New Beginnings; New Name. The birth of Mill & Forge, LLC.

We are so excited to announce that we just got word in that all is good and our business officially has a new name:

Mill & Forge, LLC.

This is coming at the perfect time. Over the past year our business has grown in ways we couldn't have imagined. Recently we decided it was time for a name change that we felt more simply conveyed our business. With that we say goodbye to the name ReWorks ECL, and hello to Mill & Forge, LLC.

We still have the same dedication to sustainable living, perhaps even more now than ever, and will continue to do our part to bring thoughtful, beautiful, and environmentally conscious creations into your life.We are still the same people, with the same dedication to customer service, and integrity. The only difference is our cool new name, and ever growing clientele base.

Whether you've been with us since day 1, or have just discovered us, thanks for your support, and we look forward to continuing our current relationships, and all the wonderful new relationships coming into our lives.


Thank you!


Best,

Dave & Mari Adams

Far From Ordinary. The Story of a Concrete Counter Top.

The First Meeting

As far as clients go, these were the model of ideal. They were laid back, with unique concepts, and open to ideas. We had several in person meetings the first of which was getting the initial concepts of what they wanted, where we discussed the pro's and con's of on-site casting vs. off-site casting.

This was not your common concrete counter top pour. The length alone was just under 12' with a 22" overhang on one side. When you factor in this being a 2.5" thick counter top you can see how, from an engineering standpoint, this becomes a bit tricky (estimated counter top weight: over 1100 lbs). As it will unfold you will see just how important Dave's engineering and steel working backgrounds become.

Original sketch given to us by the client @ the first meeting.

While it was definitely doable for us to pour, finish and transport the counter top as a solid piece, the cost to do so would have been pretty intense. We decided casting-in-place would be the best option for this application.

So we set off to run some numbers, and make a sample.


The Second Meeting


This meeting was much more brief but involved discussions of cost, counter top color and finish, as well as having the entire counter top banded in steel. Oh yeah, and a decision to go with a modification to the original plan: reclaiming an old round oak dining table and turning it into a lazy Susan that cantilevers over the side of the counter top. The new model would go something like this:

Conceptual drawing from client incorporating  a recycled table. David  then
suggested making it a Lazy Susan and having no visible support.

We then set off to make some color samples based on what the client had requested, and planned to make the trip out to their lake house to take measurements.


The Third Meeting


We finally make our first trip down to the lake house, concrete samples in hand. The client spends some time comparing colors and we all discuss options for the existing counter. They debate on keeping the existing counter or having us build a brand new one. We sketch up some rough draft concepts for new counter designs (1) while chatting with them about what they want and what would work with the counter top we will be installing. We also discuss  concepts for building a steel frame structure that would carry the load (2). Conversations went from the pros and cons of building the frame inside the existing cabinet to building an exoskeleton, if they decided to keep their current cabinets.  

                                        

1. On-site sketch while discussing concepts for new
counter tops we could make them.

2. Concepts for structural support.

Homework


After having settled on a concrete color and finish we were off to come up with designs for the steel structure. Here are few designs I came up with:

Different exoskeleton concepts.

Another exoskeleton design with options for drawer knobs and pulls we could make.

Getting Started


This can be best summed up with a series of photos, but I will say that the decision to stick with the old cabinets (circa 1980) ended up taking up so much time to work around that we could have built a brand new set of cabinets for around the same amount of money, and certainly saved a lot of frustration on our part. Unfortunately we don't always have final say, but as long as the client is happy all is good!


Before:

In Progress:

The cabinet laid on its back exposing the slab.

The steel frame in progress.

Dave standing on the edges of the frame. He likes to test
nearly everything by jumping on it to make sure its strong
enough.

Another view of the frame in progress

   

The basics of the frame are nearly completed here with the steel banding in place.

Ready To Pour!

After the counter top had been poured, cured, and sealed.

The Lazy Susan


It wasn't until nearly the end that a design was chosen for the Lazy Susan. After emailing some concepts they ended up choosing this design:

Email we sent as a concept.

Clear Coated and Ready to Install. Poor Lighting offered at no extra charge. ;)

Finally It All Comes Together!

While I still haven't seen the island yet with it's new cabinet facings (the client decided to have them refaced near the end), I can only imagine how great it looks. As soon as I get pictures I will certainly add them. Until then, I leave you with these pictures (and video) of the completed project:

Yikes, thats dusty.

Still dusty.

The client spinning the Lazy Susan:

and finally:  Photo Gush:


I had to feature those awesome bar stools the client purchased to go with his new counter top (or who knows, maybe he got the counter top to go with the bar stools, lol).

$295

These can be purchased by following this link.

A Word On Uniqueness, Subliminal Advertisings, and Quality VS. Quantity...OR...A Few Reasons To Buy Handmade.

Crown Top Hat 

  Its easy to see why so many people like to buy from artists and indie-crafters. For starters, you have the opportunity to own something that has been hand crafted, and even if they make more than one based on the same concept, each piece will be unique, and we like that. We like knowing we are walking around town wearing the only Crown Top Hat , or an incredibly unique amethyst ring. Its nice knowing that this "whatever-great-thing-it-is" you just bought has been carefully thought about. Now, thats not to say that those working for big corps don't think about the designs. That would be a painfully false statement. However, at what point do intentions factor in. Those big corp guys are sitting around thinking of how they can sell you an item, to improve numbers and impress the big boss, and who knows.. maybe even get a raise. With this as their motivations its easy to see why they hold meetings to discuss how quickly something can break without it being too soon as to piss off the customer, but will still leave the customer motivated to come back and buy yet another "insert-item-here" that is programed to break                

Amethyst Ring

after "insert-number-of-uses-here". With these motivations its easy to see how these companies can be willing to use subliminal advertising. This is the big contrast to artists and indie-crafters on the whole. Artists and indie-crafters, for the most part, sit around thinking about creating a beautiful piece... not just "pretty" enough that they can use it to make you feel inferior and like you aren't cool/hip/like-able/part-of-the-club without it. No. Instead they want to create beautiful items and probably spend more time than they would ever like to admit thinking about you. The person buying their goods, and getting giddy and excited thinking about you opening up your package and the joy you will feel having this hand crafted creation in your life. Now, either way, you can own something new. Its your choice, but what better way to spend your dollar than saying you'd rather support artist who genuinely want to bring something beautiful into your life for the happiness it will bring you as opposed to supporting someone who wants you to continue to consume without ever feeling satisfied so you will continue to buy their preprogramed-to-fail-after-a-specific-number-of-uses-to-keep-you-shoveling-over-your-hard-earned-cash-so-they-can-take-a-holiday-to-their-summer-house-in-France. I could get into this topic more, but I'll save that for another day.

So, yes, buying indie may very well cost a couple dollars more, but its quality we are going for. Who needs to own 30 pieces of crap that will break in a months time. I'd rather have 3 quality pieces instead to last me years to come, thank you very much. So in that sense, while the upfront cost might be a little more, its an investment not only in the item but in yourself. You deserve nice things. You deserve unique, and you certainly deserve to be treated as a human and not a number, or a dollar sign. Its a wonder how these companies have stayed afloat for so long while treating their customers like mindless idiots, but I think, with the creation of places like Etsy we will see more and more big corps taking a big hit. Who knows, it might force them to rethink how they treat their customers, and employees for that matter.

Photo Gush of The Day:

this print on Etsy.com