The Bocce sets are hand turned from hardwood. The striping (if used) is outdoor sign paint. They are then engraved with a logo, initials, or a message, as you wish. The box is furniture grade laminate, topped with Birch or Sycamore, then engraved and finished like the balls. Hopefully the recipients will have as much fun playing with the sets as I have making them!
These items are from a variety of commissions. Perhaps my favorite to make are the wedding glasses, either with or without the intertwined rings. There is a challenge to making a glass from wood, and a particular challenge to getting the rings turned just right so that they can be linked.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
October 15 2013 for the project All wood toasting glasses for bride and groom
I loved working with Jim! What a talented, kind man. He kept me posted the entire time and I felt like I was working with someone I had known a long time. I asked Jim to make my daughters toasting glasses for her wedding. My only regret was not discussing size. I felt they turned out too small (but that's maybe because I drink wine from a HUGE glass). BUT my daughter loved them and is so happy with the results! That's all a mother could ask for, right?! I have to mention that upon my concerns I mentioned to Jim, he was willing to (without cost to me) correct my issue and make me new glasses. But that was not necessary, due to my daughters delight with her toasting glasses. Thank you Jim for making these special gifts for our daughters wedding!!
It seems the Turnery is branching out to some flat work as well. It started with the airport welcome sign and moved on to a few carved signs, and now to a more elegant presentation. I am interested to see how this aspect of the Turnery unfolds.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
January 19, 2016 for the Summit Star project
Wonderful experience working with Jim. He worked with me to help tailor my project and take it from concept to a work of art, for a one of a kind gift that was extraordinary and truly special. Jim was able to capture my vision and take it over the top with his craftsmanship and skill. Cannot recommend enough!!!
August 30, 2014 for the Privacy Please project
Jim was excellent to work with and delivered a fabulous product on time (ahead of due date!) and at a fair price. Jim has great vision and presents ideas in a clear and precise manner. I am looking forward to working on our next project and can recommend him without hesitation!
What a privilege it is to be involved in the moment when two persons decide to join their lives in formal ceremony. These boxes are made for just that purpose. In each case they have removable inserts to hold the ring so that they can then be used as a treasure box for those tiny treasures we all accumulate.
The finish on the boxes is accomplished by sanding to a very smooth surface, buffing it like you would a metal or glass piece, and then waxing it with carnuba. Finished this way the wood feels good in the hand; there is no feeling of a coating on the wood.
I am no longer making them with hinged lids as the mechanism involves a single, small hinge. On a round box that creates a weak point with which I am simply not comfortable.
Comments from persons for whom these items were made:
December 3, 2015 for the Acorn Engagement Ring Box project
The ring holder arrived this week. I found the quality of workmanship to be exceptional. I would have no problem seeking future work when needed.
June 20, 2014 for the Walnut box
Jim is not only a top-notch artisan, but he communicates promptly and often while documenting his process with photos and video for the buyer to peruse. I commissioned a custom ring box to use for a proposal, and his work will definitely add a special touch to the event. Thank you Jim.
October 12, 2013 for the Cocobolo ring box
SHE SAID YES!!! Thanks again for all your help Jim. She absolutely LOVED the box!!
These were created from a design given to me by the client. He wanted a pair of paperweights for a couple who were going to be apart from one another for an extended period. They could each take one with them and bring them back together when they reunited.
These are roughly 4" diameter spheres made from the branches of trees with significant symbolic characteristics. These two are from Yew and Cedar, symbolizing Wisdom (Yew), Incorruptibility (Cedar), and Longevity (both). The branches are either trimming or storm-fall and allowed to cure in the woods for at least a full year.
They have felted bottoms and are sealed with a combination of oil finish and carnauba wax.
Making them was a very interesting project, presenting several design and accomplishment puzzles to solve along the way.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were made:
January 19th 2016
Wonderful experience working with Jim. He worked with me to help tailor my project and take it from concept to a work of art, for a one of a kind gift that was extraordinary and truly special.
Jim was able to capture my vision and take it over the top with his craftsmanship and skill. Cannot recommend enough!!!
These old fashioned pepper grinders are fun to make and are, to my taste at least, quite attractive. As an added bonus, they are getting quite high reviews with respect ot the way they grind pepper.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
June 12, 2014 for the project Pepper Mill
This was truly a custom made project. Jim really listened to what I wanted and took the time the find the perfect piece of wood. It was beautifully hand crafted, so pretty that my husband is considering his new pepper mill a work of art not to be used for its intended purpose.
A walking stick differs from a walking cane in both form and function. A walking cane is designed to take weight regularly, and be comfortable in regular use. It must be strong enough to support your weight fully, and comfortable enough in the hand to be used every day for extended periods of time. A walking stick, on the other hand, is a decorative or fashion item. It can be made from virtually any material (including, for example, glass) and does not need to be comfortable or able to support much weight.
Another category, the staff, is a tool for use in the woods, a sometimes walking aid, a prop for one end of your sleeping fly, and, occasionally, a defensive item. The hearaldic staff is yet another type, and is a mark of position or honor. It is often tall so that it can be seen from a distance and usually has more ornamentation than any of the others.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
August 11, 2014 for the Carlos' Walking Stick project
I had a really great experience with my project. My walking stick came out beautifully and I would be happy to work with him again in future projects.
April 12, 2014 for hiking staff Shillelagh with a large club head and a long spiked metal ferrule/tip project
The project was completed in a timely manner and turned out to be just the way I imagined it would. The final price was a bit more than what I expected, but that was mostly due to the shipping cost. Overall, I am happy to have my rugged, bad-ass hiking stick shillelagh and I look forward to taking it out for an occasional stroll :)
December 13, 2015 for the Rooster Walking stick project
The stick was perfect. Can't wait to give it as a gift.
October 9, 2013 for the ebony walking stick project
Great experience and love my new walking stick. Will share photos and comments on Jim Barbour's Custom Made site when I have a chance to take photos.
Making a magic wand is fun and, well, magical. For this one the customer wanted a wand, a display box that could be either set on a table, or hung from the wall, a bit of 'wand maintenance', and a hair from a Unicorn's mane to add the magic. This one fills the bill on all levels. The want itself is cherry, with cocobolo for the handle and two silver rings similar to the ultimate recipient's wedding band 'bookending" the grip. The hair from a Unicorn's mane (retrieved from a magical violin bow) is visible from either end. The maintenance kit is also from cocobolo, a small threaded box filled with a combination of walnut oil, beeswax, and a bit of carnauba wax; the same as the finish on the wand. The box is from walnut with a bit of a bark inclusion adding a sense of a Wizard Supply Shop.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
October 19, 2015 for the Harry Potter Style Magic Wand project
On initial contact i gave "shopdog turnery" the details on what I was looking for. He was quick to reply, and to the point. Gave a deadline that was met, and a product my wife loves. Well worth every penny and he has my highest recommendations to anyone looking for an excellent craftsman.
While the magic wand of Harry Potter fame is fascinating, the true magical wand is the Conductor's Baton in the hand of the person who pulls together the ensemble to create music. With this instrument the conductor brings out the best in everyone in the group, and the magic of music is the result.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
July 28, 2014 for the Conductor's Baton project
First of all, Jim is a fantastic craftsman. The conducting baton he made for me was perfect, and I have used many throughout my career. This one was made exactly to my specifications. He was also very quick to communicate. Highly recommended!
Third only to milk and water, beer has been made and consumed for millennia. That ancient tradition has been brought to modernity, with all variety of tools. The tap is the final step in serving beer and the handle says a great deal about the person using it. These are fun to make and even more fun to use. Recently I was approached by a coffee company, groundwork coffee, to make a set of tap handles as they are undertaking to serve cold coffee from beer kegs.
Comments from the persons for whom these items were created:
May 7, 2014 for the project Celtic Beer Tap Handle
Jim was very easy to communicate with, and quick to respond to my messages. He took my idea and made it even better. I would definitely work with Jim again.
January 18, 2014 for the project Beer Tap, Beer Mug Shape
Jim did an incredible job on the 'beer mug keg tap'. Excellent craftsmanship. He was very friendly, took my phone call and discussed the various possibilities of designs. I highly recommend Jim for any project.
December 15, 2013 for the project Chalkboard Beer Tap Handle With Racing Stripes
I am so lucky that I ended up with Jim as my project's maker. Jim was extremely professional, helpful and timely throughout the project. He helped provide me with options to pick my own wood and stains, laser printed image, chalkboard finish, and stunning inlays, guiding me with his expertise in woodworking but also letting me really feel like I made decisions to have customized the perfect piece. The outcome is better than I hoped for; thank you Jim for creating a stylish and wonderfully crafted tap handle and flight paddle. I could not be happier and it was a fun experience to boot, knowing you were in good hands!
I enjoy making rollers; they are more difficult than it appears. A long, steady curve, like on a French Roller is difficult to accomplish consistently. Figuring out how to store a roller has been an interesting journey, with several approaches being tried and rejected, finally arriving at the base to hold them upright. I think this maximizes the beauty while minimizing the counter space occupied.
The Ravioli Rollers rollers are prototypes done for Mike Finizio, the person who designed them. Mike has a very interesting relationship with the making of meals and the tools we use to do so. He promotes a self-awareness and intimacy with the food we eat, and it shows in the tools he designs for me to prototype. These are a step forward in that they are unlike any other rollers available, and are a step back to a time when we were more directly involved in the creation of our daily bread and, as a result, had more interest in the tools we employed. I am pleased that Mike sought me out to be the person who brings his designs to fruition. Mike has since moved on to greater production than a one-person, one-dog turnery can handle, and has altered the design accordingly. Be sure to visit his company, Repast Supply Co. I am not comfortable selling the ravioli rollers; it is simply not appropriate for me to compete with Mike. I do, however, recommend them highly. They are here as an example of prototyping, not for sale.
The origins of the word "treenware" are not clear, but it probably comes from the Old English and refers to the plural of tree; "treen". Thus treenware was (perhaps) originally a reference to anything made from trees. In more modern usage treenware is small wooden objects used for practical purposes around the house. Some folk limit the term to kitchen use, others, like me, widen it to anywhere in the house.
In any case these are useful items made from wood.
This is the first of these I have made. It was created as a birthday present for a former student, with the Baltimore Skyline, and Bo and Utz characters placing the board as an homage to Baltimore. His Birth date is engraved at the bottom in Roman Numerals.
The board is from hard maple with inset cells for the tiles. Each cell is half the depth of the tile so tiles can be easily removed and replaced. The Extra Point cells are routed deeper than the others and inserts of different woods are added to provide the coloration difference normal to a Scrabble board.
