Welcome to the personal website of Mark Rich. This site is under construction. For now it has basic information on rustic furniture construction. It will eventually be updated with more information about this hobby as well as the dance & healing arts.
I'm a self-taught rustic since 2007. My personal style is a combination of the qualities of those I consider to be experts. Although I have sold some pieces, rustic furniture construction is not a business or even a service, it's just something I like to do.
When working with each part prior to assembly, the bark is stripped off, then the part is sanded with an orbital sander. All large dents & undesirable features are removed. I prepare each part carefully, knowing that the quality of the overall product is a result of my attention to each individual part. I keep all joints as clean as possible.
The design I currently use for tables, chairs, & benches is the panel. But I've also used a tripod design for tables & will be working with root bases. Most joinery is done using the mortise & tenon configuration. When mechanical fastening is necessary I use brass nails & screws on all visible surfaces.
On the left are two views of the same nightstand table, with a stick-panel design. It was made in September of 2009. Its materials include white pine with a glass top, & a ruby shellac finish. It was given as a gift. It would probably be sold for about $150.
While collecting, before cutting a branch, I try to visualize what part & type of furniture it will be used for. This allows for a more efficient design. A single stick, for instance, can serve as a front post, arm rest, & a rung on a rear panel, if it's sized-up correctly. I've noticed that people I consider to be the best rustic furniture makers use this approach.
On the right is an Arm Chair with a stick-panel design made completely of hardwood, including cherry, maple, & beech. It was topcoated with polyurethane varnish. The velvet seat has a high-density foam inner cushion. It was made in September of 2009 & sold for $175.
I've used structural epoxy, cross-linking PVAs such as TightBond III, & polyurethane to secure joints for chairs, benches, & tables. For finishing I've used paste wax, shellac, & polyurethane varnish for topcoats, & boiled linseed oil for staining. The products that I strive to produce are high-quality, visually pleasing, durable pieces that are suitable for everyday use.
The arm chair on the left has a hardwood frame including apple, beech, & maple. It has a cedar seat. Ruby shellac was used as a base with polyurethane varnish as the topcoat. I've used TightBond III to secure the one inch joints with good results for prior chairs. But with this epoxy was used, & the mortise & tenon diameter was two inches. It was completed in May of 2010 & would be priced at about $340.
Most of the wood that I've used so far has been from fallen trees. For chairs & benches so far I've used mostly hardwoods like maple, poplar, beech, ironwood, basswood, birch, & cherry. But I've also used thick pieces of pine & cedar with good results. When cutting the parts, I categorize them into posts, rungs, irregular, & combination (e.g., parts that can act as a post & art, or a post, arm, & rung, etc).
On the right is a stick-panel nightstand table made of root that was completed in September 2009. It was finished with shellac & a varnish topcoat. I'd list it for about $120.
The wishbone side chair on the left has beech posts & rungs with other parts of its frame made of maple & cherry. For its seat & back rungs I used oak. It was made in September of 2009. I'd price it at about $190.
This nightstand table was completed in December 2009. It is made entirely of white pine with a glass top, & shellac finish. It would sell for about $150.
The all hardwood bench on the left is made of maple, beech, ironwood, & poplar, with an oak seat. This would be priced at about $310.
The nightstand on the right has an unknown type of hardwood with a slate top, & would be listed at about $120.
Mark@RichEssence.com