"Measure a Door" Video

We install doors, lotsa doors.  We also talk about installing doors with customers on the phone.  In an effort to weed out the tire kickers and only go out on real solid leads, we charge a measure fee.  It's only $50 bucks and we give it back if we actually do the job, but some people still would rather 'get a number' before investing in our service.  In an effort to help them understand the info we need, we produced a little video to explain the info we need to accurately bid a door for them.  Here it is.

We do Displays

Just delivered a trade show exhibit we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to build for the manufacture of Bodyguard brand siding.  We were super stoked to be asked to provide our skills to the build of a display for such a prestigious manufacture.  This little building is currently standing proud in the Northern California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, where Bodyguard presented their product line to the leading Architects in the San Fransisco Area.  Talk about performance pressure.   Can you imagine my stress, building a display for a manufacture to present their wares to a bunch of Architects? 

Catching Up !

Wow, I've really been neglecting my blog here.  I just noticed I haven't posted since April and here it is June!  It goes without saying we've been really busy here at the new old shop.   We've been fortunate to be attraciting back our old customers, and getting some business from other lumberyards.  We did another home show in Napa and built an awesome new booth for that one.  Heres a photo of it.

The Napa Home Show Display

Stephen and I did the Napa show and we had a great time.  The booth went together so easy I couldn't believe it, we actually got everything right with this one.  We met alot of great people, got tons of interest in our company and overall had a great time.  We set the booth up in the warehouse so anyone that comes in can see it.  It's been a great conversation piece.  After that show we got back to work with all the other details that go along with starting a new store.

A new store?

Yep,  I got this this crazy idea of opening an Architecural Millwork Supercenter, wrote a business plan and was able to secure funding for the venture, aptly named Architectural WOODS.  It took a couple months to get everything done.  Its hard to really forecast everything that goes into launching a new brand but I'm plowing through it, even if it is all a little overwhelming.  All while trying to keep the shop busy.  It's been exhausting but we're all so excited about the potential, it fuels us to work crazy long hours.  I'm really proud of our team and the potential for this thing to really take off.

A New Beginning.

The Aftermath. The last few weeks have been a blur of surreality. Is that a word? After watching my expected future literally go up in flames, I have to admit, I've spent the last few weeks in a bit of a daze. To this day it still hasn't really set in that our Walnut Creek store is gone. I can't hardly even drive by it. I've found myself taking the long way home and altering my travel paths to avoid passing by. I'm not even trying too, its subconsious. But with the closing of one door comes the opening of another. With the showroom and store gone, the doorshop no longer has a sales force. Being as I have to do something, I thought "What If?" and decided to buy the door shop and go it myself. I've got a ton of clients and a few jobs why not? So I did. I'm now the proud new owner of Piedmonts former doorshop and am launching my own brand, Architectural Wood Products.  Here's a shot of the shop with a 6 panel bifolding french door for one of my favorite customers.

Just to be sure I had plenty to keep me busy, I decided to attend the Home and garden show. What the heck, I had three days to build a booth, and put the whole thing together. Flyers, show specials, signage, displays, ect. plenty of time.. Heres Traci (my right hand man who happens to be a woman) and I in the booth.

Yep.  We're having fun.  I can't wait to get some sleep.

Old Piedmont Commerical

Well it's aftermath time and I'm working with the investigators and the insurance people to try to give them as much info on 'what used to be' Piedmont as possible. I remembered a local contractor Lady was trying to launch a new TV show called 'Contractor Diaries', we were going to support the show and together we produced a little TV commercial for Piedmont. I had a real hard time remembering my lines as you can probably tell. It was a fun day though. This is a rough cut, and about as far as we got with it. I searched this out for the consultants to have some reference for the interior. Turely heartbreaking, what a horrible waste. I musta had a 50,000 hours in that place.

Trajedy Strikes.

It isn't like business has been enough of a struggle for us the last few years.  To add insult to injury fate has to go and throw another catastrophy at my family business.  Saturday afternoon, my mantle sidejob was interrupted by my friend calling to inform me our lumberyard was on fire.  As I ran to my van another friend pulled up in his truck so I jumped in with him.  The video below tells the rest of the story.

Making Corbels

Sometimes I get someone asking me to build a shelf with corbels. Usually that means I'm making some corbels and since I haven't posted any of that info up yet I thought I'd show how its done. You can cut them out of big chunks of lumber or you can laminate regular boards like I'm doing here.  First come up with your shape on one piece and trace that piece on all the others, then cut your pieces.  I used a bandsaw, but a jigsaw or even coping saw will work.  Figure out how thick you want the corbels to be and that will tell you how many layers you need to glue up.  Since I want these blind attached I create a pocket in the back for a cleat.

Next glue them up and clamp them tight so the glue oozes out between the pieces. Notice the wax paper under the corbels while I'm clamping.  This keeps that oozing glue from gluing the corbels to the workbench.

 Notice in the photo below you can see how the cleat recess in the back of the corbel came out.  This is where I'll use a 2X2 attached to the wall to hold the corbel against the wall.  Now I have the corbels roughed out and will finish by sanding them smooth.  I have a machine to do this now, but have spent many hours doing it by hand in the past.