable. My goal with this design was to create a design with the presence and drama of the tall backed chairs of McIntosh and Wright but with correct ergonomic design to make it comfortable to use. The back appears to be a single vertical board but in reality the portion below the seat is angled to the rear for stability and the portion above the seat is angled to the rear at a comfortable angle. The figured walnut seat is carved out in a traditional pommel with the rear of the seat just slightly below the front. The result is a chair with the presence and strength to stand alone, but with the comfort to be able to function as a dining room chair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827466320-GO00UC42MN0FL4KB870B/display_stand.JPG Furniture - Display Stand currently available 65"h x 20"w x 20"d American elm, grey elm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827487755-YLDH21YOCO8LD859TK1I/floating_top_table.JPG Furniture - Floating table This table is currently available. h 30" x w45" x d 21" Curly Claro Walnut, Camphor   I made this writing desk because I needed a place to sit and pay my bills and a drawer to store my check book in. The design began as a beautiful plank of Claro Walnut that I thought would look nice if it were resawn and book matched. A minor mishap with the bandsaw made it necessary to plane the boards to 5/8", a thickness that is noticeably thinner than most table tops. Rather than try and disguise the fact that the top is visually thinner than I would have liked, I decided to emphasize it by beveling the underside with a rather wide bevel to make the edge appear even thinner. I then added spacers between the apron and the top to accentuate the thinness and make the top appear to float above the table. The design of the base came together as I built it. I knew I wanted the legs to taper and an apron with some type of molding detail. after the joinery was completed I decided to use a gouge to carve a shallow wide cove on the apron. I really liked the way that the tooling marks left by the gouge gave a textural representation to the curly figure so I decided to add some carving to the legs. Since the legs were already cut and tapered this meant the only place left was the corners. I like the way the top of the chamfer reflects the subtle profile of the cove in the apron. the last detail to be worked out was how to attach the top without interrupting the clean look from the side. The top and bottom of the table top are both visible, which meant a traditional method of attaching the top would be visually unacceptable. I needed something that would replace the normal function of the apron, which is to keep the top flat, as well as a means of attaching the top. a good friend of mine suggested using sliding dovetails, a solution I had already dismissed because I didn't want the resulting groove showing from the front. That is when my friend, furniture maker extrodinare John Burt, suggested segmenting the sliding dovetails. The table top is attached by setting it on top of the dovetail pins and pushing it to the front 2"- the elegant solution. Something that is integral to the success of the design, yet can't even be seen. This table has many details that are not readily noticeable, yet combine to make a harmonious design, one that is very three dimensional. The top and the apron are slightly curved on the ends of the table. The spacers between the apron and the top are graduated in width, as are the spaces between them. The wide chamfer on the underside of the top is not flat, but is a 4" radius, shaped by hand with a spoke shave. There are 20 hand cut mortice and tennon joints, 8 of which have double stub tennons. The dovetails on the drawer were cut by hand as were the segmented sliding dovetails that secure the top. The finish is eight coats of hand rubbed tung oil and carnuba wax. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827503510-509AXESEX1QDIR30OWL6/by_the_light_of_the_moon_front_%26_right_side.jpg Furniture - By The Light of The Moon currently available 64"h x 31.5"w x 27.5"d sugarpine, salvaged purple heart, linden, white pine   There is a twin to this cabinet that utilized the blue insect damaged portions of the wide boards. I decided to make both cabinets at the same time using the dimensions of the commissioned one for both. The inside measures 24"h x 20"w x 19"d and was sized to accommodate a small TV and DVD player. Early in the building of this cabinet I knew I wanted to do some carving on the panels and thought that ebonizing the rails and stiles might frame the carving nicely. I had no idea what the carving would be until one morning when I woke up and knew it was supposed to be "hands". The hammered texture on the ebonized rails and stiles seemed like a logical extension of the carving, and a way to invite the viewer to touch the cabinet. The other cabinet is 34" tall, but this one seemed to want to be more human in scale. The Purple Heart seemed like a good choice to use for the legs because it goes so well with the ebonized cabinet. The Purple Heart came from the scrap pile at San Jose State University after they built some picnic tables out of it. Like much of my work this cabinet is a composition of subtle complex details that when viewed as a whole combine to form a deceptively simple looking work; the four carved sides are slightly convex, the panel raising detail is all done by hand with a gouge, the slightly tapered stretchers on the legs have a double "s" curve, the mortise and tenon joint where the streatrchers join the leg has a radius (reminiscent of the Danish modern work from the 1950's). All joinery on the carcass, inner frames, and doors is accomplished by bridal joints. The finish is a combination of plain and tinted tung oil on the panels, analine dye and tung oil on the rails and stiles, and lacquer on the Purple Heart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827597129-9S1CDON2AX02Y2I9GSWP/rio_blanco_front_%26_right_side.jpg Furniture - Rio Blanco This cabinet is the twin to my "By the Light of the Moon " cabinet. The wood for both came from a tree that was struck by lightning at a camp ground near Lake Isabella. The lightning strike injured the tree and allowed a fungus to infect the wood which is the cause of the striking blue color. A friend of mine was paid to remove the tree and I purchased the wood after running it through his kiln. All surfaces inside and out have been finished with hand tools. The edged of the raised panels were carved by hand with a gouge while the remaining surfaces were all planed by hand. Because the sides of the cabinet are slightly curved the insides of the panels are planed with a curved bottom plane. Construction is all sold wood and assembled with hot hide glue with the exception of the top which was attached using the traditional method of using tapered wood screws. All the rails and stiles are al put together with bridal joints and the panels were then joined with splined miters. Rio Blanco was sold at the November 2006 Contemporary craft market in Santa Monica. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827631328-MY7RQVM1D685HRPPWDZB/rio_blanco_interior_detail.jpg Furniture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827526194-VTVBZQ2B1CR40J249HR5/golden_spruce_floor_lamp.JPG Furniture - Golden Spruce floor lamp sold 90"h x 14"w x 14" engleman spruce, synthetic parchment The Goden Spruce is a single very special sitka spruce tree. It was located on Haida Gwaii(Queen Charlotte islands, British Columbia). It was a tree that should not have grown to maturity because it lacked the pigmentation in its neetles to protect it from the suns UV rays. Yet it stood tall and golden in a sea of green sitka spruce trees. This special tree was known as K'iid K'iyaas by the Haida First nation and as one can imagine, very sacred in its spiritual significance. On January 22, 1997 The Golden Spruce was cut down by an eco terrorist. The story of the Goden Spruce is very dear to my haert and I had been thinking of how I could honor this tree. One morning I woke up with this image in my head and went out to the shop where I set what I was working on aside and worked on this until it was completed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827666132-44WT9ZNXI8CPS7XJTJI4/lamp_pic.jpg Furniture - Table lamp Monterey Cypress 7 1/2" x 14" available The shade is made from a proprietary material that consists of 25% recycled milk jugs, plant based resins and oils. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827540925-PXBZXVAWZDWAIRTAECJP/jewelry_box_front_view.jpg Furniture - Cynthia's jewelry chest This unusual jewelry chest was made to sit on a vanity in front of a mirror. I chose the book matched Camphor for the rear panel as carefully as I did the Claro Walnut for the drawer fronts. The graduated knobs were turned out of Japanese Boxwood. 19"h x 7"w x 4"d 2003   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827556682-G86EZR79QSHMNAN74PRL/jewelry_case.JPG Furniture - Jewelry Chest sold 46"h x 17."w x 10.5"d curly claro walnut, camphor, lemon, pecan This is a chest of subtle details starting with the wildly figured camphor wood dovetailed case which delicately scents the interior of the drawers. The drawer fronts are cut from a single wide piece of instrument grade curly claro walnut with the grain running continuous trough all the drawers. The elliptical lemon wood drawer pulls are each surrounded by a subtle carved pattern echoing the elliptical pull. This carved area around each drawer pull is not just a decorative detail but also functions to make the inevitable denting and scratching around diminutive pulls part of the design rather than something that detracts from the design. The carved texture around the drawer pulls is also repeated in the carved apron and on the carved corner chamfer of the legs. Even the back has a figured walnut panel and a carved apron.   The interior of the drawers are lined with black felt and currently divided into a total of 150 individual compartments with the bottom drawer having no dividers. This layout will be altered befor being shipped to its new home in Hawaii. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827581916-242AFBJS6KD65ZD1SWHJ/silver_chest.JPG Furniture - Silver Chest *sold 64"h x 24"w x 12" claro walnut, olive, port orford cedar This piece was commissioned to house a collection of rare coins. one of the details that make this a rather unique piece is that is is solid wood construction. The drawer pulls were turned from come spectacular curly olive.   * a similar chest with carved cypress panels will be available sometime during the summer of 2008 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827697261-EKLJYTEAYB0LQP6QN9KX/shoji_table_front.jpg Furniture - Shoji table This table was commissioned by the same client as the Mokume table. My design parameters were the size and shape of the top and "that it look like the same person made both tables". We discussed several ideas, one of them being the possibility of doing an inlay design in the top. I started thinking of the possibilities and let my mind wander. One idea I had was to use translucent materials in an inlay and to then light it from below. The idea of a light in the base took over the design and this is the result. Currently available 2 of 10 16.5" x 20" x 16" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827720014-7I3S6MUOJ5AQ4YMYOBTD/just_a_cigar.jpg Furniture - Just a Cigar currently available 36"h x 46"w x 12"d American elm I chose to go to the primitive influences behind Danish modern design for the inspiration for this table. The inscription on the top is carved in ancient sumarian cuneiform. The underside of the top as well as the legs all have hand tooled surfaces. I think the result is a table with an air of elligant primitivisim https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436838114052-FQLIERYIXUE3G8MSKHB1/just_a_cigar_top_detail.JPG Furniture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827737698-189VOJC5P47S8IAO5KKV/serenity_bench.JPG Furniture - Serenity Bench Monterey Cypress 18" x 60" x 17" available Many ancient cultures use a wavy line to depict water, I have used that same wavy line for the overall shape of the bench as well as for the carved pattern on the ends of the legs. The name is derived from the proprietary finish that is infused with a blend of Chinese medicinal herbs that promote calmness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827756617-OEWKFV4J0UDCLN19WYIE/Lance+and+Julie%27s+mantle.jpg Furniture - L&J Mantle I don't normally do fireplace mantles but this one was for my brother and his wife. I did an overall design for updating the exterior of their house with some craftsman details. This mantle brings some of those motifs into the interior. The hearth is cast concrete with a bullnose edge detail to match the kitchen counters. The mantle is American Elm and is finished with clear lacquer. I really like Elm for pieces like this because it can look older than it really is. The mantle cap is a bit over 7' wide and almost 4" thick, it is the only part that is hollow. I have made many mantles in the past as patterns for casting in plaster or concrete. It was a treat to get to make one in wood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827777566-KAPNAFLQQE9D71DI7Y5I/mokume_table_front.jpg Furniture - Mokume table This table was commissioned by a couple who live in Tucson AZ. It functions as a place to rest a bottle of wine and two glasses while relaxing at the end of the day. The sterling silver connector was a last minute design change and to me it is what makes the design sing. The wood is from an exceptional log of instrument grade curly Claro Walnut, the top displays some spectacular crotch figure from the same log. Available on request Limited edition of 10 h 30" x d 12" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827793822-91197DGZOFZIA67CWF3Q/mokume_table3l4.jpg Furniture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827824533-MEV8IQGXTU7SADLXZRK4/tyi_warra_elm.JPG Furniture - Tyi Warra Shown in Black Locust, currently available in Elm or Monterey Cypress 18" x 38" x 12" Tyi Warra comes from the Bamana people of Africa and is represented as an antelope. The Tyi Warra headdress is carved as a pair, male and female. It is this idea of a pair making up a whole that was the idea behind this bench/stool. While many may think the curvilinear tapered octagonal legs are an influence of the styling of �mile Ruhlmann, the legs are actually more influenced by a Danish modern stool that was in my shop for repair. If you look closely you can see an antelope in each stool; the gracefully tapered flank with the rear legs poised to jump, the "v" of the chest carved in the underside of the seat, the antlers reflected in the shape of the leg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436827842375-E8V68923KBJT8DQ2APZ6/tyi_warra_elm_detail.jpg Furniture http://www.robincorell.com/bio daily 0.75 2015-07-30 http://www.robincorell.com/urbanlumber daily 0.75 2016-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436804956888-XN2TMYPJZZSWS4UBGOWL/american+elm.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - american elm This is that graceful vase shaped tree that can grow tall enough to shade an entire street. Elms are native to most of the United States as well as Europe and parts of Asia. The beautiful trees along so many streets in this country however are not American Elms, but European elms and most often red elm. There are some true American Elm trees around that managed to survive the Dutch Elm Disease infestation and some of these provided the genetic material for several patented cultivars that are now available and are being marketed as resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. Elm has a long history as a wood used in furniture and boat building. Even though Elm has a long history as a furniture wood it is not commonly available in lumber yards because of a policy aimed at combating Dutch Elm disease which required Wood from infected trees to either be burned or buried with in 24 hours of felling. This policy was difficult if not impossible to enforce and eventually it was abandoned. The bury or burn policy may not have stopped the spread of Dutch Elm disease but it took the wood off the market and now since no one knows it is available there is no demand for it, and since there is no demand for it, it is not available in the market..... When the London Bridge was dismantled and moved to Arizona the Pilings in the water were found to https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436804970048-Z043YHC8PAH5D57GIIDH/ash.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - ash Ash is a light colored wood with an open grain. It works well with both hand and power tools and traditionally it was used when a strong straight grained wood was needed. With the right finish it can be indistinguishable from Oak. Most people are most familiar with ash as the wood of choice for baseball bats, if they even know that baseball bats used to be made out of wood. Ash is a dream to mill because it holds much less water than many other trees making the green wood much lighter. Because it has such a low moisture content when green it cures with very little warping and in a relatively short time. It is one of the few woods that I routinely mill into 4" thick slabs. There are many different kinds of Ash, however in the central part of California Modesto Ash is the most common. It is similar to Water Ash with the main differences being that the wood of Modesto Ash is slightly more yellow and the grain is not quite as open and a bit lighter making it a little less striking in contrast. I currently have one tree of each, both outgrew their suburban backyards. The picture is of Water Ash. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436804988152-LNY0BGK3E9T05930HM1R/birch.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - birch Paper Birch is often planted as an ornamental in California where it rarely thrives. It is particularly susceptible to termites and post boring Beatles which do happen to thrive in California. The Birch that I have was harvested as a standing dead tree and dried in the round. When I cut into it I discovered that it was spalted. Spalting is something that happens when a tree sustains an injury and part of it dies allowing a fungus to take up residency. The colors that often result from the fungus and, or water damage can be spectacular and unpredictable. The patterns that are in this birch make it a prime candidate for oyster veneer. Oyster veneer is made by cutting perpendicular to the log so that the annular rings are displayed as circles or ovals in the veneer. This particular log will produce enough veneer to do a mosaic pattern on a very large table or several smaller ones. I think it would be perfect for a Biedermeier inspired piece. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819485250-62QH7JTGJZIOYJ3A1ANF/black+acacia.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - black acacia Acacia is related to Koa, or more precisely Koa is a member of the Acacia genus. Black Acacia wood is the most desirable variety of acacia excluding Koa, and has a long history as a furniture wood. The picture really does not do the wood justice as it has an iridescent like quality, the precise term for this is chatoyancy and with acacia it can cause the light and dark ribbons to change places when a board is rotated 180 degrees, as you can imagine this can be spectacular as well as frustrating when color matching boards in a piece of furniture. Any one who has ever seen a guitar or ukulele made out of Koa will know what this looks like. I am particularly taken by the contrast between the heart wood and the sap wood. the wood works and behaves very much like Mahogany. It is very buttery to carve despite its hardness, though when carving with the grain it does tend to shake out a bit. The wood is very hard and dense and polishes up very nicely. The wood I have is from an unusually large tree removed from a back yard in Arroyo Grande and was given to me by a friend. I have enough wood for a moderate sized piece of furniture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819343381-7APAV02W61J5S44KH00T/black_locust.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - black locust Locust Is often thought of as a weed tree that grows along creeks. That being said both Black Locust and Honey Locust are still highly prized as furniture woods. Historically Locust has been used extensively for handles, chair seats and fence posts. In fact it was so valued for fence posts that an old saying about how it should be used directs that "A large rock should be placed in the bottom of the post hole, and when the rock rots away it is time to replace the fence post." The biggest difference between Black Locust and Honey Locust is in the color of the wood rather than the bark or the flowers. I have seen Black locust trees bear white, pink, or purple flowers. Another distinctive though totally useless quality of locust is that it is the most phosphorescent wood under a black light. Of all the woods I have milled Locust is by far the heaviest. It is extremely hard and contains the highest percentage of moisture. Because of its density and high moisture content it takes the longest time to cure and can take twice as long as Walnut of a similar thickness. When it is dry it is reasonably stable and will take a high polish. It has a very spicy scent though not unpleasant. With an oil finish it can have a warm amber tone but if freshly sanded and then finished with lacquer it can have a yellow green tone which fades quickly in direct sunlight. The handle and tote on my Stanley #7c are both made from Black Locust and it always makes my heart sing to use that tool. The wood I have is from a tree that used to be near the corner of 11th and San Fernando in San Jose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436805029029-W7F55IGI4U9VOL24SOF8/boxwood.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - boxwood The Boxwood I have is from a 50 year old hedge that I removed from in front of my house when I lived in San Jose California. It is closely related to the tree of the same name and the wood has the same characteristics just in smaller pieces. Boxwood is the traditional wood used to make bagpipes. Boxwood is often sold by the pound and is rather expensive when it is available. In the past it was the wood of choice for high quality chisel handles. It is exceptionally hard and stable and has so little moisture in it that it can often be cured in the round with no internal checking . Boxwood is exceptional for turning on a lathe and will take a high polish if very sharp tools are used and the tool is held rather steep so that it burnishes the cut. The wood gives off scent that reminds me of buttered popcorn when cutting or turning and is a real pleasure to work. The pieces I have are rather small and really only suited for inlay or trim, but the warm yellow and it's ability to take a high polish make it a wonderful contrast against so many other woods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819302285-PVTUIWI3LJRY19MSRH4D/camphor.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - camphor Camphor wood is so highly prized in Indonesia that in ancient times all the camphor trees were property of the emperor and it was a capitol offence to cut one down. In China Camphor wood is used for chests because the oil in the wood repels insects. It is also the wood of choice for Chinese puppet heads, I suspect for the same reason. Camphor trees are a popular street tree and if planted with a ring to force the roots to grow down before going out they make excellent street trees. They are not prone to disease or shedding limbs and are a fairly slow growing tree that does not get as tall as many other trees of a similar age. The wood can be a bit tricky to dry as the sap wood contains a significantly higher moisture content and can cause cracks and internal tension if not cut correctly. Once cured the sap wood is a beautiful creamy yellow and as stable as the heartwood. The heart wood is so varied in its colors and so vibrant that if not for the scent it might be confused with canary wood. The scent is very strong when first cut and if turned on a lathe can almost be over powering, if nothing else it will clear your sinuses. In working Camphor it planes well by hand and carves well, but does not take crisp detail well and is not what I would call a structural wood. To preserve the wild colors it should be sealed immediately after planing and then any joinery performed. The wood I have is very dear to me as it is a tree that is seldom removed. This tree was removed from in front of a friend of a friend of a friends house in Mountain View when the street was widened. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819277138-QQ5UDMO4AZ00FVKIGI8P/chinese+elm.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - chinese elm The more I work with this wood the more I like it. Chinese Elm has interlocking grain making it exceptionally strong, but unlike some woods with interlocking grain it still manages to carve and plane reasonably well. I would not chose it for a large carving commission but it carves well enough that I would not hesitate to add a few carved details to a piece of furniture made out of it. I also have made several hammer handles from it which I shaped with a spoke shave and they are a pleasure to use. I have also made a couple of mallets with it, one of which I didn't like as soon as I mounted the handle to the head but couldn't bring myself to toss into the scrap bin so I have been trying to break it, and the damn thing won't break, not even at the two knots in the handle. Chinese Elm is by far the strongest wood I have worked with. It words very well both with hand and power tools, it is a dream to turn on the lathe. It sands and finishes well and will take a nice polish with no finish. it has a nice peppery scent when working with it. it is only moderately stable but responds well to designs that take that into consideration. The wood I have is from a tree that was removed from in front of an apartment building in Campbell California and had encapsulated a multi strand telephone cable near the top of the bole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818982417-IKK4T28EI93AA1FLZRIM/claro_walnut.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - claro walnut Walnut is often referred to as the Rolles Royce of woods and Claro Walnut as being the Silver Cloud. It is the most desirable in terms of color and figure and it is the tree that the most spectacular Walnut burl comes from, the kind of burl used for the dashboards in exotic cars. There is some confusion and lack of consistency about the history of Claro Walnut. Some sources say it is a hybrid planted by the Spaniards when they established the missions in California. I believe Claro Walnut is native to four areas in California, all within about 200 miles of San Francisco. The Hybrid is actually a natural mutation from when the more palatable English Walnut is grafted onto the hardier Claro Walnut root stock. About 1 out of 1000 nuts that fall and germinate will be this mutated variety which has wood that is both lighter in color and harder than either of the parents. In use Claro Walnut is a dream, it does everything, it slices, dices, chops, and chives. Ok I made up that part about the chives. But it really is an exceptional wood and would be the #1 choice for most projects if cost were not a factor. It is the wood of choice for competition gun stocks because of its ability to absorb the shock of the bullet firing. Claro walnut dries well and once dry is more stable than Hard Rock Maple. It takes any kind of finish and works in any way you can dream of. The one draw back? I am allergic to the the dust from it and for most wood workers they will develop an allergy if they work with it long enough, the oil is an irritant to the lungs and requires the use of dust suppression and a respirator when cutting or sanding. The inconvenience is well worth the results though. The wood I have came from an exceptionally large tree growing in the back yard of a house in Sunnyvale California and was threatening two homes. The tree was approximately 140 years old and when I milled the bole I milled for crotch figure, the remaining wood is curly. I think it is some of the finest figured Claro Walnut I have seen and definitely of instrument quality. My reserve of this wood is limited and pending current commissions both in the works and in negotiations any future projects may be limited to focal point panels, inlay, and trim. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819179996-DHOPXVF8U4FJYWS1I04Y/douglas_fir.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - douglas fir Douglas Fir is most commonly used in home construction where it excels as a wood for making doors and windows. In the past Douglas Fir was so plentiful it was used for entire houses. As Douglas Fir is becoming more scarce it is reserved for use as structural elements such as large beams and stair stringers. T he wood is very strong and dries well, and once dry it continues to cure as the resin in the cells oxidizes over time making the aged wood even harder and more stable. The one drawback that Douglas fir has is that it tends to splinter when shaping. The wood I have came from a tree that was removed from a PG&E high voltage line right of way that was expanded after the the summer fires of 2004. I will use some of what I have to make some double hung sash windows for my house and maybe a door or two but I should have a bit left. It is not usually considered a furniture wood but this is such beautiful old growth wood that I think it would be a wonderful way to honor this wood. Perhaps in a tansu chest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436819218139-KOXXQ9BGWYS425N94WQI/monterey_cypress.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - monterey cypress The indigenous territory of this tree is very small, a strip of land less than 5 miles by approximately 50 miles along the coast near Santa Cruz. It it has been planted as an ornamental along most parts of the coast and inland. This is the tree that is so prominent in San Francisco's Presidio and Golden Gate Park. It is identical to Japanese Cypress, or Hinoki, the most prized wood in Japan. In Japan Hinoki is used for Shinto shrines and shoji screens as well as incense and healing balms. In this country it is used for firewood. Because Monterey Cypress grows in areas subject to strong winds the trees are often leaning substantially which tends to load the wood with tension. This can make the wood a challenge to work with. If a board is made flat and true and then resawn it will often warp substantially because some of the tension was released. If the tree happened to grow vertically the wood is a dream to work with and is exceptionally stable, close to Walnut. Classified as a soft wood it is harder than some hardwoods, Poplar comes to mind. Monterey Cypress carves beautifully and takes detail well. once cut it will oxidize to a warm orange hue over time. The picture is of a piece with some beautiful curly figure, not unusual but usually not consistent enough to make large pieces of furniture. Monterey Cypress is also a tone wood, meaning that it resonates when struck with a wooden mallet rather than making a dull thud. The wood I have came from a tree that blew down during the El Ni�o winter in the late 90's. it was growing on a fence line between two homes on in the Pasotiempo Country Club in the mountains above Santa Cruz. This would be an excellent wood choice for a Biedermeier inspired piece. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818204709-VFCEXNT9NELSA2EI2HRK/olive.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - olive There are nearly 40 different varieties of Olive and from what I have learned very little knowledge about how the wood from each is distinctive. Most sources only differentiate between Spanish and Russian, and I doubt that either originated in either of those countries. It seems like everyone who has tried to mill olive has a different experience and it may very well be because each variety is just as distinctive as each variety of Oak. The wood I have came from a relatively small tree from my neighbors yard in San Jose, it was removed due to termite damage. the wood is not quite as vibrant as some of the treen ware sold in gourmet kitchen shops but it is for the most part curly in figure which makes it a little distinctive. Olive almost universally is acknowledged to be extremely difficult to cure and prone to excessive warping and checking. Most sources recommend removing the sap wood to increase the chances of successfully curing the heart wood. When working, the wood has a fruity scent not unlike a good cabernet wine. I have enough Olive to make some striking panels or possibly even a small table. As a foot note Olive wood is the best wood to use for smoking chicken or pork, superior to anything else I have used or tasted in a restaurant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818217533-UAM712HVKMCEOET6JGWB/orange.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - orange Orange wood is the traditional wood used in the past for medical instruments. It is very hard, dense and almost lacking in distinction between early and late wood in its grain. Orange wood is seldom seen for sale even from specialty suppliers. I have a small supply and think it best suited for inlay and trim, or for wear strips on drawer runners. Unfortunately the wood does not have a citrus scent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818241521-H1RWRXN8ACCJ3XM6ZTJP/pear.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - pear Most Pear wood comes from Europe and is steamed to make the color more uniform. It is commonly available as veneer and used in fine marketry work where its light pinkish tones make it a natural choice for depicting skin. It is also popular as a veneer purely on its merits of color and even figure. I have a very small supply of Pear left and nothing longer than 18". The wood I have came from an orchard that was being removed in San Jose. It has excellent pale pink color and a quilted figure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818258772-ZWBQK56FS2C4VPLZQ65O/sugar_pine.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - sugar pine Sugar Pine is a traditional patternmaking wood. It carves well for a softwood, is very stable, and until not too long ago it was very inexpensive. It is one of my favorite woods to work with largely due to its sweet pine scent. The largest Sugar pine forest is in the sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The tree itself grows to be over 30" in diameter. When I was an apprentice I had to put the wood deliveries in the wood loft, I remember receiving clear boards of Sugar Pine that were 22 inches wide by 2 inches thick and 22 feet long. I had to cut them in half in order to be able put them away. It almost brought tears to my eyes to have to do that the first time, to cut such a perfect board with no intended purpose. The Sugar Pine I have came from a tree that was in a camp ground near Lake Isabella and was struck by lightning. The lightning killed part of the tree and allowed a fungus to enter and eventually boring beetles, which resulted in the beautiful wormy blue wood in the picture. I didn't mill this wood but purchased it from a friend who has an urban forestry project with the California Department of Forestry. I purchased it to make a couple of cabinets for my parents who wanted something rustic looking. Of particular interest to me is the line between the blue and white parts, it can be very dynamic in a panel and much more contemporary than one might expect https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818279073-PZ4TLBZ7X2TNZ1E7GKPA/sycamore.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - sycamore Sycamore is closely related to London Plane and in many cases London plane is planted as a decorative tree in parks and along streets because it tends to grow straighter, or should I say that true Sycamore tends to have a more crooked trunk. Most people can't tell the two apart. I believe the wood I have is true Sycamore which tends to be a bit less stable than London Plane. Sycamore tends to warp severely when curing and is prone to checks around knots. The wood is light and delicate in color with a heart than can approach a grayish brown. Sycamore can have a very plain or spectacular figure depending on how it is milled. I found that true quarter sawn wood is not quite as showy as the boards that are approaching rift sawn. Building anything in sycamore can take 50-100% more wood than required just to be able to get a good match in figure and color. The picture is of quarter sawn wood with two coats of lacquer. The figure can be greatly enhanced with the use of a dye stain. The wood I have came from a tree that was removed in Paso Robles, it was just over 20' to the first branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436818292929-YWDAK4KSHB6G2E728YQC/white_pine.jpg Urban Salvage Lumber - white pine This wood is from a tree that was in my front yard and had to be removed because it was growing through the power lines. The tree had been topped so many times that the branches were a bizarre maze that defied any logical way to be trimmed again and still resemble anything but a Dr. Sues creation. I really don't know what type of pine it is and have just settled on what many locals call it. I wouldn't have thought to mill it except that I needed a bit of paint grade wood for some moldings in my house. The wood is of surprising quality. it is relatively free of pitch, even textured and the knots seem to be sound. I don't expect to make any furniture out of this but it could be used for an informal piece or as a secondary wood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436814034571-TAAMAJYAV53MORMAKOYW/image-asset.jpeg Urban Salvage Lumber http://www.robincorell.com/sand-casting daily 0.75 2015-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438207516381-WSX8742MI78BJ14YVPG9/image-asset.jpeg Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438217844436-HR7K9IDHX3IS0V5PVU29/image-asset.png Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438206294524-WYH43DCHIO55HO8Y00AI/image-asset.png Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438220472394-1WZV8B0IZ1MNQMH0HKJP/image-asset.jpeg Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438214507435-4B7FSJ247T0V42068NGS/image-asset.jpeg Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1438221183780-QDGKNQ6W9TXDNRWQ26OX/image-asset.jpeg Sand Casting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1439571793441-Q42LFL7YWCPFMP58QLQP/image-asset.png Sand Casting http://www.robincorell.com/new-drawing-gallery daily 0.75 2016-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389797061-VT35H7KEK40GCA0LM8H7/framed+figure+drawing++%232.png Drawings (new version) - Figure as Landscape #2 Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in a bespoke welded steel frame with patina finish. 15"w x 19.1"h https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389769857-DXUG0V0WW48A1VQQDG89/framed+figure+drawing+%233.png Drawings (new version) - Figure as Landscape #3 Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in a bespoke welded steel frame with patina finish. 17.9"w x 16"h https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389858414-58PXGBVW8C1LIFH2WVCV/framed+figure+drawing+%235.png Drawings (new version) - Figure as Landscape #4 Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in a bespoke welded steel frame with patina finish. 17.9"w x 16"h https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389812912-TEJ6XA46O74P9AR28MIX/framed+figure+drawing+%234.png Drawings (new version) - untitled Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in a bespoke welded steel frame with patina finish. 18.9"w x 16.1"h https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389850957-KNEDUUW26JOPNTSE3UJX/framed+figure+drawing+%236.png Drawings (new version) - Figure as Landscape #5 Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in a bespoke welded steel frame with patina finish. 14.9"w x 17.2"h https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1455389883926-O7IVRPH12G8D97CG65YV/framed+figure+drawing+%237.png Drawings (new version) - untitled Signed original graphite on paper drawing mounted in bespoke steel frame with patina finish. 17.9"w x 18.4"h http://www.robincorell.com/contact daily 0.75 2016-05-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5599e13de4b053dbac730f2d/1436915826539-9B419KNVMV6ZPLMY942M/image-asset.jpeg Contact