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Author Archives: Gary Weeks
We have ceased posting to this site. But we are still working.
We are not using this blog site for posts any longer. We apologize for any misdirection or inconvenience. If you are interested in or curious about our work, please visit http://www.garyweeks.com.
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Wendell Castle
I read today that Wendell Castle died. Just a few days ago, I was thinking of what I had learned from him and posting a note and the photo below to a draft for the website. Wendell spoke at the … Continue reading
Pecan Special Editions
Twenty-four years ago, I designed the rocking chair that anchors this business. We saw ourselves as a Texas company and made the chairs from wood of the state tree of Texas, pecan — selected for heartwood. As the internet made … Continue reading
Posted in Rocking Chairs, Uncategorized, Wood
Tagged pecan, rocking chairs, Texas, Weeks Rocker
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The Furniture Society Conference
Leslie and I attended the Furniture Society Conference in Philadelphia, June 23-25, 2016. We joined the Furniture Society 10 or 12, or more, years ago when it was new. We remained members for several years, although not active ones. It … Continue reading
Mahogany Recovered
When the sailing ships first delivered mahogany logs to Europe, it inspired and delighted the cabinetmakers and became the premier wood of choice. By the 1980’s, the trees were endangered and their extinction seemed possible, even likely. By regulation, conservation, … Continue reading
Posted in the Business, Uncategorized, Wood
Tagged FSC certification, mahogany, Wood
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A Natural History of Trees
My library is small. I have culled it deeply (too deeply) several times and loaned or given many books that were worthy. One of the books that has stayed with me for decades is A Natural History of Western Trees, … Continue reading
Refinishing a Porch Rocker
We have a mahogany rocking chair on the porch of the showroom. Last summer, it had been outside for ten years. For maintenance of this rocker, we had done nothing more than wiping it from time to time with a … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, Rocking Chairs
Tagged finishing, handmade furniture, mahogany, outdoor furniture, refinishing, rockers, rocking chairs
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The Blanco River Flood of May 24, 2015
Recently, a woman came who was taking photos and collecting comments for a book on this town of Wimberley. She took some pictures and asked if we would write a few words or a paragraph on what we like about … Continue reading
National Pi Day
This morning, I heard a piece on the radio about National Pi Day featuring a mathematicians speaking of pi and its utility. He said there could be no technological sophistication without calculations involving pi: no automobiles, no space flight. I … Continue reading
Conference Room Furniture
The West Texas Rehabilitation Center provides a range of health care services and have since 1956. The mission of this non-profit “is to improve the quality of life of those we serve regardless of financial circumstances.” Over the last decade, … Continue reading
The New Website
Our website presents our work to the world. Most of our patrons find us in a websearch. We built a website early, 1998 or so. Jim Fish, able webmaster, has managed it since 2000. We have made changes to its … Continue reading
Designing a Ladderback Dining Chair
While we were working on our upholstered chair design, (a long and involved process, see previous post), Austin noticed the obvious: We could relatively quickly design a ladderback dining chair as a variation of the chairs we have already developed. … Continue reading
Designing an Upholstered Dining Chair, Part One
The last addition to our catalog of dining furniture was the Heflin Barstool. We developed it in response to requests for a barstool with a back — designed and built to our standards of comfort, style, and durability. It has … Continue reading
Posted in Dining Chairs, Jigs and Fixtures
Tagged dining chairs, upholstered dining chair
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Pecan Rockers Again?
In 1992, as I was designing the Weeks Rocker, I was considering what wood to build it out of. Pecan appealed to me because I have spent many days under the trees, it is the state tree of Texas, and … Continue reading
Shoes to Fill
Aaron Jones came to work with us when we were building the shop and showroom, almost 14 years ago. He stayed on. He came as a carpenter’s helper and became one of the best craftsmen and leaders of production I … Continue reading
Posted in the Business, Uncategorized
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A Batch of Mesquite Rocker Back Legs
Mesquite trees do not grow straight or tall. They tend to make multiple trunks and to make branches low to the ground. They twist. Most mesquite trunks of 12″ in diameter or more have many radial cracks, i.e. cracks from … Continue reading
Taking Photos of Rocker Making
We build rocking chairs in small batches, or runs, of 8-12, usually of the same species. We are “running” walnut rockers now and taking photographs of the process. Some of these photos will appear on this shoplog, some on the … Continue reading
Assembling a Standup Desk
We are building a small standup desk for a patron who found the new desk section of the website: http://www.garyweeks.com/desks.htm. The frame of the desk was assembled in two days. On the first, the two sides were glued. This post … Continue reading
A Fine Woodworker in France
In Semur-en-Auxois, Burgundy, France, I asked if there were any furnituremakers in town. I was directed to the shop of Christian Boisseau. He was just the man to see — competent, successful, and friendly. I spent about an hour and … Continue reading
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Copyrights to Photos of Furniture
At our recent demonstration at the Texas State History Museum, a woodworker who had visited our shop came up and said, “They are selling birthday cards at Target with a picture of your rocking chair on them. Did you know … Continue reading
Plumbing in the Woodshop
Leslie Weeks’ father and grandfather were plumbers. I inherited their tools. They have been well used. In June of 2008, we installed (finally) a compressed air system. We had a small job-site compressor to perform a few tasks, but it … Continue reading
Edge Banding Plywood
We use a little plywood. We build machine housings, dust hood, jigs, fixtures, cabinets, and shelving for the shop and office, and from time to time, we build cabinets and shelving for ourselves or the public. We stock several sheets … Continue reading
The Tenoning Jig
(see the Otwell Side Table post of March 25, 2011) We use a Delta Tenoning Jig to cut the cheeks on most of our tenons. This tool from the 1980’s is well-made, stable, safe, and easy to precisely adjust. I … Continue reading
A New Office Desk for the Catalog
We have built many writing desks and several stand-up desks as custom items. Recently, we took commissions for a writing desk and an “office” desk. They turned out so well that we realized that it is time to add a … Continue reading
Gary Weeks & Company, Furnituremakers 