Jen’s Desk

Here is a solid cherry and maple desk we made for my good friend, Jen, for her office.

This was one of my more complex design, with compound angles and layers of different hardwoods combined with painted metal.

The side cart rolls around or up next to the desk for more desk space. We built the drawers with bottom drawers glides so they would be concealed below. The drawer boxes inside are made with Baltic birch plywood, and have a cherry ‘pedaflex’ rail for hanging files. All in all, this desk represents my craftsmanship and the reason I got into the custom furniture making business! Thank you, Jen, for your patience in letting me put the time in for attention to detail on this desk. Enjoy!

Walnut Top, Concrete Base

Here’s the first dining table to come out of the newly established Strack Studio Furniture, LLC!

This table has a walnut top and brace, w/ two concrete bases. My cousin Derek Worm, who works with me, and myself built this table to be displayed in the show home in the Hendrix Village neighborhood.

Steps, Crows Nest, & Slide

Tunnel Vision

The two tunnels are now installed and ready to explore!

Crawl-thru Tunnel

My cousin Derek and I used a 4ft diameter concrete culvert to wrap layers of 1/4″ thick strips of western red cedar around to make 3 wooden rings for the tunnel construction. Then we ripped treated decking into 1.5″ strips to screw to the 3 rings to make the 4ft diameter x 6ft long tunnel.

Wooden Boat Docked!

After all the fiberglassing and epoxying, I sprayed SparUrethane all over the boat to protect it from water and UV rays. I drilled three holes in each interior rib to allow rain water to flow through to the drain at the bottom of the boat. To install the boat we dug out a little bit and set the boat in so that it’s sloped toward the back of the boat where the drain is located. We set four posts, two on each side of the boat and quick-creted them in the ground. Then we screwed the boat off to each post to secure it to the ground.

Boat docked

Playground Boat

This wooden boat isn’t bound for the sea, but rather headed for where ever the imagination takes it. Positioned in the center of the playground circle, the boat will point North acting as a large compass and teaching kids a sense of direction. This boat is made from 2″ wide strips of Western Red Cedar, fiberglassed and epoxied inside and out. The inside of the boat has wooden ribs at 2ft on center made from thin layers of cedar. These will act as additional support for the hull of the boat. Steps in the back (or aft) of the boat will lead to the top of the 4ft diameter tunnel on top of which will be a wavy slide. Set sail!

8ft Wooden Tunnel

Check out these few pics of the construction process of the 8ft diameter tunnel!

We first constructed a temporary form made form 3/4″ MDF. The form is 8ft diameter and 4ft deep. We wrapped the form with two layers of 1/4″ thick strips of Western Red Cedar.

Then we pulled the staples and screws out, and sanded the outside. Next we epoxied the tunnel with epoxy resin often used in wood boat construction. Then we fiberglassed the outside and epoxied it to go clear so you still see the wood. Give me a few days and i’ll post some more pictures of the tunnel showing it fully fiberglassed and ready to roll out to the playground site!

“The Vitruvian Man”

The Mold

2nd Layer

I shall call it, “The Bentley Tunnel”

“CAN I GET A HOT TUB?”

Stage Rope

Along the outside of the stage are octagonal shaped treated wood posts. I took 6×6 posts and ripped them on my table saw creating octagonal posts. Once installed and cut off at different heights, I drilled an 1 1/2″ hole in each post to receive the pro manila rope. Then Sparurethane was applied to each post to seal them and to darken them up. I strung the rope through each hole and wrapped it around each post twice, creating a handrail along the edge of the stage.

Nautical Rope

Setting the Stage…

Enter left… or West!

The playground is oriented in a 35ft diameter circle; creating a large compass.

The entrance of the playground is located at the west end of the circle.

An 8ft diameter by 4ft deep tunnel acts as an archway entrance to the playground at the west end of the circle facing the northeast corner of the Village neighborhood.

A 17′ long by 5ft wide by 3ft6in tall wooden boat will be in the center of the circle pointed North. At the back of the boat will be steps leading up to the top and onto a 4ft diameter by 6ft long tunnel. On top of the tunnel will be a slide swooping down to the ground pointing South.

Now, for the stage… Located on the East side of the circle is a curved stage with steps, octagonal posts, 1 1/2″ thick rope strung between the posts, and a curved ramp on the North side leading back down to the ground.

Now that we’ve made it full circle around the playground, check out its progress…