Over the summer I had the opportunity to work as an intern in UHURU Design's wood shop located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. I assisted the fabricators with finish sanding/ applying final finishes and construction. I created samples for clients of the various finish options available, and was tasked to re-create samples through experimentation. I supported the fabricators in day-to-day activities, as well as assisted the office in photo-shoots and shipments to clients.
I learned a lot about the work-flow of a wood shop that creates hand made furniture. The furniture made at the Red Hook location of UHURU Designs is made by hand to a high level of perfection and consistency. The team of fabricators are constantly striving to create the most efficient, beautiful and sustainable furniture possible. During my three months with the company, I expanded my knowledge of not only the fabrication of furniture, but the way a company's employees come together to create work they are passionate about.
I learned a lot about the work-flow of a wood shop that creates hand made furniture. The furniture made at the Red Hook location of UHURU Designs is made by hand to a high level of perfection and consistency. The team of fabricators are constantly striving to create the most efficient, beautiful and sustainable furniture possible. During my three months with the company, I expanded my knowledge of not only the fabrication of furniture, but the way a company's employees come together to create work they are passionate about.
Image taken from uhuru design's instagram (I do not own any rights to this image)
During the first week of my internship, I created a sharpening station out of scrap plywood to ease the consistency of sharpening tools around the shop. This "station" consists of jigs to hold water stones in place and blocks to standardize the angle of honing.
image taken from http://uhurudesign.com/category/furniture
Created the panels for a summer snow side table.
Cut reclaimed panels to final dimensions, sanded and broke edges, and applied white wash and monocoat finish
Cut reclaimed panels to final dimensions, sanded and broke edges, and applied white wash and monocoat finish
For my final project as an intern, I was given drawings of a box meant to house 5"x5" samples the company shows to clients. Using the given dimensions and instructions, I was to figure out how the joinery would work for the box as well as a process to batch manufacture them.
image taken from : http://uhurudesign.com/category/furniture
Inspired by the Summit Media Unit, I modified the design of the box to reflect details comonly used in uhuru's furniture as well as to ease methods of production.
Inspired by the Summit Media Unit, I modified the design of the box to reflect details comonly used in uhuru's furniture as well as to ease methods of production.
I modified the design to feature a live-edge handle as well as a blackened-steel plate back.
Black walnut with hand blackened steel. (6"x6"x12")
All parts were assembled, cut and finished by hand.
