Catch up on part one if you missed it. In part two, I went back to see Curtis at the Micklish workshop and watched him make quick work of the metal legs. Most of the sideboard is complete. Each leg will consist of 3 metal rods welded to a plate that’ll be attached to the sideboard at delivery.
I had never seen welding work in person so it was a treat to see how deceptively easy it looked. There wasn’t much noise, just an intense light I was instructed not to look directly at, though I couldn’t help snap a few shots with my camera.
The really interesting bit were the tools he used to cut and position the rods at the correct angles. I expected some kind of complex ruler with precise measurement ticks. Instead, he used a scrap wood block as a guide and a clamp to hold the rods down during the welding process. No doubt a skill that comes natural to him since he’s been doing this as a kid.
Curtis ended up making two sets of legs. The one you see in these photos are thinner. We ended up going with the thicker rods for enhanced stability. Come back next week to see the completed sideboard and its sidekick – the matching box air conditioning cover!
