This model was further refined and separated into individual pieces. This made preparing a material and cut list quite easy.

The first prototypes were made from MDF – medium density fiberboard. The material is very dense, cuts and glues easily without any grain direction to worry about.  This first image shows a medium sized desktop speaker.

This is the small desktop cube speaker. It is 3-1/4″ on a side.

This small box is elongated in one direction.

Making the prototypes was a useful way of seeing size and proportion as well as allowing me to see how they looked on an actual desk.

These first three volumes represent a bookshelf speaker and two desktop speakers.

Once the massing had been established, I moved on to adding details that show wood connections and material sizes to get a more realistic sense of what the completed speaker would look like. This speakers show a boxe made out of 1/2″ wood,  connected with dovetails.

So, I started paying more attention to computer speakers and noticed that even the nice ones are still plastic; though usually black and shiny. So, that is my personal design challenge: design a new speaker. I want to create an interesting form that will look great on a desk or in a room and be made out of real wood and be built with the quality of a piece of furniture. These speakers should look more at home in an adult’s well decorated home than in a dorm room.

This first sketch shows a cube concept – 2 of the boxes hold speakers and the third holds the amplifier and other electronics.

This design incorporates feet – in a sort of mid-century modern nod – to the bottom of the speakers.  The lower design is for a full sized speaker.

Here the body of the speaker has been narrowed to a narrow square pipe sitting on a flat square base. There is a bass port in the lower quarter designed as two facing baffles.  Further acoustical study has shown me that this speaker would need to be deeper for better sound.

This design takes the pipe concept and combines it with the legs from the earlier sketch to make a more sculptural form.

I am going to focus on designing and prototyping a small desktop speaker and a medium sized bookshelf speaker. Later, I hope to return to full sized floor speakers.

The bench is made of 5 major parts: a butternut seat and 4 walnut legs.

Here, the 4 walnut legs are tapered on each side. A jig makes quick work of the 16 angled cuts.

The top end of each leg is rounded (with a large plug cutting bit on the drill press). A corresponding hole is cut into the bench top at the proper angle.

The leg is set into the bottom of the seat. A line is marked parallel to the seat and the leg is hand cut to sit flush to the seat.

The tops of the legs sit proud of the bench seat. Ebony wedges will be used to hold them firmly in place.

The assembled bench with the tops of the legs trimmed flush to the seat.

I finished the bench with two coats of Danish Oil.

Here is the bench complete.

“When plate glass windows became possible, people thought that they would put us more directly in touch with nature, in fact, they do the opposite. They alienate us from the view. The smaller the windows are, and the smaller the panes are, the more intensely windows help connect us with what is on the other side.”*

In that spirit, I present a series of photographs of traditional style windows**:

*”A Pattern Language” Christopher Alexander. Oxford University Press. 1977. Page 1109.

**All photographs are copyright 2011 David Beker

The building is small – 8′ x 12′ inside, with the porch being almost equal in size. I imagine the exterior being clad in rough hewn boards running vertically. The roof would be standing seam metal, or cedar shakes.

The interior has a long potting table with a utility sink along the back wall and shelving along the door wall. A stair stepped shelf holds pots on the porch.

The Front part of the house would be made of brick, with the ‘L’ extension covered in siding to make it appear as a later addition. A deep porch runs along the entry and side of the house.

The plan begins as a center hall colonial with formal rooms on each side of a staircase and entry that extends through the house.  A family room sits in the ‘addition’ part of the house. The upstairs has 3 bedrooms.

The base of the table is complete:

The top of the table was attached to the base with figure-8 toggles, which allows the table top to expand and contract independently of the base.

Here is the table complete:

I finished the table with 3 coats of boiled linseed oil and then sealed with a clear poly coat. The oil really brought out the depth of color and grain of the walnut.